Grizzly Scene: Zoo Onlookers Watch Male Bear Kill Female Bear
Visitors at a German zoo witnessed a grizzly scene on Saturday. Balou, a male Syrian brown bear, brutally attacked and killed female bear Klara in front of horrified onlookers.
According to reports, onlookers tried in vain to distract Balou with fire extinguishers and firecrackers. Klara arrived at the zoo in Stralsund about two years ago and Balou arrived about six months later. Although the two bears were originally kept apart, it appeared they had adjusted to one another and were later kept together.
Syrian brown bears are only kept in five zoos in Germany. Zoo officials are investigating the incident.
Syrian Brown Bears
Despite its name, Syrian brown bears are not always brown. Colors can range from a light-creamy color to dark black, although most are dark brown. Syrian brown bears are actually the smallest subspecies of brown bears. The average lifespan for brown bears in the wild is 25 years.
Syrian brown bear photo Hafiz Issadeen CC
This is certainly sad, especially since it involved some very rare creatures. But it’s also a reality, both in zoos and especially out in nature. The Zoo should not be blamed for this, as it could have just as easily happened out in nature.
Allen Nyhuis, Coauthor: America’s Best Zoos