SEATTLE -- Woodland Park Zoo has lost its only remaining male Malayan sun bear, Chamah (CHAW-muh). The endangered bear, estimated to be 19, was humanely euthanized yesterday by zoo veterinarians because of fluid in the lung and belly due to heart failure. "Chamah was no longer responding to medical treatment and his prognosis was very poor. His appetite and activity level were decreasing," explained Dr. Janis Joslin.

Chamah arrived at the zoo in 1977 from Hillcrest Zoo in Clovus, New Mexico. He sired nine cubs with two different females, six of which survived. Zoo-goers can still enjoy observing an adult female, Chamah’s daughter, and two juvenile females. The average life span of sun bears in captivity is 28 years old.

"Chamah was a very handsome, intelligent and gentle old bear," said zoo keeper Cheryl Frederick. Zoo staff recently introduced Chamah to the two wild-born juveniles to give him companionship during his illness and to socialize the females with an experienced wild-caught male. "He was extremely gentle and patient with them at all times. They seemed to recognize his ill health and went very easy with him during play sessions."

This first-ever, positive experience with an adult male will help tremendously in future introductions between the two genetically valuable females and potential mates. "After siring many offspring during his lifetime," added Frederick, "this was Chamah’s final contribution to the next generation of bears."

Chamah’s death represents a significant loss to the captive sun bear population. Since the 1970s, the captive North American population of sun bears has been steadily declining. In 1993, 13 elderly bears died, and in the last four years, only three sun bears were born. As of September 1997, only 60 sun bears -- 17 males, 43 females -- remain in North American zoos. At this trend, the species could soon be lost to North American zoos.

The two juvenile females arrived last fall from Borneo, Malaysia per recommendations of the sun bear Species Survival Plan (SSP). Because they are wild-born, their genes are extremely valuable to the captive population. The zoo is looking at potential mates. However, because of the limited pool of males, the search will be a difficult one.

The endangered bear species is native to the mountain and lowland forests of southern China, Burma, Southeast Asia, Sumatra, Malaysia and Borneo. The smallest member of the bear family, sun bears face serious threats to their survival: habitat destruction, the pet trade, and poaching for meat and gall bladders. Bear paws, an Asian delicacy, and the bile within the gall bladder are coveted for traditional Asian medicine. Although synthetic compounds of the bile are readily available at low cost, Asian bears continue to be poached and reduced to drastically low numbers. Consequently, parts of other bear species are being poached as substitutes and illegally imported from around the world including North America.