XTRA FACTOR BRANDS: Visit Wang – The Last Polar Bear in Africa

Joburg Zoo Celebrates 110th Birthday 23 March 2014

Everyone enjoys a visit to the Joburg Zoo. The Zoo is situated in the heart of Saxonwold border Forest Town and is a very popular venue for families with children, city dwellers, teenagers and foreign tourists. The Joburg Zoo and Zoo Lake celebrate their 110th Birthday today 23 March 2014!

There is plenty to see at the Zoo, from Koi fish to monkey, hippo, lion, elephant and plenty more! There is also an abundance of beautiful blue Peacocks.

I visit the Zoo on and off with family or for their fun run events and did so too when they held a ‘Save the Rhino’ protest march

Yesterday I visited the Zoo to pay my respects to and to give support to Wang, Africa’s last living Polar Bear who lost his mate in January.

What prompted me to visit him was an article I had read this week published by CNN. Excerpts below for you to read.

It was evident to me that while Wang is in fact missing his mate he also has a health problem which has gone unnoticed by the Zoo keepers. Wang was bothered by a several flies on his face which understandably irritated him. While flies are common at different times of the year in areas in Johannesburg, especially where horses are stabled this was the first time I had noticed an excessive numbers of flies around any animal at the Zoo.

Wang’s Health

It did not take me long to see that Wang has what appears to be a laceration on his lower right middle belly. I photographed same and stayed on to attend the scheduled 12noon public feeding so that I could draw this to the attention of the feeder. The Zoo feeder was unaware of the possible sighted lesion which would be a health risk and said he would monitor same.

CNN Report

Africa's last polar bear spends his days grieving his longtime companion at a zoo in Johannesburg a far cry from his Arctic habitat

Wang has been alone since GeeBee, his polar bear partner of nearly three decades, died suddenly this year. GeeBee and Wang had spent their days together since they were cubs. It was a notable friendship - polar bears tend to be solitary animals. In January, GeeBee succumbed to a heart attack.

"On the day she died, Wang was doing unusual things," said Agnes Maluleke, the carnivore curator for the Johannesburg Zoo.

Wang (left) and GeeBee had spent their days together since they were cubs. GeeBee died of a heart attack. Instead of gobbling up food used to lure him into his night room, Wang walked around his companion's body, stared and kept watch the whole night, according to Maluleke.

After his companion's death, Wang lost interest in food and shunned swimming, his favorite pastime. "He had to be immobilized to retrieve GeeBee's body," she said. GeeBee, who died suddenly in January, lived at the Johannesburg Zoo for 28 years.

But Wang suffers from liver disease and has lived his entire life in a warm climate. A sudden change in environment would be fatal for his advanced age, Maluleke said. Wang was born at a Japanese zoo, and GeeBee came from Canada after both were swapped for lions.

But the elderly Wang is thriving amid all the extra care, zoo officials said. He's showing more interest in food and his surroundings, and is more alert by the day. Zookeepers don't know how much longer Wang has to live. In the wild, polar bears barely make it past 20 years, Maluleke said.