Sep 12, 2007 10:03 pm US/Eastern
Time For 'Cala' The Bear's Check-Up At Metrozoo
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SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE (CBS4) ―
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"Cala" the Malayan Sun Bear got a check-up Wednesday.
CBS
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"Cala" the Malayan Sun Bear
Metrozoo
Metrozoo officials simply can't "bear" the thought of one of their star attractions getting sick so "Cala" the Malayan Sun Bear got a check-up Wednesday.
"Cala" is a 14-year old Malayan Sun Bear, on the list of endangered species, who not only underwent a routine physical exam, but whom veterinarians also removed an old contraceptive implant and replaced it with a new implant.
Physical exams are an important part of the overall preventative medicine program at Metrozoo and are designed to discover any possible problems in their early stages.
Ron Magill of Metrozoo explained the reason for placing a contraceptive in the bear is because zoos have to manage their collection very carefully. He said, "We don't want unwanted babies. We don't want babies ending up as someone's exotic pet or some road-side attraction. So every animal born in the zoo is carefully planned."
The exam includes the taking of blood, a dental exam, and possibly some X-Rays.
Cala's contraceptive implant was replaced with a newer model. It is surgically placed under the skin behind the shoulder where the bear can't remove it on her own.
Contraception plays an important role in zoo management to help insure that all animals born are carefully planned for and that there is sufficient room to house and care for the offspring. It also helps insure that the zoo's rare and endangered animals don't end up in the exotic pet trade or in some substandard roadside attraction.
The Malayan Sun Bear, also known as the honey bear, is the world's smallest and least studied bear. They are found in dense lowland tropical forests and can commonly be found in trees.
Sun bears are also considered one of the rarest bears. The exact number alive today is not known, but the population is steadily declining due to deforestation and hunting.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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