This bear was given just weeks to live after a cancer diagnosis: now it’s thriving in remission, thanks to taking its medicine with honey

A bear housed at a zoo in the United Kingdom is now in remission from cancer, just over a year after receiving a terminal diagnosis.

Vets in “new territory” after cancer detected

Babu, a female sun bear at Edinburgh Zoo in Scotland, was given no more than months to live in April 2024, when she was diagnosed with lymphoma - a variety of cancer not commonly witnessed in bears.

“This diagnosis was new territory,” said Stephanie Mota, a veterinary surgeon at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS).

“We found one similar case involving a Himalayan black bear in China, but it died suddenly and there was very little information available to guide us.

“Our top priority was that Babu was comfortable and happy in her last days.”

“No detectable signs of disease”

However, Edinburgh Zoo announced earlier this month that the 13-year-old bear has responded so well to treatment over the past 13 months that recent testing “showed no detectable signs of the disease”.

“We’re delighted that Babu has responded so positively to the medication, especially as we were in uncharted territory,” said Professor Simon Girling, RZSS’s head of veterinary services.

“With confirmation of remission, we’ve been able to stop her pain medication, and are now gradually reducing her cancer treatment while closely monitoring her condition.”

“She’s really interested in digging around in her habitat for insects at the moment,” Mota said. “These inquisitive, natural behaviours are really good signs that she is feeling happy and healthy.”

Babu benefits from honey hit

A rare, small species of bear that is indigenous to Southeast Asia, the sun bear is also known as the honey bear, thanks to its penchant for the sweet food item.

While Babu had only been given honey as an infrequent treat before her cancer diagnosis, the bear has been able to satisfy her sweet tooth every day during treatment, as vets chose to conceal her twice-daily medication in honey.

“The only downside to her remission, keepers joke, is that Babu won’t be getting her beloved honey quite as often anymore,” Edinburgh Zoo said.

“News is better than we ever hoped for”

Professor Girling cautions that the cancer could return in the future, but concludes: “This news is better than we ever hoped for […]. For now, what matters most is that Babu is happy, healthy and back to her old self.”

This month’s positive update on Babu’s health comes just over a year and a half after another sun bear at Edinburgh Zoo, a 20-year-old male named Rotana, succumbed to cancer.

In October 2023, the zoo announced that Rotana had been put to sleep, explaining that his cancer had spread and “was beginning to impact his quality of life”.

The decision to euthanize was made to “prevent future suffering,” the facility said.

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