Many of you have been asking how Boo is doing, so we thought it was time for an update!
At 24 years old, Boo continues to impress us all. Standing an incredible 7 feet tall and currently weighing 295kg (650lbs), he remains a remarkable ambassador for bears and wildlife conservation.
With this year’s unusually mild winter, Boo spent more time out of his den than we typically see. However, he wasn’t very active during this time and spent most of his days doing what bears do best—napping in the sunshine! Although he was frequently visible outside his den, he did not fully emerge from his winter rest until early April. In fact, Boo wasn’t offered his first meal of the year—a simple lettuce snack—until he had been consistently awake for four consecutive days.
This is completely normal behaviour for grizzly bears. Unlike true hibernators, grizzlies enter a state called torpor, a period of reduced activity where their heart rate, breathing, metabolism, and body temperature decrease significantly to conserve energy throughout the winter. During torpor, bears can wake up and move around periodically before returning to rest, especially during mild weather conditions.
At 24 years old, Boo is beginning to enter what would be considered his golden years. In the wild, grizzly bears typically live 25-30 years, meaning Boo would already be considered a senior bear. Bears in human care often live significantly longer, with life expectancies commonly reaching 35–40 years. The oldest recorded bear living in human care reached an incredible 56 years of age.
As Boo gets older, we are placing an even greater focus on his health and wellbeing. Our team has been working on cooperative care training, which allows Boo to voluntarily participate in many aspects of his healthcare. Through positive reinforcement training, Boo is learning behaviours that help us closely monitor his health as he ages while minimizing stress.
The goal of this training is to make routine medical procedures as comfortable as possible for him. By choosing to participate, Boo can help our veterinary team perform procedures such as injections, blood draws, physical examinations, and other health assessments without the need for unnecessary restraint or sedation. This approach not only reduces stress but also allows us to provide better preventative care and respond more quickly to any age-related health concerns that may arise.
Since fully emerging this spring, Boo has been thoroughly enjoying the warmer temperatures and all the sights and smells that come with the season. He’s been active, curious, and keeping our team busy as always!
We’re also excited that the gondola is now fully operational again. This allows us to resume our regular food drops from above, an important enrichment activity for Boo. By distributing food and supplements throughout his habitat, we encourage natural foraging behaviours, giving him the opportunity to search, explore, and work for his treats just as a wild bear would.
Thank you to everyone who continues to support Boo and the Refuge. Your support helps us provide the highest level of care and enrichment for this amazing old bear.
We look forward to sharing more updates as the season progresses!
Words by: Cindy Peacock, Grizzly Bear Refuge Animal Welfare Coordinator, KPA CTP, FFCP, CPDT KA, CBCC KA.
