Ali Oop, bear famous for kissing and movies, 27
La N
Ali Oop, bear renowned for kissing and movies, dies at 27
Calgary Herald
Monday, July 21, 2008
PHOTO:
CREDIT: Ted Rhodes/Calgary Herald
Bear trainer Ruth LaBarge shows just how close she can get to
Ali Oop in 2003 by enticing him to give her a kiss. Ali Oop was the star of
the Grizzly Falls movie.
CALGARY - Ali Oop, a 635-kilogram brown bear, which gained renown for its
kissing and appeared in several movies, has died at age 27 at Discovery
Wildlife Park in Innisfail.
Doug Bos, the park's owner, said the bear died Thursday of complications due
to its age. Ali Oop appeared in numerous films and TV commercials including
"Dr. Dolittle 2", "Wild America", "The Last Trapper, and "Trueheart." He
was essentially the co-star of the 1999 film, "Grizzly Falls".
Ali Oop became the source of controversy in 2005 over Discovery Wildlife
Park's practice of offering visitors a chance to kiss the bear and have a
picture taken for $20. The animal activist group Zoocheck Canada demanded
that the centre stop the practice. University of Calgary Zoo biologist
Stephen Herrero said such displays had no valid educational purpose.
"They only serve to teach the public a false image that bears are gentle and
kissable animals," Herrero said in 2005
Debbi Rowland, co-owner of the centre, said the "kissing" part of the show
was only a small part of the centre's program.
She said people were separated from the bear by an electric fence and not
allowed to touch it with their hands. A trainer stood nearby.
"He's very old, he's very sweet, he's been doing it all his life. All he
does is he sticks his tongue out, people kiss him and he gets a cookie," she
said then, adding visitors did not leave with the impression that bears are
safe.
The 635-kilogram bear was raised by U.S. bear trainer Ruth LeBarge from a
cub. The Discovery Centre said she was with Ali Oop when he died.