LOCUST GROVE, Ga. — Noah’s Ark Animal Sanctuary in Locust Grove, Georgia, said goodbye to their beloved bear, Baloo, who was humanely euthanized by veterinarians on Tuesday.
The sanctuary says the decision was made to euthanize Baloo after weeks of professional observation and treatment for discomfort originally attributed to a turned leg in early April.
Baloo was a 23-year-old American black bear. Staffers say that over the years, he emerged from hibernation, showing normal mobility challenges for his stature.
Beginning this spring, staffers say Baloo “was not himself,” moving more slowly until he had a misstep that further reduced his ability to move.
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Following his misstep, staffers say he had a decreased appetite while showing signs of increasing discomfort.
Over the last few weeks, the sanctuary’s team vet and staff adjusted his medication to provide relief. When they collaborated with University of Georgia veterinarians, they learned that CT machines could not accommodate an animal of his size.
X-rays determined that he did not have any broken bones or fractures in some areas of his body, but they believed that his immobility was isolated to his back, which could not be x-rayed.
UGA will conduct a necropsy to reveal more about the cause of his decline. His cremated remains will be returned to Noah’s Ark, where he will join Leo (a lion) and Sheer Khan (a tiger), who are previously memorialized at the sanctuary.
Baloo arrived as one of three bear cubs rescued from the captivity of a drug dealer. He recovered from surgery to remove an ingrown harness that was never loosened by his original owners. After healing from his wounds, staff says he became a confident and relaxed bear.
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