Arturo the polar bear currently lives in the Mendoza Zoo in Argentina, and he appears to be rather depressed. So much so that he has been called the world’s saddest animal and his case has received international attention.
(facebook.com/SavePolarBearArthur)
The problem appears to be that he is living in an inappropriate climate, in an enclosure with little water, and he recently lost his polar bear companion. Now he is displaying depressed behaviors like laying around, pacing, and rocking from side to side. Activists have been trying to move Arturo to a place better suited to care for him in Canada, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy, where he could be with others of his kind.
So far everything has fallen through and it seems the zoo which has him does not really wish to have him go anywhere else. The Conservancy was willing to make the risky move even with Arturo’s advanced age, but the zoo could not provide the bear’s updated medical records. Arturo’s case has taken on international attention with Facebook pages, a petition on change.org, and a Greenpeace petition that will be given to the Argentinean president.
A more recent report on Arturo from NPR states that the Mendoza Zoo believes he is too old (28 or 29 years old) to be sedated and taken to the facility in Canada. They have cared for him this long, and removing him from his current caretakers could further depress him. A group of vets in Argentina has also reviewed the situation and also determined that Arturo is too old for the move.
(facebook.com/SavePolarBearArthur)
It seems that this sad bear will live out his days alone. Whether moving him would be the best for Arturo we can only hope that he is well taken care of for the remainder of his life.
-Cola and Fizz
