Gus the polar bear has died. The Central Park Zoo celebrity had to be put to sleep. He was 27.
Gus was often seen as depressed after his mate, Ida died in 2011. He became a symbol for the park and was visited by nearly 20 million visitors during his lifetime, the Wildlife Conservation Society, which manages the Central Park Zoo told Reuters.
Gus had to be euthanized on Tuesday after veterinarians discovered a large, inoperable tumor near his thyroid.
"Gus had been exhibiting abnormal feeding behavior with low appetite and difficulty chewing and swallowing his food," a WCC statement said.
Male polar bears live on an average of 20.7 years in zoos, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, so Gus had a full life.
His partner, Ida, died of liver disease at age 25. There were concerns that Gus would be lonely after his mate died.
Gus became famous in 1994 as he kept a repetitive swimming pattern which concerned zoo keepers. As a result, they created a special program to keep his mind and body more active. One of these activities was foraging for food. The zoo also brought in an animal psychologist who gave him toys, games and a better designed habitat. His behavior improved after that.
"He was an important ambassador for his species bringing attention to the problems these bears face in the wild due to a changing environment," Jim Breheny, the society's executive vice president of zoos and aquariums, said according to Reuters. "Polar bears are apex predators - the kings of their domain, but vulnerable in a world affected by climate change brought on by human activity."
Gus had been at the Central Park Zoo since 1988. He was born at the Toledo Zoo in 1985.
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