Nile Hippo Expert
Well-Known Member
This article posted yesterday about their new Andean Bear 100% confirms Fong is still alive!
Racine Zoo welcomes newest resident, an Andean Bear named Inti!
The fate of Sun Bears in the US
- Thread starter John Marchwick
- Start date
Racine Zoo welcomes newest resident, an Andean Bear named Inti!
My understanding is all remaining individuals are elderly and above breeding age, resulting in the many recent deaths and the remainung animals being lethargic and non-showy.
In such case, they would not be helpful to the EAZA program and moving could cause more harm than good as they are very sensitive, but if there were breeding age individuals left, exporting them would make sense.
Perhaps US institutioms with further interest could act as retirement communities for elderly EAZA animals or non-breeding rescues, provided suxh facilities are already breeding sloth or Andean bears so there is no conflict of interest. (Brookfield intends to continue with sloth bears.)
In such case, they would not be helpful to the EAZA program and moving could cause more harm than good as they are very sensitive, but if there were breeding age individuals left, exporting them would make sense.
Perhaps US institutioms with further interest could act as retirement communities for elderly EAZA animals or non-breeding rescues, provided suxh facilities are already breeding sloth or Andean bears so there is no conflict of interest. (Brookfield intends to continue with sloth bears.)
Eletan888
Active Member
What do you all think about the Philly and Brookfield zoos including sun bears in their future plans. From what I can recall, Brookfield explicitly mentions the species by name while Philly just including them in rendering of their remodeled exhibit.
I would like to believe that if we can breed Giant pandas, than we can breed sun bears, we just need to invest resources more and import healthy individuals. However, I'll never claim to be an expert on reproductive sciences lol, I'm just hopeful and naively optimistic. I'm honestly not a huge carnivore person, but for some reason I'm incredibly passionate about the AZA reviving their SSP! How's the EAZA's population going?
I would like to believe that if we can breed Giant pandas, than we can breed sun bears, we just need to invest resources more and import healthy individuals. However, I'll never claim to be an expert on reproductive sciences lol, I'm just hopeful and naively optimistic. I'm honestly not a huge carnivore person, but for some reason I'm incredibly passionate about the AZA reviving their SSP! How's the EAZA's population going?
When looking at the Philadelphia Zoo renderings, it actually looked like to me they used A.I. for "black bear" which resulted in a combo of American black bear, sloth bear, sun bear, and Asiatic black bear. But in reality, I think they're only going to bring back Andean and sloth bear. I could be wrong.[/QUOTE]
Philly's application for renovating Bear Country only listed sloth and Andean bears. I love sun bears as much as the next guy, but considering they're focusing on breeding their sloth bears and any future Andean bears they'd get, they'd need as much space as possible.
There’s 9.23 Malayan sun bears held across European zoos. This includes five females born 2018-2019 and a sixth young bear born 2022.
The Australasian region has an ageing population of sun bears. We have 2.5 bears, with the youngest three being females born 2006 2008, 2010. The problem around establishing a semi-sustainable population in Australasia (in addition to the lack of available bears in recent years) has been that the founders have come from a variety of backgrounds, including rescued bears - some of which have been socially maladapted.
Australasia’s most successful breeding female by far was a US born female named Chomel (1988-2009), who lived at Wellington Zoo and produced six litters with two males. She was mother raised and had a twin brother, also giving birth to sets of twins herself. Her only surviving daughter is the female born 2006, who sadly hasn’t go into a breeding situation (in part due to the lack of available males).
There is little chance of Sun Bears returning as any sort of program. The youngest animal was born in 2008, meaning all of them are over half the potential lifespan. Imports could in theory be possible, but the bear programs are already in heavy contention for space and trying to re-establish another program would simply make it worse. Reimporting Sun Bears when breeding success has been near nil for some two decades is not a worthwhile gamble when it would get in a crunch with Sloth and Andean.
GFgomez
Well-Known Member
The sun bear conservation in Borneo has sun bears ready to be imported to the us. However there’s a
Conflict with governments and importing them.
could it be a possibility that zoos that can house them keep the species? For example zoos that house sun bears based on Climate , space etc.
Animal Asia has a good grip on asiatic bears which makes sense for a phase out but what about sunbears there are about estimated 1,000 in the wild. A very low number. Will they be eventually be extinct ? Following the same concept of panda bears. Many Malayan sun bears have been born in us zoos . Zoo Miami /SD had a great success rate. I just think there is still a possibility for them.
I wonder if this is in part due to the Malay government retaining ownership of all Borneans. Though the AZA is not recommending holding Sun Bear at this point.
A good handful have been born, but since 2000 there were only 3 births - only 2 of which are still alive. Of the 10 bears still alive, half of them are wild born. The population never really stood on its feet that well.
There is a want in Australia and New Zealand for a potential future in continuing keeping sun bears some of the zoos in our two countries; provided of course they can still be looked after with top standards (but thats just a given).
Australasia has seven: 2.4* sun bears left in Australia and 0.1* sun bear left in New Zealand - The youngest of whom (and last born in the region) is 0.1 Mary who was born at National Zoo' in Canberra, Australia in February 2010.
Our region has most of its individuals because of the wonderful 'Free The Bears' organisation working in south-east Asia and east Asia, however because of the unfortunate tuberculosis cases in many of the 'F.T.B's sanctuaries it has made further imports much harder especially because of our country's strict importation laws which cant personally criticise about on tuberculosis avoidance front.
In short though, if the United States zoos are working really well with sloth bears and specatcled bear. Would personally like to think maybe your region could potentially export sun bears to ours in the mid-term future.
*Arataki & Jamran (2.0) and Bopha, Maly, Mary & Otay (0.4) at four zoos: National Zoo' (Canberra), Perth Zoo, Taronga Zoo (Sydney) and Wildlife HQ Zoo (Woombye/Sunshine Coast region).
**Sasa (0.1) at Wellington Zoo.
Australasia has seven: 2.4* sun bears left in Australia and 0.1* sun bear left in New Zealand - The youngest of whom (and last born in the region) is 0.1 Mary who was born at National Zoo' in Canberra, Australia in February 2010.
Our region has most of its individuals because of the wonderful 'Free The Bears' organisation working in south-east Asia and east Asia, however because of the unfortunate tuberculosis cases in many of the 'F.T.B's sanctuaries it has made further imports much harder especially because of our country's strict importation laws which cant personally criticise about on tuberculosis avoidance front.
In short though, if the United States zoos are working really well with sloth bears and specatcled bear. Would personally like to think maybe your region could potentially export sun bears to ours in the mid-term future.
*Arataki & Jamran (2.0) and Bopha, Maly, Mary & Otay (0.4) at four zoos: National Zoo' (Canberra), Perth Zoo, Taronga Zoo (Sydney) and Wildlife HQ Zoo (Woombye/Sunshine Coast region).
**Sasa (0.1) at Wellington Zoo.
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I really wish export to Australasian zoos had been possible/considered earlier as the sun bears in the US are mostly geriatric and from a welfare perspective it would be considered in their best interests to remain in the US.
The males especially would have been invaluable considering Australasian zoos have three ageing females that have never been paired.
Audubon Zoo:
0.1 Lorraine (Circa August 1, 1997)
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve:
0.1 Emika (Circa 2004)
Honolulu Zoo:
1.0 Blackie (Circa September 4, 1996)
Racine Zoo:
1.0 Fong (June 5, 1995)
Oakland Zoo:
0.1 Bulan (Circa September 24, 2006) Dibu x Marcella
0.1 Pagi (October 25, 2008) Dibu x Marcella
Saint Louis Zoo:
1.0 Rimba (Circa 1997)
San Diego Zoo:
0.1 Marcella (Circa 1996)
Zoo Atlanta:
1.0 Xander (October 10, 1999)
0.1 Sabah (October 17, 1997)
ZooTampa:
1.0 Kacey (Circa October 24, 2001)
Circa is within a year of that date e.g. Marcella was reported to be 28 years old in August 2024, so likely 1996 (with a slim possibility she was born end of 1995).
Circa Full DOB, means the DOB is based on a birthday post saying “Today we celebrate X turning X years old.” i.e allow up to seven days either side to account for a zoo celebrating a birthday on a convenient day rather than the actual birthday.
Acknowledgements to @Nile Hippo Expert and @GFgomez for providing updated list of names current to 2024/2025, which enabled me to research DOB’s.
0.1 Lorraine (Circa August 1, 1997)
Catoctin Wildlife Preserve:
0.1 Emika (Circa 2004)
Honolulu Zoo:
1.0 Blackie (Circa September 4, 1996)
Racine Zoo:
1.0 Fong (June 5, 1995)
Oakland Zoo:
0.1 Bulan (Circa September 24, 2006) Dibu x Marcella
0.1 Pagi (October 25, 2008) Dibu x Marcella
Saint Louis Zoo:
1.0 Rimba (Circa 1997)
San Diego Zoo:
0.1 Marcella (Circa 1996)
Zoo Atlanta:
1.0 Xander (October 10, 1999)
0.1 Sabah (October 17, 1997)
ZooTampa:
1.0 Kacey (Circa October 24, 2001)
Circa is within a year of that date e.g. Marcella was reported to be 28 years old in August 2024, so likely 1996 (with a slim possibility she was born end of 1995).
Circa Full DOB, means the DOB is based on a birthday post saying “Today we celebrate X turning X years old.” i.e allow up to seven days either side to account for a zoo celebrating a birthday on a convenient day rather than the actual birthday.
Acknowledgements to @Nile Hippo Expert and @GFgomez for providing updated list of names current to 2024/2025, which enabled me to research DOB’s.
National Zoo and Aquarium:
1.0 Arataki (10/04/1999) Bakti x Chomel
0.1 Otay (Circa 2004) Wild x Wild
Perth Zoo:
1.0 Jamran (Circa 2000) Wild x Wild
0.1 Bopha (Circa 2002) Wild x Wild
Taronga Zoo:
0.1 Mary (2010) Arataki x Otay
Wellington Zoo:
0.1 Sasa (22/09/2006) Sean x Chomel
Wildlife HQ:
0.1 Maly (26/03/2008) Jamran x Bopha
Acknowledgements to @WhistlingKite24, population thread author for Australasian sun bears.
1.0 Arataki (10/04/1999) Bakti x Chomel
0.1 Otay (Circa 2004) Wild x Wild
Perth Zoo:
1.0 Jamran (Circa 2000) Wild x Wild
0.1 Bopha (Circa 2002) Wild x Wild
Taronga Zoo:
0.1 Mary (2010) Arataki x Otay
Wellington Zoo:
0.1 Sasa (22/09/2006) Sean x Chomel
Wildlife HQ:
0.1 Maly (26/03/2008) Jamran x Bopha
Acknowledgements to @WhistlingKite24, population thread author for Australasian sun bears.
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