Last week, the Central Park Zoo welcomed two adult female grizzly bears, Betty and Veronica.
The bears were rescued in 1995–Betty is from Montana and Veronica is from Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming–and brought to the Bronx Zoo. Now, they’re settling into their new home in Central Park, where they’ve received a warm welcome from visitors and the zoo staff.
Visitors will likely note Betty and Veronica’s distinct personalities. Similar to their namesakes from the “Archie” comic books, Betty is a curious “blond” who loves exploring her new habitat, while Veronica, the “brunette,” is more subdued. Despite recent freezing temperatures, the two bears are enjoying their new home.
The bears’ 6,000 square-foot habitat, previously home to Gus, the beloved polar bear who died in 2013, has been remodeled to fit Betty and Veronica’s needs and remind them of the West. The rugged terrain features waterfalls, pools, and streams. The small mountains provide places for the bears to climb, and zookeepers will bury treats for the bears to dig up.
One of the exhibit’s major goals is to educate visitors about how to coexist with bears in the wild. “This exhibit will provide us an opportunity to help people better understand how to safely coexist with bears when visiting or living in bear country,” says Craig Piper, Director of Wildlife Conservation Society City Zoos.
In fact, Betty and Veronica had to be rescued from their homes because they had become so comfortable around humans that authorities considered them to be danger to people. Accordingly, the exhibit provides visitors with a wealth of information about bear behavior and interacting with bears in the wild.
“Each of these bears has an important lesson to teach about how humans must learn to coexist with wildlife,” says Jim Breheny, WCS Executive Vice President/General Director of Zoos and Aquarium and Bronx Zoo Director.
Children will certainly be amazed at the bears’ size–a typical adult female grizzly weighs more than 700 lbs–and enjoy watching them explore their new digs. The exhibit also provides a great opportunity for families to visit the zoo’s other grizzly and three brown bears, and to learn about the wonders and dangers of wild bears.
For more information on the new bear exhibit and other goings on at the zoo, visit centralparkzoo.com.
