Polar bears arrive at Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo
Posted October 16, 2023 2:06 pm.
Last Updated October 16, 2023 2:35 pm.
A pair of polar bears safely made the trip from Winnipeg to their new home in Calgary, the Wilder Institute and Zoo announced Monday
BIG news! ‘Baffin’ & ‘Siku’ have arrived thanks to our Official Polar Bear Transport Partner, WestJet Cargo. ✈️
With their high standards for transport, we knew our precious cargo was in good hands. Find yourself in their world when Wild Canada opens December 1s.#YourZooYYC pic.twitter.com/EnilMMxf2U— Calgary Zoo (@calgaryzoo) October 16, 2023
Six-year-old Baffin and seven-year-old Siku join the Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo from Assiniboine Park Zoo.
In a post to ‘X’, formerly Twitter, the Calgary Zoo said the bears arrived in Alberta Monday via WestJet Cargo, the “official polar bear transport partner.”
Both bears were orphaned before they turned one, the zoo said previously, and were then identified as candidates 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.
Watch: Wilder Institute/Calgary Zoo to welcome two polar bears
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.
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.
Read more: 2 polar bears to leave Assiniboine Park Zoo
According to the 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.
The bears will first be seen by the public at the Wild Canada grand re-opening on Dec. 1.
