There’s a new cub in town and he’s almost too cute to bear.
The first-ever Andean bear born in New York City is ready to greet visitors at the Wildlife Conservation Society’s Queens Zoo.
The fluffy 25-pound cub has yet to be named but is happily exploring his sprawling digs in Flushing Meadows-Corona Park. He was born in November but spent the last several months nursing with his mom, out of public view.
“I would say it’s probably the single most exciting birth I have experienced since I have been here,” said Queens Zoo director and animal curator Scott Silver.
Nicole, the cub’s mama, is one of just six Andean bears in North America who can have cubs. A 6-year-old male named Bouba came to the zoo around the same time as Nicole a little more than two years ago.
Zoo officials have been trying for over 10 years to breed the bears, which are threatened with extinction. Andean bears are the only bear species native to South America and their numbers have dwindled due to overhunting and loss of natural habitat.
“This little guy may be adorable, but more importantly he reminds us of what we stand to lose when a species is in danger of extinction,” Silver said. “We are excited to introduce the cub to New York and to share the work WCS and our partners are doing to save Andean bears and many other species in the wild.”
Until recently the first-time mom has been caring for her new bundle of joy in privacy. But now the cub is ready for the spotlight.
“Bear mothers can be very protective and very nervous, but she’s been great,” Silver said. “She’s very relaxed.”
Nicole and Bouba were brought to NYC as part of the Species Survival Plan, a breeding program instituted by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums to ensure genetic diversity in animal populations.
