Two orphaned black bear cubs are getting to know the Calgary Zoo’s female black bear, Manuka.
Zoo staff moved the cubs into Manuka’s enclosure in the Canadian Wilds area of the zoo, where the “white” female black bear was living alone.
“This is such a positive story for us as we were able to become the new home for two orphaned cubs and at the same time, provide company for our lone black bear,” said curator Mike Teller in a statement.
The young brother and sister have been under quarantine in the Animal Health Centre until now.
They arrived in August from the Yukon, where they were orphaned a month earlier.
The Government of the Yukon determined they were too habituated to humans to remain in the wild.
Now they will become companions for Manuka.
“Young bears are very social and this will be very enriching for all of the bears,” Teller added.
The Calgary Zoo rescued three-year-old Manuka in August 2013 from Elkford, B.C., where she had become a nuisance bear.
The Zoo hopes to use the story of the blended bruin family to teach visitors about to how to allow bears to remain wild animals.
Unfortunately, viewing the bear cubs might be tricky until next spring.
November is when they start hunkering down for winter hibernation.
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