Binky (polar bear) facts for kids
Binky with tourist's shoe in his mouth
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| Species | Polar bear |
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| Sex | Male |
| Born | 1975 Cape Beaufort on Alaska's North Slope |
| Died | July 20, 1995 (age 20) Anchorage, Alaska |
Binky (1975 – July 20, 1995) was a famous polar bear who lived at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage. He was found as an orphan cub near Cape Beaufort in Alaska. A driller named David Bergsrud discovered him.
After Binky was found, the Alaska Fish and Game department worked to find him a home. At first, they thought he might have to go to a zoo outside Alaska. But people in Anchorage wanted him to stay. The small Alaska Children's Zoo (now the Alaska Zoo) was able to take him in. Binky quickly became one of the zoo's most loved animals. He even made international news in 1994 after two separate incidents with zoo visitors. Binky passed away in 1995 from a sickness caused by a parasite.
Binky's Early Life and Home
Binky was found in April 1975 near Cape Beaufort, Alaska. He was just a cub and had lost his mother. After he was found, many people in Alaska wanted him to stay in their home state. The Alaska Children's Zoo in Anchorage agreed to take him.
To help raise money for Binky's new home, Alaska Fish and Game employees had a clever idea. They flew Binky to several villages in the North Slope area. Schools would let out so children could come to the airstrips and see the cub. These visits were a big hit and got a lot of news coverage. This helped the zoo gather support and funds for Binky's enclosure.
Binky quickly became a star at the Alaska Zoo. His keepers noticed he loved attention. In 1976, one keeper said Binky would cry in the evenings when his visitors left.
Binky's first cage was small, and he soon outgrew it. The zoo needed a much bigger space for him. Many schools and businesses helped raise money for his new home. The city of Anchorage also helped by buying the zoo land. Binky's new, larger enclosure opened in May 1977.
As Binky grew older, the zoo tried to find him a female polar bear companion named Mimi. Sadly, Mimi died before she could join Binky. In 1979, two young polar bear twins, Nuka (female) and Siku (male), came to live with Binky. However, Binky and Siku didn't get along very well. So, Siku was moved to a zoo in Mexico in 1981.
When Binky was fully grown, he weighed about 1,200 pounds. He was a very strong bear. His keeper once said in 1983 that Binky was "stubborn and independent." He also liked to play games and was very smart.
Binky's Fame and Passing
Binky became even more famous in 1994 because of two incidents. On July 29, 1994, a tourist named Kathryn Warburton climbed over safety fences to get a closer photo of Binky. Binky reached through the bars and grabbed her. She suffered a broken leg and bite wounds. Another tourist filmed the event. Binky kept one of the woman's shoes for three days! A photographer took a picture of Binky holding the shoe in his mouth. This photo was printed in newspapers all over the world.
About six weeks later, on September 11, Binky was involved in another incident. Some teenagers who were not behaving responsibly approached his enclosure. One 19-year-old was hurt with leg cuts after being mauled. The zoo didn't confirm Binky was the attacker, but he had blood on his face afterward.
After these events, Binky received international news coverage. People even made Binky merchandise like T-shirts and mugs. These often featured the famous shoe photo or the slogan "Send another tourist, this one got away." Many local people supported Binky, saying that polar bears are wild animals and should be respected. The zoo director criticized the tourist who climbed the fence, saying she put Binky's life at risk. After these incidents, the zoo improved the security around Binky's enclosure.
In 1995, Binky's companion, Nuka, became very sick with a parasitic disease called sarcocystosis. She sadly died on July 14. Soon after, Binky also showed signs of the same illness. On July 20, he had convulsions and passed away. Many zoo visitors left flowers outside the empty enclosure. A memorial service was held for Binky and Nuka, and many people attended despite the rain. Both bears were buried on the zoo grounds.
