Polar bear at Calgary Zoo died by drowning following 'crushing' injury

The Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo has   found out  the   motive  of   dying  for polar   undergo  Baffin   closing  week.
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The zoo   stated  seven-  yr -  antique  Baffin   have been  sparring with eight-  yr -  antique  polar   undergo  Siku   withinside the  pool   of their  enclosure on Friday,   however  went   beneathneath  the water and   did not  resurface.

On Monday, following a necropsy, the zoo   introduced  Baffin died   through  drowning following a "crushing   harm  to his trachea"   through  Siku   for the duration of  the "  hard  play."

"We   consider  it   became  a bite," Dr. Sandie Black, senior veterinarian,   stated ,   pronouncing  it squeezed and cracked   one of the  undergo 's trachea rings.

Black   stated  Baffin's   pores and skin  became  undamaged, and   there has been  most effective  a completely  small   quantity  of bruising   seen  at the  inside.

"Had this been on land,   it might  were  very   one of a kind ," she   stated , calling the incident a "tragic accident."

The necropsy – which   became  finished  through  an   unbiased  pathologist   in addition to  the zoo's animal   fitness  group  –   additionally  showed  Baffin   became  in   brilliant  bodily  condition.

Additionally,   officers  say the necropsy   discovered  no   proof  of heat-  associated  stress.

Black   stated  the necropsy   outcomes  offer "  hole  comfort" to the   group  on the  Calgary zoo – and the   group  at Assiniboine Park Zoo,   wherein  the bears lived   earlier than  coming to Calgary in October 2023.

Baffin   became  rescued as a cub   while  he   became  much less  than a   yr  antique .

Siku   have been  rescued as an orphan cub in 2016.

"Baffin and Siku shared   an extended  records  as habitat mates, and the   loved  a companionate relationship,   that is  why they   had been  selected  to return back  to Calgary," Black   stated .

She   stated  the bears "  performed  every day ,"   each  inside and out  of the water.

"The   kind  and   depth  of play   at the  day of the incident   regarded  to be no   one of a kind  than the   kind of  play their caregivers witnessed from them on a   every day  basis."

Black says they   haven't any  on the spot  issues  approximately  Siku,   who's  doing "  properly " and has   a great  appetite.

Black says   they're  tracking  Siku as he mourns the   lack of  his companion, and says   there's  a   opportunity  of bringing in   every other  polar   undergo  to enroll in  him   withinside the  future,   however  not anything  immediately.

"Certainly   we'd  like, for his welfare, to   convey  every other  polar   undergo  –   as a minimum  one   extra  polar   undergo  – into the exhibit,   however  there is  no   urgent  want  to do so."

Black   stated  in captivity, polar bears can live "  as much as  approximately  30 years."

She   stated  that   because of  the   unintended  nature of the incident, there   aren't anyt any  plans to   extrade  the polar   undergo  habitat at this time.

"It's been   certainly  tragic for us and our   group ,"   stated  Colleen Baird, director of animal care,   fitness  and welfare.

"Hearing   all of the  properly  desires  and condolences have   certainly  helped us get   via  it."

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