In good news for animal advocates, Detroit Zoo officials have no plans to euthanize a male polar bear that killed a female he was mating with this week.
This bear is not a Detroit Zoo resident. (File photo)
Anana, a 20-year-old female, died Monday during a breeding attempt with Nuka, a 16-year-old male.
The zoo is still reviewing what happened and videos of the habitat. While the killing clearly took place during Nuka’s attempt to breed, the exact scenario is still being probed.
“We could tell from what we've seen so far that he was trying to breed her yesterday, but what we don't know yet is what might have triggered a more violent response,” (Detroit Zoological Society Chief Life Sciences Officer Scott) Carter said.
... Nuka has mated before with several other female polar bears but “has never acted like this,” Carter said. Nuka fathered the zoo’s new twin polar bears through 8-year-old Suka.
An investigation continues.
Polar bears are considered endangered, due to the loss of the Arctic ice that is their natural habitat.
