Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up

Ruth Doherty
Updated
Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up
Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up

How many people does it take to perform a check-up on a 66-stone polar bear? Around 12, apparently.

Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up
Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up

A dozen people, including Dr Allison Case, Dr Tom Sullivan, and Dr Jim Reed, were part of the team that performed a full physical exam, a root canal and some minor eye surgery on Boris, the 922-pound, 27-year-old polar bear who was rescued from a Mexican circus in Puerto Rico 10 years ago.

Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up
Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up

The four-hour check-up was carried out on site at the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium's animal health care hospital in Tacoma, Washington, and also saw Boris have his massive claws clipped.

Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up
Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up


According to the Mirror, keeper Cindy Roberts said: "All of us worry about him and love him. We spend more time with the animals than we do with our own families."

Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up
Bear with a sore head: 66-stone polar bear gets annual check-up

So it was good news when Boris' health check got the thumbs up, apart from a touch of arthritis.

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