RACINE — On Saturday, Nora, an Andean Bear at the Racine Zoo, passed away.
Prior to her passing, the Racine Zoo discovered that Nora had an aggressive form of cancer in her mouth which made it both painful and difficult to eat.
After consulting with veterinarians and specialists, the zoo decided that surgery was not an option for Nora. They decided she should be euthanized.
The life expectancy for an Andean Bear is typically 20-years-old and Nora was beyond that, at the age of 28.
Throughout her life, Nora spent time at four zoos. She was born at Lincoln Park Zoo on January 24, 1992, and then moved to Beardsley Zoo in Connecticut.
From there, Nora moved to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Ohio before finally retiring at the Racine Zoo in 2016.
According to the zoo, Nora was very loved and had many visitors who came from around the country to see her again.
While at the zoo, people tended to find her lounging on the big tire bed enjoying the sunshine, building a nest in the cave, or roaming the exhibit checking out the smells.
The Andean Bear population has cut in half since the 90s and the numbers are continuing to decline. According to the Zoo, Nora’s charisma inspired many to learn about and take action to protect her wild cousins.
Rest in peace, Nora!
