Keema, Woodland Park Zoo’s “curious and fussy” grizzly bear, has been euthanized

Keema, a 28-year-old male grizzly bear who has lived at Woodland Park Zoo since late 1994, was euthanized Sunday, according to the zoo.

Keema was humanely euthanized “due to a serious deterioration in his health,” the zoo said in a post on its blog on Monday.

Keema struggled with mobility and was kept under surveillance for months, but “the veterinary team found no treatable underlying conditions,” the zoo said in its blog post.

Keema lived at the zoo with his twin brother Denali since they were 10 months old until Denali passed away in late 2020. They were born on January 15, 1994 at Washington State University’s Bear Center.

“While grizzly bears are typically solitary, the brothers lived together their entire lives and only got along because they were always together and there were no female bears,” the blog post reads.

In a Twitter post, the zoo said Keema is a “curious and fussy” bear who likes grapes and honey, and wallows in coffee grounds.

“Keema has lived a long, enriching life thanks to the dedication and expertise of his zookeepers and our animal health team, as well as the generous support of our donors, members and community,” Kevin Murphy, Senior Director of Animal Care at Woodland Park Zoo, said in a statement included in the blog post. “Additionally, these majestic bears have been iconic ambassadors for grizzlies in Washington state, as they helped spotlight the importance of coexistence with bears and other wildlife in both urban and remote areas.”