Detroit Zoo polar bear cubs moving to Pacific Northwest

The Detroit Zoo's two polar bear cubs are headed to the Pacific Northwest, officials announced Tuesday.

After 2.5 years at the Royal Oak site, Astra and Laerke soon are scheduled to relocate to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington, representatives said in a statement.

The transfer is being conducted through recommendations from Association of Zoos and Aquariums polar bear population experts, according to the release.

“We are saddened Laerke and Astra will be leaving us, but the Detroit Zoo is so proud to have played a role that influenced how these two cubs grew up,” said Betsie Meister, associate curator of mammals for the Detroit Zoological Society. “With that said, we know they are going to a great home at Point Defiance Zoo, another outstanding, AZA-accredited facility, and we are confident they will thrive in their new environment.”The sisters were born on Nov. 17, 2020, to mother Suka and father Nuka.

Two days later, Laerke had a medical emergency and needed "constant, intricate lifesaving care" apart from her sister, the zoological society said Tuesday.

The cubs reunited this spring at the zoo’s Arctic Ring of Life habitat.

The upcoming relocation is considered necessary for the continued development of the twins, who typically would be living in the wild at their age, the zoo reported.“Astra and Laerke are high-energy, playful bears who each have an incredible story,” added Malia Somerville, interim general curator for Point Defiance Zoo. “Our animal care and veterinary teams have decades of experience caring for polar bears, and we are looking forward to introducing the sisters to our community here in Tacoma – where we will help them grow in their new home.”

Polar bears are listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Species Survival Commission also has designated the species as facing a high risk of global extinction.

Point Defiance and the Detroit Zoo each are certified by Polar Bears International as an Arctic Ambassador Center.

Blizzard, the Washington Zoo’s last remaining polar bear, was diagnosed with liver cancer and euthanized in May 2022, officials said Tuesday.

“We know Astra and Laerke will be warmly welcomed to Point Defiance Zoo,” Somerville said. “Our guests, staff and volunteers have been eager to see polar bears return, as they have always inspired our community to take action in their own lives to reduce their carbon footprint and help protect polar bears in the wild. Polar bears need sea ice to survive, but the seasonal ice they depend on is shrinking due to climate warming.”