Breakfast with the Bears! @ the Maryland Zoo

The Maryland Zoo just received a pair of sister Polar Bears from the Columbus Zoo in Ohio.  Amelia Gray and Neva have the same father and different mothers.  They were born within a month or so of each other and have just turned 3.  At the Columbus zoo, the two were raised in separate habitats.  They were able to see one another, but never had any interactions.  This posed the question of just how long it would take for them to acclimate to one another.  The answer was not long in coming.  A keeper told me their comfort with each other was immediate; however, they do still feed them separately.

The breakfast part was a nice buffet with plenty of food, tea, coffee and juice.  The tables were set up under the awning that shields the large underwater viewing area of the Polar Bear habitat.  On this day the air temp was about 40F with a stiff constant breeze that made it feel like 33F!  I loved spending time with the bears and the other guests and keepers, but honestly I froze!  The bears, of course, loved the chilly weather.   On the tables to greet us were colorful informational placemats and a gift polar bear toy.  After a time to eat, a keeper named Eric provided us with an overview on the Polar Bears who then came out and we were given plenty of time to snap pictures.  Next, we retreated to the Arctic Buggy to escape the cold wind and Eric did the same for the Grizzly Bears (also sisters, orphaned rescued in Montana three years ago).  Both were also out and quite active as they tackled their morning fish "popsicles".  Fresh fish frozen in a little block of ice to challenge them to break through the ice to obtain the fish. 

The entire experience was amazing (minus the freezing weather).