Zoo Miami's resident sloth bear, Hank, underwent a comprehensive physical examination this week as part of the zoo's preventative medicine program, the exam a preparation for his move to a new habitat where he'll live alone, reflecting the solitary nature of his species. Weighing in at 246 pounds, the 11-year-old bear was subjected to a variety of tests, including weight measurement, blood and urine collection, and a series of radiographs, along with an ultrasound of his heart, liver, and spleen; a dental check; and an endoscopy for gastrointestinal health, reported Local 10.
"The results of the exam did not reveal any abnormalities and Hank has since made a full recovery," Ron Magill, Zoo Miami Communications Director, said in a statement, detailing that Hank also received a rabies vaccination and a dewormer under the care of Zoo Miami Associate Veterinarian Dr. Rodney Schellbacher and the support of their Animal Health and Animal Science teams, previously Hank shared his former habitat with his mating partner Keematee and their two cubs but now he enjoys a new environment conducive to his inherent solitary behaviors at the zoo.
Known for their unique feeding habits, particularly their consumption of termites facilitated by missing upper front teeth, sloth bears are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. Zoo Miami was keen to highlight not just Hank's journey but also their investment in the conservation of his kin, stating that they have directly contributed thousands of dollars to sloth bear conservation efforts in India through their Ron Magill Conservation Endowment, as Community Newspapers documented.
Hank, who was born on December 19, 2012, at the Smithsonian National Zoo, arrived at Zoo Miami on November 30, 2016; through his period at the zoo, he has become an ambassador of his species, inadvertently educating the public about the characteristics and the plights of sloth bears, their lives set against the backdrop of habitat destruction and human encroachment that threaten their existence in the wild, a story not unique to Hank but shared by countless others of his kind, a narrative echoed by Miami's Community Newspapers, an outlet providing up-to-date coverage of local events and wildlife conservation efforts.
