Play-fighting led to death of Calgary Zoo polar bear Baffin, say officials

Just standard roughhousing, seen in captive polar bears over and over again, led to a playful bite, a tracheal ring crack and subsequent drowning of a Calgary Zoo polar bear.

That's what zoo officials are saying after the release of an initial report into the death Friday of seven-year-old Baffin.

"The necropsy confirmed Baffin died by drowning following a crushing injury to his trachea by Siku sustained during rough play," Alison Archambault told reporters Tuesday.

Archambault is the brand and engagement director at Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo.

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"It is presumed Baffin lost consciousness under water due to the tracheal injury and subsequently drowned," she said.

"The necropsy also confirmed that Baffin was in excellent physical condition and there was no evidence of heat-related stress or hyperthermia."

Archambault said the incident has left staff feeling a little lost, even if it was a tragic accident.

"It offers hollow comfort to our team and the team at Assiniboine Park Zoo, who loved Baffin so deeply," she said, pausing.

Play-fighting standard behaviour

Baffin was rescued as an orphaned cub in his first year of life and taken to Winnipeg's Assiniboine Park Zoo in late 2017.

Archambault said playfully aggressive behaviour is fairly standard.

"Baffin and Siku shared a long history as habitat mates and they enjoyed a companion-relationship, which is why they were chosen to come to Calgary in October, 2023," she said.

"They displayed many natural polar bear behaviours, including daily playing in and out of the water. The type of intensity of play the day of the incident appeared to be no different than what caregivers witnessed on a daily basis."

The pool Baffin drowned in is roughly 13-feet deep (4 metres).

Polar bears can live up to 30 years, zoo officials said.

Siku is being monitored for behavioural changes after his loss. There are no immediate plans to replace Baffin, although that's an option down the road.