Former Polar Bear Holders

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15399

Well-Known Member
Polar Bears are an animal that it seems like every zoo used to have, even though there are now not very many holders.
Here are the list of former polar bear holders I am aware of-
Roger Williams Park Zoo- left in 2005
Stone Zoo- left in 2000
Ecotarium- left early 2000s
Capron Park Zoo- left 1988
Slater Park Zoo (closed)- left 1979 (?)
Central Park Zoo- early 2010s
Bronx Zoo- c. 2018
Franklin Park Zoo- exhibited 1912-??
Philadelphia Zoo- exhibited until ??
Sea World San Diego- exhibited until ??

What other zoos used to house polar bears, but don't any more?
 
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Neil chace said:
Polar Bears are an animal that it seems like every zoo used to have, even though there are now not very many holders.
Here are the list of former polar bear holders I am aware of-
Roger Williams Park Zoo- left in 2005
Stone Zoo- left in 2000
Ecotarium- left early 2000s
Capron Park Zoo- left 1988
Slater Park Zoo (closed)- left 1979 (?)
Central Park Zoo- early 2010s
Bronx Zoo- c. 2018
Franklin Park Zoo- exhibited 1912-??

What other zoos used to house polar bears, but don't any more?
Click to expand...
You can add Philadelphia Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego to the list.
 
Neil chace said:
Polar Bears are an animal that it seems like every zoo used to have, even though there are now not very many holders.
Here are the list of former polar bear holders I am aware of-
Roger Williams Park Zoo- left in 2005
Stone Zoo- left in 2000
Ecotarium- left early 2000s
Capron Park Zoo- left 1988
Slater Park Zoo (closed)- left 1979 (?)
Central Park Zoo- early 2010s
Bronx Zoo- c. 2018
Franklin Park Zoo- exhibited 1912-??
Philadelphia Zoo- exhibited until ??
Sea World San Diego- exhibited until ??

What other zoos used to house polar bears, but don't any more?
Click to expand...
Philadelphia Zoo - 2018
SeaWorld San Diego - 2017
 
Neil chace said:
Polar Bears are an animal that it seems like every zoo used to have, even though there are now not very many holders.
Here are the list of former polar bear holders I am aware of-
Roger Williams Park Zoo- left in 2005
Stone Zoo- left in 2000
Ecotarium- left early 2000s
Capron Park Zoo- left 1988
Slater Park Zoo (closed)- left 1979 (?)
Central Park Zoo- early 2010s
Bronx Zoo- c. 2018
Franklin Park Zoo- exhibited 1912-??
Philadelphia Zoo- exhibited until ??
Sea World San Diego- exhibited until ??

What other zoos used to house polar bears, but don't any more?
Click to expand...
Kenda at the Ecotarium died in 2011
 
Updated list-
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
 
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Some more:

1. Erie Zoo - sent their last bear to North Carolina in late 2013.
2. Lake Superior Zoo - last bear left after the 2012 flood.
3. Indianapolis Zoo - sent their last bear to Detroit in 2016.
4. Henry Doorly Zoo - sent their last bear to Kansas City in 2018.
5. Reid Park Zoo - last one passed away I believe in 2012.
6. Tulsa Zoo - last one passed away I believe in 2009.
 
I greatly envy those visiting the European and North American zoos in that they can still see Polar bears (albeit at a sporadic and decreasing list of holding facilities).

Largely due to their unsuitability to the climate, they were phased out of all the main Australasian zoos decades ago:

Australia:

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

New Zealand:

Wellington Zoo (1950 approx)
Auckland Zoo (1995)

They have since returned to one Australian facility (Sea World Gold Coast) in 2000. They remain the only holder in my region.
 
Jacksonville held them at one point, late 70s-early 90s
Also Circus World, thought no long existent, had Ursala Bottcher performing polars
 
Abilene Zoo had them in the 60's through 80's, and San Antonio Zoo had them for many years (San Antoonio Zoo photo dated 1956 from University of North Texas Libraries).
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Don’t forget SeaWorld Orlando too, who long replaced the Polar Bear exhibit in the Wild Arctic with Harbor seals.
 
Atlanta Zoo (Pre Zoo Atlanta) had them, but I am not sure when they got rid of them.
 
Neil chace said:
Updated list-
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
Click to expand...
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 ??
Australia:

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

New Zealand:

Wellington Zoo (1950 approx)
Auckland Zoo (1995)
 
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