Gus, The Polar Bear, Dies: Why Was The Beloved Central Park Zoo Animal Euthanized At 27? [VIDEO]

The quirky polar bear Gus who lived in Central Park Zoo delighted more than 20 million visitors since his arrival in 1988. Zoo officals said that the 27-year-old bear was euthanized Tuesday after battling a series of health problems associated with a thyroid tumor. Before his death, he suffered from loss of appetite and problems with chewing and swallowing his food. "Gus was an icon at the Central Park Zoo and a great source of joy for our visitors and staff," said Jim Breheny, executive vice president with the Wildlife Conservation Society. "He was an important ambassador for his species, bringing attention to the problems these bears face in the wild due to a changing environment."

Gus was born in the Toledo Zoo in 1985 and made his debut in New York three years later, with many residents recalling growing up seeing the fuzzy, white creature playing jovially in his enclosure. He quickly became the zoo's most popular attraction. Gus was so active that the zoo implemented a system to give him more stimulation, including dumping live trout into his exhibit and giving him extra toys to play with. The tumor was discovered during a medical procedure and was determined to be inoperable. News of his death has left zoo vistiors heartbroken.

"It's heartbreaking staring at the empty tank," Sean Stewart, 31, of Queens told the New York Daily News. "It's terrible, but what can you do? There aren't many polar bears left." Gus' death comes two years after the death of his longtime partner Ida, who died from cancer. She and Gus shared a meal prepared by celebrity chef Rachel Ray in 2006. His lifepan actually surpassed that typical of a polar bear in captivity by nearly 10 years. According to the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the average lifespan of a captive polar bear is 20.7 years.