Two zoo polar bears got a surprise chance to stalk wild prey Friday morning when a deer got into their exhibit. The deer entered the zoo by clearing an 8-foot perimeter fence, and after walking around, wandered onto an exhibit roof. The buck dove 20 feet from the roof of the “Water’s Edge” exhibit at a Pittsburgh zoo. The deer landed in the water and when he got out, the bears followed, their response mostly inquisitive. Polar bears would not normally eat a deer. A few seconds later, the deer splashed back into the pool, swam around, and again left the pool with the bears in pursuit.
The deer jumped back into the pool a third time and again the bears followed. The buck actually turned and attacked the bears at one point! The zoo CEO and president said, “The deer was attacking well. I was quite impressed.” The deer was butting heads and pushing the bears back
Zookeepers broke up the fight, but unfortunately the valiant deer had to be euthanized because of injuries suffered in the fall…he acquitted himself well in spite of being badly injured.
FOXSYLVANIA 