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