Eindhoven Zoo welcomes new male polar bear

Eindhoven Zoo has a new resident: the male polar bear Wilbär from Sweden. This new male has moved to the zoo in Mierlo as part of the European animal management program.

Wilbär has already met Frimas, the female polar bear already living in Eindhoven Zoo. She first lived here together with male Henk and their cubs, Nivi and Elva. Henk and Nivi have since left for another zoo because of the management program. Elva will also move to another place soon, but is currently still living with mother Frimas in Eindhoven Zoo.

Management Program
Polar bears are vulnerable in nature, which is why European zoos have established a management program for this species. This ensures a healthy backup population of endangered species in the parks. The coordinator of the program keeps a pedigree book for each animal, which includes records of which zoo they were born in and who the parents and grandparents are and whether there are any diseases in this family line, for example. Based on this information, the coordinator decides where the polar bears can best live and possibly with whom.

Wilbär arrived at Eindhoven Zoo last weekend. The 14-year-old male was moved from the zoo in Orsa, Sweden. Stephan Rijnen, head zookeeper, says: "We enjoy doing our part to contribute to the preservation of this species. We therefore hope that with the arrival of Wilbär we will be able to welcome one or more cubs in a while."

Threat
Polar bears are struggling in the wild. The main threat to the polar bear is climate change. This is because the sea ice is melting at a rapid rate due to rising temperatures. Rijnen reveals, "If it continues, within one generation most of the Arctic will be ice-free in summer. Polar bears need ice to survive, since they cannot hunt very well in the water. They mainly eat ringed seals and catch them from the ice. The animals wait patiently at an air hole in the ice for a seal to come up for breath and then strike. If there is no longer enough ice, eating seals becomes more difficult."

In addition, with the disappearance of their habitat, they are increasingly migrating to villages to scavenge for food. As a result, the polar bear often comes into contact with humans and usually does not survive this collision.

Support
Eindhoven Zoo is therefore not only committed to the polar bear through its management program, but also supports Stichting Wildlife. This foundation is committed to various nature conservation projects. One of these projects is Polar Bears International, which protects these animals and the ice on which these bears depend. The foundation does this through education, research and by getting involved in politics. In this way it tries to raise awareness about the threat to the future of these animals' habitat.

Want to read more? And always stay up to date with the latest animal news and updates from now on? Then subscribehere sign up for the Eindhoven Zoo newsletter.