Barney bear celebrates birthday
TURNING 29 is usually not a big deal - But when you're a 280kg Syrian brown bear living in Far North Queensland, it is a different story.
More than 100 people descended on Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve at Koah on Saturday to help the park’s bear, Barney, celebrate his 29th birthday in style.
Pictures: Barney the bear's birthday
By turning 29, Barney also became Australia’s oldest Syrian brown bear and celebrated the milestone with fellow bears, Huggie and Pooh, both 14.
Cairns Wildlife Safari Reserve curator Paul Whitehorn said a 29-year-old bear was something to be proud of.
"Around about 25 years old is considered a fairly good age for bears so 29 is pretty exceptional," he said.
"He is really quite lucky to be living in the Far North. He has a little bit of arthritis so living up here in the warm is good for him."
Share this article
Celebration day: Barney, Australia’s oldest bear, enjoys his cake. Picture: SEAN DAVEY
New Jetstar flights between Cairns and Osaka
THE re-introduction of Jetstar's four weekly direct services to Osaka in Japan and a doubling of flights to Melbourne from April 1 next year are the first significant announcements today by the airline as the result of a new agreement with Cairns Airport.
Kate earns National Pride Medal
INSPIRING young leader and cancer survivor Kate Smith could hardly believe she won a national Pride of Australia medal last night.
Escapee back in custody
BREAKING NEWS: Police have found a man who escaped from police custody at Ravenshoe on Sunday night.
Woman watched boyfriend bash, strip tourist
THE girlfriend of a man accused of raping and attempting to rape two foreign tourists at a Cairns caravan park says she watched him bash and strip one of them then chase after her.
