Philadelphia Zoo Redux #4

From Small Mammals to Bears! Philadelphia has one of the nicest dedicated spaces to housing bears. There were three of the five species on display today: American Black, Polar, and Sloth, the Andean and Asian Sun bears were keeping warm someplace else--and I couldn't blame them! The American Black Bear was curled against the observation glass in an alcove to her habitat snuggled into a mound of straw. She glanced up at me casually at one point, but there was no good photo op with the glass so filthy. The Polar Bear was also napping--and only a polar bear would nap in the shade on day when the air temp is 22˚ and windchill 15˚. The Sloth Bears were a different story. They were out and ready to romp. At one point they got into what seemed a playful wrestling match, but it ended with the female retreating to the bottom of the waterless moat and digging a hole while the male stood at the top of the steep incline, turned his back to her and shat! Take that!! For her part, she turned her back to him and curled up in her little "nest"--Harrumph! And, of course, there was another one of those ubiquitous animals statues--a bear with four cubs?!--UNbearable! 

Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus

Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus

Polar Bear, Ursus maritimus

Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus

Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus

Sloth Bear, Melursus ursinus

Black Bear sculpture