Sun bear to get visitors’ treats at zoo
Visitors to Wellington Zoo will soon be able to give a bear treats as part of a behind-the-scenes experience.
Guests will get close to Sasa the sun bear’s enclosure and observe her from behind a protective barrier.
“Sun bears are incredibly intelligent animals and visitors will get to see a medical training session with her zookeepers, which will show just how smart Sasa is,” said animal-care manager Jo Thomas.
“Afterwards participants will be able to give Sasa a treat or some other enrichment item and get an up-close view of her markings, her tongue and her sharp claws.
“Due to Sasa’s long, sharp claws being designed for climbing trees and also the fact that she has a decent set of teeth, visitors, like our zookeepers, will have protected contact with Sasa. However, the experience of getting this close to these enigmatic animals is truly magical.”
Sun bears are the smallest of the world’s eight species, and get their name from the golden marks on their chests that look like the rising sun. They are primarily nocturnal and arboreal, which is why visitors will often see Sasa snoozing in the branches in her habitat.
Born in the wild, Sasa’s father, Sean, was rescued from outside a store in Cambodia by Free the Bears in 1996, and came to Wellington Zoo in 2004 as part of the regional Malayan sun bear breeding programme. Sean successfully bred with the zoo’s female, Chomel, and Sasa was born in 2006.