When a zoo director cancels all meetings, it’s clear that something important must be happening. At 8 o’clock this morning, the polar bear keepers found four-month-old Fritz lying listlessly in the den he shares with his mother Tonja. The vets, curators and keepers immediately advised that mother and cub be separated so that Fritz could be examined more closely.
Fritz was moved to the neighbouring Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), where he has undergone hours of intense examination. Initial ultrasounds, CT scans and
X-ray examinations returned no clear findings, and bacterial results from the stool test are still outstanding. The blood tests, meanwhile, showed worrying liver readings. As a result, Fritz has been treated with special antibiotics and painkillers.
“Fritz has severe inflammation of the liver, which indicates a serious illness,” says Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr Andreas Knieriem. “We really hope the little polar bear will show signs of recovery and make it through the night. We are all very worried.”
Fritz already seemed less active than usual on Sunday morning. As a precaution, veterinarian Dr Andreas Pauly administered antibiotics and antiparasitics. Zoo and Tierpark Director Dr Andreas Knieriem paid a visit to the polar bears’ den yesterday afternoon to see how Fritz was doing. Towards the evening, his condition had stabilised and he was even feeding again from mother Tonja.
Background
Fritz’s mother Tonja (now aged seven) gave birth to her first offspring at Tierpark Berlin on 3 November 2016. Fritz is the first baby polar bear at Tierpark Berlin in 22 years. His father is five-year-old Wolodja, who is currently on show to the public at Zoo Berlin.
