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Sloth Bear News » Boise Zoo

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  #1
Sloth Bear News
Old 20-10-2008
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Zoo Boise's sloth bear heading to Seattle


Medina, Zoo Boise’s female sloth bear, is leaving Oct. 21 for Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo as part of a species survival program. This is the last weekend to visit her at Zoo Boise.

Medina is part of an SSP -- or Species Survival Plan. Accredited zoos across the country participate in SSP, which is a captive breeding program designed to ensure a genetically healthy population of an endangered species. Medina is part of the sloth bear SSP.

“The SSP committee has recommended that Medina go to the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle to breed. While we are sad to see her go, we fully understand that this is necessary to ensure the long-term survival of this species, which has dwindled to less than 20,000 individuals in the wild,” says Steve Burns, Director of Zoo Boise.

Sloth bears are native to India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Bhutan. Loss of habitat is the biggest reason for their decline. Sloth bears primarily eat insects in the wild. Their sharp claws allow them to tear into termite mounds, ant hills and bee nests. They also have lips they can pucker like they’re going to whistle. They stick those lips up to a hole in an insect nest and suck out the inhabitants.

“SSP programs have been successful in not only keeping populations of endangered species alive in zoos, they have also helped by providing endangered animals to reintroduce back into the wild. Examples are California condors, golden lion tamarins and scimitar horned oryx.”

In a couple weeks, Zoo Boise will receive an Asiatic black bear from the zoo in Garden City, Kansas.

In addition to saying goodbye to Medina, visitors can also visit the new Mr. & Mrs. Clarence B. Wilmot African Plains Exhibit, which features lions, giraffes and an assortment of other African animals.

Zoo Boise is located in Julia Davis Park in downtown Boise. Hours are 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Admission is $6.50 for adults, $4 for seniors age 62 and older, $3.75 for children age 4-11 and free for children under age 3. For more information, click here.
Zoo Boise's bear grotto is inadequate for breeding.
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  #2
Old 20-10-2008
That's good news, Sloth bears are so unique animals, they are passive and peaceful but at times they are so deadly, your pet tiger won't want to play with him!
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  #3
Old 20-10-2008
As a side note, Medina is the only sloth bear to ever be displayed in the state of Idaho. That won't be true for long, as Tautphaus Park Zoo in Idaho Falls will be opening a sloth bear exhibit next spring.
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  #4
Old 20-10-2008
Hopefully all and all breeding will be successful, for the future,
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  #5
Old 20-10-2008
That's a good move, Medina is a highly ranked female. Congrats with the addition of an Asiatic Black Bear. This is now a rare species in US captivity...this species is being phased out in favor for more endangered bear species (ie Sun & Sloth).
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  #6
Old 20-10-2008
Yeah, at one point I believe the plan was to send Medina to Seattle, and send there two male siblings to Boise, but they den together and Zoo Boise's denning facilities aren't large enough. It'll be nice to have a "moon" bear on display here, I've only ever seen that species on a few rare occaisions.
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  #7
Old 20-10-2008
I believe those two male sibilings will be going to the Lee Richardson Zoo in Garden City, KS and Tautphaus Park Zoo will be getting two sibling males from Little Rock.
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  #8
Old 20-10-2008
On an unrelated off-topic note, I hear Zoo Boise is pursuing warthogs so I'm curious as to find out where they will be coming from.
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  #9
Old 20-10-2008
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Originally Posted by okapikpr View Post
That's a good move, Medina is a highly ranked female. Congrats with the addition of an Asiatic Black Bear. This is now a rare species in US captivity...this species is being phased out in favor for more endangered bear species (ie Sun & Sloth).
Sorry I'm not an expert on bears but what does it mean by highly ranked female?
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  #10
Old 20-10-2008
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Originally Posted by dragon(ele)nerd View Post
Sorry I'm not an expert on bears but what does it mean by highly ranked female?
I think that means that they are highly ranked in the gene pool, as she is not well represented in the North American gene pool. Probably they could clarify it more than I did.
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  #11
Old 20-10-2008
Probably the most likely situation, I doubt that Sloth bear ( like most bears) are social creatures,
 

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