Assiniboine Park Zoo’s two new polar bear cubs now have names. In an online poll, the following names were selected – Nanuq, the Inuit word for polar bear, for the female and Siku, the Inuit word for ice, for the male.
Names for the female cub were submitted by children and staff at the Churchill Children’s Centre. Names for the male cub were submitted by APC staff. Both lists were then examined and narrowed down by representatives from the Zoo.
“We are so pleased with how many people voted for their favourite cub names,” said Johanna Soto, Curator of Animal Care and Behavioural Husbandry at Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “These cubs serve as ambassadors for polar bears living in the north whose habitat is threatened due to climate change. Involving the community in the naming process helps form that connection to the bears and inspire people to take positive actions in their own lives to combat climate change.”
The two cubs are now on exhibit at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre in Assiniboine Park Zoo.
“With warmer temperatures in this weekend’s forecast, we encourage everyone to come out and visit the cubs,” said Laura Curtis, Manager of Marketing and Communications at APC. “With the new cubs, the northern species in Journey to Churchill, Keeper Talks, and some milder weather, we are looking forward to a busy weekend at the Zoo.”
