Blizzard, a polar bear who has called Tacoma’s Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium home since 1997, has been diagnosed with liver cancer.
Zoo staff says the cancer was detected early. Blizzard had elevated liver enzymes on recent bloodwork, and an abdominal ultrasound and biopsies confirmed the malignant tumor. He will receive chemotherapy, pain medication and other supportive care.
“With treatment, we hope to slow the disease progression, help Blizzard feel better and prolong his life,” said Dr. Karen Wolf, the zoo’s head veterinarian.
And Blizzard is prepared for that treatment. The bear, who is considered elderly at 25, has been trained to put his paw through a specially built sleeve so his care team can take blood samples that will help veterinary staff continue to assess his health.
“Blizzard has been a very special part of our family since he arrived as a 15-month-old orphaned cub in 1997. He is well-loved by our guests, community and especially our staff,” the zoo shared on Facebook.
“We … will continue to do everything we can to treat him for this disease and keep him comfortable,” Wolf said.
Blizzard will remain in his Arctic Tundra habitat and have access to both the viewable and behind-the-scenes areas, the zoo said in a news release.
He is the only polar bear at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium. Boris, a former circus animal who arrived at the zoo in 2002, died Sept. 1, 2020, at the age of 34.
