Inuka's final moments were with all the S'pore Zoo keepers who loved him

:'(

Joshua Lee | April 25, 2018, 07:24 PM

Inuka, the world's first polar bear to be bred in the tropics, departed on April 25, 2018, at the ripe age of 27.

Due to its old age, Inuka was suffering from age-related ailments, such as arthritis.

Its condition worsened over the last few months, where it was noticeably less active since December 2016.

Inuka's final moments

On April 25, Inuka was put under general anaesthesia at 7am to commence a health check-up.

It revealed Inuka's condition was not getting better despite treatment.

The decision not to revive it was made at 9.30am.

Inuka was administered another chemical to put him to sleep while under general anaesthesia so it felt nothing.

The Wildlife Reserve Singapore (WRS) has released photos of Inuka's final moments surrounded by its keepers:

The people pictured below were Inuka's family of caregivers, past and present. They were gathered around the bear who weighed more than 500kg, as the veterinarian Abraham Mathew administered the final injection to relieve it from suffering.

Courtesy of Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

The final medical examination found that past open wounds on Inuka’s abdomen had not significantly improved despite additional treatment over the last three weeks.

Courtesy of Wildlife Reserves Singapore.

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It was an emotional moment for Inuka's caregivers as they said their goodbyes.

Below, a caregiver placed her hands in Inuka's massive paw to bid farewell.

Courtesy of Wildlife Reserves Singapore.