Japan’s Oldest Bottle-Fed Polar Bear Celebrates 25th Birthday; Same Zookeeper Has Stayed by her Side Since Birth

The Yomiuri Shimbun

2:00 JST, December 2, 2024

MATSUYAMA — Japan’s oldest bottle-fed polar bear is turning 25 on Monday.

Peace, a female polar bear, overcame hardships after being separated from her mother — requiring her to be bottle-fed by zookeepers — but has been adored by visitors of the Tobe Zoological Park of Ehime Pref. in Tobe, Ehie Prefecture.

Zookeeper Atsuhiro Takaichi, 54, who has been in charge of caring for Peace since she was born, is still looking after her in her old age.

“Pi-chan,” Takaichi called out.

From the back of her sleeping area, Peace got up and slowly walked toward Takaichi.

“She’s like my child, as well as like a mother who teaches me many things and like a partner who is always adorable,” Takaichi said.

Born in 1999, Peace weighed 680 grams and measured about 25 centimeters in length. She had a twin, but it died, mauled by their mother. After, Peace was separated from her mother and raised by zookeepers at Tobe Zoo.

According to the zoo, polar bear cubs have a weak immune system, so having humans raise them is difficult. Under normal circumstances, cubs are constantly with their mothers.

Takaichi, put in charge of Peace, took care of her at the zoo during the day and at his home at night.

Peace had her own designated room at Takaichi’s apartment, which he shared with his wife and two children. As she was vulnerable to infectious diseases, he made his children promise not to touch her. He would also be careful to always disinfect himself.

When Peace was 110 days old, she spent her first night at the zoo and not at Takaichi’s apartment. However, unused to her surroundings, she apparently cried all night after Takaichi went home, to the point that it seemed she might lose her voice.

Polar bears have an average lifespan of 25 to 30 years. As Peace has entered old age, she has lost nearly 100 kilograms and now weighs about 250 kilograms. When in a good mood, she has a habit of making sucking noises, something that has remained unchanged since she was a cub.

Tobe Zoo will celebrate her birthday on Saturday by presenting her with a frozen cake with apples inside — her favorite food.