POLAR BEARS The Memphis Zoo is home to two beautiful polar bears, Koda and Haley. Haley has been with the Memphis Zoo since 2006 and Koda recently joined the family at the beginning of 2021. Haley is very smart and likes to eat, because of this, keepers are constantly trying to challenge Haley with puzzle toys. She seems to enjoy manipulating the toys to get food out of them through various sized holes. Some of her favorite foods are capelin and melon! Koda is very curious and playful. He likes exploring his exhibit and playing with toys in his pool. His favorite way to play is to throw a floating toy into the water and then pounce on it and try to sink it. He likes doing this with donut toys, barrels, and a life pan. He also really enjoys interacting with his keepers and training. He knows lots of behaviors, from husbandry behaviors that help us take care of him, like opening his mouth so we can check his teeth, to behaviors that allow him to express his creativity, like bringing his keepers toys. Polar bears are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN. They estimate that there are only about 26,000 polar
bears left in the wild. Their numbers continue to decline due to their main threat- climate change. Memphis Zoo supports polar bear conservation in partnering with Polar Bears International (PBI) through their Artic Ambassador Center. By housing polar bears at Memphis Zoo, we are able to collaborate with PBI on research, education, and action programs that address the challenges of polar bears in a warming Arctic. Memphis Zoo also participates in PBI’s Climate Alliance Program that focuses on effectively communicating about climate change and inspiring real-world solutions. Our bears are also part of a species survival plan (SSP) that manages breeding of polar bears in captivity to ensure genetically valuable offspring. It is important to have polar bears in zoos for conservation, education, and research. Breeding polar bears under human care ensures that the population will never completely die out. By having polar bears at our zoo, we have the honor of educating our visitors about these beautiful bears and the problems this species is currently facing. Our goal is to inspire our visitors to want to help polar bears and save this species for many generations to come! You might be wondering, “how can I help save polar bears in the Artic all the way from Tennessee?” You can help protect polar bears by voting, making better choices about building materials, supporting a shift from fossil fuels to clean energy, promoting clean transportation, and encouraging conversations about global warming. Start making a change today and you too can play a part in the survival of the polar bear!
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