All Three North American Bear Species

[Breckenridge]

Which zoos have all three North American bear species?

• Polar Bear
• Grizzly/Kodiak Bear
• Black Bear

The North Carolina Zoo is one that has all three, or will have all three again once it gets a new grizzly.

 

[birdsandbats]

Milwaukee did until very recently (now they only have Brown and American Black Bears).

 

[pachyderm pro]

Milwaukee did until very recently (now they only have Brown and American Black Bears).

Only brown bears actually. The last black bear died a couple years back.

 

[evilmonkey239]

Detroit had all three until 2017, when the black bears left the zoo so the grizzly habitat could be expanded.

The same could be said for Cleveland Metroparks, until their last polar bear passed away I believe in 2013.

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium still has American black, Alaskan brown, and polar bears.

 

[Dr Bright N04]

Memphis. I have not been there but im told that they have rotating brown and blacks in the teton treck exibit, and polers in another

 

[Great Argus]

This trio used to be a fair deal more common, but with the decline of the captive Polar bear population its getting a little harder. I believe San Diego and San Francisco had all three historically, SD now lacking American Black and SF only having Grizzly afaik.

 

[Coelacanth18]

The North Carolina Zoo is one that has all three, or will have all three again once it gets a new grizzly.

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium still has American black, Alaskan brown, and polar bears.

Memphis. I have not been there but im told that they have rotating brown and blacks in the teton treck exibit, and polers in another

Based on the remaining holders of Polar Bear, these plus Alaska Zoo should be the four zoos in the United States that fit the criteria. There may be zoos in other countries that do also.

 

[Pleistohorse]

The Alaska Zoo has all three.

 

[Astrotom3000]

@Breckenridge: I remember you posted this picture back in Aug. The signage seems to imply that the NC Zoo may house a different species in the future (although I am not aware of any confirmation of what is to become of the Grizzly Bear exhibit).
North Carolina Zoo: Grizzly Bear Vacant Habitat Sign - ZooChat

It's also worth mentioning that they removed all information about Grizzlies from their website.

North Carolina may no longer qualify for this distinction if they choose to house another species in the (former) Grizzly habitat.

 

[Polar bear fan]

@Breckenridge: I remember you posted this picture back in Aug. The signage seems to imply that the NC Zoo may house a different species in the future (although I am not aware of any confirmation of what is to become of the Grizzly Bear exhibit).
North Carolina Zoo: Grizzly Bear Vacant Habitat Sign - ZooChat

It's also worth mentioning that they removed all information about Grizzlies from their website.

North Carolina may no longer qualify for this distinction if they choose to house another species in the (former) Grizzly habitat.

That would be shocking. They just completely renovated the exhibit for brown bears and Tomo only inhabited it for a few months. Thank you for the sign image!

 

[Breckenridge]

That would be shocking. They just completely renovated the exhibit for brown bears and Tomo only inhabited it for a few months. Thank you for the sign image!

Working at the zoo over the summer, I've heard that a new grizzly from another zoo has been located but everything will take time and nothing is set in stone.

 

[Breckenridge]

@Breckenridge: I remember you posted this picture back in Aug. The signage seems to imply that the NC Zoo may house a different species in the future (although I am not aware of any confirmation of what is to become of the Grizzly Bear exhibit).
North Carolina Zoo: Grizzly Bear Vacant Habitat Sign - ZooChat

It's also worth mentioning that they removed all information about Grizzlies from their website.

North Carolina may no longer qualify for this distinction if they choose to house another species in the (former) Grizzly habitat.

When the old peregrine falcon exhibit was renovated to house a porcupine, the sign explicitly stated that a 'new species' was coming. However, the sign at the grizzly habitat states 'another animal' will be there soon. I'm taking this to mean another bear rather than a completely new species, especially since, like @Polar bear fan said, they had just recently renovated the exhibit for grizzlies.

 

[Astrotom3000]

When the old peregrine falcon exhibit was renovated to house a porcupine, the sign explicitly stated that a 'new species' was coming. However, the sign at the grizzly habitat states 'another animal' will be there soon. I'm taking this to mean another bear rather than a completely new species, especially since, like @Polar bear fan said, they had just recently renovated the exhibit for grizzlies.

hey @Breckenridge and @Polar bear fan, thank you both for the info. Also, good catch on the signs. I do remember that they renovated the habitat back in 2019, but I did not recall seeing anything within the habitat itself (when where the renovations completed? I have not had the chance to visit since the pandemic started). This is all good to hear nonetheless.

 

[Breckenridge]

hey @Breckenridge and @Polar bear fan, thank you both for the info. Also, good catch on the signs. I do remember that they renovated the habitat back in 2019, but I did not recall seeing anything within the habitat itself (when where the renovations completed? I have not had the chance to visit since the pandemic started). This is all good to hear nonetheless.

I found this news story from August of 2020.

 

[snowleopard]

It would appear that @Coelacanth18 is correct. Alaska, Memphis and Columbus are currently the only three zoos in the USA that have all three North American bear species. It's likely that North Carolina will once again have all three species next year.

 

[Breckenridge]

It would appear that @Coelacanth18 is correct. Alaska, Memphis and Columbus are currently the only three zoos in the USA that have all three North American bear species. It's likely that North Carolina will once again have all three species next year.

What about zoos in Canada?

 

[snowleopard]

What about zoos in Canada?

Calgary Zoo currently has black and grizzly bears, with a $31 million polar bear complex opening up in 2023. I don't think any other Canadian zoo has all three species.

 

[Tiger]

There are currently no zoos in Europe with all 3 North American bear species. But historically, there have been many. These are the ones I could find:
Zoo Antwerpen
Limburgse Zoo
Artis
Rotterdam Zoo (still has Polar bears)
Berlin Zoo (still has Polar bears)
Zoo Leipzig
Zoo Hannover (still has polar bears)
Zoo Frankfurt
Cologne Zoo
Zoo Duisburg
Sofia Zoo (still has American grizzly bears)
Vincennes Zoo
Zagreb Zoo
Prague Zoo (still has Polar Bears)
London Zoo
Edinburgh Zoo
Dudley Zoo

 

[Tim May]

There are currently no zoos in Europe with all 3 North American bear species. But historically, there have been many. These are the ones I could find:
......Berlin Zoo (still has Polar bears)....
......Vincennes Zoo.....

And it's probably worth adding that, in addition to holding polar bear, brown bear and American black bear, there was a time when both Berlin Zoo and Vincennes (Paris) Zoo held every bear species (i.e. in addition to the three North American species, they also simultaneously held Asiatic black bear, sloth bear, sun bear, spectacled bear and giant panda too).

 

[Tiger]

And it's probably worth adding that, in addition to holding polar bear, brown bear and American black bear, there was a time when both Berlin Zoo and Vincennes (Paris) Zoo held every bear species (i.e. in addition to the three North American species, they also simultaneously held Asiatic black bear, sloth bear, sun bear, spectacled bear and giant panda too).

Zoo Antwerpen also had all 8 bear species. From 1854 to 1914, they had 6 bear species at the same time.