WINNIPEG – Visitors to the Assiniboine Park Zoo now have twice as many polar bears to visit. Kaska and Aurora, both one-year-old females, are now on public display for the first time since being rescued from Churchill.
“They’re great, they’re pretty happy to be out and happy to be together,” said Dr. Brian Joseph the zoo’s director of zoological operations. “They’re not that different. They’re the same size exactly even though they’re from different mothers. Just round fuzzy bears. Very inquisitive, very self confident, and they love to play.”
Kaska and Aurora were first introduced to each other Thursday after thirty days in quarantine. Those who work closely with the bears say there’s an easy way to tell them apart: “If you look really closely on the centre of auroras head there’s a little bare spot of hair,” explained Dr. Joseph.
Aurora and Kaska add to the zoo’s growing polar bear population. Storm was also rescued from Churchill and Hudson was adopted from the Toronto Zoo. The animals are a big draw, even in winter.
“I love it its’ really nice” said Afonso Arrais, a visitor from Portugal. “Very different from the Portugal one cause I’ve never seen polar bears before, so it’s cool.”
It’s expected all four polar bears will be transferred to to the new $78 million dollar Journey to Churchill exhibit when it opens next summer.
The zoo is offering free admission to children under 12 until January 5.
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