Assiniboine Park Zoo, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, has settled two more polar bear cubs into their new environment, complete with names the online community helped chose.
Willow, the little femaie, and Baffin, the male, who aren’t related, were found farther north in Churchill, Manitoba, wandering around with no mothers in sight.
“We need to do something different here”
“Our visitors and the community at large form strong attachments to the polar bears in our care, so we are happy to give them the opportunity to help choose names for these young cubs,” said Laura Cabak, spokesperson for the conservancy.
Over 5,000 people took part in the choice between Willow or Tundra, and Baffin and Arctic for the male cub.
“It’s a great way to engage the community in learning about our polar bears and how they can help protect and conserve this iconic species.”
About eleven cubs have been sent to Winnipeg in the past three years, since the Journey to Churchill enclosure opened at Assiniboine Park Zoo. (Darren Bernhardt/CBC)
Brought to Winnipeg in early December, the cubs were put separately into quarantine at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, which is part of the zoo, to make sure they weren’t carrying parasites.
The cubs are estimated to be about a year-old now.
They were brought to the centre because they were not likely to survive on their own.
Stephen Peterson, head of conservation and research at Assiniboine Park Conservancy, told CBC News that polar bear cubs have a hard time even with their mothers, so orphans younger than about two years old don’t generally make it unless they have an excellent habitat.
The resettlement program, however, is facing criticism from people in Churchill.
The mayor, Mike Spence, wants more to be done to keep the cubs in Churchill, in their natural habitat.
“We’re disappointed. The community is very strong in saying enough’s enough already, too many of our cubs have been going to zoos,” Spence told CBC News in December.
“We need to do something different here.”
Rochelle Squires, Manitoba’s sustainable development minister, is looking into the complaints and the possibility of a rehabilitation centre in Churchill.
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