Nora and Hope, who are unrelated and both approximately about a year and a half old, will swim together in Rocky Shores, zoo officials said in a news release. The announcement comes after the zoo lost its beloved polar bear, Rizzo, to kidney failure, in April.
Nora was born at Columbus Zoo Nov. 6, 2015. Her mother began leaving her unattended in the den for prolonged periods of time. Keepers made the difficult decision to hand-rear the her. She was sent to Oregon Zoo last September, in the hopes she might be mentored by a senior bear.
“For a young bear that was hand-raised, the companionship of another bear is so important for developing socials skills,” said Amy Cutting, who oversees the Oregon Zoo’s marine life area. However, Oregon Zoo lost their senior bear shortly after Nora arrived.
Hope, named after Point Hope, Alaska, was born at Toledo Zoo on Dec. 3, 2015. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Species Survival Plan recommended Hope’s transfer this fall. The SSP prioritizes putting young animals together at the point where they are mature enough to leave their mothers. In the wild, young bears separate from their mothers around age 2, and may band together to survive the harsh conditions in the Arctic.
The polar bear is among Hogle Zoo’s Big 6 Conservation Species — six species receiving the focus of the zoo’s conservation efforts.
“As one of our signature programs we concentrate our financial and staffing resources to try to save this particular species,” said Larsen. “Our leadership in the zoo community toward conservation has helped secure us as a flagship institution for such a high profile species as polar bears.”
Hogle Zoo will send Rocky Shores keepers to each sister zoo to spend time with both bears before they transfer to Salt Lake. Keepers from Oregon and Toledo will also come to Hogle Zoo to ensure a smooth transition.
