New York Zoo Says Goodbye to Beloved Bear: Sadie

The Trailside Museums and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park has had to say goodbye to another beloved Animal ambassador. Sadie the Black Bear, who called the zoo home, passed away on March 20, 2025, following a short illness.

Bear Mountain Zoo Says Goodbye to Bear Ambassador Sadie

Sadie and her brother, Pal, who is named after the Palisades Park System, have called the Bear Mountain Zoo home since 2005. They came to New York via South Dakota after they were confiscated from a home where they were being raised as pets. That upbringing made it impossible for them to return to the wild.

Get our free mobile app

Sadie was a perfect Bear ambassador. Her presence at the zoo over the year was instrumental in visitors learn more about black bear behavior. The Trailside Museums and Zoo is a place for injured animals to live that can't be returned to the wild. While at the zoo, they help teach all of us more about New York wildlife, we share our region.

READ More: New York Zoo Loses Playful Ambassador

Sadie and her brother are favorites of zoo visitors of all ages. Throughout the year, the zoo would throw parties for the bears where they would forage through items for delicious food treats, which allowed zoo visitors to see how resourceful a bear can be when there is food around that they want to eat.

Highly food-motivated, Sadie loved berries and nuts and was especially adept at cracking coconuts. During training sessions, she would gently swat at the training target if her food reward wasn’t coming fast enough. She quickly learned that performing the requested behavior got her the treat even faster. (Trailside Museums and Zoo at Bear Mountain State Park via Facebook)

Sadie will be missed at the zoo by many staff and visitors alike. She had a very keen sense of smell, according to the social media post shared by the zoo about her passing. Sadie would make sure zoo staff knew if other animals were nearby that possibly didn't live at the zoo including other wild bears.

READ More: Starving Bear Cub Discovered Near Popular New York Ski Area

Watching Sadie and her brother Pal was a big draw for so many who visited the zoo year-round. The interaction between them was both an important learning tool for all of us, plus it was entertaining.

RIP Sadie