The zoo issued a statement two days after the June 13 incident after footage of the animals' altercation went viral on TikTok
Credit: Getty
NEED TO KNOW
- A male brown bear attacked a smaller female bear at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage on June 13, causing panic among visitors
- The zoo issued a statement about the incident on June 15 after footage of the altercation went viral
- The female bear was injured, and the bears involved in the incident are now housed separately as the zoo evaluates next steps
The Alaska Zoo is addressing a fight between two of its brown bears that went viral over the weekend.
An adult, male brown bear attacked a smaller brown bear — an adult female — just after 4 p.m. on Saturday, June 13, according to the zoo's statement about the "abrupt altercation." The incident at the Anchorage attraction was captured in a TikTok shared on Sunday, June 14, that has amassed over 1 million views.
The same user who posted the viral clip also shared several more minutes of footage of the fight, including a video of the moment a zoo employee intervened with what appears to be bear spray.
In the footage, the larger male bear latches onto the smaller bear with its mouth, sinking its teeth into the animal, repeatedly ripping at the female bear's fur and skin. The violent incident — which one observer estimated lasted around 30 minutes, per the Anchorage Daily News — caused panic among zoo visitors.
After the spray was administered, the bigger bear let go of the smaller one, and the two animals separated. There was also another bear watching as the fight unfolded, video shows.
Credit: Getty
As the distressing footage continued to gain traction on social media, the Alaska Zoo responded and shared more information about the altercation — and revealed how the attacked bear is doing.
The male bear who initiated the attack, the zoo said, "has lived with other bears for years with no incident." "This type of behavior has not previously been observed between these bears at our facility; however, protocols are in place should such an incident occur," the zoo said.
The female bear, meanwhile, suffered injuries and received veterinary attention after the two animals were separated. She "incurred moderate injuries, and a full recovery is currently expected," the zoo said.
A veterinarian at the Anchorage zoo, Dr. Chris Michetti, provided more insight in a separate statement. "Her injuries are not life-threatening, and she is recovering as expected," the vet said. "She received prompt, appropriate care and is responding well to treatment."
Of the staff member's response, the Alaska Zoo said that visitors "alerted staff who responded immediately and implemented established protocols to safely separate the bears."
The zoo's executive director, Tristan Thon, also praised the staff's response to the bear fight, stating, "I'm incredibly proud of how the team handled a challenging and unexpected situation, prioritizing the safety of both the bears and our staff."
Credit: Shutterstock
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The zoo also acknowledged that the incident was "upsetting" to witness.
"We care deeply for the animals entrusted to us, and this incident has been difficult for our team," the nonprofit said. "We recognize this was upsetting for those who witnessed it, and we share those feelings. The well-being of the bears remains our highest priority, along with our continuing focus on the busy orphaned wildlife season underway."
The future of the two bears involved in the fight is not yet clear. In the wake of the viral fight, the Alaska Zoo said the twosome is now being housed separately. They "will remain so while we evaluate the next steps in their best interest," the zoo said.
"The brown bear habitat will remain temporarily closed to provide a quiet, low-stress environment while the bears continue to be monitored," the Alaska Zoo added.
According to the National Park Service (NPS), brown bears do not fight each other "often." Armed by nature "with tremendous strength, large claws, and teeth," the animals can "inflict severe injuries to each other," the NPS website states. "For this reason, bears avoid fighting in most cases."
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