SeaWorld San Diego’s two female polar bears are back from a five-month stay in Pittsburgh, and now the question is whether they are pregnant.
Snowflake and Szenja were returned to their Wild Arctic exhibit Wednesday after they spent time with Koda, a male polar bear at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium.
The trip was part of a cooperative breeding arrangement among zoos, marine parks and aquariums to manage their animal populations, keep them sustainable and maintain genetic diversity.
According to SeaWorld, polar bears are a threatened species in the wild because of a reduction in their sea ice habitat.
Animal care specialists and veterinarians will monitor the hormone levels of the 18-year-old bears looking for signs of pregnancy. It will not be known until later this year whether the breeding mission was a success, according to SeaWorld.
Eric Otjen, assistant curator of mammals, told The Associated Press that SeaWorld spent in the six figures” to send its two polar bears to Pittsburgh for the breeding season, with costs including shipping the bears back and forth via FedEx.
“We feel the commitment is well worth it,” Otjen was quoted as saying. “This isn’t just a way for SeaWorld or the Pittsburgh Zoo to get more bears. It’s about learning how polar bears breed and how we can take what we learn from captive polar bears and apply it to real-world situations.”
In March, The Associated Press said: “If breeding is successful this year, the resulting cubs could become attractive promotional tools that draw more visitors to the Pittsburgh and San Diego facilities.”
“It gives us an opportunity to talk about the threats that polar bears are facing in the wild,” the Toronto Zoo’s Maria Franke was quoted as saying.
SeaWorld officials said polar bear pregnancies last between 195 to 265 days, including 135 to 205 days of delayed implantation. Polar bears give birth to one to three cubs at a time that measure 12 to 14 inches and weigh about 1 pound.
Szenja mated with Koda during a breeding visit to the Pittsburgh Zoo last year, but it did not result in a pregnancy. If there is a pregnancy this time, it is anticipated that a cub or cubs would be born by the end of this year.
The 6,500-square-foot Wild Arctic exhibit was renovated when the bears were away. Among the additions were caves where treats will be hidden for them to find, according to SeaWorld.
— City News Service contributed to this report.
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