Two orphaned bears have been taken in by a zoo in Kansas after their mother was shot dead by a hunter.
Adorable photos show the twin black bear cubs – a brother and sister – playing in Sedgwick County Zoo who announced the news Wednesday.
The bears, who arrived from Oregon, will be eligible for public viewing in the exhibit as soon as Monday.
‘Without their mother’s guidance, bear cubs face a multitude of dangers,’ Chelsey Schartz, Sedgwick County Zoo marketing manager told local NBC affiliate KSNW.
‘At around eight pounds each, they lack the skills to hunt, fend for themselves, and survive the harsh winters.’
Two orphaned bears arrived at a zoo in Kansas after their mother was shot dead by a hunter
The Sedgwick County Zoo announced Wednesday that they had received a pair of twin black bear cub twins, a brother and sister, from Oregon after their mother was shot and killed
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) took action to rescue the bears. They then contacted Sedgwick County Zoo, which was already on a waiting list to receive black bears in need of a new home.
The zoo had a perfect opportunity, as their previous resident, Mitch, had passed away from old age in December.
‘When you walk by the habitat, and Mitch isn’t there, you kind of feel this little sinking in your heart, but now when you walk by, there’s going to be two baby cubs,’ Schartz said.
To ensure the cubs’ well-being during transport from Oregon to Wichita, the Sedgwick County Zoo enlisted the help of the Sheriff’s Office, who acquired a new plane last year.
The bears will be eligible for public viewing in the exhibit as soon as Monday
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) took action to rescue the bears. They then contacted Sedgwick County Zoo, which was already on a waiting list to receive black bears in need of a new home
The shorter travel time, now less than six hours, allowed zoo staff to continue feeding the cubs milk every two hours throughout the flight.
At first, it was a struggle to fit the two cubs on board the plane.
‘Luckily, The Wildlife Safari there in Oregon were more than happy to help the Sedgwick County Zoo out with getting two smaller kennels to fit there a little bit more properly,’ said the Communication Coordinator for the SCSO, Hannah Abou-Faissal.
Scott Newland, the President and CEO of the Sedgwick County Zoo, sad he estimates the cubs age are between three and four months old, and they’ve been happily settling into their new home for the past few weeks.
To ensure their well-being, the bears will have short, supervised appearances until they’re old enough to be unsupervised.
To ensure the cubs’ well-being during transport from Oregon to Wichita, the Sedgwick County Zoo enlisted the help of the Sheriff’s Office, who acquired a new plane last year
The shorter travel time, now less than six hours, allowed zoo staff to continue feeding the cubs milk every two hours throughout the flight
‘The bears are so tiny that we are kind of, they could get themselves in trouble on exhibit if left by themselves,’ Newland said.
‘So until they’re big enough and know all the ins and outs of the exhibit, we will have staff out there with them during specific times each day so guests can come see them.’
The zoo is collaborating with Oregon Fish and Wildlife to choose names that reflect the cubs’ birthplace.
The Sedgwick County Zoo website will post updates on when these yet-to-be-named cubs will make their public debut.
