You wouldn’t think a zoo in Oklahoma would be an ideal place for polar bears to live, but they actually adapt to the climate much better than other types of bears.
They’re fed well, their health is constantly monitored, and they’re kept in safe surroundings. Despite the fact that polar bears at the Tulsa Zoo have long enjoyed devoted handlers and an enthusiastic fan base, their numbers in the wild are rapidly diminishing. They’re on the World Conservation Union’s Red List of Threatened Species.
In this episode of Goodbye Tulsa, Karen Dunn, large mammal curator at the Tulsa Zoo, tells us about the popular polar bear Kavek, who passed away earlier this summer. Crowds remember him for his inquisitiveness, but Dunn recognizes him for something much more–an ambassador for his species.
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