Last days of tortured Arturo pictured after the polar bear was forced to live out his days in 40C heat at Argentina zoo
The last polar bear in Argentina is just one of more than 60 animals to die at the controversial zoo
THE devastating last days of Arturo, known as the "saddest polar bear in the world" have been revealed.
The polar bear was forced to live in a hot Argentinian enclosure for years but died at 31-years-old over the weekend.
He died on Sunday "due to a blood circulation imbalance" which caused a general decline in the bear who was already weak due to old age, the zoo said in a statement.
Officials at the controversial zoo where the polar bear lived confirmed the news, with animal activists left devastated by his death.
In one of the last photographs of Arturo, taken on June 17, the bear can be seen collapsed in the corner of his enclosure.
His normally white fur brown, Arturo forlornly lies next to a forgotten red ball.
It is understood he was kept in an enclosure that would often reach over 30 degrees.
Arturo is just one of the more than 60 animals to die over recent months at the zoo in the western city of Mendoza.
Other animals were struck down by infections blamed on poor conditions at the zoo, but Arturo's death was linked to old age.
Despite environmentalists campaigning for the ageing bear to be transferred to colder climates in Canada, the bear was forced to live out his days in a hot concrete enclosure in Argentina.
The polar bear arrived in Argentina about 23 years ago from the United States.
He was christened "the saddest polar bear in the world" after losing his companion, Pelusa, in 2012.
People visiting the zoo often saw Arturo walking around his concrete enclosure and going for a swim in a pool just 20 inches deep.
Animal rights activist organisation PETA tweeted their sadness at the death of the polar bear.
In a statement on social media, the organisation wrote: "With his passing, Arturo no longer has to suffer in a bleak, concrete enclosure at the Mendoza Zoo in Argentina.
"PETA urges families to honor Arturo's heartbreaking legacy by refusing to go to any business that puts animals on display for amusement."
The Mendoza zoo was closed to visitors last month after 64 animals died between December and May. Officials said outbreaks of bacteria and overcrowding were to blame.
The city hall said it was planning to convert the zoo into a nature reserve and send the animals to more suitable conservation sites.
"We hope that he will be the last polar bear to be held in a zoo in our country and that his case will oblige the authorities to review the state of other exotic species still living in the same situation," Greenpeace spokeswoman Soledad Sede said in a statement.
Friends of Arturo said they were devastated at his death, saying: "we were there until the last moment with him."
The Government of Mendoza released a statement on Monday, saying the polar bear's health had been rapidly declining.
It is understood he lost his sight in his right eye while his left eye was inflamed as well as losing his appetite and sense of smell.
Environmental groups in 2012 launched a campaign for Arturo to be transferred to colder climes in Canada but veterinarians at the time judged that Arturo was too weak to survive the journey.