Sad news from the San Francisco Zoo: on Friday they announced the passing of their 32-year old polar bear Piké.
Piké (pronounced PEE-ka) lived at the Zoo her entire life, born on November 25, 1982 and raised by staff after she was rejected by her mother. Enjoying the comforts of captivity, Piké lived eight years beyond her life expectancy. However, the complications of old age caught up to her and Zoo veterinarians made the decision to euthanize her according to SFGate.
"Pike was a great bear and I feel honored to have been able to care for over the years," said chief vet Graham Crawford in a statement. "Her longevity and quality of life was a reflection of the thoughtful and diligent care she received from Zoo staff."
Because of her advanced age, she experienced the same problems familiar to elderly humans. Zookeepers built extra steps in her enclosure to ease the load on her arthritic joints. At the time of her death, Piké was the fourth oldest polar bear in the United States. The Zoo still has another polar bear, Uulu, who is the oldest polar bear in the country at 34.
In honor of PIké's memory, the Zoo made a donation to Polar Bear International in her name.
Here's a video compilation of Piké early years:
