Overview

• Antonia was euthanized on the evening of August 10 after her health rapidly declined due to age-related ailments.
• At nearly 36 years old, she surpassed the typical 30-year lifespan for captive polar bears to become the oldest known in a European zoo.
• Known as the world’s only documented dwarf polar bear, she weighed 130 kilograms but stood just 70 centimeters tall, a condition that would have been fatal in the wild.
• Nearly 600 comments poured in on the zoo’s Facebook page within a day of the announcement, with many visitors celebrating her life and urging a lasting tribute.
• Zoo officials have acknowledged the outpouring of support but have not announced any concrete plans or timeline for a memorial in her honor.