Babu the Sun bear at Edinburgh Zoo-released SWNS

A popular bear in the Edinburgh Zoo was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just days to live, but she’s stunned experts by going into remission after taking medicine drenched in honey.

The bleak diagnosis for the 13-year-old sun bear named ‘Babu’ was announced publicly to her supporters, while zookeepers tried to keep her comfortable in her final days.

Only one similar case was found with a bear in China who died quickly after such a diagnosis, so little hope was given for Babu’s future—a beloved resident of the zoo known for her curious personality

Vets said one of the ‘sweetest parts’ of Babu’s dilemma was how delighted she was to take her medicine—hidden in honey, which is her absolute favorite.

Normally saved for special occasions, honey is a rare treat in a sun bear’s diet, but it became part of her twice-daily routine during recovery. The only downside to her remission, keepers joked, is that Babu won’t be treated to honey quite as often anymore.

Professor Simon Girling, head of veterinary services at The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), was “delighted that Babu has responded so positively to the medication”, especially because the animal experts were in uncharted waters.

“This news is better than we ever hoped for. We’ve been able to stop her pain medication, and are now gradually reducing her cancer treatment while closely monitoring her remission.”

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Living in the wild, sun bears typically live around 10-25 years, but in captivity they can live up to 30 years, so Babu has possibly another decade in front of her adoring fans.

Babu the sun bear at Edinburgh Zoo –released via SWNS

“For now, what matters most is that Babu is happy, healthy, and back to her old self.”

A year ago, in April, keepers noticed Babu developed significant swelling in lymph nodes across her body, accompanied by changes to her behavior and eating habits.
After the RZSS’s vets investigated, she was diagnosed with lymphoma – a form of cancer with very limited precedent in bears.

After seeking a second opinion from Dr. Isabel Miguel, a veterinary oncologist, a terminal diagnosis was confirmed and the team thought that Babu had months or weeks to live.

Bears are known to mask symptoms, making it difficult to catch illnesses early. Stephanie Mota, veterinary surgeon at RZSS, said, “This diagnosis was new territory. 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.”

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But the team analyzed all available literature to help Babu, including studies on canine medicine, since lymphoma is relatively common in dogs. They selected a treatment option that minimized potential side effects alongside pain relief, in the hope of slowing Babu’s cancer and easing her discomfort.

To everyone’s surprise, Babu began to improve, and after six months of treatment, tests in October 2024 revealed a reduction in cancerous cells. Further testing this year showed no detectable signs of the disease and Dr. Isabel Miguel confirmed that Babu was in remission.

Babu’s weight is tracked weekly, while daily behaviors and appetite are monitored by her keepers using an objective charting system to ensure any changes are spotted early.

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

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