Despite ongoing discussions between the Assiniboine Park Conservancy and a zoo in Argentina, it appears unlikely Arturo the polar bear will find a home here in Winnipeg. (File image)
Arturo is a polar bear who has lived at the Mendoza Park Zoo in Argentina for the last 20 years. Arturo isn’t housed in a state-of-the-art environment like many zoo’s now provide for their animal residents. Instead, Arturo has a small enclosure in a hot and stifling climate.
Arturo’s condition has attracted the attention of animal lovers from around the world including officials at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, Manitoba in Canada. Officials at this zoo have contacted their counterparts at the Mendoza Park Zoo to offer aid and assistance in better caring for Arturo the polar bear.
Originally, the Assiniboine Park Zoo wanted to bring Arturo from Argentina to the International Polar Bear Conservation Centre in Winnipeg. However, this plan ran into a significant snag. According to Canadian law, an animal that is being brought into the country must have veterinary records available for the last three years. Arturo’s keepers were unable to produce records for the last three years of the bear’s life.
Help is still on the way for Arturo. The Assiniboine Park Zoo plans to send a member of its veterinary staff to Argentina. This veterinarian will assess the bear’s health and provide recommendations about how to better care for Arturo and provide him with a better environment.
Online:
http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/zoo-wont-get-arturo-but-will-get-to-visit-244496801.html
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