Oldest polar bear in US celebrates 37th birthday

By Abbey Westbury
December 14 2017 03:21 PM

CP387097496 — This photo provided by the Philadelphia Zoo shows patrons taking photos of Coldilocks, the oldest polar bear in the U.S., at 37. The zoo says they celebrated her birthday Thursday, Dec. 14, 2017, with a cake made of peanut butter, honey, raisins and fish. Guests at the party braved a cold, icy day to sing ‚ÄúHappy Birthday‚Äù to the bear. Zoo officials say the average lifespan for polar bears in captivity is 23 years. They credit Coldilocks‚Äô long age with the care she receives from her keepers and veterinary staff. Coldilocks lived with her partner Klondike for more than three decades before the bear died in 2015 at age 34. (Philadelphia Zoo via AP)

PHILADELPHIA – The Philadelphia Zoo has thrown a birthday party for 37-year-old Coldilocks, the oldest polar bear in captivity in the United States.

The zoo says they celebrated her birthday Thursday with a peanut butter, honey, raisin and fish cake. Guests at the party braved a cold, icy day to sing “Happy Birthday” to the bear.

Zoo officials say the average lifespan for polar bears in captivity is 23 years. They credit Coldilocks’ long life to the care she receives from her keepers and veterinary staff.

Coldilocks lived with her partner Klondike for more than three decades before the bear died in 2015 at age 34.

Polar bears as a species are listed as vulnerable. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated in January that about 26,000 specimens remain in the wild.

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