(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The oldest Asiatic black bear in human care in the U.S. has passed away, two years after her sister.
On Sunday morning, June 30, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (CMZoo) said goodbye to Beezler, an Asiatic black bear that came into the zoo in 1994 with her sister Honey, who passed away in 2022. Beezler was humanely euthanized.
Part of Bezzler’s Last Best Day included giving zoo visitors a chance to say goodbye.
“It may sound strange, but we work hard and have hours of discussions to make sure we’re giving each animal its Last Best Day,” Bob Chastain, president and CEO at CMZoo, said. “We wanted to make sure Beezler was healthy enough to pass peacefully. That meant a few things for us. She needed to eat something so we could keep her medicated, and we needed her to be comfortable and peaceful while the process took place. The team was able to achieve that peaceful passing for Beezler, and that’s comforting to all of us. She’ll be deeply missed.”
Before Beezler passed, board members, staff, and others gathered to express their gratitude to her. Individuaks signed a card and watched Beezler relax in the sunshine, enjoy her cookies, whipped cream, muffins, and meatballs.
For many years, Beezler was kept up above the play hill and tapir-okapi yard. Many enjoyed the calm and peaceful setting, taking time for lunch at the picnic tables.
“A lot of members came to the Zoo just to see Beezler,” Courtney Rogers, CMZoo registrar and former Rocky Mountain Wild keeper, said. “They would sometimes ask where she was, and when I explained that she might be choosing to take a nap in her den, they would say, ‘Good for her!’. People respected Beezler, and like us, wanted what was best for her.”
Senior animal keeper, Erika Furnes, worked with Beezler for nine years and described her as sweet, confident, and patient with a side of respectable sass. As she aged, Furnes and Bezzler worked closely together, learning new practices and making accommodations that allowed Bezzler to cooperate on her own as she aged. At 30 years old. Bezzler surprised her care team by climbing up a structure, about 15 feet high.
“She taught us a lot about making accommodations for aging animals, to support their natural behaviors as their bodies slow down,” Furnes said. “In her later years, we turned one of her pools into a dirt pile, which she loved. We made adjustments to her enrichment, so she was still challenged and we could encourage her to stay flexible, but she could still feel accomplished. We never stopped offering her ‘young bear’ enrichment, like a log that smelled like one of our porcupines. We weren’t sure if she’d be interested, but she tore it up like a cub.”
Asiatic black bears are not commonly found in zoos, making Beezler a rare and special resident. While only standing at two-and-a-half feet, Beezler has a giant presence at CMZoo.
