A polar bear, Henry, born at Sea World Australia is on his way to a new home at the Polar Bear Habitat in Cochrane, Ontario on October 7. He is leaving the Gold Coast to participate in an international polar bear breeding program.
Those in Queensland are sad to see him go but they look forward to him having a nice new home in Canada. The Polar Bear Habitat facility and caretakers are dedicated to the care and survival of polar bears and anxiously await his October 7 arrival.
Trevor Long, Sea World marine sciences director, explains that Henry will be headed back to his roots. The young bear’s father, Nelson, was an orphaned bear from Canada. He feels that it is extremely important that Nelson’s genetics return to Canada and feels Henry will significantly contribute to the “captive breeding of polar bears.” Henry will play a vital role in the international polar bear breeding program.
Henry will have several years to go before he will be in a breeding situation. That will occur around the age of nine.
The young polar bear weighs approximately 700 lbs and is currently viewed as a big and goofy toddler. He will join another male polar bear at the facility that is named Ganuk. Ganuk is a little over five years old and weighs just over 900 lbs.
Polar Bear Habitat manager Karen Cummings says that everyone is extremely excited about Henry coming to the facility. She looks forward to the “playful trouble maker.”
The facility has been under construction and is just finishing an expanded enclosure project that will include a natural lake. Henry’s arrival will be just as the construction is completed. The expansion will make the Canadian facility the largest in the world in terms of space that is dedicated to polar bears.
Caretakers will quarantine Henry for 30 days to assess his health and allow him to become familiar with the surroundings. He will have his own room and enclosure during this 30 day assimilation period.
Sea World Australia will foot the bill for Henry’s travels. Everyone at Sea World will miss him dearly. However, the researchers at Cochrane will provide a warm welcome for him and are excited to have him assist in promoting a larger population of polar bears. Currently, there are only an estimated 25,000 polar bears remaining.
There are approximately 100 different facilities in the world that provide human care to over 300 polar bears.
source:ameripublications.com
STUDIO 3 NEWCASTLE AUSTRALIA 