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An orphaned polar bear rescued in northern Manitoba has died at a zoo in Winnipeg after being put under anaesthetic to investigate an apparent illness.

The five-year-old bear named Blizzard died on Monday and director of veterinary services Chris Enright said they are still looking into what caused the death.

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“It is always sad when we lose one of our beloved animals at the zoo, but a loss under these circumstances is particularly challenging,” Enright said Tuesday.

“Blizzard was a beautiful bear and he will be dearly missed by zoo staff, visitors and volunteers.”

The 272-kilogram bear started acting lethargic and wasn’t eating much about two weeks ago. The veterinary team decided to anesthetize the bear to figure out what was going on. After a full assessment the bear was given antibiotics and in the following days, it seemed like he was getting better.

“Diagnosing a bear is a challenge,” Enright said.