The Newest, Cutest Baby Animals from the World's Zoos & Aquariums

Bear Fight!

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Kali sizes up her opponent…

On March 12, an Inuit hunter shot and killed a female Polar Bear near Point Lay, Alaska. When he realized it was a female, he searched for the den and found young Kali, a 3 – 4 month cub. The hunter then carried the cub to the Department of Wildlife Management who then passed the healthy 18.4lb cub to the Alaska Zoo who was equipped to care for the orphan.

Thankfully the cub has so far thrived under the care of keepers and veterinarians, exhibiting the trademark playfulness of his age and species. In these photos, taken by volunteer photographer John Gomes at the Alaska Zoo, the cub takes on a similarly sized opponent. Plans are in the works to relocate the cub to the Buffalo Zoo in New York, which recently welcomed another cub, Luna. 

Kali makes the first move

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Brown Bear gets the upper paw! 

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Exhausted, they agree to disagree

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Photos courtesy of Alaska Zoo / John Gomes

Polar Bears are one of the most recognizable animals threatened by melting polar ice. The Alaska Zoo works with Polar Bears International (PBI) to try to reverse this troubling trend. The Alaska Zoo is a PBI Arctic Ambassador Center, which means they:

* Strive for bear friendly exhibits with enrichment activities to stimulate the bears to be active and content

* Provide leadership for carbon emission reduction in their communities

* Support PBI research projects to help conserve wild polar bears

* Play a key role in the PBI Sustainability Alliance, a front-line team helping to save polar bears in a rapidly warming Arctic

Thanks to Jaymie Wahlen for her help on this post.

10 responses to “Bear Fight!”

  1. Classic Steve Avatar
    Classic Steve

    Aww, what a friend.

    Reply
  2. edward Avatar
    edward

    so native tribal killed female polar bear to get some food. but I think that it must be ban even though native Alaskan. don’t they even know that polar bears have been decreased numbers? we have to protect them. I think that the hunter should go to jail for this.

    Reply
  3. Julia Peters Avatar
    Julia Peters

    What the hell was that hunter doing shooting a polar bear?!?! Oh, it’s okay, because now her cub can look forward to a life of captivity without his mother, without a proper wild life. Well done >:(

    Reply
  4. Hilary Minor Avatar
    Hilary Minor

    I, too, am shocked that, given the threats to Polar bears from environmental warming and encroachment of people into their territories, bear hunting is still allowed. These animals are critically endangered and their hunting should be banned outright. I suppose we should be glad that the hunter took the time and trouble to look for and find the den and take the baby to where it could be cared for. That does at least show some concern for the animals the hunter goes in search of to kill!! The photographs of the baby are wonderful, of course, like all Zooborn’s photographs, but my heart bleeds for it! It would have been much better off with a live mother.

    Reply
  5. Jen Avatar
    Jen

    As sad as it is, Inuit’s do have special permission to hunt animals that others do not. Polar bears and whales, in particular, offer not only meat and nutrition that they might not otherwise get but they also generally tend to use everything from the animals. Fur, blubber, etc., are all used in every day life.
    I believe they’re monitored to make sure they don’t overhunt. I have no problem banning polar bear hunting to people who can, you know, hop in a car and go hit Safeway or Giant but special circumstances do arise. As long as it’s monitored and as long as those that live in places like this can balance nature and their needs, I honestly believe that Inuit hunting doesn’t put as much of a harmful dent into polar bear or whale population as one might think (one documentary I watched recently referenced a whale that was killed as the ‘one for the year / season’).
    Now, climate change on the other hand …

    Reply
  6. Classic Steve Avatar
    Classic Steve

    Officially, they are classified as threatened, not endangered.

    Reply
  7. Gale McCullough Avatar
    Gale McCullough

    Sad as it is that Inuit still hunt Polar Bear, I admire the hunter for going to check for a cub and bringing it to a place that could care for it.

    Reply
  8. Aron Avatar
    Aron

    Jen, you are absolutely right. The Inuit have a special relationship with Arctic wildlife. And I think it would be a tragedy were they forced to abandon their heritage.
    I feel this act of kindness and compassion says much to their character.
    And the photos simply prove the axiom that ‘everyone needs a teddy bear.’ 🙂

    Reply
  9. dennis compayre Avatar
    dennis compayre

    sad part about all this is that the very organization that partners with this zoo, Polar Bears International, has come out in support of the killing of polar bears by indigenous people, whether for their own consumption or to sell their permits to big game hunters.This organization is a huge advocate for the capture and caging of wild polar bears for selected zoo’s, in the name of science of course…….burp!

    Reply
  10. Dominic Huber Avatar
    Dominic Huber

    Kali is currently living at the St. Louis Zoo. He’s a happy guy. The kids who come love to watch him play. Since he is at the age where polar bears are solitary, he’s the only polar bear at the zoo. I love watching him. Because I come to the zoo so often, he knows me and will often pounce at me.

    Reply

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