COLUMBUS – The zoo-going public gets its first in-person look Wednesday at the newest polar bear cubs at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
The female cub born on Nov. 8 to mother Anana will greet the public at the zoo’s Polar Frontier at 9:00 a.m. The event will be streamed live on Facebook.
Three cubs were welcomed into the Zoo family Anana’s and twins, one male and one female, born to mother Aurora six days later. The father of the trio is Nanuq.
A name-the-cub contest for Anana’s cub has been initiated with support from Kroger. The cub’s name will be announced on Mother’s Day, May 14.
The twins’ names will be selected by staff at the Zoo and The Wilds, zoo CEO Tom Stalf said.
Zoo officials say the three cubs will not be on view together as female polar bears typically raise their young independently so “viewing schedules are determined by the bears.” Aurora’s twins will make their first public appearance on Thursday.
Since their births, Anana and Aurora have been caring for their cubs inside their dens and in behind-the-scenes areas, giving them “swim lessons” and allowing the cubs to become acclimated to the outdoor habitat.
The cubs were the only polar bears born in a North American zoo last year.
The breeding was based on a recommendation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan.
Due to the disappearance of polar sea ice, experts estimate that only 20,000-25,000 polar bears are left in their native range and some scientists believe if the warming trend continues, two-thirds of the polar bear population could disappear by the year 2050.
Enjoy a gallery of the cubs from photographer Grahm S. Jones and The Columbus Zoo & Aquarium