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Say hello to the Central Park Zoo's three new bears
By
Jen Chung
Published May 27, 2022
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Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society / Central Park Zoo
By
Jen Chung
Published May 27, 2022
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Meet three of Manhattan's newest residents: Amber, Luna, and Treena. They just moved here from the Bronx, and they are originally from Montana. And, yes, they are grizzly bears.
Amber, Luna and Treena were rescued as orphaned cubs in 2013, and were brought to the Bronx Zoo for care because they were too young to survive on their own. The trio arrived at the Central Park Zoo in May, and have been enjoying pursuits like climbing on rocks, digging dirt and playing in the water.
The Central Park Zoo's new bears
Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society / Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo's new bears
Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society / Central Park Zoo
Craig Piper, director of Wildlife Conservation Society Zoos, confirmed, "The bears have settled in and are wonderful additions to the Central Park Zoo. They are enjoying the varied terrain and water features in the exhibit, and they have arguably one of the best views of the Manhattan skyline."
He added, "As ambassadors for their wild cousins, their story will help people understand specific ways safely coexist with wildlife and reduce human-bear conflict, whether with grizzly bears in the West or black bears in our own back yard.”
According to WCS, Amber and Luna's mother was illegally shot, and Treena's mother had been euthanized for "repeatedly entering residential areas to forage for food."
The Central Park Zoo's previous set of grizzly bears, Betty and Veronica, passed away in 2021 and 2020, respectively, due to age. (They were rescued in 1995.)
There are three other grizzly bears in the WCS Zoo system: Kootz, Denali and Glacier, who were all rescued in 2009 and live at the Bronx Zoo.
The Central Park Zoo's new bears
Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society / Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo's new bears
Julie Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society / Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo, at the corner of Fifth Avenue and East 64th Street in Manhattan, is open every day. More details about hours and ticket prices here.
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new york city
bronx zoo
wildlife conservation society
central park zoo
bears
grizzly bears
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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