Good Bye Gus; Central Park's Iconic Polar Bear Dies

The Wildlife Conservation Society has announced the death of the popular Central Park Polar bear, Gus. He was 27 years old and had a tumor in his thyroid gland.

The Zoo authorities had to euthanize him as he couldn't chew or swallow food. He lived well- beyond the median life-expectancy for a male polar bear in captivity, which is about 20.7 years.

Over 20 million people visited Gus during his lifetime. He was born at the Toledo Zoo in 1985 and came to the Central Park Zoo in 1988, according to a statement released by the zoo.

Gus had two mates; Lily died of abdominal tumor in 2004 while Ida died due to liver complications in 2011, The New York Times reported.

"Gus was an icon at the Central Park Zoo and a great source of joy for our visitors and staff. He was an important ambassador for his species bringing attention to the problems these bears face in the wild due to a changing environment. Polar bears are apex predators - the kings of their domain, but vulnerable in a world affected by climate change brought on by human activity," said Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President of Zoos and Aquarium.

"Some of my favorite images were seeing Gus in his exhibit with the New York cityscape behind him. It was surreal," Breheny told The New York Times

Gus was the face of Central Zoo for many years. He appeared in many newspapers and television newscasts.

He grabbed media attention in 1994 when he started spending abnormal time swimming. He was then put on expensive therapy to control his compulsive movements, the zoo said.

A necropsy will reveal the exact nature of his condition.