Calgary Zoo’s new polar bear makes his first public appearance
The arrival of 20-year-old “Yelle” comes nearly two years after another bear, seven-year-old Baffin, drowned in the pool at the zoo’s bear enclosure.
The arrival of Yelle, seen exploring his new home at the Calgary Zoo, comes two years after another bear, Baffin, drowned in a pool at the zoo’s polar bear exhibit.
Global News
Yelle, who was born in the Netherlands, arrived on March 17 from his previous home at Quebec’s Zoo Sauvage de Saint-Félicien, but he needed to be quarantined until now to give the zoo time to monitor his behaviour and comfort level in his new home.
Wildlife experts are hoping Yelle will eventually bond with the zoo’s other bear, 10-year-old Siku, who has been alone at the zoo since Baffin died.
The Calgary Zoo says Yelle will gradually be introduced to the zoo’s other bear, Siku, seen here at the zoo.
Courtesy: Jaiden Chaudhary
Both Siku and Baffin came to the Calgary Zoo in 2023 from the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, where they were raised after being orphaned in the wild when they were just cubs.
This is one of the last photos of seven-year-old Baffin and Siku at the Calgary Zoo before Baffin drowned in 2024.
Courtesy: Katt Hryciw
Zoo officials said Siku and Yelle will be introduced to each other carefully.
Story continues below advertisement
“They have had visual barriers in front of them just so that they can get used to the space. Yelle has the opportunity to get out onto the habitat and see everything around him, so they’re very much aware of each other, they can smell each other and they hear each other and sometimes talk to each other on either side of it,” said Paul Warner, manager of animal care.
“Just yesterday they saw each other for the very first time, so we’re doing slow introduction until we get to the point where they’ll be out on habitat together.”
Get daily National news
Get daily Canada news delivered to your inbox so you’ll never miss the day’s top stories.
“He (Yelle) is an older bear. He’s a bear that’s lived with other bears all his life, as has Siku. Siku is very familiar with having older bears, and he’s used to that dynamic. Both those bears have lived with the other bears all their lives, and it’s something that they both will enjoy and it’s good for both their welfare,” said Warner.
But he admits that introducing the two bears also comes with risks.
“Of course everything comes with risks when you’re putting animals together and whether they’re in the wild or in captivity, there are some risks, but we have a great team that’s monitoring the behaviour. We move at the pace of the bears so they’re only going to come together once they’ve decided that this is something that they want to do, so we will take our time and we’ll move at the pace of the animals.”
“Siku will likely be excited to see him and see what he can get away with and poke at him and play and that sort of a thing and Yelle, being the older guy, he’ll set the tone,” Warner added.
© 2026 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
Discover more from stock updates now
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
