Baby Bears say hello!

Four North American black bear cubs have emerged from their den taking tentative steps in discovering the outside world.  The cubs were born to mother Phoenix and father Xanthos, on the 15^th January, with their birth uniquely caught live on CCTV.   Since then they have been finding their feet and bonding with one another inside a secluded den, away from the public eye.  But now, with the weather warming up, the excitable quadruplets are beginning to independently explore and experience the great outdoors.

Four times as much fun 

For the time being, Phoenix and her cubs are living separately from the other bears at the Park, to allow the cubs to grow in strength and confidence. However, lucky visitors might spot a glimpse of them as they run, play and explore their woodland home.  Keepers have already seen them testing out their climbing skills on the trees in their side pen and playing with one another, before enjoying a well-deserved nap!

Their mother, Phoenix, is being fed with plenty of extra fish, fruit, and protein to help her maintain her strength while she is feeding her adorable new additions.

The four youngest arrivals are siblings to the Park’s juvenile bears, Georgia and Koda, who were born in 2020. As keepers are operating a hands-off approach to the new cubs, allowing Phoenix to care for them just as she would in the wild, the four youngsters have not yet been sexed or named.

Chelsea, Carnivores Keeper at Woburn Safari Park said: "Phoenix is an experienced mother and as always she is doing a fantastic job of caring for her new cubs.   All four of the new arrivals seem to be thriving and they’re definitely full of energy, so it looks like they’ll be keeping Phoenix busy for the next few months!  Now that they’re beginning to venture out of the den more, we are all excited to watch their personalities begin to show. In time, they will meet the rest of the bears and their father Xanthos.”

North American black bear facts: 

• The black bear is the smallest, yet most common, of the three bear species found in America
• Black bears are opportunistic eaters, most of their diet consists of grasses, roots, berries, insects and fish.
• Black bears are excellent climbers, so be sure to look up as you drive through the enclosure at Woburn Safari Park… you never know who might be peering down at you from high above!
• The main threat facing black bears is the destruction of their habitat. This is mainly through deforestation and the increase in land claimed for urban development and agricultural. They are also be hunted by humans for sport and to keep them from entering into local towns and villages.