Anana The Polar Bear Is Truly Twinning This Week

Featured Image Credit:Wikimedia Commons

Get ready to say “AWEEE!”

The Columbus Zoo has shared some wonderful news! A polar bear named Anana gave birth to two, yes TWO, polar bear cubs last Tuesday. The twins were born at 3:53 and 6:52 p.m. A member from the animal care staff commented, “At this time the cubs appear strong and are being cared forby Anana, a first-time mother.”

A camera was mounted in the bear’s den so that animal care staff could view the entire birthing process and monitor Anana 24/7.

Tom Stalf is the President and CEO of the Columbus Zoo and he stated, “Polar bear cubs are only about a pound at birth – imagine a baby about the size of a stick of butter – and we are cautiously optimistic about their survival. ” Mr. Stalf also added, “Our hope is Anana will raise her cubs but our team, who now have experience with the difficult process of rearing a tiny cub, are prepared to step in if necessary.”

The cubs will remain in the privacy of their den until the spring, if Anana continues to care for them.

Even though polar bears are born on land, their dependence on sea ice and many months spent at sea classifies them as marine mammal. They are actually the only marine mammal with strong limbs and feet that allow them to run on land. Due to climate change and the thinning and melting of sea ice, polar bears are currently listed as Vulnerable on the ICUN’s Red List. Polar bears are key indicators in determining the status and health of the Arctic ecosystem.

Check out the amazing footage from the Columbus Zoo below. Even though it’s a little blurry, we can’t help but smile!

Did you know…?

1.) A female polar bear is called a sow, while a male is called a boar?

2.) They are a keystone species for the Arctic.

3.) Polar bears have black skin with a coat of transparent fur.

4.) In the wild, polar bears can live to be about 25 years old.

5.) They are the largest land predator weighing up to 1300 pounds.

6.) A polar bear can smell a seal’s aglu, or breathing hole, from up to 1 mile away.

7.) Polar bears do not hibernate like other bears, but when pregnant, females will enter a dormant period.

8.) Typically a sow will have 2 cubs per litter with gestation lasting about 8 months.

9.) Polar bear cubs nurse on their mother’s fat-rich milk for almost 2 years and completely depend on them for survival.

10.) Their feet are covered in fur, like socks, to protect them from the cold.

11.) It’s NOT uncommon for cubs born in the same litter to have different fathers. WOAH.