Grizzly bear triplets that came to the Greater Vancouver Zoo as orphaned cubs five years ago are greeting spring in a brand new habitat.
The new enclosure is more than double the size of the grizzlies’ previous enclosure, says Menita Prasad, animal care director and deputy general manager at the Aldergrove wildlife centre.
The bears – who came to the zoo in July 2020 after their mother was shot by hunters – garnered international attention when they received their permanent home at the zoo.
Videos of the grizzly bear cub triplets romping and playing together went viral at the time, Prasad recounts.
The trio – named in a contest by zoo goers as Huggy, Henry and Scout – were raised at the zoo on formula and introduced to solid food while being taught skills including hunting, foraging and hiding.
“Their mother was shot by a poacher and, without a permanent home, the cubs would have had to be euthanized,” Prasad says, noting that that bear cubs typically spend three years with their mothers in the wild, so everything had to be taught to the triplets at the zoo.
“Because of human intervention that took place at an early age, it would not be ideal for the cubs to be released into wild,” she explains
So this new, larger habitat was in order, to accommodate the trio as they grow.
“The triplets have been a favourite with the many people attending the zoo,” Prasad says, “and their new enclosure gives them an enhanced lifestyle for the future.”
Orphaned grizzly triplets Huggy, Henry and Scout are enjoying their new, larger habitat at the Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove. Courtesy Vancouver Zoo
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