The animal was 36 years old, it was the oldest polar bear in North America.
“It is with a heavy heart that we inform you that Lilly, our beloved polar bear, was humanely put to sleep due to her deteriorating health,” the post noted.
The she-bear has lived in Milwaukee County Zoo since 2005 and has become a favorite of visitors.
The staff of the institution noted that the fact that Snow Lilly lived to 36 years old testifies to the “excellent care” that the zoo team provided for her.
The she-bear turned 36 years old in December 2020, reported zoo site. Prior to coming to Milwaukee, she lived at the Bronx Zoo in New York. The animal weighed about 250 kg.
“In the wild, polar bears are facing major environmental changes due to warming and shrinking Arctic sea ice,” the release said.
The polar bear is the second largest land predator of the planet, its length reaches three meters, and its weight is up to one ton. Height at withers 130-150 cm. The lifespan of polar bears in nature is 25–30 years, captive longevity record – 45 years.
If greenhouse gas emissions remain at their current level, by 2100 all populations of polar bears could disappear, except for a few in the Arctic, scientists made such a forecast in July 2020.
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