World's oldest polar bear dying
2008-08-02 13:24
Ottawa - The world's oldest polar bear, orphaned as a cub in the cold Russian north and raised in captivity, is dying, after thrilling more than 18 million visitors to a Canadian zoo, officials said on Friday.
Debby, 41 years and eight months old, continues to reside in her exhibit at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, and comes out to see zoo visitors "most days," said officials in a statement.
But she "is showing signs of her advanced age" and her "prognosis of recovery from age-related medical problems is not good".
Zoo officials said they chose to announce Debby's failing health because she means so much to so many people.
Many visitors in recent years, who were children when they first saw Debby as a youngster, have brought their own children and grandchildren to see the cherished bear, they said.
"A wonderful ambassador for her species, it is significant that she has survived to 2008, the International Year of the Polar Bear," so designated by Polar Bears International magazine, said officials.
An orphan from the Russian Arctic, Debby arrived at the zoo as a cub in 1967.
Few polar bears reach 20 years in the wild
She produced six surviving offspring with her mate Skipper, who passed away in 1999 at the age of 34.
Few polar bears reach 20 years of age in the wild, but several captive bears have survived into their early 30s.
Reports of her last birthday in December 2007 described the bear as "playful in her senior years," enjoying swimming, submerging a plastic barrel in her pond and stalking birds that land in her enclosure.
Her favourite pastime remains eating, zookeepers said of the 300-kilogramme bear, in an interview with public broadcaster CBC.
This year, the Guinness Book of World Records crowned Debby the world's oldest bear.
In fact, she is thought to be the third oldest bear ever recorded for all eight living species of bears.
Zoo officials said she is "without a doubt the most popular animal in (the zoo's) 104-year history".
- AFP