Just a few years ago there was a total of four Polar Bears at this zoo but now there is only one left and it is approximately 30 years of age. With ambitious plans to build an expanded bear complex within the next few years there is the same question that needs to be asked of other zoos...where will the bear(s) come from? Just like Oregon Zoo a couple of hours to the south, the prospect of spending millions of dollars on an exhibit and then having either zero bears or maybe a single bear seems a bit bizarre.
I agree. Between PDZ, Oregon and Omaha, what will become of these campaigns to raise funds for exhibits that may not even have the species on-show? A friend and designer has brought up the fact that there may be no chance to have Bears on-show and that most zoos know this. Yet they still fundraise and advertise for Polar Bears, knowing that they may end up with Grizzly Bears or Brown Bears. That is why most zoos and firms disguise the fact for shallower pools and more land area in these exhibits. Because they know eventually, another bear species or cat will reside in them.
For a full quarter-century there wasn't even a fence surrounding this Polar Bear exhibit, and the effect of seeing Musk Oxen in the background was amazing. Then there was the San Francisco tiger attack and in 2010 a fence was erected that somewhat destroyed the illusion of the backdrop. Here is a 2009 photo showing that there was no fence at that time:
