World’s Saddest Polar Bear Dies After 22 Years In Argentina’s Zoo
On July 3, Arturo, the “World’s saddest polar bear,” died at the age of 30 after 22 years of captivity at the Mendoza Zoological Park in Argentina.
Arturo’s living conditions made him go “insane.” He often exhibited behavior such as repetitive movements that usually showcase the stress of captivity. Hundreds of thousands of people petitioned to rescue him from the horrible conditions he was living in (Argentina is not the best place for a polar bear, after all), but the zoo refused to let him go. You were deprived of everything a polar bear is supposed to experience but may you rest in peace, Arturo. You’re finally free.
More info: Facebook (h/t: thedodo)
“Arturo spent a lifetime in conditions that I think would be inherently stressful and unkind to him as an animal”
“Every part of a polar bear’s body is designed for snow, for ice, for predatory habits and roaming huge distances”
“For 30 years Arturo was deprived of it,” explained Barry MacKay who tried to have Arturo relocated to a zoo in Canada
“I hope that we can put an end to keeping these animals in environments that aren’t good for them”
May you rest in peace, Arturo. You’re finally free
Watch the video here:
49Kviews
Share on Facebook
I couldn't even watch him in this video all the way through. I am sick that people let him suffer so. I don't go to Zoos, or Circuses any more. Just too sad for the animals that are there.
Wow this video shows this poor polar bear in stress yet the zoo does nothing about it... What is this world why are humans so selfish? Cant we change the way humans treat animals... We need to sue this zoo. Who is with me?
Why do we treat so many animals this way? We are the cruelist, most selfish species.
Shunning zoos and circuses is just a start. We need strong, enforceable international laws for the protection of animals, endangered or not. This was 22 years of captivity torture, and people went every day and looked at it for entertainment, watching the animal go crazy. For 22 years. And other people were paid to keep it there. Shame on Argentina, what a terrible, cruel, backward country.
I agree. I avoid zoos, circuses and any place that uses animals as a form of entertainment and do my best to educate others. Sadly, most people are selfish, and only care about themselves and having fun, even at the expense of others.
Load More Replies...
I hate zoos with exotic animals and I despise people who pay money to watch suffering animals in zoos (and sea worlds). They are psychopaths - and raising their kids to be the same! No person with a sane mind and a shred of empathy would enjoy watching this kind of suffering. 22 years. My God.
Rest in peace beautiful soul,you are free now,may the owners of the zoo never find a moment of peace!! :,(
Same here,I couldn't even watch the video! :,(
Load More Replies...
Bless his big bear heart. I hope he has found peace at last. And, though I doubt that any of us could use the zoo we can certainly mount a shame campaign against the people who denied Barry MacKay's request to relocate him to Canada. It should be easy to find out who they are. But nothing can give Arturo his life, a better life, back. My heart breaks for you, magnificent bear.
Sorry I didn't proofread -- I meant that I doubted we could SUE the zoo, not USE the zoo. My apologies. Bloody autocorrect!
Load More Replies...
This post keeps popping up and it makes me sadder each time I see it. This zoo and the people who watched him suffer there are the very definition of evil, sick and selfish.
Well i have to put it like it is Argentina is on my s___ list!!! i will not be visiting there, How could so called humans be so cruel? What about the other animals. Ithink the wrong animals are in the cages. Hopefully a dying breed.
Zoo like this is the hell, not the place to animals live!!! I understand there is many creatures which can live only in some kind of reserve, but these horrible zoos have to be all closed! Animals are alone in horrible places. This is not life, that is prison just for human pleasure!!!
How terrible a species we are to continually subject animals to life in captivity in unnatural climates so humans can go see them. I haven't been to zoos, circuses, marine land, discovery cove in years and years since various organizations have been shedding light on the plight on animals. Let's all be part of the solution...
My heart breaks literally and tears all at the 1st picture. I cant even finish scrolling, let alone the video. Please, please, I hope something is done to raise an awareness for matters like this. I'm sorry my species treated you so badly, po bear. I really am. Youre release from your sorrow now. I'm sorry.
Ugh. People can be such insensitive, destructive and awful beings. If a person was in the polar bear's position, it would be deemed as cruel
And sick, but if it is an animal people are ok with it? How utterly pathetic. Animals have feelings too!
Load More Replies... This is just so incredibly sad. :( There are too many heartless and greedy people in this world.
How sad... I hate he had a life like this... It's so unfair to keep a beautiful animal like this and make him so miserable!! Bless his heart... RIP Arturo... may you run free in heaven and always be happy!
I think most zoos are sanctuaries that keep their populations up and keep them well fed. But this, this is evil. In no way is this >
beautiful creature being treated like it should. This is abusive and that zoo should be shut down because they obviously don't know what >
Load More Replies... Please God,show every human that tortures an animal pain and suffering,and may they never find peace of mind ever! :,(
As I understand it, zoos are private business. As a business they do not had to give one good G** D***m about the opinion of anyone else. As a result we have a**h***s who are willing to let animals suffer for endless amounts of time, as commodities not living creatures
Well, as a private business, they are even bound to the opinion of anyone else. Consumer behaviour is a strong force. Admittedly, it is hard to leverage it in a case like this.
Load More Replies... I wish Cher would’ve intervened like she did for the elephant. Arturos misery has haunted me for yrs. that he was never rescued from those hellish conditions & died there just breaks my heart still
NO! It is not fair! I only go to zoos that are kind to the animals and are born there.
Heartbreaking, I wish people stopped paying to see abused animals at zoos and circuses.
Makes me SO sick!! I cried and cried after reading Arturo's story a few years ago. People were boycotting and sending numerous petitions, and a animals rights group tried to have him transferred to a zoo in Canada where he could have better treatment... an enclosure that was cold and made for a polar bear...because he could no longer be returned to the wild. This poor bear SUFFERED at the hands of "humans" because they are GREEDY and did it all for money!!! This should NOT have been legal, and I think the people responsible should've been arrested and convicted for animal cruelty!!
Poor thing! You would think at least the government would hold the zoo more responsible to such blatant abuse!
I can't fathom the mental stress. that's hell if I could ever describe it.
Its so sad that people are trying to make atraction from everything yet they forget about a very important thing and that is enviroment for those animals..
I couldn't even watch him in this video all the way through. I am sick that people let him suffer so. I don't go to Zoos, or Circuses any more. Just too sad for the animals that are there.
Wow this video shows this poor polar bear in stress yet the zoo does nothing about it... What is this world why are humans so selfish? Cant we change the way humans treat animals... We need to sue this zoo. Who is with me?
Why do we treat so many animals this way? We are the cruelist, most selfish species.
Shunning zoos and circuses is just a start. We need strong, enforceable international laws for the protection of animals, endangered or not. This was 22 years of captivity torture, and people went every day and looked at it for entertainment, watching the animal go crazy. For 22 years. And other people were paid to keep it there. Shame on Argentina, what a terrible, cruel, backward country.
I agree. I avoid zoos, circuses and any place that uses animals as a form of entertainment and do my best to educate others. Sadly, most people are selfish, and only care about themselves and having fun, even at the expense of others.
Load More Replies... I hate zoos with exotic animals and I despise people who pay money to watch suffering animals in zoos (and sea worlds). They are psychopaths - and raising their kids to be the same! No person with a sane mind and a shred of empathy would enjoy watching this kind of suffering. 22 years. My God.
Rest in peace beautiful soul,you are free now,may the owners of the zoo never find a moment of peace!! :,(
Same here,I couldn't even watch the video! :,(
Load More Replies... Bless his big bear heart. I hope he has found peace at last. And, though I doubt that any of us could use the zoo we can certainly mount a shame campaign against the people who denied Barry MacKay's request to relocate him to Canada. It should be easy to find out who they are. But nothing can give Arturo his life, a better life, back. My heart breaks for you, magnificent bear.
Sorry I didn't proofread -- I meant that I doubted we could SUE the zoo, not USE the zoo. My apologies. Bloody autocorrect!
Load More Replies... This post keeps popping up and it makes me sadder each time I see it. This zoo and the people who watched him suffer there are the very definition of evil, sick and selfish.
Well i have to put it like it is Argentina is on my s___ list!!! i will not be visiting there, How could so called humans be so cruel? What about the other animals. Ithink the wrong animals are in the cages. Hopefully a dying breed.
Zoo like this is the hell, not the place to animals live!!! I understand there is many creatures which can live only in some kind of reserve, but these horrible zoos have to be all closed! Animals are alone in horrible places. This is not life, that is prison just for human pleasure!!!
How terrible a species we are to continually subject animals to life in captivity in unnatural climates so humans can go see them. I haven't been to zoos, circuses, marine land, discovery cove in years and years since various organizations have been shedding light on the plight on animals. Let's all be part of the solution...
My heart breaks literally and tears all at the 1st picture. I cant even finish scrolling, let alone the video. Please, please, I hope something is done to raise an awareness for matters like this. I'm sorry my species treated you so badly, po bear. I really am. Youre release from your sorrow now. I'm sorry.
Ugh. People can be such insensitive, destructive and awful beings. If a person was in the polar bear's position, it would be deemed as cruel
And sick, but if it is an animal people are ok with it? How utterly pathetic. Animals have feelings too!
Load More Replies... This is just so incredibly sad. :( There are too many heartless and greedy people in this world.
How sad... I hate he had a life like this... It's so unfair to keep a beautiful animal like this and make him so miserable!! Bless his heart... RIP Arturo... may you run free in heaven and always be happy!
I think most zoos are sanctuaries that keep their populations up and keep them well fed. But this, this is evil. In no way is this >
beautiful creature being treated like it should. This is abusive and that zoo should be shut down because they obviously don't know what >
Load More Replies... Please God,show every human that tortures an animal pain and suffering,and may they never find peace of mind ever! :,(
As I understand it, zoos are private business. As a business they do not had to give one good G** D***m about the opinion of anyone else. As a result we have a**h***s who are willing to let animals suffer for endless amounts of time, as commodities not living creatures
Well, as a private business, they are even bound to the opinion of anyone else. Consumer behaviour is a strong force. Admittedly, it is hard to leverage it in a case like this.
Load More Replies... I wish Cher would’ve intervened like she did for the elephant. Arturos misery has haunted me for yrs. that he was never rescued from those hellish conditions & died there just breaks my heart still
NO! It is not fair! I only go to zoos that are kind to the animals and are born there.
Heartbreaking, I wish people stopped paying to see abused animals at zoos and circuses.
Makes me SO sick!! I cried and cried after reading Arturo's story a few years ago. People were boycotting and sending numerous petitions, and a animals rights group tried to have him transferred to a zoo in Canada where he could have better treatment... an enclosure that was cold and made for a polar bear...because he could no longer be returned to the wild. This poor bear SUFFERED at the hands of "humans" because they are GREEDY and did it all for money!!! This should NOT have been legal, and I think the people responsible should've been arrested and convicted for animal cruelty!!
Poor thing! You would think at least the government would hold the zoo more responsible to such blatant abuse!
I can't fathom the mental stress. that's hell if I could ever describe it.
Its so sad that people are trying to make atraction from everything yet they forget about a very important thing and that is enviroment for those animals..
177
64