Woodland Park Zoo responds to bear eating ducklings

Brown bear scarfs down ducklings at Woodland Park Zoo

In a TikTok video posted by Rachelle, the bear, named Juniper, is seen watching the mother duck and her ducklings in the water before diving in and devouring the ducklings one at a time on April 23. (Storyful)

SEATTLE - Editor's note: The video above contains content that may be disturbing for some. Viewer discretion is advised.

One of the Woodland Park Zoo's brown bears has now gone viral – just for being a bear.

Last month, a TikTok user captured video of the Seattle zoo's 2-year-old bear, named Juniper, plunging into a pool and then starts snacking on a family of ducks in her habitat. This also happened in front of a child's birthday party.

This week, the zoo responded to the video and said even though it may be hard to watch, brown bears are carnivores, and this was natural instinct.

"(It) is indeed the circle of life," the zoo said.

A group of visitors at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo witnessed a brown bear scarfing down several ducklings on April 23, 2024. (Storyful)

Juniper has been with the zoo since July 2022. She and another brown bear, named Fern, live together in the Living Northwest Trail bear habitat.

"Woodland and Park Zoo is truly an urban oasis and naturally draws native wildlife to our grounds," zoo officials said. "Over the years, our animal care team has tried to discourage waterfowl from nesting in or near our habitats throughout the zoo, particularly where our carnivores live. However, free-flying ducks and birds can choose where to nest."