Overview

• Antonia was euthanized on August 10 following a rapid health decline, concluding a record-setting nearly 36-year lifespan in European captivity.
• Born at Zoo Karlsruhe in November 1989, she moved to Gelsenkirchen in September 1991 and became a fixture at the evolving Zoom Erlebniswelt.
• Her dwarfism limited her height to 70 centimeters—half that of typical polar bears—making her survival in the wild impossible.
• Weighing 130 kilograms, she received years of specialized veterinary care to manage age-related illnesses.
• Her unique physiology and long life drew widespread attention and underscored modern zoos’ role in species-specific welfare and public education.