Cohanzick Zoo’s beloved bear Holly dies after liver cancer complications

Holly, the Asiatic black bear believed to be the oldest female of her kind in captivity, died at Cohanzick Zoo after complications from liver cancer, ending a 30-year presence that made her one of Bridgeton’s most familiar animals.

The bear had been part of the zoo since 1995, when she arrived as a six-month-old cub. Zoo materials say Holly was born on Dec. 28, 1995, and reached age 30 last year, a remarkable lifespan for a zoo animal even though captive Asiatic black bears can sometimes live longer. One longevity database lists 39.2 years as the maximum recorded captive lifespan for the species, also known as the moon bear or Asian black bear.

Her death matters in Bridgeton because Cohanzick Zoo is not just another exhibit space. The city describes it as New Jersey’s first zoo, founded in 1934, and one of the state’s only municipal zoos. It holds more than 100 animals representing 47 species across 25 exhibits and is listed by Bridgeton as one of Cumberland County’s most visited attractions. The zoo is open seven days a week, free to the public, and relies almost entirely on public support.

That long public role is part of why Holly became such a recognizable fixture for local families, school groups and repeat visitors. The zoo’s own bear page highlighted her habits and routines, saying she liked sleeping, searching for food, lounging in her pond on hot days and working on food puzzles with her paws. Those behaviors made her a regular stop for visitors who came to Bridgeton City Park expecting to see a bear they had watched for years.

A later update said Holly was diagnosed with late-stage liver cancer in early April and was moved into hospice care as staff tried to keep her comfortable. By the end, she had shown painful movement and no interest in food or the treats she had once favored. The zoo announced that she died on Wednesday, April 23, 2026, after those complications worsened.

Holly’s absence leaves a visible gap in one of Cumberland County’s best-known public attractions. For Cohanzick Zoo, her death is not only the loss of an animal with an unusually long life, but also the end of a chapter in the zoo’s public identity, one that connected generations of Bridgeton residents to a single bear in a small municipal zoo that has long depended on community support.