Stanley Park's Polar Bears

There was a zoo in Stanley Park as far back as the late 1800s, when it was comprised of a single black bear. Over the years there were as many as 50 different species of animals, including flamingos, wolves, penguins and polar bears. In 1994 the zoo was shut down due to animal cruelty concerns. An elderly polar bear named Tuk was the last occupant of the zoo, passing away in 1996. More recently, the polar bear enclosure has been reimagined as a nordic style public spa. (1965 photo from  Natural Color Productions Ltd., Vancouver, B.C.; George Weinhaupl, photographer).