Though once common in our facilities, polar bear numbers in US zoos have declined dramatically in recent years, so when the Detroit Zoo announced the birth of two cubs, it was cause for celebration. One of those cubs, however, a female named "Laerke," soon appeared to be weak and lethargic. She was pulled for emergency hand-rearing. It wasn't a decision that the zoo made lightly. Ideally, Laerke would have grown up alongside her twin sister (who was still with their mother), helping her learn how to socialize and be a bear.
At about the same time, an orphaned grizzly bear was found wondering in Alaska. It was obvious that he was too young to survive without his mother, so the decision was made to bring him into human care. The Detroit Zoo accepted him. Two lone little bears cubs, a female polar and a male grizzly, became best friends. There's probably a children's book in this somewhere.
By adopting Jebbie (as the grizzly was named), Detroit Zoo not only saved his life, but also provided an opportunity for Laerke to have a close friend to help her grow up right. I have a feeling that we'll be seeing a lot of videos of these two over the next few years (at least until they grow up and need to be separated - or Jebbie gets fixed. Polar bears and grizzlies are very closely related, and hybridization is a risk).
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