OAKLAND, Calif. — A black bear cub from South Lake Tahoe was euthanized at the Oakland Zoo last Tuesday after he was brought in by officials from The BEAR league for life-saving treatment through the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW).
Nixon, a male orphaned black bear, was found earlier this month with severe health issues including pneumonia, internal parasites, a virus, a fungal infection, a bone infection, a skin infection causing extreme hair loss, according to Oakland Zoo officials.
CDFW officials at the Oakland Zoo's Veterinary Hospital spent 10 days conducting medical assessments, preforming careful examinations and attempting to treat his series of complications and infections.
Despite veterinarians conservation efforts and consideration for the bear's well-being, the zoo made what it described as an "extremely difficult decision" to euthanize Nixon.
According to Oakland Zoo officials, Nixon's health complications were far too severe to maintain a happy and healthy life amid his suffering.
"We all fell in love with Nixon and his undeniable spirit…and wanted nothing more than his full recovery and a good quality of life, which was just not possible," said the Oakland Zoo in a Facebook post. "We only knew him for a brief time, but the impact he made on us will last forever."
Nixon was estimated to be 8 months old, and was given his name by the concerned citizens who reported the young bear wandering into a retail store called Nixon in South Lake Tahoe, according to the Oakland Zoo.
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