‘I totally cried’: Condolences after Calgary polar bear’s sudden death

A Rocky View County coach was 1 of galore who witnessed what whitethorn person been nan last moments of a Calgary Zoo polar bear’s life connected Friday.

“I wholly cried erstwhile I publication nan news. Because we saw them and were like, we were concerned but we didn’t recognize what was happening,” says Katt Hryciw.

Hryciw was visiting nan zoo connected Friday morning capturing moments of nan 2 polar bears, Baffin and Siku arsenic they played successful nan h2o wrong nan Taylor Family Foundation Polar Bear Sanctuary – a infinitesimal she says she’s ne'er witnessed since they arrived successful Calgary.

However, she wasn’t prepared for what happened next.

“They would benignant of you cognize return benignant of play bites pinch each different benignant of bat astatine each different and they scatter astir a small spot and travel back, and it was conscionable really tiny and past we noticed that 1 of them was nether nan h2o for for illustration a while,” she says.

Hryciw says minutes passed and still seven-year-old Baffin ne'er resurfaced. That’s erstwhile she and different parkland visitant alerted parkland staff.

According to nan zoo nan incident occurred astir 11:30 a.m. That’s erstwhile Baffin and Siku were seen sparring – which is described arsenic normal behaviour by nan zoo – earlier Baffin went nether nan water.

“Baffin wasn’t seen for a fewer minutes,” says Jamie Dorgan pinch nan Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.

“The animal attraction squad instantly shifted Siku nan different polar carnivore backmost disconnected of nan residence truthful that they could measure nan business and spot what was going on. Once he was shifted and nan animal attraction squad was capable to participate it was wished that unluckily Baffin was deceased,” he added.

Baffin and Siku were orphaned erstwhile they were conscionable one, and pinch their chances of endurance considered debased they were taken to Assiniboine Park Zoo successful Winnipeg. That’s wherever they stayed location until coming to nan Calgary Zoo conscionable 9 months ago.

In a connection to Global News, Dr. Chris Enright, elder head of Zoological Operations and Animal Management and Conservation pinch nan Assiniboine Park Conservancy called nan abrupt passing of Baffin heartbreaking.

“(The Calgary Zoo) animal care, wellness & use squad shared nan news pinch america yesterday and while they are personally devastated by this loss. They besides expressed their heartfelt condolences to our team, who will besides mourn his passing. The polar bears who travel to Assiniboine Park Zoo clasp a typical spot successful our hearts and minds. Our thoughts are pinch nan Calgary squad and each those who attraction astir nan early of polar bears and will beryllium impacted by this tragic loss,” says Dr. Enright.

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Taylor Family Foundation Polar Bear Sanctuary was closed connected Saturday. Many astatine nan zoo telling Global News they were conscionable learning astir nan bear’s death, while others we’re visibly upset astir nan loss.

“Its ace sad,” says Edmontonian Andrea Brown. “We were hoping to spell to nan polar bears grounds coming but we didn’t get a chance and hopefully each nan different polar bears are doing ok.”

Lethbridge’s Kennedy Loman says, “We don’t usually spot polar bears present (Calgary) truthful seeing them present its for illustration beautiful awesome but erstwhile proceeding 1 passes distant its conscionable its sad.”

The zoo expects to person nan necropsy results to find Baffin’s origin of decease connected Tuesday but adds nan afloat results could return weeks.

In a Facebook statement, nan zoo says “the Animal Care, Health & Wellness squad will beryllium intimately monitoring” Baffin’s long-time residence mate, Siku.

“I dream that group don’t return it retired connected nan zoo,” says Hryciw.

“I cognize that they really attraction connected conservation and a batch of group opportunity ‘oh these immense animals shouldn’t beryllium there’ but arsenic orphaned cubs I mean they wouldn’t person survived if they hadn’t been taken into care,” she concluded.