Assiniboine Park Zoo polar bear dies during dental procedure
A female polar bear living at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg has died during a dental procedure while under anesthesia.
The zoo confirmed that nine-year-old polar bear Aurora died on Tuesday.
“It’s always very sad when we lose animals at the zoo and in this particular case, it was even more challenging under the circumstances that she passed away,” said Grant Furniss, the zoo’s senior director of zoological operations.
According to the zoo, Aurora experienced recurring dental issues since she was rescued and transferred to the zoo as a cub in 2013. She was initially found wandering around the Churchill Airport alone when she was about a year old.
The zoo said it believes her teeth were damaged from eating rocks and sticks in an attempt to survive without her mother.
According to Furniss, Aurora had several dental procedures previously to relieve her pain, treat infection and prevent her tooth problems from evolving into life-threatening issues.
Tuesday’s procedure was performed under anesthesia and with the assistance of a specialized veterinary dentist, the zoo said.
Assiniboine Park Zoo's senior director of zoological operations Grant Furniss confirmed details of Aurora's death at a news conference Thursday.
According to the zoo, the procedure went well but as the team was preparing to reverse the anesthesia, Aurora went into cardiac arrest.
“The veterinary team did absolutely everything they could to bring her back but unfortunately, she passed away,” Furniss said.
Furniss said while further testing will be done, preliminary investigations into an underlying condition or cause of death are inconclusive.
“We will pursue it and try to find out exactly what happened to Aurora,” Furniss said.
The zoo said Aurora was an assertive, strong-willed bear who could often be spotted snuggling and spending her time with Kaska, another female bear, and took a protective role with Willow, the zoo’s youngest female cub.
“Aurora was a very loved bear, and she brought joy to so many hundreds of thousands of people who came in and out of the zoo,” Furniss said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Most of Canada to receive emergency alert test today
The federal government will test its capacity to issue emergency alerts today, with the exception of Ontario, where the test will take place on May 15.
'A huge difference': These adults born in the '90s partnered with their parents to buy homes in Ontario
An Ontario woman said it would have been impossible to buy a house without her mother – an anecdote that animates the fact that over 17 per cent of Canadian homeowners born in the ‘90s own their property with their parents, according to a new report.
OPINION No reunion between Prince Harry and the King signifies a setback for royal unity
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
How Drake and Kendrick Lamar's rap beef escalated within weeks
A long-simmering feud between hip-hop superstars Drake and Kendrick Lamar reached a boiling point in recent days as the pair traded increasingly personal insults on a succession of diss tracks. Here’s a quick overview of what’s behind the ongoing beef.
NEW For their protection, immigrants critical of China and India call for speedy passage of Canada's foreign interference legislation
Canadian immigrants threatened by hostile regimes are urging parliamentarians to quickly pass the 'Countering Foreign Interference Act' so they can feel safe living in their adopted home.
Ontario man devastated to learn $150,000 line of credit isn't insured after wife dies
An Ontario man found out that a line of credit he thought was insured actually isn't after his wife of 50 years died.
Spanish prosecutors recommend 2nd investigation into Shakira's taxes be thrown out
Spanish state prosecutors recommended Wednesday that an investigating judge shelve a probe into another alleged case of tax fraud by pop star Shakira.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.