The Detroit Zoo said that two polar bear cubs, Astra and Laerke, will be transferred to the Point Defiance Zoo this spring.
The Point Defiance Zoo is in Tacoma, Washington, and the transfer is being conducted due to recommendations by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums polar bear population experts.
Astra and Laerke were born Nov. 17, 2020, to mother Suka and father Nuka.
Laerke suffered a medical emergency just two days after birth, and was separated from her sister for life-saving care from DZS animal care staff.
The cubs were apart for more than two years before they were reunited in the spring of 2023 at the Arctic Ring of Life habitat, and the zoo said they have been inseparable since.
The Zoo has been posting videos of the two playing and running around.
According to the zoo, the polar bears are at the age where they would be on their own in the wild, away from their mother, which makes the move natural and necessary for their development.
“We are saddened Laerke and Astra will be leaving us, but the Detroit Zoo is so proud to have played a role that influenced how these two cubs grew up,” said Betsie Meister, associate curator of mammals for the DZS. “With that said, we know they are going to a great home at Point Defiance Zoo, another outstanding, AZA-accredited facility, and we are confident they will thrive in their new environment.”
“Astra and Laerke are high-energy, playful bears who each have an incredible story,” added Malia Somerville, interim general curator for Point Defiance Zoo. “Our animal care and veterinary teams have decades of experience caring for polar bears, and we are looking forward to introducing the sisters to our community here in Tacoma – where we will help them grow in their new home.”
Point Defiance Zoo has been home to polar bears for more than 80 years, and is certified by Polar Bears International as an arctic ambassador center.
The zoo's last remaining polar bear, Blizzard, was diagnosed with liver cancer and humanely euthanized in May 2022.
“We know Astra and Laerke will be warmly welcomed to Point Defiance Zoo,” Somerville said. “Our guests, staff and volunteers have been eager to see polar bears return, as they have always inspired our community to take action in their own lives to reduce their carbon footprint and help protect polar bears in the wild. Polar bears need sea ice to survive, but the seasonal ice they depend on is shrinking due to climate warming.”
