Winnipeg zoo drops pursuit of Argentine polar bear

WINNIPEG – Arturo, the Argentine polar bear whose living conditions have caused concern for years, won’t be coming to Winnipeg.

The Assiniboine Park Conservancy, which runs the Assiniboine Park Zoo, announced Wednesday that it couldn’t meet the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s requirements for an import permit for Arturo.

“These requirements include a critical need for specific medical records dating back a minimum of three years and Mendoza representatives have confirmed that they are unable to fulfill this requirement, thereby negating any possibility of a permit being issued,” the conservancy said in a news release.

Arturo’s living conditions in Mendoza have prompted concern around the world, and zoo officials had previously worried his poor health and advanced age might threaten any attempt to bring him to Winnipeg.

However, zoo officials said they will continue to work to help Arturo.

The zoo will participate in a Skype meeting on Friday to help assess Arturo’s health, and has offered to send a member of its veterinary team to the Mendoza Zoo in Argentina to help evaluate his environment and recommend improvements.