INDIANAPOLIS — When Nichole Fowler learned that the Indianapolis Zoo's polar bear exhibit would be shutting down in the coming weeks, she thought of her daughter.
“Its very sad," said Fowler, who lives in the Indianapolis area. "I look forward to (my daughter) seeing the polar bear every time she comes to the zoo, because she likes the polar bear. It’s on Barney, so it’s one of her favorite animals.”
Tundra, the zoo's 29-year-old polar bear, will be relocating to the Detroit Zoo sometime after June 22, officials announced Monday.
In the wild, polar bears can live 20 to 30 years, but they can live up to 38 years while under human care, said Jodie Baker, the zoo's general curator. She worked at the zoo when Tundra first found her home there when the exhibit opened in 1988.
"The zoo’s veterinary staff carefully reviewed all of the options and agree that the Detroit Zoo is the perfect facility for Tundra’s needs as a senior bear," zoo officials said in an email to its members. "The Detroit Zoo offers large spaces and pools with easy slopes for Tundra to enter and exit the water, especially as she gets older."
Officials noted that the exhibit is safe and in good condition but would need to be upgraded in the next five years. They decided to move Tundra before she grows too old, said Judy Palermo, a zoo spokesperson.
Crowds gather often at Tundra's enclosure, which features rocky ledges, a swimming pond and underwater observation windows. On Monday, some kids recalled watching Tundra play and fight with friends, back when she wasn't the only polar bear. Others remembered her strolling to the glass wall that separated her exhibit from onlookers.
And with temperatures in the '90s Monday, some guests noted that Tundra doesn't seem as active anymore — especially during summer months. They believe Tundra will be happier elsewhere.
t's unclear what will replace the exhibit, but zoo officials expect to decide in the next few months. Palermo said the zoo tries to pick animals that will make the zoo more diverse and, when it can, select animals that are at risk of becoming endangered. The zoo also must think about the space available.
Palermo said zoo officials decided to consider a new exhibit rather than upgrade the exiting one, partly because of how difficult it is to get polar bears in North America. The bears are listed as endangered by the U.S. Endangered Species Act.
“We’re going to take the next few months and try to think about what other animal has a story to tell that we can help, another animal that might have a conservation issue that we need to enlighten our guests about," Palermo said.
Whichever animal the zoo picks, both zoo guests and employees will miss Tundra.
"She has enlightened and engaged millions of people over the last three decades. We're going to miss her terribly," Palermo said. "She's been a great ambassador for her species. She's taught a lot about polar bear conservation to our guests, and it’s a really important topic.”
Follow Vic Ryckaert on Twitter: @vicryc. Follow Kaitlin Lange on Twitter:@kaitlin_lange.
