Kid Territory:Critters: Beloved Big Bear
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Zoo name: Spanky
His storyWhere do you think most of the San Diego Zoo's animals were born? You'd be right if you guessed "in a zoo." But this guy is unusual because he and his sister were born in the wild, and then adopted as youngsters by our Zoo. For years, one of the Zoo's most popular animals was a big brown bear named Chester. Millions of visitors photographed Chester as he stood up and waved to the tour buses that drove by. We grieved when our beloved bear died. We didn't actually plan to replace Chester, but then two events occurred at the same time: Zoo members signed a petition requesting more brown bears; and far away in Coffee Point, Alaska, a pair of orphaned cubs were found digging in a garbage dump. You already know the happy ending! The cubs arriveSpanky and Sheena came to us as eight-month-old cubs in 1986. The employees and visitors all enjoyed watching them grow up, and now Spanky weighs about 800 pounds (363 kilograms)! If you have a brother or sister, you might be wondering how such big siblings got along. For the most part, they were a peaceful pair, playing and snoozing together. When we provided food and toys in their enclosure, we scattered plenty for both, because sharing was not their strong point! Staying healthyBears are omnivores, which means they'll eat just about anything, and this especially applies to Spanky. That came in handy when he had an intestinal tract infection, and had to take about 50 pills a day! When he was at the Zoo's hospital, the staff tried to sneak the medicine into a bowl of nectar (which he'd normally slurp right up), but he'd always detect the medicine. Fortunately, he has a very trusting relationship with his keepers. When they stuffed his pills into apple slices and fish, he ate the snacks "faster than he could breathe," as one keeper put it. Sadly, Sheena died in the summer of 2005. But you can still see Spanky; watch for his unique way of drinking water. He sits in his pool (usually with his back to the visitors), and splashes small amounts of water from the pool onto the top of a front paw, and then into his mouth. Where you can see himHis enclosure is right in the middle of Bear Canyon at the Zoo. You can't miss this big brown bear. Just look for the admiring crowds! More Animal
Bytes: Brown Bear, Polar
Bear, Giant Panda |
Here are Spanky and Sheena at about eight months of age, shortly after they arrived at the Zoo.
Spanky and Sheena enjoy a cool dip in the pool on a warm day.
Chester was famous for standing up and waving to the tour buses.
