Debby the Polar Bear Continues to Inspire October 12, 2009

A new memorial statue was recently unveiled at the Assiniboine Park Zoo to honour Debby the polar bear. Debby passed away in November of 2008 at the age of 42 and was the icon of the zoo. She was in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living polar bear at the time of her passing.

A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes since Debby’s death in order to pave the way for not only new polar bears at the Assiniboine Park Zoo but for a new, state -of-the art polar bear enclosure. The Zoo, Zoological Society of Manitoba, Manitoba Conservation, Polar Bears International, Assiniboine Park Conservancy and many other partner organizations have rallied around this call for action and plan to make Winnipeg the premier place to view, learn about and help conserve polar bears in the world.

The Zoological Society of Manitoba got things rolling by establishing the Polar Bear Conservation Fund in Tribute to Debby. This fund has received many donations from individual citizens and companies from Manitoba as well as being the main recipient for fund generated by the Zoo Society throughout 2009. The Society has contributed money from two fun runs, from its June social event and proceeds from the Safeway Boo at the Zoo event are earmarked for the fund. The Society has also partnered with companies like Pizza Hotline, Hot 103 FM and Carpathia Credit Union to raise additional funds for the new conservation centre.

Bear Debby leaves a hole

Despite memorial, zoo visitors lament polar bears’ absence

By: Staff Writer, 25/09/2009

Debby the polar bear may have departed this perilous planet, but her likeness lives on at the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

The province of Manitoba has donated a statue of the Guinness record-setting carnivore to the zoo to help celebrate the life of its famous resident.

Click here to read more: http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/life/bear-debby-leaves-a-hole-61437642.html

The Assiniboine Park Conservancy has recently announced plans to assist in the construction of a world class arctic exhibit. For information on their plans, please visit: http://www.assiniboinepark.ca/mnufuture-vision#zoo

Debby, A Short History November 27, 2008

A Short History:

Debby the polar bear was accepted into the Guinness World Records Book for 2008 – at 41years of age, she was the oldest living polar bear. The longevity record for a polar bear is 43 years, 8 months is still held by Doris, a wild-born female who lived at the Detroit Zoo from 1948-91. Debby was featured in countless media articles and shows, posed for thousands of photographs, contributed to several research studies. What is responsible for her extraordinary longevity? Excellent genetic inheritance, special care by devoted zoo keeping and veterinary staff and proper diet and exercise. Her most significant health problem were two root canals performed by Dr. Vaughan Glover in 1989.

Significant Dates:

1965 – Skipper, a male polar bear whose mother was shot on Baffin Island, arrives in Winnipeg with great fanfare and becomes a major attraction at the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

1967 – Debby and Dennis, a pair of orphan bears from Russia, arrive in Winnipeg via the Tillburg Zoo in Holland. Debby becomes Skipper’s mate, while Dennis is moved to the Calgary Zoo in 1971.

1975 – Debby’s first cub, a male, is sent to Kyoto, Japan.

1977 – Debby has two more cubs, one male and one female. Both are sent to Ruhr, Germany.

1982 – Debby has two female cubs. Both are sent to Belfast in Northern Ireland.

1985 – Debby’s sixth and final cub, a female, is sent to Sendai Yagiyama, Japan.

1999 – Skipper dies at age 34 of cardiovascular problems. His ashes are scattered on Baffin Island.

2006 – Debby celebrates her 40th birthday.

2008 – Debby is euthanized at the age of 42 on November 17, due to multiple organ failure.

Demonstrating the great adaptability of her species, Debby was active outside every day of the year, braving temperature extremes from wind-chilled -49C in winter to humid +38C summer days.

On a blustery, -30C in December, 2006, a hardy group of people, representing staff of the Zoo and Zoological Society of Manitoba, adoring public visitors, and the media, attended a 40th-birthday celebration for Debby, at which time she was presented with a snow cake topped with a number of smoked goldeye.  She gave every indication of enjoying the event, especially the fish cake. The increase in attention this celebrity garners as each year passes is quite astonishing.  Many visitors, who were youngsters when Debby arrived, were now bringing their children and grandchildren to see this famous and loveable bear.

Even as a senior, Debby still loved to swim and play with a large plastic barrel in her pond, and eagerly awaited the arrival of her zookeeper each day, who provided a variety of tasty food items for enrichment.  Like most bears, her favourite activity was eating, and she was offered quite a variety of foods.  She received a daily ration of fish, moistened dog food, red meats, fish and a few vegetables. Many of these items and special treats, like smoked oysters, soups, salami and veggie-dogs, were donated by local grocery stores. When Debby required medications or supplements she quickly learned to open her mouth to accept, from a syringe, containing her meds dissolved in a high protein health drink.

Skipper (1964 – 1999) and Debby (1966 – 2008) – With us in spirit forever!

Facebook groups pop up in honour of Debby November 23, 2008

With the recent passing of Debby, the Assiniboine Park Zoo’s matriachal polar bear, a number of Facebook groups have sprung up to allow people to remember her.

Facebook Groups in Honour of Debby:

Rest In Peace Debby The Polar Bear From Winnipeg MB, Canada

Current Size: 664 members

World’s Oldest Polar Bear

Current Size: 231 members

RIP Debby the Polar Bear

Current Size: 46 members

R.I.P Debby the Polar Bear

Current Size: 65 members

debby the polor bear

Current Size: 8 members

Debby you will be missed

Current Size: 132 members

Members of these groups are from all around the world and such international attention seems appropriate as polar bears have become such an iconic species in the fight to save endangered species world wide. Debby’s passing was even note worthy enough to be mentioned on Saturday Night Live’s Weekend Update.

Debby – In the words of one of her friends and keepers. November 19, 2008

The emotion that Bob is holding back must be immense but this is a very touching video with one of Debby’s keepers and friends.

http://watch.ctv.ca/news/clip113768#clip113768

Celebrating Debby around the world November 18, 2008

Because online news stories don’t always stay front and centre, we are providing the following “news clippings” to help you follow the celebration of Debby’s life that is moving around the world. We have been receiving hundreds of condolences and best wishes from people from around the world who saw Debby over her 42 years at the Assiniboine Park Zoo, as well as others who never met her but now how special she became.

We are providing the stories as is and all rights and copyright remain with their authors.

Debby the polar bear euthanized

Updated: Tue Nov. 18 2008 11:36:53 From: ctvwinnipeg.ca

Debby the polar bear, one of the world’s most-famous and loved bears, was euthanized at the Assiniboine Park Zoo Monday.

Zoo officials say Debby’s medical condition has been gradually declining for several months, but that she remained active and alert until Monday, when a clinical exam indicated multiple organ failure. They say she spent her last moments surrounded by her caring zoo-keepers and veterinarians.

Born in the Russian Arctic in 1966, and arriving at the Assiniboine Park Zoo as an orphaned cub in 1967, Debby spent most of her life with her mate Skipper, with whom she produced six surviving offspring.

When Debby was 41-years-old, she was entered into the 2008 Guinness Book of Records as the oldest living polar bear. At 42 she was within the top three longevity record-holders for all eight species of bears.

“Debby played a dominant role in the Winnipeg Zoo’s animal family for over four decades, generating great public appeal and important contributions to the Zoo’s interpretive programs,” said the zoo in a press release. “She epitomized what one orphaned animal can achieve in promoting the conservation of her species and other wildlife in light of mounting ecological and environmental challenges like global warming.”

Dr. Gordon Glover, Assiniboine Park Zoo’s coordinator, recalled Debby’s ability to “strike magnificent and charming poses,” which resulted in her being featured in many photos and films. “She will be missed by millions of Zoo visitors,” said Glover.

The public is invited to celebrate Debby’s remarkable life at a ceremony to be held in the Zoo’s Animal Tracks Café from Noon to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 22, 2008.

Oh Debby… you were so lovely…

Tue, 2008-11-18 04:33. Ace Burpee, Ace Burpee’s blog

Just a couple of weeks shy of her 42nd birthday, our wonderful Debby the polar bear has passed away. When I first heard I just put my head in my hands and sat there for ages. Then I phoned my mum. I wasn’t sure what to do. I woke up this morning and it’s the first thing that popped into my mind. I’m now convincing myself to celebrate the positives about her life instead of just being sad about her passing. She was so cool. I’m so lucky that I got to meet her. It’s still so vivid in my mind and I’ll never forget it. I’ve been to the zoo alot and just stood there watching Debby… wondering what she’s thinking, how she’s feeling. As soon as I would see her I would smile. I love her. I also told her so to her face so I feel good about that. I suppose I was aware this day would come eventually, but I don”t like to think about things like that. We’re lucky we had her for so long. For most of us, there’s never been an Assiniboine Park Zoo without Debby. She’s been here since 1967. Now she’s with her mate and best friend Skipper, who she’s been apart from for almost 10 years. I love you Debby. Many did.

World’s oldest polar bear dies

The world’s oldest polar bear, orphaned as a cub in the cold Russian north and raised in captivity, has died aged 42. From: www.telegraph.co.uk

Debby died at Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Zoo in Canada on Monday.

“It is with great sadness that Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Zoo must advise that Debby the polar bear – one of the world’s most-famous and loved bears – was euthanized on Monday,” the zoo said in a statement.

“Debby’s medical condition had been gradually declining for several months, but she remained active and alert” until her final hours, “when a clinical exam indicated multiple organ failure.”

Debby arrived at the zoo as a cub in 1967. She produced six surviving offspring with her mate Skipper, who passed away in 1999 at the age of 34. Few polar bears reach 20 years of age in the wild, but several captive bears have survived into their early 30s. This year, the Guinness Book of World Records crowned Debby the world’s oldest polar bear. In fact, she is thought to be the third oldest bear ever recorded for all eight living species of bears.

Zoo coordinator Gordon Glover said Debby was “without a doubt the most famous animal in (the zoo’s) 104-year history. She epitomized what one orphaned animal can achieve in promoting the conservation of her species and other wildlife in light of mounting ecological and environmental challenges like global warming,” he said. “She will be missed by millions of zoo visitors.”

Worlds oldest polar bear dies in Winnipeg

Alexandra Paul, www.Dose.ca

WINNIPEG – The oldest polar bear in the world is dead at 42.

Officials with the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg announced in a statement Monday evening that Debby the polar bear was euthanized earlier in the day, “surrounded by her caring zookeepers and veterinarians.”

She died within hours of a veterinary exam that discovered the ailing bear had suffered multiple organ failure. Up until Monday, Debby was described as being “alert and active.”

Her loss marks the end of an era for the zoo. “Debby was without a doubt the most famous animal in the Assiniboine Park Zoo’s history,” zoo co-ordinator Dr. Gordon Glover said in a prepared statement.

“Her uncanny ability to strike magnificent and charming poses resulted in her being featured in countless photographs, films and media stories. She will be missed.”

Zoo officials said this summer the bear was near death. She had suffered a series of small strokes, had blood in her urine and was losing weight rapidly. The report of her failing health was picked up by news services around the world, “demonstrating the remarkable popularity of this particular bear,” the statement said.

“As a lifelong Winnipegger, I know what Debby meant to generations of Manitobans and other visitors. Her absence will be felt by many people,” said Margaret Redmond, Assiniboine Park Conservancy president and CEO.

Debby had been seen by about 18 million zoo visitors, making the bear the most popular attraction in the zoo’s 104-year history, zoo curator Bob Wrigley said in August.

Born in the Russian Arctic in 1966, Debby arrived at the zoo as an orphaned cub in 1967, producing six offspring with her mate Skipper. When Debby was 41 years old, she was entered into Guinness World Records 2008 as the oldest living polar bear.

Her death means the province famous for being the “polar bear capital of the world” and a world leader in polar-bear conservation, will not have a single member of the charismatic species in its largest zoo.

The polar bear enclosure no longer meets Manitoba Conservation standards for housing polar bears, so the zoo will not be able to replace its star attraction with another polar bear. No immediate upgrades are planned for the aging facility, which is slated to be replaced by a new structure as part of a larger Assiniboine Park makeover that could cost up to $200 million.

The massive rebuilding project could take another 10 to 15 years.