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Miller Park Zoo's Sun Bear Candy Dies At Age 33

Miller Park Zoo
Candy, the Miller Park Zoo's Malayan sun bear.

Miller Park Zoo’s Malayan sun bear—the oldest animal of its kind in North America—has died.

Candy was 33 years old. She was euthanized last week, and it appears she was suffering from renal failure, Miller Park Zoo said in a statement Monday. She’d been lethargic recently, and further examination revealed her condition was grave.

“She will be missed by many, many people in the community,” Miller Park Zoo Director Jay Tetzloff said in a statement. “She was here for almost 20 years so many guests knew her.”

Candy was born in Miami and arrived at Miller Park Zoo in 1998 with her mate, Chapin. They didn’t have any offspring, and Chapin died in 2010 from bone cancer at age 27.

The median life expectancy for a female Malayan Sun Bear is 23.1 years, according to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

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Ryan Denham is the digital content director for WGLT.
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