Three grizzly bears made their debut at their new home in the Central Park Zoo.
The rescued bears, named Amber, Luna and Treena, were moved from the Bronx Zoo earlier this month. The bears were orphaned as cubs in Montana and rescued by wildlife officials after Amber and Luna’s mother was illegally shot, and Treena’s mother was euthanized by officials after repeatedly entering residential areas to forage for food. The cubs were ultimately brought to the Bronx Zoo in 2013 for initial care.
The three acclimated quickly to their new enclosure and have made themselves at home climbing on the rocks, digging in the dirt, and wading in the stream and pools.
“The bears have settled in and are wonderful additions to the Central Park Zoo. They are enjoying the varied terrain and water features in the exhibit, and they have arguably one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline,” said Craig Piper, Director of WCS City Zoos. “As ambassadors for their wild cousins, their story will help people understand specific ways safely coexist with wildlife and reduce human-bear conflict, whether with grizzly bears in the West or black bears in our own back yard.”
There are currently six bears in the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) zoos, three of which are in the Central Park Zoo and three in the Bronx Zoo. Though the bears came to the zoos under different circumstances, they share a story of situations that resulted from negative interactions with humans.
The Central Park Zoo is located at Fifth Avenue and 64th Street and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. April through October, and 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. November through April. Admission is $19.95 for adults, $16.95 seniors, $14.95 for children 3 to 12, and free for children younger than 3, with tickets sold until one half-hour before closing. For more information, call 212-439-6500 or visit www.centralparkzoo.com.
