Ouwehands Zoo

Another Giant Panda Cub Born at Ouwehands Zoo!

At Ouwehands Zoo, after a long period of uncertainty following the mating of Wu Wen and Xing Ya in February, the moment had finally arrived. On Friday evening, July 12, 2024, giant panda Wu Wen gave birth to another cub! Mother and her cub are staying in the maternity den and are doing well. The gender will remain a surprise for now. The zookeepers will leave Wu Wen and her cub alone. The gender will only be known at the first health check by the vet. After 100 days, the panda will be given a name, according to Chinese tradition.


Polar Bear Cubs Debut and Delight Dutch Zoo Visitors

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February 29th marked the official debut of The Netherlands' Ouwehands Zoo's Polar Bear cubs. Under the careful supervision of their mother 'Huggies', the cubs explored their outdoor exhibit for the first time. Born December 1st of 2011, the twins play a crucial role in educating their visiting public about the plight of this highly endangered species. Climate change is melting the sea ice on which this majestic creature depends for its survival in the wild, pushing Polar Bears to the brink of extinction.

Ouwehands' Polar Bear group consists of seven individuals; Victor, the twins' father, Freedom and her two cubs Siku and Sesi, Huggies and her two yet unnamed cubs.

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Photo credits: Rob Doolaard, Robert Pleizier

The following video is in Dutch, but shows the cubs in action...


Baby Ijsberen at Ouwehands!

Polar Bear cubs at Ouwehands Zoo

On November 25th, Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands welcomed two little Polar Bear cubs to mama bear "Freedom." Named Siki and Sesi, the cubs have spent the last few months sleeping, eating and rough-housing in the den and have just emerged to enjoy the frosty weather. In Dutch, Polar Bears are called Ijsberen (ice bears), a fitting name for a species that spends the majority of its life on snow and ice. Enjoy the outstanding videos provided by Ouwehands Zoo below. (Above photo credit: Clovis Flos)

Bear fight!

Want to freak out your dogs? Play this video of the very young cubs making a screeching racket in the den.