Toby, a bear ambassador at the Naples Zoo, has died

Writer: Melissa Montoya
Published: Updated:
Toby, a bear ambassador at the Naples Zoo, died this week. (CREDIT: Naples Zoo)

The Naples Zoo is mourning the loss of their black bear ambassador Toby, who died Wednesday after a brief battle with cancer.

Toby was 17.

Toby was diagnosed with soft tissue sarcoma, a very aggressive cancer in his back left leg, according to a news release from the Naples Zoo. Over the last week, Naples Zoo’s animal care team started looking into alternative treatments and oral chemotherapy, but his health quickly declined, the zoo said.

He was in discomfort and the zoo ultimately decided to euthanize the bear.

Toby and his sister, Anna, were rescued together and arrived at Naples Zoo in 2008. Toby was once featured on the Today Show and was an ambassador for his species in Southwest Florida. Visitors remember Toby as the bear often seen sitting like a person at his picnic table.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.