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MEDIA
RELEASE
August 25, 2010
502-744-5639 Media Cell
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Grizzlies Arrive
at the Louisville Zoo
((Please note: The bears are currently in
quarantine and unavailable for photos or video.))
The Louisville Zoo
has once again assisted in animal rescue efforts when it brought a
mother grizzly bear and her two cubs (one male and one female) to
Louisville from Polson, Montana earlier this month. The bears are
currently completing a period of quarantine in an off-exhibit area and
will eventually take up residence in the new Glacier Run Bear Habitat
which is scheduled to open this coming spring.
The animals had been
identified and trapped as “nuisance bears” by the Confederated Salish
and Kootenai Tribes - Division of Fish, Wildlife, Recreation and
Conservation and faced an uncertain future unless a home for them could
be found in a zoo or other wildlife facility. As it happened the
Louisville Zoo had been looking for a species of brown bear to inhabit
Glacier Run in addition to polar bears.
Louisville Zoo
Director John Walczak said he’s happy that the Zoo could help. “The
agencies responsible for managing grizzlies in the wild often have the
difficult challenge of balancing conservation and interactions between
bears and the public, agriculture and industry,” Walczak said. “This is
a great opportunity for us to assist them in their efforts and to bring
a new bear species to the Zoo that will enhance the thematic message of
Glacier Run. “Due to global climate change and the early thawing of
polar ice, polar bears are being forced to migrate inland,” Walczak
continued. “This means their range now crosses over with certain brown
bear species. In fact, in 2007 there was a confirmed discovery of a
hybrid polar bear, brown bear.”
According to Zoo
General Curator Steve Wing the bears are adapting well to their new
environment. “Mom is calm and attentive and is quickly building trust
with her keepers. The female cub is bold and adventurous, while the male
cub is a bit more cautious,” Wing said. The grizzlies will likely remain
off exhibit until the spring opening of the Glacier Run Village and Bear
Habitat. The grizzlies and the polar bears will be exhibited separately.
***
A “nuisance grizzly bear” is defined as a
grizzly bear that depredates livestock, causes property damage, or uses
unnatural food that has been reasonably secured from the grizzly bear;
or, a grizzly bear that displays unnatural aggression toward humans or
that constitutes a demonstrable immediate, or potential threat to human
safety.
***
The
Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky,
is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by
providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for
visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation
education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of
Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
***
Get
up-to-date information about the Zoo’s upcoming Glacier Run exhibit
by checking out our new
Glacier Run blog. You can also show your love for the Louisville
Zoo by becoming a fan on
Facebook and
Twitter.
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