Female polar bear cub born at Detroit Zoo this week dies

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – A female polar bear cub born this week at the Detroit Zoo has died.

“We are all obviously grieving at the moment,” said Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) Executive Director and CEO Ron Kagan. “Our animal care staff did everything they could to save the cub.”

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The cub was moved to an intensive-care nursery in the Zoo’s Ruth Roby Glancy Animal Health Complex yesterday after video surveillance showed the infant had stopped nursing. DZS veterinarians and animal care staff immediately began administering life-saving measures.

Staff worked in shifts around the clock, providing fluids, antibiotics and infusions of polar bear blood plasma, while constantly monitoring the infant’s vital signs.

“The veterinarians were ultimately able to raise the cub’s low body temperature, and attempted to compensate for very low blood sugar from the outset,” Kagan said.

A necropsy is underway.

The cub’s parents are first-time mother, 6-year-old Suka, and 14-year-old Nuka.

“Suka appears to be healthy and calm,” Kagan said. “She initially showed promising maternal behaviors, but the cub stopped nursing yesterday.”

There are only 43 polar bears living in Association of Zoos & Aquariums-accredited zoos in the U.S.
 


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Ken Haddad has proudly been with WDIV/ClickOnDetroit since 2013. He also authors the Morning Report Newsletter and various other newsletters, and helps lead the WDIV Insider team. He's a big sports fan and is constantly sipping Lions Kool-Aid.