News & Media

ANDEAN BEAR CUB BORN AT THE PHOENIX ZOO

The New Year Brings Exciting Progress to the Conservation of Andean Bears with the

Zoo’s First Andean Bear Cub 

Rio, 17-year-old Andean bear

            PHOENIX (January 24, 2013) – The Phoenix Zoo is celebrating the birth of an Andean bear cub born to 17–year-old Rio in early January. The cub and mother appear to be doing well and animal care staff and keepers are monitoring the mother and baby, but will leave Rio to bond with and care for her cub without interference.

Rio’s cub is a very significant birth for the Andean bear managed population as she and Billie Jean, an Andean bear at the National Zoo in Washington DC, are the only Andean bears in North American zoos who have successfully reproduced since Billie Jean’s birth six years ago. Billie Jean has had two sets of twins –one set in 2010 and another set born December 2012, just three weeks before Rio’s cub was born.

Due to the delicate nature that still exists with this rare birth, Rio and her cub are in an off-view maternity den where the family can bond in a quieter environment. Zoo staff has been monitoring them through an audio baby monitor, but do not have any photos or video to provide at this time. It could even be several more weeks or months before Zoo staff sees the cub. This is the fourth cub for Rio, but for unknown reasons, all three in the past did not live more than seven days old. Our intent is to leave mom alone as much as possible without intervening.

This species has a high mortality rate, with first-year mortality at 41 percent for males and 44 percent for females.

The cub was sired by Rizarro, a 23-year-old Andean bear who came to the Phoenix Zoo in 2011 from the Pittsburg Zoo.

About Andean Bears

Andean bears are a small, arboreal, largely vegetarian bear from the Andes Mountains in South America. They are the only species of bear native to South America and are also called spectacled bears due to the white markings on their faces which make them look as if they are wearing glasses. The Andean bear is listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species with an estimated 2000-2400 left in the wild. There are approximately 56 Andean bears at 33 different AZA zoos throughout North America who are a part of the Andean bear Species Survival Plan and help work toward the future of this species through managed breeding. The Phoenix Zoo is a part of that SSP and the two bears housed here at the Phoenix Zoo in the Forest of UCO, the male Rizzaro, and the female, Rio, were selected for breeding by the SSP. Rizzaro has only been at the Phoenix Zoo since the fall of 2011, but he and Rio hit it off right away!

About the Phoenix Zoo

The Phoenix Zoo is a non-profit zoological park that serves 1.4 million guests annually. Home to more than 1, 100 animals and many endangered and threatened species, the Zoo provides experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world. For information on upcoming events, exhibits and activities at the Phoenix Zoo, visit www.phoenixzoo.org. The Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, a non-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of zoos and aquariums in the areas of conservation, education, science, and recreation. Look for the AZA logo whenever you visit a zoo or aquarium as your assurance that you are supporting a facility dedicated to providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for you, and a better future for all living things. The AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. To learn more, visit www.aza.org.