Gus, New York City's favorite polar bear, was euthanized on Tuesday after vets discovered that he had an inoperable tumor.
He was 27 years old and, according to the Central Park Zoo where he lived, he had seen more than 20 million zoo visitors during his lifetime.
Gus made headlines in 1994 for his repetitive swimming patterns that indicated he suffered from neurosis and depression.
But the public loved Gus for his quirks and became even more endeared to him after hearing about his troubles.
Though male polar bears in the wild are typically solitary creatures, Gus loved his partner Ida, and the two had a wonderful bond.
Ida died in 2011 at the age of 25 from liver disease, leaving Gus with a broken heart. He was described as depressed and listless after her death.
More recently, caretakers first noticed something was terribly wrong with Gus's health when he stopped eating like his normal self and had trouble chewing.
That's when the tumor was discovered and it was decided that Gus would need to be put down.
Gus and Ida will both be remembered for the joy they brought to the New York public, and the love they shared.
Oh, and for the fact that they were super cute.
And so we say thank you to Gus and Ida for sharing their lives with us. You will not be forgotten.
