Knowsley Safari unveils new residents!
Visitors can see Andean bears Bahia and Chui from Good Friday
Knowsley Safari has unveiled its newest residents on World Bear Day!
Visitors will be able to see Andean bears Bahia and Chui from Good Friday (29 March).
They arrived in Prescot in November 2023 after spending a decade at Jersey Zoo, during which they welcomed their son Raymi.
Their arrival coincides with the start of the Safari's conservation campaign to protect the Andean bear, also known as the Spectacled Bear, due to their facial markings.
These bears, which are mostly found in South America's high elevation humid forests including Peru and Bolivia, are at risk of extinction and are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, with possibly as few as 2,500 mature individuals remaining.
The bears are under threat from habitat loss and poaching.
It's hoped their arrival will help conserve and protect their future - they now live in a more extensive enclosure compared to Jersey - it includes platforms for them to play and feed on, trees for them to climb and a house with wood wool-filled nest boxes.
Lucy Petrie, carnivore animal manager at Knowsley Safari, said:
"We’re really pleased with how quickly Bahia and Chui have settled in at Knowsley and we’re looking forward to educating visitors about these very special bears.
"Guests will be able to observe Bahia and Chui while learning about the conservation methods we’re using to help protect their relatives in the wild."