ROYAL OAK (WWJ) — Officials at the Detroit Zoo are mourning after the death of a beloved 13-year-old grizzly bear.
The bear, named Mike, died on Wednesday following months of health complications, the zoo announced Thursday on its Facebook page.
Mike and his brothers, Boo and Thor, were rescued after being in the Alaskan wilderness. They later moved to the Detroit Zoo, where officials say they grew up together and “formed a unique bond that stole the hearts of many.”
“Mike was a truly special bear. Though described as reserved, he enjoyed playtime and his favorite treats, such as yogurt and peanut butter crackers,” the Facebook post reads. “On warm days, Mike could be seen with his brothers soaking in the shallow end of their pool in the habitat.”
Mike began exhibiting symptoms of discomfort and started having a lower appetite than usual earlier this year, officials said. Eventually, he became unable to rise from a lying position.
The zoo’s animal care team implemented intensive care and monitoring and consulted with outside veterinary neurologists to initiate several new treatments, but no improvements were seen and his health continued to decline in his final days.
After exhausting all options and continuing to see a decline in his quality of life, the team made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize him.
“These decisions are always hard, but we take comfort in knowing that Mike was loved and provided with the highest level of care during his lifetime,” zoo officials said in a statement. “The veterinary team is working to understand the underlying causes behind Mike’s condition, and a necropsy is scheduled for today; we expect to see the results in the coming weeks.”