Berlin's baby polar bear: It's a girl!
February 15, 2019
Vets at Zoo Berlin were excited on Friday to announce that the newest addition to their polar bear family is a "lively, strong girl."
The baby bear, born on December 1, was separated from her mother, Tonja, for the first time for a 15-minute medical examination.
Veterinarian Günter Strauss said the cub measured 61 centimeters (2 feet) from head to toe and was "a hefty 8.5 kilos (18.7 pounds) on the scales."
"Thanks to her mother's milk — which, with around 30 percent fat, is very nutritious — the baby has grown quickly in recent weeks," Strauss said. "She currently drinks two hours a day and hasn’t eaten solid food yet."
The bear has not yet been named. Zoo directors said this would be determined in collaboration with potential future adopters.
Visitors will be pleased to hear that she may make her first public appearance as early as March.
Tonja has lost two cubs before.
The mortality rate for infant polar bears in captivity is over 50 percent and is even higher during the first 10 days.
In 2011, the zoo’s beloved polar beat Knut died aged 4 from a brain inflammation.
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nn/rt (dpa, AFP)