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Business Insider

By Jessica Lin
The only polar bear to have been born in the tropics could be put to sleep as early as the end of April, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) says.
Born at the Singapore Zoo to the zoo’s first polar bears Nanook and Sheba, Inuka turned 27 in December last year.
According to WRS, Inuka would be “well into his 70s” in human years, and has surpassed the 25-year average lifespan of polar bears under human care. Polar bears in the wild have a life expectancy of between 15-18 years.
WRS said in a statement that a health examination on April 3 revealed that the polar bear’s health “is declining markedly”.

Although he is closely monitored by vets and keepers, old age has meant that Inuka’s activity levels are dipping.
Once known for splashing around in his pool, Inuka now prefers resting to interacting with keepers, and has reduced his swimming sessions significantly, WRS said.
The statement added that Inuka is now “less interested in his daily enrichment activity involving a variety of devices such as traffic cones, boomer balls and ice blocks embedded with his favourite food”.
Inuka had already been suffering from arthritis, dental issues and occasional ear infections, which are being managed and treated.
But now, Inuka also exhibits a stiffer gait, particularly noticeable in his hind limbs, WRS said.
“This abnormal shuffling gait has resulted in abrasions on his paw pads. Additionally, age-related general muscle atrophy is clearly evident,” the organisation said.
As a result, his daily care has been intensified and he has been put on painkillers and antibiotics to further alleviate his symptoms.
“His keepers are closely monitoring his welfare, and his quality of life assessment is under constant review,” WRS said.

A second health exam scheduled for later this month will decide if Inuka should continue on these treatments.
“If results indicate that Inuka’s welfare is not improving with these intensive treatments, his care team may have to make the very difficult decision to not allow him to recover from anaesthesia on humane and welfare grounds,” WRS said.
While daily polar bear interaction sessions have been suspended, visitors to the Singapore Zoo will still be able to spot the bear at the Frozen Tundra enclosure for now.
Sponsored by Singapore Press Holdings’ charity arm, SPH Foundation, Inuka could be the last polar bear to live in the tropical zoo.
In 2006, the zoo said it would not bring any more polar bears to Singapore following discussions with its Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee.
Here’s a look back at the life of Singapore’s very own polar bear Inuka.
Since 1978, there have been four polar bears at the Singapore Zoo, including Inuka, Nanook, Sheba, and another polar bear named Anana.
In this photo, mother bear Sheba swims with her cub Inuka, who is just under a year old. Sheba died on November 15, 2012, at the age of 35.

Inuka celebrated his 10th birthday at the Singapore Zoo with two huge ice sculptures filled with fruits, vegetables and a salmon each.

 In 2016, the zoo celebrated Inuka’s 26th birthday with a five-day bash. 
The bear got to savour some of his favourite treats, including a birthday cake made of salmon, minced beef and peanut butter “icing”.

 In 2016, WRS said Inuka consumed 11kg of food every day. His diet is made up of meat, polar bear pellets, rice, cabbage, carrots, and fruits.

Read the original article at Business Insider


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Singapore

The only Singapore-born polar bear is now in ‘declining health’ – here’s a look back at how Inuka captured hearts

Inuka the polar bear eats an "ice kacang" treat, consisting of ice blocks and a watermelon filled with fruit, for his 25th birthday at the Singapore Zoo on December 16, 2015. Photo: AFP PHOTO/MOHD FYROL

Photo: Singapore Zoo

Photo: The Straits Times

Veterinarians from the Singapore Zoo performing a health check on polar bear Inuka on 9 October 2013. The 22-year-old polar bear was born and bred in Singapore.

Photo: Wildlife Reserves Singapore Facebook page

Asian zoos must take action to look after their elderly animals, experts warn

A Singaporean team checks on Kima the cheetah at the Singapore Zoo. Photo: AFP

This photograph taken on May 5, 2017 shows Inuka the polar bear, 26, inside its enclosure at the Singapore Zoo. The Singapore Zoo is a regarded as a well-maintained zoo but its residents face the same problems as people in affluent Singapore -- they are living to a ripe old age and suffering from more health problems, from arthritis to cataracts and hearing loss. To tackle the problem the zoo introduced a senior animals' programme, with the elderly getting a specialised diet, regular visits from an in-house vet and individually tailored exercise programmes. / AFP PHOTO / Roslan RAHMAN / TO GO WITH Singapore-animal-ageing-zoo, FEATURE by Elizabeth LAW

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A health exam later this month will decide if Inuka should continue treatment or if his care team must make the decision to put him to sleep


Conservation

The only Singapore-born polar bear is now in ‘declining health’ – here’s a look back at how Inuka captured hearts

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}A health exam later this month will decide if Inuka should continue treatment or if his care team must make the decision to put him to sleep

A health exam later this month will decide if Inuka should continue treatment or if his care team must make the decision to put him to sleep