Thane Maynard talks about what features help Polar Bears survive in the cold. CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Zoo visitors were temporarily kept indoors Wednesday afternoon after two polar bears breached a containment area. Zoo population. The incident was recorded on video and gained worldwide media coverage and commentary, which included controversy over whether it was the right choice to kill the animal. He drove more than an hour from Columbus, Ind., to visit the park with his wife, mother-in-law, 8-year-old-niece, 4-year-old son, and 3-year-old nephew. Learn more: Through the use of assisted reproduction and sound scientific technologies, CREW scientists in the Animal Research Division are Saving Species with Science®. Polar bear escapes from Cincinnati Zoo. Gu Gu is renowned for biting people who enter his enclosure, and once even had to have his jaws prized off with tools because he refused to let go of his victim. Indeed, zoo attacks have occurred for quite some time, though several high-profile events have happened in recent years. Australian tourist Kathryn Warburton got far more than she bargained for when she scaled two safety fences to get a photo of Binky, a 1,200lb polar bear. A senior zoo keeper was lucky to escape with her life yesterday after she was gored by a rhino on the NSW south coast yesterday at Mogo Zoo. A male polar bear has killed a female polar bear at the Detroit Zoo when he attempted to mate. At 31 years old, he was the second oldest male in the U.S. JOHN M. DOYLE May 19, 1987. Tiger that escaped from flooded zoo kills 1. "This kind of stuff happens," Baugher said. Shop the Zoo’s Online Store for Fiona gear, face masks and more. Polar Bear Fatally Mauls At Least Child. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Wednesday was Ethan Baugher's first time at the zoo with his family. A tiger grabs and drags a woman at a zoo in China. CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Zoo visitors were temporarily kept indoors Wednesday afternoon after two polar bears breached a containment area. With CREW’s expanding involvement in polar bear research, conservation and education and the Zoo’s progress in going green, it was a natural next-step to formally name the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden one of Polar Bears International’s official Arctic Ambassador Centers. She arrived in Cincinnati in Nov. 2016 to be matched with the zoo's male polar bear, "Little One." Over the course of 10 terrifying minutes he dragged the child through the water, propping him up and pushing him over, before carrying him up onto dry land. The bear promptly stuck his head through the bars of the cage, seizing her. Kathryn Warburton, who was attacked by Binky the Polar Bear at a zoo in Alaska, is pictured here resting at her home in Orange in 1994. CINCINNATI (March 27, 2021) – Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden ’s male polar bear “Little One”, was humanely euthanized earlier today due to renal failure and a rapid decline in his health and quality of life. Their arrival was shortly after the Cincinnati Zoo unveiled its $2.75 million polar bear exhibit, featuring a 7-foot wide, 12-foot high glass front. On Sept. 26, 1982, a 29-year-old man was found dead inside the polar bear cage at the Central Park Zoo. Nationwide News Pty Limited Copyright © 2021. Celebrate International Polar Bear Day at the Zoo! Ms Melo’s co-workers quickly intervened and she was taken to intensive care in hospital. Ms Warburton, who was from Orange, suffered a broken leg, bite wounds and had to undergo surgery. Laurie Stober, 30, was attacked in 1990 by Icee, an 800-pound bear that grabbed her fingers with his teeth and chewed his way up to her elbow. This is a big birthday. “I asked for one simple final behaviour. In an attempt to rescue her, Ms Zhao’s mother was killed by a second tiger, while her daughter managed to escape alive. Berit and her twin brother, Ulaq, came to Cincinnati in 2000 from the Denver Zoo, according to Enquirer archives. When he did not respond, I sensed a behavioural change in him and realised he was thinking of challenging me. Share on: Many people admire this large white bear that inhabits the Arctic, but did you know there is an entire day dedicated to the species and their conservation? “His trunk on my chest took my breath away, which made it impossible for me to talk and tell him to stop.”. But the Sydney tourist carelessly got too close to the male bear after scaling two safety rails at the Alaska Zoo in 1994, where she was holidaying. She got out of the car and appeared to walk around to the other side before a tiger pounced on her and dragged her into bushes. The glass viewing panels give visitors a "nose-to-nose" experience with the polar bears. CINCINNATI -- A zoo where a keeper lost her right arm in a polar bear attack has been cited for safety violations that could cost it $4,400 in … On September 18, 2014, Harambe was transferred to the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to learn adult gorilla behavior and join a new social group. Laurie Stober was granted $3.5m (£2.46m) in a … Fortunately, the situation was resolved rather quickly, and all animals and people emerged unscathed. A zookeeper was left fighting for life in 2012 after a juvenile elephant crushed her against bollards at Sydney’s iconic zoo. Zoo officials then killed Harambe with a single rifle shot while the boy was between his legs. "They were maybe a little over-cautious, which is certainly better than not being cautious enough.". Zoo workers were forced to use tools to pry Gu Gu’s jaws apart. But it’s certainly not the first time zoo animals have launched vicious attacks on people. The giant 18-year-old male panda, who resides at the Beijing Zoo, has made international headlines for three terrifying attacks in four years. The Cincinnati Zoo put visitors and staff on lockdown Wednesday after a polar bear escaped its enclosure. The 17-year-old Western lowland gorilla grabbed and dragged a three-year-old boy who had climbed into his enclosure. December 1, 1994. Gu Gu again made international headlines in January 2009 when he attacked a zoo visitor who climbed over the barrier into his pen to retrieve a toy his son had dropped. To join the conversation, please Log in. Some, including Baugher, waited outside the gates to be allowed back inside. Donations to the Polar Bear Challenge will be matched by the Young Family Foundation & an anonymous donor. He offered me a slightly different behaviour than the one I had asked,” Ms Melo said in a statement at the time. She has reportedly been left disabled from the incident and is now demanding $305,500 compensation from the park. WHEN caged animals go wild ... it’s the stuff of nightmares. Hercules, 43, died in 2008. Fearing for the boy’s life, the zookeeper felt he had no choice but to shoot Harambe. Visitors were told to either remain indoors or leave the park after the polar bear breach. Speaking from the hospital a few days after the attack, she said it was the “the dumbest thing I’ve ever done.”, Gu Gu is a serial attacker at the Beijing Zoo. The second incident was in October 2007, when Gu Gu launched a vicious four-minute attack on a 15-year-old boy, who had climbed into the enclosure out of curiosity. She came to the zoo with her sister and two nephews, ages 1 and 2. Luckily, the zoo managed to get things under control rather quickly, and no one was injured during the polar bear's escape. They were just up the hill from the polar bear exhibit when zoo officials told guests to get indoors. She recovered from her injuries. She died of blunt force trauma to the head, neck and torso, with an autopsy revealing part of her scalp was “forcibly torn from the head.”. A NOTE ABOUT RELEVANT ADVERTISING: We collect information about the content (including ads) you use across this site and use it to make both advertising and content more relevant to you on our network and other sites. The polar bear is a skillful predator of seals, with the help of a keen sense of smell, powerful paws, and sharp claws. “I asked him again for the correct version. In one of the most horrific deadly animal attacks in an enclosure, a whale instructor was pulled under the water and thrashed around during a performance at SeaWorld in Orlando in front of terrified onlookers. All times AEST (GMT +10). PBI Arctic Ambassador Centers are organizations endorsed by leading polar bear scientists and the AZA … In 1990, a zoo worker lost her arm after a male polar bear named Icee attacked her as she attempted to feed him. The zoo resumed normal operations around 1:30 p.m. Picture: Tracey HaslamSource:News Limited. The Cincinnati Zoo went into lockdown Wednesday when a female polar bear escaped an enclosed area. Source: YouTubeSource:YouTube. He was a geriatric bear with chronic medical conditions that were being managed … (Flickr photo) ... Polar bears, unlike gorillas, horses and colobus monkeys, are predatory and in the wild do attack and kill people and other prey far larger and stronger than the biggest, strongest human, let alone a child. Sign up, Join the conversation, you are commenting as Logout. NEW YORK (AP) _ A young boy who entered the polar bear cage at a zoo to go swimming was fatally mauled Tuesday evening by two of the animals, which were killed by police, authorities said. This isn't the first time the Cincinnati Zoo has encountered a problem with its polar bears. Donate online or purchase a polar bear shirt (limited-time) to contribute. Fearing for the boy’s life, the zookeeper felt he had no choice but to shoot Harambe. 17 year-old gorilla Harambe was shot dead after a four-year-old boy fell into his enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo in 2016. By the time the police and zoo officials arrived on the scene, the bears had eaten most of Juan’s legs and were fighting over what little remained of his corpse. Animal. "The bears entered an inappropriate area but did not leave the building and the public was never at risk,”  Maynard said. According to reports, in 1990, a Cincinnati zoo worker lost her arm to a male polar bear attack as she tried to feed him. Zoo officials announced the park was reopened and the polar bears were contained around 1:40 p.m. Brooke Ann Johnson, of Brookville, Ind., left the zoo after she and her family were kept inside a conference room. Don't have an account? Warburton’s leg was … The man sustained serious bite injuries to his legs and had to have surgery. A woman whose name was reported simply as Ms Zhao was attacked at the Badaling Wildlife World animal park near Beijing in July 2016, while she was driving through the tiger enclosure, which was a permitted activity at the zoo. Eleven-year-old Juan Perez was quickly attacked by one or both of the nine hundred pound bears and dragged back to the bears’ cave as the other boy scrambled to safety. Cincinnati Zoo polar bear. The Cincinnati Zoo is working to raise a total of $35,000 by December 31st for CREW’s Polar Bear Signature Project. Picture: APSource:AP. The bears were resting in their den Wednesday afternoon and could be back on exhibit by Friday, according to a news release from the zoo. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden ®. "I believe [the workers] did a good job of handling it," Johnson said. CREW is looking for donations to match a grant for Polar Bear research. She's now 19 years old and Little One, at age 31, is considered geriatric. Patrons were swiftly ushered out of the arena as workers tried to corral the orca, but by the time they retrieved Dawn’s body she was dead. Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's male polar bear Little One celebrated his 30th birthday on Dec. 13. These are some of the most horrifying stories. "The workers were very calm when they heard about the escape.". Home of the world famous hippo Fiona. Dawn Brancheau, who was 40 at the time of the incident in February 2010, was killed by killer whale Tilikum, who grabbed Dawn’s long ponytail when she turned her back, pulled her into the pool and began swinging her around in his mouth. The zoo wrote on Facebook that the polar bear breached its behind-the-scenes containment area around 11:30 a.m. Johnson said her family wasn't scared during the incident and that zoo staff handed out coloring books to the children. Lucy Melo, who was 40 at the time, was teaching the two-year-old male Asian elephant Pathi Harn to wash him in a barn in public view when he turned on her. The worker, Laurie Stober, was awarded $3.5 million after she filed a lawsuit against the zoo. Patricia Ramirez. Harambe became a global headline after he was shot and killed by a zookeeper at the Cincinnati Zoo in May, 2016. Necessary protocols were followed and no injuries to the bears, zookeepers or visitors resulted, said zoo director Thane Maynard in a news release. Find out more about our policy and your choices, including how to opt-out. Binky reached through the bars and clamped his jaws around her thigh, refusing to let go of her. By purchasing a polar bear shirt, you are helping to support … The zoo, which had previously reported that one polar bear breached the containment area, has a double-containment system in place that prevented the bears from entering spectator areas. He was reportedly so injured his bones were showing and chunks of flesh were left behind in the ambulance. Wednesday afternoon after two polar bears breached a containment area. Baugher was initially curious and "a bit annoyed" that officials didn't immediately reveal why they were telling guests to stay indoors but said the incident did not significantly upset or scare his family. TERRIFYING footage captured the moment a woman was dragged away by a Siberian tiger before her rescuer was mauled to death. Tiger attacks a woman in Badaling Wildlife Park, China. CINCINNATI, March 16 (UPI) — A polar bear at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden escaped from its enclosure on Wednesday morning, forcing the zoo to close temporarily. “Just as I was almost out, he raised his trunk and pinned me against one of the metal bollards. Spokeswoman Michelle Curley said Berit, the zoo's female polar bear, breached a behind-the-scenes containment area at around 11:30 a.m. but was never actually loose in the zoo. The 17-year-old Western lowland gorilla grabbed and dragged a three-year-old boy who had climbed into his enclosure. CINCINNATI (AP) _ A jury awarded nearly $3.5 million to a former Cincinnati Zoo animal keeper whose forearm was chewed off and swallowed by a polar bear. The two bears — Little One and Berit — escaped through an open pen door, according to zoo officials. Incident. Footage shows Harambe climbing down to the moat where the boy was. In September 2006, Gu Gu bit a drunk Chinese woman who jumped into his enclosure and tried to hug him, seriously injuring her. Harambe became a global headline after he was shot and killed by a zookeeper at the Cincinnati Zoo in May, 2016.