Binky (polar bear)

Binky (1975 – July 20, 1995) was a polar bear who lived at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage. He was originally orphaned near Cape Beaufort, close to the Chukchi Sea in the Alaska North Slope, and was found in Northwest Alaska by David Bergsrud. Alaska Fish and Game was contacted shortly after Binky's discovery, and arrangements were made to find a zoo in the Contiguous United States. Anchorage had a small zoo at the time, with an elephant that local grocer Jack Snyder had won in a contest and a few other donated animals.

Time was needed to find a sponsor to fund an enclosure at the Alaska Children's Zoo for Binky. Alaska Fish and Game employees came up with the idea of flying Binky to a number of the inland North Slope villages. Schools were let out in these villages so that the local children could come to the airstrip to see Binky. These events received major news coverage. The Anchorage Zoo was able to take Binky, who quickly became one of its most popular attractions, as well as a local hero. In separate incidents in 1994, Binky mauled two zoo visitors; these events received international news coverage. Binky died in 1995 from sarcocystosis, a parasitic disease.