This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
The lone polar bear at Utah's Hogle Zoo is dying.
Rizzo, a 19-year-old polar bear, is in renal failure, and zoo veterinarians have put her on end-of-life care. The zoo staff initially gave Rizzo the choice between staying in her habitat or her back holding area (by opening a door between the two), and Rizzo chose to stay in the back, said Hogle Zoo manager of community relations Erica Hansen. For the last few days of her life, Rizzo will be kept in the back holding area, where she can be regularly monitored.
"Rizzo has definitely been a staff favorite and definitely community favorite," said Hansen. "Her well-being and quality of life is our utmost concern."
Rizzo ended a nine-year polar bear drought for Salt Lake City when the new Rocky Shores exhibit opened in 2012. Previous to Rizzo coming from the Cincinnati Zoo, Hogle hadn't had a polar bear since 2003.
The design of Rocky Shores gave people an underwater vantage to watch Rizzo while she swam, and according to Hansen, Rizzo would swim right up to the glass and "people-watch."
Keepers described Rizzo as a very "agreeable" and "sweet" bear, according to Hansen, who also called Rizzo calm and easy-going. Zookeepers would throw entire watermelons — Rizzo's favorite treat — into the habitat and the bear would swim right up to the glass to eat in front of everyone, which gave the staff the opportunity to point out how delicately she picked apart her food, said Hansen.
"Her passing will leave a polar-sized hole in our hearts," said a Hogle Zoo Facebook post.
Rizzo had also been an ambassador for teaching families about what's happening in the wild and how decisions made in Salt Lake City — turning off lights and not letting cars idle — have a global impact.
Polar bears are critically endangered, said Hansen, since their natural habitat is shrinking.
There isn't an abundance of polar bears in zoos, either, so whether Hogle Zoo gets a new polar bear isn't entirely up to the staff, said Hansen.
The zoo might explore moving the grizzly bears into the habitat, or another polar bear might come to Salt Lake City, according to Hansen. Hozle Zoo will work closely with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the Species Survival Plan to determine whether they'll get a new polar bear, since the zoo doesn't don't take bears from the wild (unless it's a "nuisance" bear, meaning it got too close to humans).
For now, Rocky Shores will remain empty, but Hansen hopes to bring in a bear.
"Rocky Shore was designed to be a long-term breeding and conservation facility," said Hansen.
Polar bears are one of the zoo's "Big 6," a designation given to six species the zoo focuses conservation efforts on (along with the boreal toad, Bornean orangutan, African lion, African elephant and Radiated tortoise) and devotes resources toward saving them in the wild.
"There's so much happening in the wild, whether it's poaching rhinos for their horns, or killing a tiger for its pelt or the loss of habitat. These things are happening in the wild and we're proud of the work we do to educate people about that and inspire a great love for these species, said Hansen. "I want everyone to know how much the animal care team and the whole Hogle Zoo staff loves these animals."
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