Will
we be able to see all three polar bear cubs together?
How
big were the cubs when they were first born?
Have
Crystal and Nan had cubs before?
Why
did we have to wait so long to see the cubs?
Where
is the cubs’ father?
Are
polar bears endangered?
What
can people do to help save polar bears in the wild?
Will we be able
to see all three polar bear cubs together?
No. Polar bears live in family groups with mothers and their young,
so here at the Zoo we will keep Crystal and her two cubs separate
from Nan and her cub.
How big were the cubs
when they were first born?
Each of the three cubs weighed right around one pound when they
were first born. After only five month Nan’s single cub weighed
approximately fifty pounds, while Crystal’s twins weighed
about thirty pounds each. This lower weight is quite common in multiple
cub births. By the time they reach adulthood Anana and Aurora could
weigh as much as 600 pounds and Nikita could weight over 1,000 pounds.
Have Crystal and Nan
had cubs before?
Both eight-year-old Crystal and eleven-year-old Nan are first-time
mothers, which makes the fact that they have demonstrated such excellent
maternal behavior even more remarkable.
Why did we have to
wait so long to see the cubs?
The denning process is a long one for polar bears. In the wild,
females begin digging dens in the autumn, and they give birth there
in November or December. They’ll stay in their dens with their
cubs until the spring. During this time, the adult females don’t
eat or drink anything—they live off the fat stored in their
bodies. In addition, polar bear cubs can be incredibly fragile,
even in zoo settings. The Zoo had to make absolutely sure that our
three cubs were going to be able to adapt to life outside their
dens. Each step of the way, we have been pleased to see them make
remarkable progress.
Where is the cubs’
father?
Ten-year-old Marty, who fathered all three cubs, recently went to
the Pittsburg Zoo. The Toledo Zoo participates in the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative
breeding and conservation program that works to ensure the future
of endangered and threatened species. The SSP decided to send Marty
to where his genetic characteristics will be best for the zoo population
of polar bears.
Are
polar bears endangered?
Polar bears are listed as “potentially threatened” rather
than “endangered,” but that status is subject to change
as the Arctic climate no which they rely continues to warm. Polar
bears hunt by standing on shelf ice and pulling their prey out of
the water. Without that shelf ice, hunting becomes nearly impossible.
Some polar bears have even drowned as they attempt to hunt on ice
that cannot support their weight. In doing so, they leave their
cubs alone to fend for themselves, and most will not survive. Scientists
believe that polar bears could become the first mammal species to
lose their entire habitat due to global warming. In addition, humans
continue to hunt for polar bears at rates that are several times
more than what is sustainable for the population.
What
can people do to help save polar bears in the wild?
Most scientists agree that global warming is a real problem, and
that human activity is a major contributing factor. Anything we
can do to reduce our carbon emissions at this point will be helpful.
Driving more fuel-efficient vehicles and reducing our energy consumption
will go a long way toward lessening our impact on the environment.
It will also likely reduce the need for further oil exploration
in the Arctic. Even little things, like replacing a few regular
light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs can be a big help, especially
as more and more people do it.
In
addition, Polar
Bears International is doing some great work to preserve
polar bears in the wild, and we’re happy to work with them
in whatever way we can. You can learn more about their efforts here.
|
