NORFOLK, Va. — A 15-year-old Malayan Sun bear at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk was euthanized after battling gallbladder cancer, a spokesperson announced Thursday.
Palu the Sun bear was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2008. That zoo says Sun bears can live up to 30 years in captivity.
"He was often spotted napping in a tree or foraging for snacks in our Asia – Trail of the Tiger exhibit," a zoo Facebook post says. "For enrichment, Palu enjoyed things like boxes, paper bags, mealworms hidden in special feeders, coconuts, bones, and moon bear scent."
His cancer was aggressive. Keepers started treating him as soon as he was diagnosed, and said he seemed to feel better for a while. But soon the cancer had spread throughout his body.
Zoo staff weren't able to keep him comfortable after that point, so they decided to euthanize him before his quality of life dropped.
"He passed peacefully, surrounded by the animal care team that loved and cared for him," the post says.
The zoo says they know many people loved Palu, and they're collecting stories and photos of him at the zoo from the public. If you have one you'd like to share, you can add it to the Facebook thread honoring his life.
