The attractions Asiatic Black Bear passed away last night aged 38, making her the oldest known ‘Moon Bear’ in Europe.

Inca arrived at Dudley Zoo from Cumbria in 1990 with her mum Winnie and older sister Gretel. The siblings were moved to Glasgow in 1997, before returning to Dudley in 2003 where they lived together until Gretel’s death 10 years ago. Curator, Richard Brown, said:

“Inca was very special to us and had outlived the typical life expectancy of her species by more than a decade.

“As she got older she continued to astound keepers and veterinary staff year-on-year as she flew through annual health checks.

“She was much-loved by staff and visitors and we were delighted to allow her to live out her twilight years in comfort. She will be missed.”

A typically solitary species, Inca continued to thrive on her own and in her later years loved nothing more than soaking up the sunshine in her outdoor enclosure.