COLORADO NEWS

Colorado zoo celebrates birthday of oldest Asiatic black bear in the U.S.

Jan 22, 2025, 4:34 PM | Updated: Jan 23, 2025, 4:26 pm

Next time you go to the zoo in Colorado, you may actually be looking at an animal that’s in pretty rare company…

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs just celebrated 32-year-old Beez, the oldest Asiatic black bear in the United States, on Monday (Jan 20).

Beez enjoyed a birthday feast of her favorite treats, including strawberries, whipped cream, and a “bear chow cake.”

The zoo says she has outlived her species’ median life expectancy by three years and stays active through enrichment activities despite her age-related arthritis.

Staff describe Beez as embracing her golden years with her signature gentle nature and charm. In human years, Beez would be 90.

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Colorado zoo celebrates birthday of oldest Asiatic black bear in the U.S.