Long Island Animal Preserve's Beloved Resident Bear, 'Honey,' Dies At 27

HOLTSVILLE, NY — "Honey," the black bear who called Brookhaven Town's Highway Department and Ecology Center in Holtsville home died Friday at 27, officials said.

The bear, along with her brother, "Pooh," who died more than five years ago, were ambassadors for wildlife education for thousands of people who visited the center.

The average life expectancy for a black bear rarely exceeds 20 years, making her longevity "testament to the love and exemplary care she received from our dedicated staff," Brookhaven officials said.

Her death was announced in a Facebook post, with officials saying they were "saddened" to make the report about "the passing of our beloved Honey, the resident black bear who has delighted and educated children about her species for more than a quarter century."

The bear was part of a menagerie of injured or domesticated, non-releasable animals, including a Bald eagle and American Buffalo, that call the ecology center home and give an opportunity for encounters that help "to instill a passion for conservation in our next generation," the post read.

"While Honey will be missed and long remembered, the mission of our ecology center lives on," the post concluded.