Nanjing sun bear brought happiness to the zoo during his life

"Due to aging, Lao Ma, the sun bear, aged 33, passed away at the bear pavilion on Dec 31, 2022 …," an obituary, posted by Hongshan Forest Zoo, drew wide attention online and stirred people's curiosity, many asking, "who is Lao Ma?"

Lao Ma was a 33-year-old sun bear in Hongshan Forest Zoo in Nanjing, Jiangsu province.

Sun bears, also called Malayan sun bears, usually live in the tropical forests of Southeast Asia.

For Lao Ma to live until 33 means it outlived most sun bears, which usually have a life expectancy of around 20 years.

"Lao Ma had a merry death," said a netizen, meaning it died with completeness and its soul can rest in peace.

Originally from a circus, Lao Ma had been living in Hongshan Forest Zoo since 1993.

Many citizens of Nanjing recalled growing up visiting Lao Ma. "Lao Ma was 33 years old. So, the bear cub I saw in the zoo when I was a kid and the old bear I saw as I got older was always Lao Ma," said a message left by a netizen.

Lao Ma had been taken good care of till the last minute of his life. In order to help him survive this winter, the feeders and vets paid close attention to Lao Ma's condition. Bales of hay and heat lamps were used to keep him warm. His deteriorating teeth made Lao Ma unable to chew, so the feeders specially made warm vegetable mush, a favorite for Lao Ma.

In the end, Lao Ma died peacefully during his sleep in his warm lair.

Living in the zoo Lao Ma witnessed lots of change and development over the years. Lao Ma moved into the new bear pavilion in 2021, where he was able to wander in the wider outfield.

"We sincerely wish Lao Ma can lead a happy and healthy life in the afterlife," said the keepers at the end of the obituary.

"It is can be seen from the obituary that Lao Ma was not only a sun bear but also a good friend, an important family member of the zoo. The sincerity and attentive care brought a tear to my eyes, even though I have never met Lao Ma and the keepers," commented a netizen.

This was not the first obituary the zoo has written for its deceased animals.

In 2020, the zoo wrote an obituary for a river deer called Zi Jin, saying it had a calm and friendly personality. In 2021, the zoo wrote an obituary for a miniature pig named Yi Wai who had died of a cold, saying the little pig was the most special pig in the world.