Polar Bear Cub at The Toledo Zoo!

Meet Siku. Siku is on exhibit at various times as of Spring 2011 He's the only polar bear cub in a U.S. zoo, and he's quite possibly the cutest thing in the world! Siku was born to mother Crystal on December 3, 2009, and by his first birthday he weighed over 300 pounds! Polar bear cub Siku nursing (one month old) What's in a Name? Siku’s name means “ice” in the Inupiat language, and it was chosen for him by a fourth grader from one of the communities on the North Slope Borough of Alaska. The Toledo Zoo, in conjunction with the World Wildlife Fund, Polar Bears International and the North Slope Borough Department of Wildlife Management, sponsored a contest for children in that area in which they suggested names for the newborn cub. The Zoo’s Large Mammal keepers chose Siku, and it’s a fitting name for an animal whose wild counterparts depend on ice shelves for their hunting. A Cub's Journey When he was born, Siku only weighed about one pound. He and his mother Crystal remained in their den for several weeks, while Crystal did a great job providing care for the little one. Finally the day came when Siku was ready to emerge from the den. Under the guidance of Crystal and the Zoo's animal care staff, he began exploring the off-exhibit areas in the Arctic Encounter®, playing in the dig yard and developing his swimming technique in a special off-exhibit pool designed just for cubs. Every Cub Counts The cub is a huge step for polar bear conservation worldwide. As we lose more of their Arctic habitat to climate change, the future of polar bears in the wild grows less certain with each passing year. That’s why polar bears are now protected under the Endangered Species Act, and that’s why cubs like this one have such an important role to play. We hope that folks who stop by to see this little bear will take a moment to consider the plight of our bears’ wild counterparts and think about steps they can take to preserve this species for generations to come. Video and More! Animal care staff members were able to watch via video monitors as Crystal cared for Siku in seclusion, and you'll find links to those videos at the top right of the page. You'll also see clips of Siku exploring the behind-the-scenes areas, as well as great video of him playing in the Arctic Encounter®!

Polar Bear Cub Videos: Click here to view a progressive sequence of videos showing Siku's development from 3 days old to his first birthday! (includes free downloads) OR Click here to see photo stills Siku's first birthday What a bash! Siku celebrated his first birthday along with his mother Crystal. The party included cards from Zoo visitors, a birthday greeting written in peanut butter, plenty of food, and a friendly tug of war with a tasty salmon. Later it turned into a swim party -- in December! What does a seal see when it's about to be eaten by a polar bear? Click here to see! If you can't see a video clip above, you need to download the most recent version of Adobe Flash Player. Click on the image above to learn more about TheToledo Zoo's conservation efforts, including polar bear conservation, or click here to make a donation. Click on the image above to learn more about polar bear conservation through Polar Bears International or click here to visit the PBI blog center Click here to see other babies that have recently joined the Zoo family!