Animal Wellness

Looking Beary Good!

The Virginia Zoo’s Veterinary staff performed an annual medical exam on the Zoo’s female sun bear, Suntil last week. She’s 16 years old and weighs about 100 pounds- essentially the size of a big dog. Both of the Zoo’s sun bears are very smart and are trained to receive injections. They even get their paws lathered in shea butter daily to prevent dry, cracked paws that their species are prone to.

During these exams, the bears receive a full medical checkup which includes vaccines, drawing blood for testing and a nail trim. Suntil has a history of dental problems, so the medical staff also performed a full dental cleaning and exam to monitor her past issues.

We’re happy to say, Suntil has a clean bill of health!