Elderly polar bear named Tundra dies at Detroit Zoo
Posted September 26, 2016 7:00 am
ROYAL OAK, Mich. (AP) - An elderly polar bear that recently came to the Detroit Zoo from its counterpart in Indianapolis has died.
Detroit Zoo officials said Tundra, a 29-year-old female, had been seriously ill on Sunday and declined overnight. The zoo euthanized the animal Monday. Tundra was one of the oldest polar bears in captivity. Zoo officials say she had exceeded the species' typical life spans in the wild and zoos.
Tundra came in June to the Royal Oak-based zoo because the Indianapolis Zoo closed its polar bear exhibit. The animal joined other polar bears, foxes and seals at the Detroit Zoo's Arctic Ring of Life exhibit, which has four acres of indoor and outdoor habitat.
A necropsy is planned to learn why Tundra's health was failing.
Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked.
If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.