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    reggieknowsMaggie Lange
    8/28/13 1:51pm

    I hope they don't plan to replace him. There is a spectrum of quality-of-life at US zoos. Some do pretty well by the animals, some are horrendous. Central Park Zoo skewed toward the lower end. Gus's enclosure was tiny. Given the vast terrain polar bears traverse in the wild, it was especially cruel and unacceptable. To say nothing of all those other hardwired instincts and skills he never got to use. His behavior is also known as Repetitive Stress Disorder, which more aptly describes the condition. Watching him swim those sad little endless circles it's hard to imagine how visitors couldn't feel terrible for the guy.

    The Central Park Zoo is nothing more than a traveling petting zoo, minus the traveling and the petting.

    Bottom line: Zoos suck. And don't believe the old trope about how they "educate" the public to raise awareness and compassion for the animals in the wild.

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      Cherith Cutestoryreggieknows
      8/28/13 3:49pm

      And don't believe the old trope about how they "educate" the public to raise awareness and compassion for the animals in the wild.

      I really don't have a strong stance on zoos. But how could anyone buy this trope at this point? I mean everyone has National Geographic and The Animal Channel at this point, right?

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      reggieknowsCherith Cutestory
      8/28/13 4:01pm

      You'd be amazed — or maybe not — at the depth of willful ignorance people adopt when it impinges on their desire to be entertained. One word: Circuses.

      As with the ivory poaching crisis in Africa, it is unfathomable how few people know what's going on.

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    otterbirdMaggie Lange
    8/28/13 3:31pm

    I worked many years ago at the Central Park Zoo, and, while I must say the keepers loved all 3 bears (there were 3 at the time, Gus, Ida and Lily), and spent a lot of time working on ways to keep them occupied, one did tell me that Gus was just not as bright as the females. The keepers would freeze the bears' food in buckets of ice (mimicking foraging, which bears have to do in the wild). Ida and Lily figured out in a matter of minutes that the ice would melt faster if they put it into the swimming pool. Gus took two weeks to figure that out, despite watching the two females do it every day right in front of him. RIP big guy. You were much beloved.

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      vhmckenzieotterbird
      8/28/13 4:30pm

      aww, the big dumb lug.

      I've seen Gus many times, hauling our pickney to the zoo — he was so magnificent and so sad.....I'm a little choked up at this news.

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      otterbirdvhmckenzie
      8/28/13 9:05pm

      I don't know if I would have described him as sad- the thing with him was, I'm not sure if I would have described his behavior as classically repetitive. He would stop if something caught his attention, or if the keepers signaled to him (they had taught him to do a few things on command, like stand, and jump into the water), or if treats were brought out, or if he was tired, or any one a gajillion reasons. From what I understand, compulsive behavior interferes with the animal's normal life. Gus ate, slept and mated with the females (well, Ida, anyway. I think Lily might have kicked the shit out of him if he'd tried) as a normal polar bear would. It's possible he did his swimming thing because he was stressed; it's also possible he just liked to do it. It was hard to be sure because (at least while I worked there) he didn't display other signs of stress, and the two females didn't display repetitive behaviors at all.

      I have really fond memories of watching him and Lily wrestle in the water. Ida was probably too small, but Lily totally held her own against him, even though he outweighed her by a few hundred pounds.

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    GregoireMaggie Lange
    8/28/13 1:52pm

    "If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."
    — Winnie-the-Pooh

    GIF
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      G3istbotMaggie Lange
      8/28/13 10:39pm

      This is one of the things that I've always kind of liked about the Detroit Zoo; the enclosures don't seem to be that small and the animals never really look bored or like they haven't been mentally stimulated in a long time.

      For example, the Polar Bear exhibit has a bunch of stuff going on for them, and not just a little dinky pool. I think the pool they do have is like 70 feet long, and a bunch more going on. What I think is most important though - there's actually two of them. I think companionship is one of the most important things for animals. Other wise, the difference between solitary confinement and putting an animal in a zoo isn't that different

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        BlatheringMaggie Lange
        8/28/13 2:22pm

        My favorite Hip song...will now be on repeat the rest of the day.

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          BabylegsMaggie Lange
          8/28/13 1:44pm

          Well, shit guys.

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            peakahhbooMaggie Lange
            8/28/13 1:51pm

            Sadly, the 27 Cub gains another member

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              cmjmMaggie Lange
              8/28/13 1:52pm

              I remember as a kid watching him swim his compulsive circles around his tank. I was fascinated but it really disturbed my father and he pulled me away and we never went back.

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                RamaLamaLamaLamaLamaDingDongMaggie Lange
                8/28/13 1:49pm

                If he'd been a black bear, the media never would've reported this.

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                  EmanzeMaggie Lange
                  8/28/13 1:55pm

                  Well, at least he's finally free.

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