When Okan the bear sat down to a meal of seasonal fruits at a wildlife centre in Turkey last week, he forgot to check that his portion size was “just right”.
The 90-kilogram bear overindulged, according to CNN affiliate CNN Turk, and was taken to Istanbul University’s Cerrahpasa Faculty of Veterinary Medicine with stomach pains.
Three-year-old Okan the bear having an MRI.Credit: Screenshot
Footage of Okan tethered to a stretcher and undergoing an MRI went viral last week.
“Our veterinarian at Cekmekoy Rehabilitation Centre immediately noticed tenderness in Okan’s stomach area,” CNN Turk quoted Park of Istanbul Nature and Life Complex board chairman Burak Memisoglu as saying, adding he was treated and later released.
“He underwent a CT scan to check for any masses. However, the CT scan results came back clean, and his blood count was also checked, and there were no problems. He’s fine now.”
Memisoglu told CNN Turk this wasn’t the first time Okan ate a little too much – he went through a similar ordeal three years ago.
Staff are keeping a close eye on the greedy bear’s diet.
“Our veterinarians and biologists here are adjusting our animal friends’ food intake. Okan now eats seasonal fruits and vegetables, and bonito fish and honey in the winter,” Memisoglu said.
At least Okan is opting for healthy fare. A black bear named Fuzzy last month broke into an ice-cream parlour near the south shore of Lake Tahoe in California and sampled the 20 flavours on offer. Apparently, the ice cream wasn’t “too cold” and the strawberry was his favourite.
Staff writer
