Calgary Zoo Polar Bear Died Due to ‘Rough Play’ With Another Bear

The decease of a polar carnivore astatine a Calgary zoo was owed to equine play, successful what is simply a tragic incident. 

That’s the decision of a necropsy (or an autopsy for animals) conducted connected a seven-year-old antheral named Baffin who died connected Friday, July 19 astatine the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo. Baffin was rescued erstwhile helium was little than a twelvemonth aged aft being orphaned successful the wild. He had lived astir of his beingness astatine different Canadian zoo adjacent Winnipeg earlier being transferred to the Calgary institution.

He had been accompanied connected that trek by different orphaned antheral polar bear, eight-year aged Siku, and it was this companion that bears immoderate work for Baffin’s untimely death. The necropsy, conducted by an autarkic wildlife pathologist, concluded that Baffin drowned aft his trachea was crushed portion engaging successful “rough play” with Siku, the zoo explained successful a statement. Baffin presumably mislaid consciousness portion underwater owed to the injury. The carnivore had been successful different “excellent carnal condition” and showed nary signs of heat-related stress. 

It's been a hard fewer days pursuing the unexpected nonaccomplishment of polar bear, Baffin. Necropsy results amusement helium drowned aft a tracheal wounded from unsmooth play w/ Siku. He was successful fantabulous wellness with nary signs of vigor stress. We proceed to grieve his loss.💔 https://t.co/C5HIo5yNlE pic.twitter.com/4q8jZaibSK

— Calgary Zoo (@calgaryzoo) July 23, 2024

“Although the necropsy results are conclusive astir the origin of Baffin’s death, they connection small solace to our squad that loved Baffin truthful deeply”, said Colleen Baird, the zoo’s manager of carnal care, health, and welfare. “Baffin and Siku shared a agelong past arsenic longtime situation mates and enjoyed a companionate relationship, which is wherefore they were chosen to travel to Calgary from Assiniboine Park Zoo. They displayed galore earthy polar carnivore behaviours, including playing regular successful and retired of the water. The benignant and strength of play connected the time of the incidental appeared to beryllium nary antithetic than the benignant of play their caregivers witnessed from them connected a regular basis.” 

Polar bears typically unrecorded to their precocious teens successful the wild, though immoderate individuals person been recovered who lived into their aboriginal 30s. 

Baffin’s drowning is not the archetypal clip the Calgary Zoo has been nether scrutiny owed to carnal deaths. In 2010, an outer audit revealed that respective creatures had died oregon been injured arsenic a effect of unqualified unit members oregon flaws successful grounds designs, according to a CBC report. Those included the decease of a babe elephant, a hippo, 4 gorillas, and 41 stingrays, arsenic good arsenic dozens of bats and 4 sweetener gliders.