Alaska Zoo moves injured rescued bear, closes exhibit after threats

A brown bear named Kitty has been moved out of the Alaska Zoo after a fight with a male bear left her injured, a decision that set off enough public anger that the zoo has closed its brown bear exhibit over threats made against the animals.

Kitty came to the zoo in June 2025 in rough shape, rescued after state and federal officials shut down her former home in Haines. A year later, on June 13, she was hurt in a sudden altercation with Izzy, the male brown bear, and recovered under the zoo's veterinary care. Rather than risk another fight, the zoo, the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center and Fish and Game decided to relocate her to the conservation center near Portage, where she now has a new name, Taiga, and will stay apart from other bears until a permanent home is settled.

Animal welfare advocates pushed back online, demanding transparency and questioning how the bears are treated, and the backlash escalated into threats against the animals still at the zoo. That's what closed the exhibit, the zoo said, though it noted the quiet also gives the three bears a calmer environment.

"This has been a difficult and emotional situation for our team," said zoo executive director Tristan Thon. "We made the decision to move Kitty because we believe it is the best path forward for her." Izzy and a third bear, Oreo, remain at the zoo.