Ostrava Zoo euthanizes Asiatic black bear Jirka

Ostrava Zoo has euthanized Jirka, a 20-year-old male Asiatic black bear, following a sudden decline in his health. Zoo spokesperson Šárka Nováková stated that despite constant veterinary monitoring, the animal's condition failed to improve after a sharp deterioration last Wednesday.

Jirka had been a prominent figure in the region, having lived in the moat of Konopiště Castle since 2011. He was transferred to Ostrava Zoo in December 2024 following decisions to end bear breeding in the castle's moat.

Zoo officials are currently awaiting autopsy results, which are expected next week. The loss comes at a difficult time for the species' conservation within zoos; the EAZA European ex situ program manages fewer than 50 such bears, most of whom are elderly, and no cubs have been born within the last 12 months.