Saint-Félicien, May 4, 2004 –

For their greatest pleasure and for yours, here are our three new stars, Frimas, Aisaqvak and Inukshuk, together at last in their new environment! Pirouette, somersaults, dives and other capers are on the menu: come and enjoy! Since May 1rst, our installations open at 10 h and good news for those owning a four-seasons passport, we are extending its validity until 16 May 2004! Welcome to all!

Saint-Félicien, April 7, 2004 –

The CCBB is glad to inform you that today, at about 14h30, three surviving polar bear cubs of the Great North have arrived at their new permanent place of residence, the St-Félicien's wild Zoo. Two of the cubs are well known here in Québec, the two sisters Frimas and Aisaqvak, were rescued in the Quebec North and taken care in September 2003 by the SPSNQ (the Quebec Zoo). They then spend some months in the Zoo of Calgary, during the period needed to end the preparations for the numerous transfers. The last bear, Inukshuk, a one year old young orphan, found in February 2003 in the North of Ontario and brought to the Zoo of Toronto, joined the females this morning at Mirabel's airport and is now arrived at St-Félicien, where he will evolve in one of the most beautiful environments for polar bears in the world.

The bears will live in their night districts for some weeks during the decontamination period. The three new boarders will then be moved in their living habitat and will be visible by our visitors in May 2004.

We remind you that the site of Saint Félicien's wild Zoo is closed in April to allow the team of the CCBB to offer a product and services of the highest quality, the period of thaw sometimes representing some inconveniences.  

You may have noticed over the past days that our polar bears can no longer be seen in their habitat. This is because we have completed an agreement, to acquire three new bears, a male and two females, all one-year olds, who will be taking over from Aurora and Nakita.  If everything goes as expected, you will be able to view our new arrivals as of the beginning of May ـ an event you will not want to miss!

Ensuring both the well-being of the bears and inter-institutional co-operation.

 Aurora and Nakita, our two female polar bears, originally came from the Toronto Zoo, which lent them to the CCBB for a 10-year reproduction period.  However, the agreement had a waiver clause, which provided for the return of the bears, with two months notice, should the Toronto Zoo feel it necessary to take them back. As a consequence, the CCBB applied to take in the two orphan bears that had been rescued in Northern Quebec last September by the FAPAQ (the Quebec parks and wildlife Board) and the SPSNQ (the Quebec Zoo).

The SPSNQ (the Quebec Zoo) agreed to provide the bear cubs with temporary shelter and set up a special committee to evaluate the facilities offered by a number of establishments and to select a new home for the cubs. A total of 8 zoos and aquariums were assessed by the committee. Committee members were very impressed by the quality and the high professional levels of the applications filed with them. A number of organizations were willing to assist and collaborate in order to provide the best facilities for the cubs.  The final choice was the “Wild” Zoo of St-Félicien (CCBB). 

 Altogether, five institutions agreed to work together to ensure the best outcome for the five white bears affected by the proposed solution. As a result, Aurora and Nakita, who are currently living in the CCBB habitat, but who are owned by the Toronto Zoo, will be relocated in April 2004, along with Nanook, the CCBB’s adult male bear, in a new Centre, in Cochrane, Ontario, dedicated solely to the study and conservation of the white bear. Over the four month period from November 2003 to March 2004, the Cochrane Centre has completed the construction of its habitats and is now ready to receive its first boarders. Last summer’s young orphan cubs spent the same period in Western Canada, at the Calgary Zoo, as a prelude to taking up permanent residence in the “Wild” Zoo.

Moreover, they have not come alone at the CCBB. A young male orphan of the same age (born in January 2003) has joined them on their arrival at Saint-Félicien.  Inukshuk was found in February 2003 in Northern Ontario and since then has been with the Toronto Zoo. His transfer to the CCBB under a reproduction loan agreement has been in the works for some time. It will now be much less risky to integrate him into the CCBB since he will be joining cubs of his own age. This looks like a win-win solution, both for the bear cubs and for the public!

CCBB management is delighted with the agreement signed with the SPSNQ, the Toronto Zoo, the City of Cochrane and the Calgary Zoo. Now we are looking to the public at large to support our future development. 

The three newcomers will be taking over their new habitat as of April 2004 and we are sure that, like their predecessors, Aurora and Nikita, those first days when they set out to investigate their new environment will be well worth watching! We will be keeping the public abreast of every event and inviting everyone, near and far, to join us in sharing those first experiences.