NEW YORK (1010 WINS/WCBS 880) – The Queens Zoo announced on Monday that three 5-month-old Andean bear cubs have debuted at its zoo located in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park.
After spending their early months cared for by mom in the den, these two male cubs and one female cub, all born on Jan. 3, are now old enough to explore the outdoors.
Fewer than 18,000 Andean bears, also known as spectacled bears, survive in the wild. This puts them in the "Vulnerable" category according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), a group that specializes in tracking the status of threatened species.
Some major threats to the bears are habitat loss as deforestation destroys their mountain forests. Additionally, conflicts with farmers protecting cattle and corn crops sometimes lead to the bears being hunted.
The Queens Zoo participates in the Species Survival Plan to breed Andean bears, a cooperative breeding program designed to enhance the genetic viability and demographic stability of animal populations in zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).
These three cubs are the only ones born in the AZA zoos for the past year. They join the eight other cubs born at Queens Zoo since 1995.
Andean bears are the only bears that can be found in South America. They can grow up to 6 feet tall and, despite their fondness for fruits and plants, males can weigh up to 340 pounds – nearly double the weight of their female counterparts (around 200 pounds).
Despite their size, Andean bears are primarily herbivores, with their diet consisting of fruits, bromeliads, and cacti. Meat makes up only a small portion of their meals.