The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance said Friday that a male polar bear at the San Diego Zoo has passed away at the age of 24.
According to a statement from the alliance, which runs the zoo, Kalluk recently started exhibiting symptoms of age-related sickness, which prompted the zoo’s wildlife care and health experts to do a proactive and thorough wellness evaluation.
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“Wildlife experts made the difficult decision to say goodbye after thoroughly reviewing the results and evaluating all options,” the statement announcing Kalluk’s death on Thursday said.
According to the alliance, Kalluk and his sister, Tatqiq, came to the zoo in 2001 as orphaned cubs with their friend, Chinook.
“Wildlife care specialists will remember him as a calm strength within the trio, with an inquisitive and adventurous nature that left an indelible mark on his care team and the countless guests who were inspired by him,” stated the statement.
“Throughout his twenty-four years, Kalluk served as a conduit between worlds, helping to further the study of polar bear adaption, physiology, and sensory perception. In order to secure a future for his peers, these studies have given scientists and environmentalists around the world vital information about how polar bears survive in a world that is changing quickly.
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According to the alliance, male polar bears often live 15–18 years in their natural habitat.
