Polar Bear, 31, Dies at Kansas City Zoo

Published: 2/21/2019, 1:46:02 PM EST

Polar Bear, 31, Dies at Kansas City Zoo — Bam Bam, a polar bear, in a file photo at the Kansas City Zoo. The polar bear was euthanized on Feb. 19, 2019. (Kansas City Zoo)

A 31-year-old polar bear died at the Kansas City Zoo, the zoo announced.

The bear named Bam Bam arrived from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha in 2018. She was born at the Nebraska zoo in November 1987.

According to the zoo, Bam Bam was in good health but recently starting having health issues.

"It is with great sadness that the Zoo announces that one of its beloved polar bears, Bam Bam, passed away last night," the zoo said in a statement. "Although Bam Bam was an older bear, her overall health had been good until very recently. This week, however, preliminary tests showed that her liver was failing. When further tests determined that she had developed untreatable liver cancer, the difficult decision was made to euthanize her."

Bam Bam lived with Berlin, a 29-year-old female, in the zoo's Polar Bear Passage after arriving from the Omaha zoo.

"Bam Bam loved peanut butter and also had a fondness for celery. She greatly enjoyed her habitat at the Kansas City Zoo. As her zookeepers cleaned the outdoor area each morning, she would let them know when they were taking too long, as she was always anxious to explore when they finished each day. She loved to swim in the pool and play with her orange boat," the zoo stated.

"Visitors could often see her laying spread out in the grass, occasionally turning her head to munch on her soft bed. Bam Bam is going to be deeply missed by all of the staff, volunteer, and visitors of the Kansas City Zoo."

In a statement obtained by the Omaha World-Herald, Dennis Pate, president and CEO of Henry Doorly Zoo, said that his team was saddened by Bam Bam's death.

"She was born and grew up at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, where many of our visitors remember growing up with her. She was an ambassador of her species to millions of people during her 30 years at our zoo, as well as a keeper favorite," he said.

Bam Bam could often be seen played with plastic barrels and enjoyed eating melons, apples, and frozen fish in Omaha, according to the zoo.

Her mother, Olga, also lived at the zoo until her death.

Bam Bam, a polar bear, in a file photo at the Kansas City Zoo. The polar bear was euthanized on Feb. 19, 2019. (Kansas City Zoo) — Bam Bam, a polar bear, in a file photo at the Kansas City Zoo. The polar bear was euthanized on Feb. 19, 2019. Kansas City Zoo

Reactions

The news circulated widely online, with many expressing their sadness over the bear's passing.

"So very sorry that Bam Bam has passed. Thank you for all the love and care you have provided through the years," one Facebook user wrote.

"Rest in peace, Bam Bam. My deepest condolences to her keepers and all those who loved her," said another.

"So sorry for the Zoo's loss of Bam Bam. Thank You for Sharing your stories and Pictures of Bam Bam. It hurts to lose the one you take care of daily and worry about," another said.

"I grew up with this bear in Omaha. My mom and I would sneak in apples for her. Always my favorite memories of the zoo," said another.

A mother polar bear plays with her three cubs born in last November, at the Moscow Zoo in Moscow, Russia, on March 22, 2012. (Andrey Smirnov/AFP/Getty Images) — A mother polar bear plays with her three cubs born in last November, at the Moscow Zoo in Moscow, Russia, on March 22, 2012. Andrey Smirnov/AFP/Getty Images

Polar Bears

According to the Kansas City Zoo, polar bears live 15 to 18 years in the wild while Pate, the Omaha zoo president, said that polar bears live an average of 24 years in zoos.

Omaha doesn't currently have a polar bear but its master plan calls for a new polar bear exhibit in the future.

Polar bears are the largest carnivorous land mammals on Earth and measure about seven to eight feet long from nose to tip, according to the National Wildlife Federation. Males can weigh more than 1,700 pounds while females typically weigh up to 1,000 pounds.

"Many of the polar bear's physical adaptations help it maintain body heat and deal with its icy habitat. The bear's outer layer of fur is hollow and reflects light, giving the fur a white color that helps the bear remain camouflaged. The skin under the polar bear's fur is actually black; this black is evident only on the nose," the federation stated.

"Polar bears also have a thick layer of fat below the surface of the skin, which acts as insulation on the body to trap heat. This is especially important while swimming and during the frigid Arctic winter. The bear's large size reduces the amount of surface area that's exposed to the cold per unit of body mass (pounds of flesh), which generates heat."

According to the World Wildlife Fund, polar bears spend over half their time hunting for food and might catch only one or two out of every ten seals they hunt. Seals are their main source of food. Polar bears are native to the icy areas of the Arctic Ocean.