Bear Hollow Zoo in Athens says goodbye to long-time black bear resident
A long-time ursine resident of the Bear Hollow Zoo in Athens has died.
DJ, an American Black Bear, was put to sleep Friday morning by veterinary staff at the age of 22.
Zoo staff said previously diagnosed medical conditions, including spinal osteoarthritis, progressed to a point where euthanasia was the 'most compassionate course of action.'
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DJ first came to the Bear Hollow Zoo in 2005.
In 2022, he was diagnosed with spinal osteoarthritis after staff noticed weakness in his hind limbs.
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After getting a CT scan at the University of Georgia's Veterinarian Teaching hospital, they learned he had a severe intervertebral disc disease in his lower spine.
Ever since, zoo staff said they'd bee managing the disease and providing prolonged care, including treatment with medications amantadine and gabapentin.
In fall 2024, DJ was diagnosed with an additional medical condition, a left-sided heart disease which was being managed with pimobendane.
Staff said neither of these conditions are operable or curable in bears.
Recently, DJ developed "stiffness, an abnormal gait, and a decline in physical activity." Zoo staff said that the decline led to a decrease in muscle mass, leading to the determination that DJ should be euthanized for his well-being.
In the days before his euthanasia, staff gave DJ 'lots of attention and extras of his favorite treat, coconut.' When he died, 'he was surrounded by those who knew and loved him best.'
'The hardest thing for an animal care professional is to say goodbye to an animal they have cared for,' zoo coordinator Kelly Garrison said in a statement. 'DJ was loved by all at Bear Hollow. He was a true gentle giant weighing around 500 pounds.'
DJ's companion bears, Yonah and Athena, remain at Bear Hollow Zoo, arriving in 2010, according to officials.
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