Erie Zoo’s polar bear leaving due to renovations

Erie Zoo’s polar bear leaving due to renovations

ERIE, Pa. (AP) — Renovations are forcing the Erie Zoo to move its female polar bear, Patches, to the North Carolina Zoo — and the bear is likely to remain there because of its advanced age.

The Erie Times-News reports the zoo plans to spend about $1 million renovating two exhibits with moats — including the polar bear enclosure — a process that will take about a year.

Executive director Scott Mitchell says that’s why the 25-year-old bear is being moved to the zoo in Asheboro, N.C. and, given her age, that’s the last time she should make such a long trip.

The bear is almost 26 and she’ll be in North Carolina for at least a year so Mitchell says, “By that point it would make more sense for her to stay there.”