The UK’s second-ever Andean twin bear cubs recently took their very first steps out into their expanded nursery.

The 4-month-old cubs have been pictured exploring their outside habitat under the watchful eye of mum Madidi. The ‘nursery’ area has recently been extended to accommodate the twin bears with plenty of space for these playful cubs to explore, climb and grow. Although these small bears were wary at first, they were soon bounding around this exciting new area. 

Four-month-old Woodland Park Zoo sloth bear siblings, Mudhu (muh-DOO) and Lila (LEE-lah) sleep snuggled together in the spring sunshine under the protective gaze of their mom, Kushali.

In honor of #GiveBIG, enjoy this footage of Kushali and her cubs napping in springtime bliss!

In the wild, sloth bears live in forested grasslands, where they use their superior sense of smell to find ant and termite colonies beneath the ground. Once found, they wield their three-inch long claws to break them open before slurping up the delicious insects with the powerful suction force of their mouths.

Your GiveBIG gift helps create habitats that engage all of these natural behaviors—from digging, to slurping, to climbing on Woodland Park Zoo'ss newly updated tree structure, so that mom, Kushali, can teach her cubs everything they need to know to be a well-rounded member of the sloth bear community.

If you are able, please consider making a gift today to help ensure this kind of world-class care for all the animals who call Woodland Park Zoo home! https://www.wagives.org/organization/woodland-park-zoo

A Brother and Sister Bear Cub pair was found orphaned by North Carolina Wildlife Resources and brought to The NC Zoo for care. NC Wildlife resources partners with NC Zoo for orphaned black bear rehabilitation and wildlife release. The fate of the cubs mother is not known. They are estimated to be about 6-7 weeks old. They are in good health and will likely remain in Zoo care learning to be a “bear” throughout the Fall.

Please consider a gift to the cubs and other injured wildlife via the Zoo’s Baby Bear Cub Registry Wishlist at Amazon: https://amzn.to/36YZZZk

MORE PHOTOS BELOW!

They’ve had adorable twin Andean bear cubs born at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm. Born to mum Madidi and dad Rasu on the 11th of January in the early hours of the morning ❤️ 

Keepers could hear the trilling of the tiny cubs as they called out to mum. The Andean bear facility is state of the art and this imitate footage was captured within Madidi's specialist cubbing den. Mum and both cubs are doing well with the cubs doubling in size over the past two months. 🐻

PICS BELOW THE FOLD!

Keepers at Woburn Safari Park are celebrating the very exciting birth of four North American black bear cubs with incredible CCTV footage capturing the cubs’ first moments as they entered the world.  Born to mum Phoenix and dad Xanthos, this is the first time that the birth of any North American black bear cubs has been caught on camera at the Park.

Queens, NY – December 14, 2021 – Two Andean bear cubs (Tremarctos ornatus) born at the Queens Zoo are making their public debut.

The cubs, a male and a female, have yet to be named. They were born this summer to dam, Nicole, and sire, Bouba. This is the third successful litter for Nicole and Bouba, who have now produced five offspring.

An orphaned grizzly bear cub from Tok, Alaska has found sanctuary at the Detroit Zoo. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) received reports of a grizzly bear cub wandering alone near a neighborhood in June. Much too young to be separated from his mother, the ADF&G moved him to the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage for immediate care and a health assessment before he was transferred to the Detroit Zoo.

Named Jebbie by the local residents who saw him and notified ADF&G, he arrived at the Detroit Zoo weighing 76 pounds, and today weighs 180 pounds. After a quarantine period and an exam by Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) veterinarians, Jebbie moved to the Arctic Ring of Life polar bear building, where he and the Detroit Zoo’s hand-reared polar bear cub, Laerke, have been gradually getting to know each other. Now, the two young bears wrestle, play with toys and spend their days together.

Polar bear cubs Astra and Laerke were born at the Detroit Zoo in November 2020 to 8-year-old mother Suka and 16-year-old father, Nuka. Two days after their births, Laerke appeared weak and stopped moving. She was brought to the Ruth Roby Glancy Animal Health Complex for around-the-clock emergency care.

“There are no other polar bear cubs who we can bring here to live with her, so we reached out to state agencies that frequently must find homes for orphaned grizzly bear cubs. We’re thrilled that we are able to give Jebbie sanctuary and provide a much-needed companion for Laerke,” said Scott Carter, chief life sciences officer for the DZS. “This social development is critically important for both Laerke and Jebbie.”

“Suka is a great mother and very protective of Laerke’s sister, Astra, but it’s clear that she no longer recognizes Laerke as her cub,” Carter added. “Returning Laerke to her mother and sister is not an option for us.”

Starting Thursday, September 23, visitors can see Laerke and Jebbie grow up together in the Arctic Ring of Life.

The Arctic Ring of Life is one of the largest zoo polar bear habitats in the world. It includes a grassy tundra, a freshwater pool, a “pack ice” area and a 190,000-gallon saltwater pool. This state-of-the-art facility encompasses more than 4 acres of outdoor and indoor habitats and was recognized by The Intrepid Traveler’s guide to “America’s Best Zoos” as one of the finest zoo habitats in America.

The first set of Andean bear twins ever to be born in the UK have emerged from their den at Chester Zoo.

The playful cubs were born in January, but have only now started to venture out and explore, having spent their first six months cuddled up by the protective side of their mum, Lima (8).

Revealed as one boy and one girl, the rare cubs were spotted outside enjoying a bit of ‘friendly rough and tumble’ and attempting to climb trees, before following mum back to their den for a well-deserved nap.

Bear conservationists at the zoo – which recently reopened after three months of closure - have named the adorable duo Pacha (female) and Mateo (male), and have hailed the birth of the cubs as “very, very special.” Experts estimate that fewer than 10,000 Andean bears remain in the wild.

Lucy Edwards, Chester Zoo’s Assistant Team Manager of Carnivores, said:

“Andean bears are incredibly shy animals and, for this reason, are still something of mystery to conservationists. So to see mum Lima allowing her two little cubs to explore so freely and enjoy a bit of friendly rough and tumble is just wonderful – it’s very, very special. The twin cubs are so full of energy and their playful personalities are really starting to show - it looks like they will be keeping mum very busy.

“Just a few weeks ago, while the zoo was closed, a small team of keepers and vets managed to give the cubs a quick check over and we’re very happy to report that both were given a clean bill of health. It’s great that we can now safely welcome back visitors and they can learn more about Andean bears and see the twins for themselves – an incredibly rare sight, even for conservationists studying them out in the field day in and day out.”

The species was originally made famous by the classic children’s character Paddington Bear who, although found in a London train station in the books, was known to be from ‘deepest, darkest Peru’.

Andean bears are the only species of bear inhabit South America and, as well as Peru, they are found in Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia. They are listed by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as vulnerable to extinction.

Lucy continued:

“Mum Lima is doing an incredible job caring for her new cubs and they seem to be really thriving under her watchful eye. Her new arrivals are vital additions to the endangered species breeding programme, which is working to preserve the species, help conservationists to learn more about them and, ultimately, protect the long-term future of these beautiful bears.

“Alongside this important work in the zoo, our conservationists have also been working in Bolivia, alongside our partners the local NGO PROMETA and the University of Oxford, to understand how Andean bears live in the wild. Together, we are striving to find new ways to prevent conflict between bears and humans – a key threat to this species. The project is the first of its kind in the region and aims to have bears and humans living side by side in harmony.”

Andean bears share their habitat with some of South America’s poorest and most vulnerable communities, whose livelihoods are being severely challenged by climate change. Sadly, this means the bears are often targeted by farmers and land owners, as they can pose a threat to crops and livestock in their search for food sources, which are dwindling in their natural range. This is a direct result of habitat loss, brought about by mass-scale deforestation and climate change. Experts suggest that more than 30% of the forests in South America have disappeared in the last 20 years.


Andean bear facts:

• The cubs were born on 10 January 2020
• Mum Lima was born on 12/01/2012. She is 8 years old
• Dad Bernie was born on 14/01/2010. He is 10 years old

Two Andean Bear cubs born at the Queens Zoo recently made their New York City debut.

The cubs, one female and one male, were born in January to six-year-old mother, Nicole, and eight-year-old father, Bouba. After spending several weeks in their den bonding with their mother, they have now started venturing into the zoo’s outdoor habitat.

Queens Zoo animal care staff have named the cubs Brienne and Benny, and staff are closely monitoring their health and development. The time the cubs spend in the outdoor habitat will vary until they become fully acclimated to it.

“These little cubs are tremendous ambassadors for their species,” said Scott Silver, Queens Zoo Director. “Andean Bears are rarely seen in the wild, so it’s extremely special to have an opportunity to watch cubs grow. Guests will also learn about our efforts to protect Andean Bears in the wild.”

Photo Credits: Julie Larsen Maher /WCS

Andean Bears (Tremarctos ornatus) are the only bear species native to South America. They are also known as spectacled bears due to the markings on their faces that sometimes resemble eyeglasses. They have characteristically short faces and are relatively small in comparison to some other bear species. As adults, males weigh between 250-350 pounds while adult females rarely exceed 200 pounds.

Andean Bears are classified as “Vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Estimates indicate that there are fewer than 18,000 remaining in the wild.

The Queens Zoo is breeding Andean Bears as part of the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative breeding program designed to enhance the genetic viability and demographic stability of animal populations in zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). There are currently only 39 Andean Bears in AZA-accredited zoos and only six potentially viable breeding pairs in the SSP population.

Bouba came to Queens from Bioparc de Doue la Fontainein in France to breed with Nicole, who was born at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC and came to the Queens Zoo in 2015. This is the second time the pair has produced offspring at the Queens Zoo, and these cubs were two of only four Andean Bears born in zoos worldwide in the past year.

More great pics below the fold!

After waiting four months for its new Sloth Bear cub to emerge from the den, staff at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo gave the cub its first checkup. They learned that the cub is a female!

Photo Credit: Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Born on January 14, the cub is the first to be born at the zoo in 30 years. The cub’s parents are mom Shiva and dad Balawat, and this is the first cub for both. ZooBorns reported on the cub’s birth here.

Fans are invited to help name the little cub by visiting the Sloth Bear habitat at the zoo, or by going online and make a donation to the Future for Wildlife Fund. You can choose one of the following names by midnight on May 27:

• Lali, meaning darling
• Nisha, meaning night
• Shala, an homage to mom Shiva and dad Balawat

The names reflect the native home of Sloth Bears in India.

The cub stays close to Shiva for now, and she will ride on mom’s back until she is about six months old. As an adult, the cub will weigh around 300 pounds.

Sloth Bears have flexible snouts which help to suck up grubs and termites from trees. Sloth Bears also feed on fruits, flowers, sugar cane, and honey.

Sloth Bears are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Factors such as habitat loss, poaching, and human-wildlife conflict threaten Sloth Bears’ survival. The zoo participates in a project to protect Sloth Bears in Nepal, where populations have plummeted in recent years. Donations made through the naming contest go toward this project.