Edinburgh Zoo’s male sun bear Rotana died on Friday 13 after his battle with cancer began to impact his quality of life.
Rotana arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in 2010 at 7 years old, after being rescued from illegal pet trade in Cambodia, he was then rehomed as part of the Zoo’s work with Free the Bears.
Sun Bears, the smallest bear species, have a distinctive cream-coloured patch on their chests, from which their name derives.
The Sun Bear is classified by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List as vulnerable, although global populations have declined by over 30 per cent in the past 30 years.
Sun Bears, native to the Indochinese Peninsula, have suffered from habitat loss as a result of deforestation, commercial logging, and wildfires.
Alongside habitat loss, the bears have consistently been hunted for their bile, used in traditional medicines.
Bear bile farms are “growing increasingly popular amid a seeming lack of enforcement” according to the World Land Trust.
Rotana’s mate, Babu, is said to be doing well while Edinburgh Zoo “[are] looking to welcome another male in the future to pair with her”.
Image: “Sun Bear, 3 Jun 13, Edinburgh Zoo” by Castaway in Scotland is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0.