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Bear Snores On: Beast Sedated for Back Surgery

A 19-year-old Syrian brown bear undergoes a complicated and unprecedented surgery on his spine.
Image: Zoo staff prepare Mango, a 19-year-old Syrian brown bear, for his surgery at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv
Zoo staff prepare Mango, a 19-year-old Syrian brown bear, for his surgery at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Mango suffers from a slipped disk, impairing his mobility and causing pain and will undergo a complicated and unprecedented surgery on his spine in the hope of improving his quality of life, a zoo spokesperson said. Reuters

Zoo staff prepare Mango, a 19-year-old Syrian brown bear, for his surgery at the Ramat Gan Safari near Tel Aviv on Wednesday. Mango suffers from a slipped disk, impairing his mobility and causing pain and will undergo a complicated and unprecedented surgery on his spine in the hope of improving his quality of life, a zoo spokesperson said. Brown bears can live 20-30 years in the wild and even longer in captivity.

Image: ISRAEL-ANIMAL-ZOO-BEAR
Mango is sedated as he is prepared for the operation on May 7.JACK GUEZ / AFP - Getty Images