Posted by Gigi Allianic, Communications
Photo credit: Jeremy Dwyer-Lindgren, Woodland Park Zoo
Keema was the best grizzly bear. |
Our hearts are heavy as we mourn the loss of Keema, an old male grizzly bear. The 28-year-old was humanely euthanized on Christmas Day due to severely deteriorating health, including anorexia and reduced mobility. Keema would have turned 29 on January 15th. Male grizzly bears have an average life expectancy of 21 years in captivity, but are often shorter in the wild.
For the past few months, the zoo’s animal care team has been keeping a close eye on Keema. Although he underwent diagnostic testing due to decreased exercise capacity, the veterinary team was unable to find a treatable underlying condition. This elderly bear is taking prescribed pain relievers and joint meds to help him cope with his arthritis and stay as comfortable as possible for as long as possible. “While Keema was hanging there, his motor skills were declining, which is not uncommon for older animals. Dr. Tim Storms, Director of Animal Health at Woodland Park Zoo. “We had to make the difficult decision today to humanely euthanize him.”
Keema and Denali were not only beloved members of the zoo family, they were also iconic ambassadors for grizzly bear conservation. |
Keema and her twin brother Denali were born at the Washington State University Bear Center on January 15, 1994 and came to the Woodland Park Zoo as 10-month-old babies. Denali passed away in December 2020, shortly before his 27th birthday, due to age-related problems. Grizzly bears are usually solitary animals, but the brothers have lived together all their lives and got along well because they were always together and had no female bears.
“Losing Keema means the end of an era. For nearly 30 years, Keema and her late twin brother Denali have touched our hearts and minds,” said Senior Director of Animal Care at Woodland Park Zoo. Kevin Murphy said. “Keema lived a long and prosperous life thanks to the dedication and expertise of her keepers and animal health team, and the generous support of donors, members and communities. They were also iconic ambassadors for Washington’s grizzly bears, as they helped shine a spotlight on the importance of coexisting with bears and other wildlife in both remote and remote areas. You will live forever inside.”
We love you forever, Keema. |
One era ends and a new one begins with the recent addition of two charismatic brown bear cubs, Fern and Juniper, who live in the zoo’s Living Northwest Trail. Grizzly bear cub Fern was born in Montana this winter and arrived at the Woodland Park Zoo as a rescue animal in October. A baby Juniper brown bear was found roaming alone near an Air Force base in Anchorage, Alaska. Like Fern, she was born this winter and she first met the public in August.
A fern from Montana (left) and a juniper from Alaska (right) are both rescued babies. They will arrive at the Woodland Park Zoo in early 2022. |
“Juniper and fern have already captivated our members and visitors. said Murphy. For more information on Juniper and Fern Rescue, please visit: www.zoo.org/brownbear.
As standard procedure, the zoo’s animal health team will perform post-mortem examinations to further diagnose factors that may have contributed to Keema’s decline.
Keema will always represent the soul center of our Living Northwest Conservation Mission. |
Brown bears and grizzly bears belong to the same species, Ursus arctos, but the common name “brown bear” usually refers to coastal bears and “grizzly bear” usually refers to (smaller) inland bears. Scientifically speaking, all grizzly bears are brown bears, but not all brown bears are grizzly bears.
Adopt a baby brown bear at the zoo in Keema’s honor zooparent program, supports zoo animal care, education and wildlife conservation efforts in the Pacific Northwest and around the world. Woodland Park Zoo is a proud member of the Friends of the North Cascades Grizzly Bear Coalition, which advocates for the restoration of healthy grizzly bear populations to Washington’s North Cascades ecosystem.