Juniper & Hazel: Rescued Black Bear Cubs' Winter Update at Cincinnati Zoo

Introducing Juniper and Hazel

• 🐻 Juniper and Hazel are rescued orphaned black bear sisters who have joined the Cincinnati Zoo.
• 👧 Juniper is the darker black bear, while Hazel has a brown-reddish cinnamon coat, showcasing the variation within the species.
• 🎂 They are approximately one year old, having arrived at the zoo in September after being born in February.

Black Bear Natural History and Differences

• 🌍 Black bears are common throughout North America and are not endangered, though they face human-wildlife conflicts.
• 🍎 They are omnivores, with diets that change seasonally, including berries, grass, shrubs, and sometimes meat or fish.
• ⛰️ Unlike grizzly bears, black bears are smaller, lack a shoulder hump, and are more adept climbers than diggers.
• 🐻 All grizzlies are brown bears, but not all brown bears are grizzlies; it's a subspecies distinction.

The Story of Juniper and Hazel's Rescue

• 🌲 The cubs were rescued from Big Sky, Montana, after their mother was humanely removed due to repeated human-wildlife conflicts.
• ⛳ They were trapped on a golf course and transported across five states to the Cincinnati Zoo within six days.
• 💔 Their story serves as a hard lesson about the consequences of human-wildlife conflict and the importance of not feeding wild animals.

Torpor and Winter Behavior

• 😴 Torpor is a state of slowed physiological processes during winter, distinct from deep hibernation, where bears remain somewhat active.
• ❄️ Juniper and Hazel have shown signs of torpor, slowing down and spending more time in their dens as winter progresses.
• 🗓️ While hibernation is voluntary and intense, torpor is often involuntary, influenced by hormones and temperature.
• 🌲 Bears typically experience torpor from December to February, with activity increasing in spring and peak activity in summer and fall.

Daily Life and Enrichment

• 🍎 Their diet initially consisted of apples, pears, berries, greens, sweet potatoes, nutritional chow, nuts, and bugs.
• 🦗 Currently, their diet focuses on bugs, hazelnuts, occasional peanut butter, and blueberries.
• 🪵 They actively engage with their habitat, dragging bedding and wood shavings into their dens, and enjoy shredding materials.
• 🐿️ The zoo squirrels are a surprising challenge, sometimes harassing the bears and even stealing their snacks.

Training and Future Outlook

• 🔔 The bears are recall trained, responding to a cowbell or their names for high-value treats like yogurt or peanut butter.
• 🧠 Hazel is considered slightly smarter and more straightforward in her communication, while Juniper is more generally happy-go-lucky.
• 🌳 The zoo aims to encourage natural seasonality in the bears' behavior, which has been successful in their first year.
• 🌸 They are expected to be fully active by April, with summer being their most active period.