Brookfield Zoo Mourns The Loss Of 'Gentle Giant' Brown Bear Jim

BROOKFIELD, IL — Jim, a 27-year-old gentle giant of the brown bear who had become a popular fixture at Brookfield Zoo, died this week after zoo officials said that his declining age had led to mobility issues that forced veterinarians to euthanize him.

Zoo officials and animal care staff made the difficult decision to put Jim down after the long-time zoo resident began experiencing health issues associated with his very advanced age, the zoo announced in a news release on Wednesday.

Brookfield Zoo staff had been closely managing his comfort and care, but in recent months, Jim’s mobility had declined significantly due to severe arthritis, the zoo said Wednesday. Veterinary and animal care staff made careful adjustments to his medications to ensure Jim’s comfort, but his arthritis had progressed to the point that staff could no longer ensure his comfort and quality of life.

Just shy of his 28th birthday, Jim significantly exceeded the median life expectancy for his species, which led zoo officials to make the decision to euthanize him.

“As an easy-going gentle giant, Jim was definitely one of the staff’s favorites,” Mark Wanner, curator of mammals for the Chicago Zoological Society said in a news release.“Jim was very eager to try new food items and seemed to thoroughly enjoy his enrichment. Additionally, he voluntarily participated in his own health care during husbandry training sessions with animal care staff. This has been an incredibly difficult time for those who cared for him, and he will be greatly missed.”

Millions of guests have seen Jim and his brother Axhi for the better part of 30 years — first at the old Bear Grottos, when they arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 1995 — and for the past 12 years, at Great Bear Wilderness.

Because of Jim, zoogoers have had the opportunity to learn about brown bears and conservation efforts being done to protect this iconic North American species. At special zoo chats held during past and present special events, including Teddy Bear Picnic, Bear Awareness Weekend, and Boo! at the Zoo, as well as “Bringing the Zoo to You” Facebook Live chats, Jim, along with his brother, was a favorite among guests, the zoo said in a news release.

Additionally, Jim was frequently featured in photos and videos enjoying a variety of unique enrichment items, the most recent being ice blocks, which featured the Chicago Bears team’s colors of blue and orange, in celebration of the official start of the NFL season.

Jim and his brother Axhi arrived at Brookfield Zoo in 1995 when they were just 6 months old. The two orphaned cubs were rescued from Admiralty Island in southeastern Alaska, two weeks after their mother was killed by a hunter near a landfill located on the outskirts of Angoon, a small fishing village. Their rescue was a collaborative effort with the Chicago Zoological Society, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and residents on the island.