Hello, goodbye: Zoos work to secure polar bear future

St. Louis bear Kallik is moving to Portland, and Nora will transfer to Henry Vilas Zoo

Big changes and new faces are in store at the Oregon Zoo as part of a new national initiative to help polar bears. Later this fall, the zoo will say hello to Kallik (Kah-LEEK), a playful young male bear from the Saint Louis Zoo, and goodbye to Nora, who will move to Wisconsin's Henry Vilas Zoo in the hopes that she can raise cubs and add to the population of this imperiled species.

The moves are part of a comprehensive plan rolled out by members of the Polar Bear Population Alliance - a new consortium of Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited organizations focused on maintaining a sustainable, genetically diverse polar bear population in the United States. Polar bears, classified as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, face a high risk of global extinction due to changes in their Arctic habitat.

"We're going to miss Nora," said Rachel Ritchason, the Oregon Zoo's deputy director of animal care. "In some ways, it feels like she grew up here. But we know this is an important step for her as well as for the overall polar bear population. It would be amazing to see her raise some cubs and help ensure a long-term future for this very vulnerable species."

Ritchason said accredited zoos and aquariums are working to prevent extinction on two fronts: supporting efforts to protect wild bears in the Arctic while also striving to sustain a healthy population in professional care. Conservationists say both efforts are critical.

"Modern zoos and aquariums play a key part in saving this species," said Amy Cutting, vice president of conservation at Polar Bears International. "Polar bears live in one of the harshest environments on the planet, making them notoriously difficult to study so we have gaps in our understanding of how climate action is affecting them. The bears in professional care can help."

Nora has already lent a big helping paw to conservation science - assisting with the calibration of a bear laser that measures body mass; using a swim flume to determine the caloric requirements of wild bears; and beta testing the "Burr on Fur," a tech innovation to help track bears in the Arctic.

Bears at accredited zoos and aquariums also act as "Arctic ambassadors," Cutting said, forming deep connections with guests and delivering messages about climate change and wildlife conservation to millions of people who might not otherwise hear them.

Nora was born Nov. 6, 2015, at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, and - when her mother began leaving her unattended in the den for prolonged periods of time - Columbus caregivers made the difficult decision to step in and hand-rear the tiny cub, feeding her from a bottle until she was old enough to eat on her own. She came to Portland in September 2016, briefly spending time with the geriatric polar bear Tasul, before moving to the Hogle Zoo in 2017, where caregivers introduced her to Hope, a female bear around her same age. Nora returned to Portland with the opening of Polar Passage in 2021.

In Wisconsin, Nora will first get acquainted with Berit - a 26-year-old female bear who has acted as a nurturing "auntie" to younger bears. Eventually, Nora will be introduced to a male bear in the hope that she can raise cubs.

"Nora is such a special bear," said Rachel Ritchason, the Oregon Zoo's deputy director of animal care. "She has fans all over the country - from Ohio, where folks still call her their 'buckeye bear,' to Utah, where she first learned how to interact with other bears. We know Wisconsinites are going to connect with her too."

Kallik was born Nov. 11, 2022, at the Toledo Zoo & Aquarium and moved to St. Louis earlier this year with his twin brother, Kallu. Kallik weighs nearly 700 pounds and caregivers say he is energetic, playful and curious. From around 2.5 to 5 years old, polar bears are considered "subadults." During this important time, they are growing, developing hormonally, learning new skills and seeking more independence. Like some wild bears, Kallik and Kallu spent their first summer as subadults together. Now they are ready for their next steps toward adulthood.

When they're older, Kallu and Kallik may be recommended to pair with female polar bears, though plans for that have yet to be determined. In the meantime, guests needn't worry about either of these bears being on their own: Polar bears generally lead solitary lives except when they're breeding or raising cubs, according to wildlife biologists.