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Let's Play with the Polar Bear
Submitted By: Jskills
Article Date: 12/23/1998
URL: http://www.goofball.com/news/981223_polar_bear

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA --

At the Anchorage Zoo, an Australian tourist decided she wanted to get a picture taken of her right next to the cage of the Polar Bear, Binky. This has made national news, even world news, when Binky struck out and grabbed her, mauling the tourist's leg and capturing her tennis shoes.

But the incident that happened shortly after that did not get publicized as much. Within a couple of weeks afterwards...

Two boys who live in the Hilltop area of Anchorage (near the zoo), reportedly decided to take a swim in Binky's pool.

They squeezed through the 2 fences around Binky's cage, climbed over the bars, and stripped down, too inebriated to notice that the safety doors to Binky's lair (the ones they close to allow zoo personel safe access to Binky's cage) were open.

Binky hears splashing, Binky wakes up, Binky takes chomp out of not-too-bright teen. In the process of being mauled the teenager's penis was detached. It was never found.

Reconstructive surgery was required for urinary functions.

And finally, there are no sirens, lights, or increased security around Binky's cage. Sadly, Binky (and his roommate) died several months later of a bacterial infection. Although the Alaska Zoo is planning on aquiring more, they are investing in a large, fully enclosed environment that is supposedly idiot-proof.