Unique moment: polar bear cub Otis explores outdoor enclosure at Eindhoven Zoo

The polar bear cub has explored Eindhoven Zoo's outdoor enclosure with its mother for the first time. The delivery, during the mother's winter rest, took place in the special maternity room of the indoor enclosure at the end of November. A unique moment, as it is the only polar bear born in Europe last year.

Right after the door opened, mother Frimas came out with young polar bear Otis. Head zookeeper Stephan Rijnen: "It always remains to be seen how long it takes for them to come out, but this went completely by the book!"

Cameras are installed in the enclosure, so the animal caretakers were able to keep a close eye on how the little polar bear was doing. "We saw that the young bear was already standing firmly on its paws and was already exploring quite a bit in the indoor enclosure. The little one was also playing with the food and there was a lot of playful energy directed at the mother. It is a sign that it is time to explore the outside world," Rijnen said.

Male
In February, animal keepers were able to see through camera footage that it was a male. On social media, followers could help decide on the name. They chose the name Otis.

In order to mimic the situation in the wild as much as possible, a specially designed maternity chamber has been linked to the indoor enclosure. Rijnen: "In the wild, the mother goes into hibernation for several months, and with a well-filled stomach, in a snow hole she has dug herself to give birth there. Upon awakening, she meets her young for the first time."

Unique
The polar bear's status in the wild is "vulnerable. It means that if the polar bear's natural habitat is not better protected, the species is at high risk of extinction. Zoos at the European level ensure a healthy reserve population. Each animal species has one coordinator from the management program, who critically examines both the genetic background of the animals and the space available for offspring in European zoos. Rijnen: "Only in Eindhoven Zoo was a healthy polar bear born last year. It makes it extra unique!"

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