Zoo sauvage de Saint-Félicien, Located in Canada, Announces a Rare Event, the Birth of a Polar Bear Cub

Saint-Félicien, Québec (ots/PRNewswire) -

Zoo sauvage de Saint-Félicien, located in Canada, is extremely
proud to confirm the birth during the night of November 27 of a polar
bear cub in their institution. The event, especially rare in
captivity, constitutes excellent news for the genetic diversity of
the species, listed as vulnerable worldwide by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature (IUNC). The parents come from
different biological environments and had never mated together
before.

The birth was quite a surprise for the team. The signs of
gestation are not easy to detect in polar bears, and it is while she
was making her regular rounds early in the morning on November 27
that the animal caregiver happened to discover the presence of a cub
in the lair occupied by the 16 year-old female, Aisaqvak. The event
is the crowning achievement of several years of efforts by the zoo
biologists and veterinarians, who have taken multiple steps since
2011 to ensure a successful mating.

Aisaqvak had previously given birth to a cub, in 2008. That cub
did not survive but the mother was able to demonstrate her excellent
parenting skills when she gave birth to a male and a female cub the
following year.

It will take a few weeks to determine the sex of the cub, who
weighs .2% of the weight of the mother, herself a healthy 330 kg.
Mother and cub will discover the brand new polar bear habitat at Zoo
sauvage de Saint-Félicien in the spring of 2019, an event that should
be rich in emotions for the visitors who witness this unique
experience.

An exceptional contribution for the species

This birth is highly meaningful for the Zoo and the worldwide
population. Polar bear populations are on the decrease in the wild,
as well as in captivity. In 2006, there were 364 polar bears in
institutions worldwide, vs only 298 individuals in 2015. Reproduction
of the species is especially difficult in an institution, which
explains why such events are so rare. This is a first cub for Yellé,
a 13 year-old male.

The evolution of the cub can be followed on the Facebook page of
the Zoo, at https://www.facebook.com/zoosauvage/.

Christine Gagnon, Director, Education and Conservation,
+1-418-679-0543 (5278), christine.gagnon@zoosauvage.org

ots Originaltext: Zoo sauvage de Saint-Félicien - Centre de conservation de la biodiversité boréal
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Original-Content von: Zoo sauvage de Saint-Félicien - Centre de conservation de la biodiversité boréal, übermittelt durch news aktuell