Andean Bear Cubs Emerge from the Den at Queens Zoo

Posted By : The Animal Facts Editorial Team

Date: December 20, 2021 12:01 am

Two Andean bear cubs born over summer at the Queens Zoo explore their outdoor enclosure alongside mother Nicole

Photo Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © Bronx Zoo/WCS

A pair of Andean bear cubs born at Queens Zoo over the summer have made their public debut. The two cubs are a male and a female. Their mother is Nicole and the father is Bouba.

The cubs have spent the first few months of their life in a den nursing and bonding with their mother. Recently they have begun to actively explore their new surrounding. Visitors will be able to meet the cubs but their exhibit times currently vary as they acclimate to the habitat.

An Andean bear cub born over the summer explores its outdoor enclosure at Queens Zoo

Photo Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © Bronx Zoo/WCS

Queens Zoo participate in the Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative breeding and management program administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to maintain genetic diversity and demographic stability in zoo populations.

Nicole and Bouba are experienced parents having welcomed five offspring across three litters as part of the SSP.

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“The Queens Zoo has a successful breeding program for Andean bears and has been an integral participant in the SSP for several years,” said Mike Allen, Queens Zoo Director.

“Andean bears face significant challenges in the wild due to habitat fragmentation and poaching. It’s important for us to invest both in conservation programs to protect them in their native habitat and to maintain a healthy insurance population in zoos. These youngsters will surely captivate our guests and help people make a connection with the species.”

An Andean bear cub born over the summer explores its outdoor enclosure at Queens Zoo

Photo Credit: Julie Larsen Maher © Bronx Zoo/WCS

Andean bears are found in South America. They may also be known as the spectacled bear due to the markings on their face which resemble eyeglasses.

They are listed as vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Their total population is currently estimated at less than 18,000.

The Wildlife Conservation Society (The operator of Queens Zoo) support work to monitor nd protect the habitat of the Andean bear in South America.

Learn more about Andean Bears here – Andean Bear Fact File | The Animal Facts

Learn more about the Queens Zoo on their website – Queens Zoo