Assiniboine Park Zoo saying farewell to two polar bears

The Assiniboine Park Zoo are getting ready to say farewell to two male polar bears which will be going to Calgary, the organizations announced Thursday.

Come fall, six-year-old Baffin and seven-year-old Sikua will join the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo in a partnership with Assiniboine Park Zoo.

“Baffin and Siku are exceptional polar bears and it has been our privilege to care for them here at Assiniboine Park Zoo. We will miss them tremendously, but know they are going to a wonderful new home at another leading Canadian AZA-accredited zoo where they will help share the story of Churchill, Manitoba, and the impact of climate change on the Arctic with visitors from across Canada and around the world,” Dr. Chris Enright, Senior Director of Zoological Operations, Animal Management and Conservation of the Assiniboine Park Conservancy.

Both bears were orphaned before they even turned one, according to the zoo, and were then identified as candidate for transfer to Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre at Assiniboine Park Zoo in Manitoba.

In both cases, the baby bears were found wandering alone in the Churchill area in the northern part of the province, and were confirmed to be orphaned before conservation officers became involved.

The zoo says that research shows polar bear cubs less than a year old, can’t survive on their own, so the decision was made to bring them into the care of humans.

“Human-caused climate change is threatening polar bear habitat. These rescued bears will receive exceptional care and continue to act as ambassadors for their wild counterparts, helping connect people to nature in ways that encourage them to take stronger action than ever before to protect wildlife and wild places,” Jamie Dorgan, Interim Chief Operating Officer of the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo, said in a press release.

Assiniboine Park Zoo is currently home to nine polar bears.

Baffin and Siku were chosen to be transferred to Calgary, taking into consideration the dynamics of the current group and the bear’s individual personalities.

The two bears get along with each other, and the zoo says it’s believed the two will thrive in a smaller group, where they will receive more individual attention and interaction with their dedicated caregivers and visitors.

The polar bear habitat at the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo was constructed in consultation with the industry professionals and experts from Winnipeg’s Assiniboine Park Zoo.

The habitat includes expansive tree-filled grassy meadows, rock features, several pools ranging in depth from three to five metres, a wading stream, and an unobscured view of the horizon, it will open to the public as part of the Wild Canada grand re-opening on Dec. 1.