Orphaned polar bear cub melts zoo workers’ hearts

Sunday 31 Mar 2013 3:07 pm

Cute alert: Kali the orphaned polar bear cub (Picture: AP)

A polar bear cub whose mother was unwittingly shot by a hunter is thriving at his new temporary home.

Kali initially looks a bit timid (Picture: AP)

The three-to-four-month old orphan has been named Kali by staff at the Alaska Zoo in Anchorage after the Inupiat name for Point Lay on the state’s north-west coast where his mother was shot.

But is soon back playing in the snow (Picture: AP)

Under the US state’s law, native tribes are allowed to harvest polar bears, but the hunter said he did not know the bear was with a cub.

Kali’s permanent home will be St Louis Zoo (Picture: AP)

Kali was just 18lbs when he arrived at the zoo, but several weeks on is already 35lbs.

Kali’s weight has doubled in a fortnight (Picture: AP)

But the cub will not be in Alaska for much longer, as he is set to be moved to Buffalo Zoo in New York state, where he will be introduced to the zoo’s own female cub, Luna, who was born last November and was recently introduced to the public.

Kali’s future playmate at Buffalo Zoo, Luna (Picture: AP)

Luna is being raised by zoo staff after being rejected by her mother Anana, and it is thought both cubs’ development could be helped by being raised together.

Kali will move into his state-of-the-art enclosure in two years (Picture: AP)

Kali’s long-term home is Saint Louis Zoo, however, which is building a state-of-the-art polar bear exhibit set to open in 2015.