Brno, Czech Republic (EVN, CBS) -- A pair of four-month-old polar bear cubs in Brno zoo are doing well, with their mother devotedly caring for them, so there was nothing to stop the happy family from being introduced to visitors on Tuesday.
The cubs, with their mother, Cora, were released in the outdoor enclosure Tuesday morning.
Their mother provides all the necessary care, without batting an eyelid at the presence of people. The twins release outdoors was the last step requiring caution.
The outdoor enclosure could be dangerous to the cubs, in view of the steep rocks above the pool, but at the most dangerous places the keepers laid straw for the cubs to "land" softly.
The cubs have already tried beef, horse-meat and fish, and although one still has problems walking, it is growing stronger every day and will soon catch up with its sibling.
Cora has got accustomed to the presence of two keepers in her room, which is a relief for the experts, who feared that Cora's meeting with people after the delivery and after the three-month winter hibernation could distress her and make her kill the young.
The breeding of polar bears in captivity is extremely difficult, as also recent cases of artificial raising of cubs in the Berlin zoo have shown.
3/11/2008 2:49:12 PM
