Uncover the Story of Depressed Polar Bear Prescribed Prozac

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Mental health issues are just as serious and urgent as physical wounds – the same goes for animals.

[{"selector":"#anim-dbeb44af-20b1-4a9f-bfe4-faf312e8ec7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-49f0b5fd-4a2d-4fc0-8832-18fe8e1a0883","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 550.58723%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-72a4b76d-2a53-4774-9df1-7ff3e3313c17","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-107.26257%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69e20b5f-e0de-4f2f-b07a-21a73bcc88be","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2974aee3-a02a-4691-a7bb-61d050153e3c","keyframes":{"transform":["scale(0.15)","scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"forwards"}] This is the tale of Gus, a depressed polar bear, who became the first zoo animal to be prescribed Prozac for his mental health struggles. This is the tale of Gus, a depressed polar bear, who became the first zoo animal to be prescribed Prozac for his mental health struggles. Learn more

Introducing Gus

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He gained fame in the 1990s for his peculiar behavior of swimming obsessively in an 8-figure for up to 12 hours a day.

[{"selector":"#anim-dacae858-8131-4f22-aaea-6745c17fd4c9","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-43648cdf-8579-4413-9c98-d1af0e52d819","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 434.58422%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Learn more

This behavior, seen as a sign of mental distress, led him to be dubbed “neurotic” and “depressed,” reflecting the stress of living in a confined space.

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Gus' Heartbreak

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He became listless and showed a marked decrease in his usual activities, including swimming.

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Helping Gus

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Most notably, Gus the polar bear was the first zoo animal to be prescribed Prozac.

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[{"selector":"#anim-899c0d7c-4133-4e93-8adb-fd2c4d74a63e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-fdc3a451-1e35-458a-a742-65f6dbc12350","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 491.95682%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] In 2013, his carers noted his severe loss of appetite and inability to eat. The ensuing surgery led to the discovery of an inoperable tumor. In 2013, his carers noted his severe loss of appetite and inability to eat. The ensuing surgery led to the discovery of an inoperable tumor. Learn more

[{"selector":"#anim-0eeeed34-c84c-451b-a251-758d24cccbaa","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2c4982cd-dada-4318-a70f-bb8f56f7c302","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 264.87089%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Gus was euthanized at the age of 27, a lifespan that exceeded the average for captive polar bears. Gus was euthanized at the age of 27, a lifespan that exceeded the average for captive polar bears. Learn more

Swipe up for the full story!

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