7.9.2020 – Source: Press release from the Tacoma Zoo, Washington on the 1st of September
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news that our beloved elderly polar bear Boris was humanely euthanized this morning after a significant decline in his health.
At 34, Boris was likely the oldest male polar bear on the planet. He had far surpassed the median life expectancy of 23.4 years for male polar bears in human care (15-18 years in the wild). In late 2017, Boris became a medical pioneer when stem cells grown from his own fat tissue were used in an attempt to help treat his arthritis.
Rescued from a traveling circus 18 years ago, Boris found a stable and caring home in Tacoma, where he was loved and revered by our staff and community. Our experienced veterinary and animal care teams played a huge role in giving Boris a healthy and comfortable life, providing the geriatric polar bear with compassionate and attentive care every day. Boris was an amazing ambassador for his endangered species and will be deeply missed.
Molly wrote a nice article of Boris which was published in this magazine in 2018 (in English / auf Deutsch)
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