It was an extraordinary day at the San Diego Zoo Monday when twin Bornean sun bear cubs, only the third litter to be born in North America, made their public debut. The little bears surpassed their keepers’ expectations by exploring every inch of their habitat, including the highest points of their climbing structures.
“We affectionately call them ‘monkey bears’ since they are the most arboreal bear species,” said Lisa Bryant, San Diego Zoo lead keeper, as she kept a watchful eye on the climbing 5-month-old cubs. “The male is somewhat more reserved. His sister, on the other hand, is the first to greet us and is very curious about what is happening outside of the bedroom.”
The female cub, named Pagi, which means “morning” in a Malayan dialect, lived up to her reputation and came out of the bedroom first, with her brother not far behind. Although a bit more hesitant to take the first step, the male cub, named Palu, which is the name of a valley in Borneo, couldn’t resist when he saw his sister exploring.
Keepers will gauge the cubs’ comfort in their new habitat to determine how often they will be on exhibit. Visitors to the San Diego Zoo may get a chance to see the cubs and learn more about them during Zoo Discovery Days: Bear Bonanza, March 19-22. This four-day event will showcase the six species of bears at the San Diego Zoo: brown bear, giant panda, polar bear, sun bear, sloth bear and the Andean bear. The Zoo will host special booths where guests can learn from keepers and conservation researchers about their work with bears. The Zoo’s veterinary services department will also be offering full exams of guests’ teddy bears during this special weekend.
Pagi and Palu were born at the San Diego Zoo on Oct. 25, 2008. The birth of an endangered Bornean sun bear is very rare. All three litters of cubs born in North America have occurred at the San Diego Zoo, where researchers are studying reproductive biology and maternal care of the sun bear. San Diego Zoo Conservation Research is working with zoos around the world to collect data on mother-infant relationships in all eight bear species: sun bear, giant panda, American black bear, polar bear, Asiatic black bear, spectacled bear, brown bear and the sloth bear.
The 100-acre San Diego Zoo is dedicated to the conservation of endangered species and their habitats. The organization focuses on conservation and research work around the globe, educates millions of individuals a year about wildlife and maintains accredited horticultural, animal, library and photo collections. The Zoo also manages the 1,800-acre San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, which includes a 900-acre native species reserve, and the San Diego Zoo’s Beckman Center for Conservation Research. The important conservation and science work of these entities is supported in part by The Foundation of the Zoological Society of San Diego.
