Tundra, the beloved polar bear that delighted visitors at the Bronx Zoo, was euthanized Saturday after falling ill to kidney disease. He was the last polar bear in New York City.
In an emotional tweet sent Wednesday, Jim Breheny, executive vice president of the Wildlife Conservation Society, said the 26-year-old polar bear was suffering from kidney disease and “other geriatric issues associated with advanced age.”
“Tundra was born at the Bronx Zoo 26 years ago,” wrote Breheny, who is also director of the Bronx Zoo. “I tried to stop by & see him every day, he was a great animal & will be missed.”
Zoo officials said a necropsy showed Tundra also had progressive arthritis that was worsening, despite treatment.
“Despite his age he remained extremely active and playful until just before his death,” Breheny said. “Tundra served as an important ambassador for his species, giving our guests an opportunity to see the power, majesty and grace of polar bears while learning about the problems these bears face in the wild due to a changing environment.”
Tundra was the last polar bear in the city after the passing of Central Park Zoo’s Gus in 2013. Gus gained fame in the 1990s when his repetitive swimming patterns led behaviorists to determine he was bored. The zoo came up with an enrichment plan that included changes to his habitat and food.
Zoo officials said there are no plans to replace Tundra with another polar bear.
