Turkish bear goes viral after eating too much fruit

Okan the bear is feeling better at a wildlife center in Istanbul, Türkiye on September 3. CNN Turk via CNN Newsource

Unusual footage of a 200-pound bear with an upset stomach being wheeled on a stretcher and scanned through an MRI went viral in Türkiye this week.

Okan the bear was feeling sick after he ate too much fruit, so he was taken to Istanbul University’s Cerrahpaşa Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, where he was treated and later released, according to CNN affiliate CNN Turk.

“Our bear, Okan, was taken in with stomach pain and abdominal discomfort. Our veterinarian at Çekmeköy Rehabilitation Center immediately noticed tenderness in Okan’s stomach area,” Park of Istanbul Nature and Life Complex Board Chairman Burak Memişoğlu told CNN Turk.

“He underwent a CT scan to check for any masses. However, the CT scan results came back clean, and his blood count was also checked, and there were no problems. He’s fine now; he’s very tame and happy, and he’ll be in the pool to cool off soon,” Memişoğlu added.

Visitors enjoy seeing him playing back at the wildlife park and recognize him from the news.

This isn’t the first time Okan ate too much fruit. He received similar treatment for the issue three years ago. That’s also when he received the popular Turkish name, Okan.

“Three years ago, when our new employee went to the hospital and didn’t know our bear’s name, he quickly said, ‘I gave him my own name, his name is Okan,’ and our bear’s name was registered as Okan,” Memişoğlu told CNN Turk.

Workers at the wildlife center are continuing to monitor Okan and adjust his food so he doesn’t have tummy troubles again.

“Our veterinarians and biologists here are adjusting our animal friends’ food intake; the amount doesn’t change, either up or down. Okan now eats seasonal fruits and vegetables, and bonito fish and honey in the winter,” Memişoğlu said.

By Jennifer Hauser, Betul Tuncer, CNN