介绍:
A 28 year old polar bear named Arturo has been dubbed the World's saddest animal. The bear, who resides at the Mendoza zoo in Argentina, reportedly suffers from severe depression and stress which are likely to have been caused by his living conditions.
In an effort to move the bear to Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Canada, where he would be living in a climate better suited for his species as well as be surrounded by other bears, concerned members of the public and celebrities alike had signed a petition addressed to the Argentinean president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner. The petition has received well over 619,000 signatures.
However, the Mendoza zoo refused to relocate the bear, claiming they are concerned that Arturo is simply too old to be moved.
Arturo is Argentina's last remaining captive polar bear after his partner Pelusa died of cancer in 2012.
(JA) Puzzle from dailymail.co.uk comments
Who would want to pay to see a depressed bear! People go to the zoo to enjoy their day not go away feeling depressed and shamed! They should do the right thing and find a better home for this poor bear where he isn't alone and suffering.
(QD) Mikey1 from ca.news.yahoo.com comments
A friggen polar bear gets people going, but a chance to stand by Israel to end terrorism does not get people going...Why are the priorities centering on a bear and not our freedom.! Hamas must die and so must all the terrorist organizations strategically positioned within all the peace loving countries we hold dear to our freedom
(FA) Ann Alise from ca.news.yahoo.com comments
This is sickening and heartbreaking. To boycott the zoo would be a great idea - unfortunately not everyone will - people will continue to go to the zoo to gawk at these caged animals. Zoo's should be banned. We are harming these animals for our own selfish recreation.
Notes:
- The Canadian Zoo, which offered to take Arturo a year ago, features a new multi million dollar international polar bear centre.
- The petition is available online at Change.org
- Change.org communications director Shareeza Bhola told Dailybeast that the push to save Arturo is the 2nd fastest growing petition on the website globally. In the passed 24 hrs alone more than 64,000 people have signed it.
- The average lifespan of a wild polar bear is 15-18 years old while captive bears may reach up to 30 years.
- The Mendoza zoo is claiming that the bear is simply suffering from signs of old age and not depression and stress.
- Arturo's living conditions in the Argentinean zoo are described as deplorable, with hot temperatures that the bear isn't used to and a shallow pool that also doesn't satisfy the cold freezing temperature that Polar Bears prefer.
- The bear has been filmed pacing back and forth and repetitive swaying movements that experts have flagged as deeply concerning, even claiming that he's slowly going insane.
- In order to go to Canada, Arturo is looking at a two day journey where he would need to be heavily sedated. There are fears that this heavy sedation would kill him.
- A team of vets in Argentina ruled in February that the bear should stay in the zoo.
- This isn't the first attempt to move the bear to Canada. However, it didn't work out last time due to the failure of Mendoza zoo in providing the correct medical documents which in turn caused Winnipeg to reject the move.
(JA) Pip from ctvnews.ca says
Even if the bear were moved to Winnipeg - where it frequently reaches 30C in the summer - would the bear adapt to the new surroundings? More importantly, would the young bears in Winnipeg accept an oldster among them? With good surroundings and with good care, a polar bear can reach a ripe old age in Captivity however transferring such an old bear will NOT guarantee a longer life. Even the sedatives needed for the flight might cause its death.
(QD) Logically from ctvnews.ca says
Seriously, at 28 he must be on his last legs anyways. The time to move him would have been much earlier in life. I agree with the zoo keeping him there at this stage of his life but do not make the mistake of replacing him with another when the time comes. I know the 'free Willy' crowd won't agree with my viewpoint but this bears life is pretty much over...
(FA) Free Brid from dailymail.co.uk says
I really hope that this petition goes through and the bear is moved to a facility with better knowledge and resources to help the bear. That bear should have never been in that climate in the first place. Polar bear`s NATURAL CLIMATE is in the arctic. Not hades.
