Sun Bear Exhibit

Sun Bear Exhibit
14-08-2011

July 26th, 2011.

02-07-2012

When this exhibit first opened, it had grass covering the ground and looked quite nice. The bears demolished all of it in a very short time and ever since it has looked rather ugly.

03-07-2012

Are you sure that this exhibit had grass because to me this looks like the ground is concrete. Also this enclosure looks basicaly like a bear pit.

06-07-2012

Yes I am sure and I thought it was strange too that once it was gone it was solid concrete. I guess they built a concrete foundation and covered it with a layer of dirt and grass.

08-07-2012

The concrete is probably why the grass and other plants quickly died away too.

08-07-2012

I personally don't care for the concrete, but does anybody know if the bears care?

08-07-2012

I've heard that all-cement grottoes are tough on the joints of bears, especially when they reach old age and sometimes get arthritis. Other than causing problems with water filtration in pools I have no idea why zoos with bear grottoes don't dump a layer of dirt in the exhibits, or pile it in a corner and bury treats for the bruins.

09-07-2012

They had problems with the male sun bear they got from Woodland Park zoo in getting accustomed to the exhibit. Haven't heard anything from that in awhile, but they haven't had cubs in awhile.

10-07-2012

Originally it had large areas of soil as "planting pockets" in the concrete work. As is often the case, the pressure to open the exhibit meant that plantings were not given sufficient time to become established. In fact, they only had time to try to establish grass by placing layers of sod on the soil areas, just prior to giving the bears access. On day one the bears simply rolled up the sod and deposited it into the moats and pools. Concrete was added to "seal" the soil areas (why I don't know--bare soil would have been better than 100% "grotto rock.")

11-07-2012

While on my last "Sunrise Stroll" the educator told us that the sloth bear, Ken, was moving to another zoo to breed. The plan is to move the sun bears into his old exhibit. I don't know when this is going to happen.

11-07-2012

Then what will happen to the current sun bear exhibit?