Former Polar Bear Holders

[Zoofan15]

Updated List-

Australia:

Perth Zoo (1980)
Taronga Zoo (1984)
Melbourne Zoo (1986)
Adelaide Zoo (1992)

New Zealand:

Wellington Zoo (1950 approx)
Auckland Zoo (1995)

Beaumaris/Hobart Zoo in Australia also held Polar bears (as well as the last known living Thylacine). The zoo closed in 1937, so the bears would have left sometime before then. Here’s a picture of the remnants of their pit:


Curious Hobart: What happened to the Beaumaris zoo?

Here’s a photo of Wellington Zoo’s old Polar bear exhibit (1930):

Polar bear enclosure, Wellington Zoo | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand

Renovations saw Wellington Zoo’s old Malayan sun bear exhibit (1992-2012) built here; which is soon set to be remodelled for Snow leopard:

Disused Malayan Sun Bear Exhibit (2019)

• Zoofan15
• 1 Jan 2020
• 1

This exhibit was used by Malayan sun bears, Bakti (1989-2001) and Chomel (1988-2009), from their...

Disused Malayan Sun Bear Exhibit (2019)

• Zoofan15
• 1 Jan 2020
• 1

This exhibit was used by Malayan sun bears, Bakti (1989-2001) and Chomel (1988-2009), from their...

 

[Zoos Travelers]

Klondike was at Seaworld Orlando from 1995 to 2014

 

[GiratinaIsGod]

Here in Germany , this are the fromer holders of polar bears.
Chemnitz
Dresden
Duisburg
Erfurt
Frankfurt
Halle
Jaderberg
Köln
Leipzig
Magdeburg
Mönchengladbach
Münster
Neunkirchen
Osnabrück
Saarbrücken
Schwerin
Stuttgart (Wilhelma)
Wingst (Zoo)

 

[Youssarian]

Baton Rouge Zoo did at least in the 60s/70s, not sure when they left.

 

[hudson111]

Off the top of my head in the US, I think of Roger Williams, Stone, Ecotarium, Indianapolis, Los Angeles, Bronx, Central park. What am I missing??

 

[TinoPup]

Philly, Smithsonian, Maryland soon

 

[IndianRhino]

San Francisco, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Seaworld Orlando and San Diego, Denver, and Gladys Porter. There's probably more but those are the ones I could think of.

 

[hudson111]

Philly, Smithsonian, Maryland soon

When did Smithsonian have them?

 

[hudson111]

San Francisco, Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Seaworld Orlando and San Diego, Denver, and Gladys Porter. There's probably more but those are the ones I could think of.

Doesn't San Diego still have them. When did Gladys Porter lose theirs??

 

[IndianRhino]

Doesn't San Diego still have them. When did Gladys Porter lose theirs??

I meant Seaworld San Diego, and I'm pretty sure Gladys Porter hasn't had polar bears in a long time.

 

[TinoPup]

When did Smithsonian have them?

1800s - 1986. https://www.washingtonpost.com/loca...ec6882-4e94-11ea-bf44-f5043eb3918a_story.html

 

[hudson111]

Just Remembered Reid Park

 

[hudson111]

I meant Seaworld San Diego, and I'm pretty sure Gladys Porter hasn't had polar bears in a long time.

Ok, Thanks

 

[Dhole dude]

Lake Superior Zoo had them up until 2012, when the exhibit was severely damaged due to a flood. The exhibit now contains Alaskan Brown Bears. Omaha had them until Durham Bear Canyons closure, and I believe Erie also used to have them.

 

[snowleopard]

Updated List-
USA:
Roger Williams Park Zoo- left in 2005
Stone Zoo- died in 2000
Ecotarium- died in 2011
Capron Park Zoo- exhibited from 1956-1988
Slater Park Zoo (closed)- died 1979 (?)
Central Park Zoo- died early 2010s
Bronx Zoo- died c. 2018
Franklin Park Zoo- exhibited 1912-??
Philadelphia Zoo- exhibited until 2018
Sea World San Diego- exhibited until 2017
Sacramento Zoo- until ?
Micke Grove Zoo- until ?
San Fransisco Zoo- until ?
Los Angeles Zoo- until ?
Fresno Zoo- until ?
Smithsonian National Zoo- exhibited until 1986
Denver Zoo- left in 2018
Erie Zoo- left 2013
Lake Superior Zoo- left 2012
Indianapolis Zoo- left 2016
Henry Doorly Zoo- left 2018
Reid Park Zoo- died in 2012
Tulsa Zoo- died in 2009
Jacksonville Zoo- late 1970s-early 1990s
Circus World (closed)- until ??
Abilene Zoo- 1960s-1980s
San Antonio Zoo- until ??
Sea World Orlando- until ??
Birmingham Zoo- until 1999
Atlanta Zoo- until ??

Riverbanks Zoo (South Carolina) had polar bears when it opened in 1974 and the exhibit was ahead of its time as there was even an underwater viewing window. The zoo displayed polar bears (perhaps continuously) until 2001.

Woodland Park Zoo (Washington) opened a polar bear exhibit in 1915 and had polar bears on and off until the last one left (for Point Defiance Zoo) in 1986.

 

[birdsandbats]

Milwaukee County Zoo had Polar Bears (including the oldest Polar Bear in captivity) until recently.

 

[MurphyFox]

Seems so weird how so many places in warm/hot climates once exhibited Polar Bears.

 

[IndianRhino]

Seems so weird how so many places in warm/hot climates once exhibited Polar Bears.

I mean SDZ continues to hold them and it definitely can get pretty hot down here, the bears are doing great though. I'm guessing the reason most of the other warm climate holders no longer have them is because the population began to shrink rapidly and the zoos in warmer climates were encouraged to or opted to phase them out first.

 

[MurphyFox]

I mean SDZ continues to hold them and it definitely can get pretty hot down here, the bears are doing great though. I'm guessing the reason most of the other warm climate holders no longer have them is because the population began to shrink rapidly and the zoos in warmer climates were encouraged to or opted to phase them out first.

Well the average high in San Diego in the warmest month is 77 degrees so they won't get too hot.


I was especially thinking of Tucson, where the average high in the warmest month is 109.

 

[Zoofan15]

Seems so weird how so many places in warm/hot climates once exhibited Polar Bears.

Auckland Zoo held them from 1922 to 1995 and admitted their climate was unsuitable for this species. Algal growth was a reoccurring problem in the warm water - with the walls of the pit and even the bears caked in algae.

The bears were also plagued by the bites of Stomoxys flies, which during the early 60’s resulted in several bears having to be destroyed after they developed incurable skin lesions. This was brought under control by antibiotics and an extensive fly eradication programme; as well as showers installed in the dens to give the bears some relief.