Kenai: The Gentle Giant Who Stole Hearts At Minnesota Zoo Passes
A BIG LOSS AT THE MINNESOTA ZOO
I'm not sure how I feel about wild animals living at a zoo; but I do think that the people who take care of them, in most cases, provide the very best care that they can, to make these beautiful animals feel at home, as much as possible.
THE STORY OF KENAI
I know many animals that are in zoos have had something happen that they would not be able to survive in the wild for various reasons, so for that, I'm thankful we have places where they can flourish.
The Minnesota Zoo had to say goodbye to one of their precious animals this week, which seems to have had such a story; along with the other two bears that became his extended family. Although the three orphaned bears were not related, they sure acted like siblings. Kenai, Sadie, and Haines were family.
LITTLE BROTHER...THE BIG BROWN BEAR
Kenai, the largest of the three brown bears at The Minnesota Zoo, passed away from liver disease. Kenai was 17 years old.
According to The Minnesota Zoo, Kenai was found orphaned in Alaska in 2006. Other orphans were also found that year, Sadie and Haines, and all three were brought to the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center.
Even though Kenai was the largest of the three bears, he was lovingly known as 'Little Brother' because of his laid-back personality. He was always willing to just tag along with the others, and let Sadie be the leader of the pack.
A MESSAGE FROM THE MINNESOTA ZOO
Part of the message from The Minnesota Zoo's Facebook post was this: "This is a hard loss for our staff and the Zoo as a whole. Kenai was an important ambassador for his wild counterparts and his presence will be dearly missed.
Our staff will continue to provide expert and compassionate care to Haines and Sadie, who are currently in their behind-the-scenes habitat for torpor (similar to a light winter hibernation)".
Enjoy the YouTube video of one of the fun times the three bears shared at The Minnesota Zoo, smashing pumpkins.
Minnesota Zoo/YouTube
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