News Room | Honoring Ursula

Museum loses beloved bear

(DURHAM, NC – October 18, 2011) Durham’s Museum of Life and Science’s beloved bear, Ursula, was euthanized on Tuesday, October 18. Museum staff made the difficult decision to euthanize the twenty-year-old bear after realizing the lameness she continued to experience in her hind legs was worsening and was not going to improve.

“Many months ago, keepers noticed that Ursula was walking abnormally. She had a geriatric demeanor for quite a while. We assumed it was most likely degenerative joint disease,” commented Dr. Debbie Vanderford, Museum’s consulting veterinarian.

On July 8, under the advice of Dr. Vanderford, Ursula was removed from the Museum’s Explore the Wild exhibition, placed on restricted activity and prescribed a regimen of anti-inflammatory and pain medications.

Keepers crushed the medicines and placed them in watermelons that were generously donated by members of the community and also placed the medicines in a concoction of peanut butter, honey and syrup. According to Museum keepers, Ursula’s condition stabilized enough to re-introduce her to the exhibit with the other bears on October 3. However, on October 13, her condition took a turn for the worse.

“Her back legs completely gave out. Without the use of her back legs, the decision to euthanize Ursula, while heartbreaking, became clear.” commented Sherry Samuels, animal department director.

Ursula, nicknamed Urs, was approximately 9 months old when she arrived at the Museum of Life Ursula playing and Science on October 30, 1991. The young bear was rescued by wildlife officials in New York who confiscated her from a person who was keeping her illegally. Wildlife officials deemed Ursula non-releasable to the wild due to long term exposure to humans, which is why she was sent to live at the Durham Museum.

During Ursula’s twenty year stay at the Museum, a countless number of visitors were able to watch her grow up and hear many stories shared by Museum keepers. Those who knew Ursula well describe her as a silly and playful youngster, who grew into a cranky adult and later, as a senior, turned into a sweet and amusing old girl.

“She will be missed. She will be missed by many,” said Sherry Samuels.

Learn More.

To learn more about Ursula or to adopt a bear in her honor, visit the Museum of Life and Science in Durham’s website at www.lifeandscience.org or call 919.220.5429.

The Museum also invites you to share your memorable moments and pictures you’ve taken of its black bears on its Facebook page at www.facebook.com/lifeandscience.

Black Bear Facts

Lifespan

“The American black bear is the smallest of the three bears species found in North America, and are found only in North America. Average lifespan for black bears in captivity is in the teens, and black bears can live upward of 30 years in the wild.”

Population

“It is estimated that there are at least 600,000 black bears in North America. In the United States, there are estimated to be over 300,000 individuals. However, the Louisiana black bear (Ursus americanus luteolu) and Florida black bear (Ursus americanus floridanus) are threatened subspecies with small populations (see Legal Status/Protection)”

Range

“The American black bear is distributed throughout North America, from Canada to Mexico and in at least 40 states in the U.S. They historically occupied nearly all of the forested regions of North America, but in the U.S. they are now restricted to the forested areas less densely occupied by humans. In Canada, black bears still inhabit most of their historic range except for the intensively farmed areas of the central plains. In Mexico, black bears were thought to have inhabited the mountainous regions of the northern states but are now limited to a few remnant populations.”

Threats

“Habitat loss and fragmentation, logging, human encroachment, road-kills, poaching and depredation kills. Highways, homes and other developments built through bear habitat fragment their habitat, sometimes keeping them from large areas they depend on for food, water and shelter. Habitat fragmentation also makes it difficult for bears to find mates and limits their chances to move into more suitable habitat. There is a misconception that black bears are vicious animals. Because there is a common misconception among people that black bears are vicious, increasing numbers of bears are being killed as more people move into bear habitat and have interactions with them.”

Source – Defenders of Wildlife