![[Translate to English:] Eisbärdame Tosca im Zoo Berlin](/fileadmin/_processed_/d/f/csm_Eisbaerin_Tosca_Zoo_Berlin_April_2015_Karl_Broeseke1_dda4d72844.jpg "[Translate to English:] Eisbärdame Tosca im Zoo Berlin")
Deaf and blind Tosca stumbles through her stable with a lack of orientation Polar bear dame Tosca paints a sad picture during an on-site visit by the ethics committee on Monday morning. Together with external vet specialists and animal welfare officers, the competent keepers, curators and veterinarians were in agreement that the old lady should be put out of her misery before her suffering increases. Tosca is nearly 30 years' old now. Female polar bears have an average life expectancy of 25 to 30 years. Tosca, who was born in Canada in 1986, has been living in Zoo Berlin since 1986. She came from the State Circus of East Germany and is best known to Berliners as the mother of polar bear Knut.
Tosca's demeanor has dramatically deteriorated in recent weeks: She has become deaf and blind, not being able to find her food anymore. Her sense of smell has gone. Although she still eats well, she has lost a lot of weight. For approx. two weeks now Tosca has only been able to live in her stable.
"We decided to put Tosca to sleep since we don't assume that her living conditions will improve and we want to spare her of any unnecessary suffering. This decision was certainly not easy for us and we had to call in an ethics commission to Zoo Berlin for the very first time. We're always biased since they are our animals. Animal welfare officers of the Free University of Berlin and official veterinarians helped us reach a decision," says Zoo director and vet Dr. Andreas Knieriem.
Tosca was put to sleep a few days later. This was the right thing to do for the animal's welfare. The animal was then brought to the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (IZW), where she is being intensively studied by experienced pathologists to quickly clarify the reason for her decline and suffering
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Another female polar bear is still living in Zoo Berlin, Katjuscha (30 years' old). Polar bears prefer their own company, so we can assume that Tosca's passing won't effect Katjuscha's ability to continue enjoying her twilight years in Zoo Berlin. Only after her death will future plans be made for the next step in Zoo Berlin's commitment to polar bear conservation.
