Prague Zoo Cheers Arrival of Twin Polar Bears

Prague Zoo announced the arrival of two new residents: twin polar bears, Gregor and Aleut!

The thirteen-year-old brothers traveled from Warsaw Zoo on the recommendation of the European polar bear breeding program. They take the place of Tom, a male bear who relocated to Almaty, Kazakhstan, earlier this year to find a mate.

The playful twins have already moved into their new exhibit, formerly occupied by Tom. An official public meet-and-greet is planned for Wednesday, May 22nd, at 11:30 am, according to Miroslav Bobek, director of Prague Zoo.

“Gregor and Aleut’s arrival coincides with the development of our new, state-of-the-art polar bear exhibit,” Bobek said. “This is a significant step towards our goal of becoming a successful breeding facility for these magnificent animals.”

While acclimating to their new surroundings, Gregor and Aleut can already be glimpsed by visitors.

Born on December 2nd, 2010, at Nuremberg Zoo, the brothers have called Warsaw Zoo home since 2013. Gregor, the larger of the two, was nicknamed “Grzes” by his Polish caretakers, while Aleut, known as “Ali,” is taller and slimmer.

“Prague residents and zoo visitors now have the exciting opportunity to see polar bears up close,” said Jana Komrsková, Prague’s Deputy Mayor for the Environment. “This is especially important as we prepare the Arctic exhibit, which will provide a brand new home for these iconic and endangered animals.”

Construction of the new exhibit is expected to begin this year.

Temporary barriers have been installed around the exhibit glass to help the bears adjust to the presence of dogs, something they weren’t accustomed to in Warsaw.

However, zoo director Bobek assures visitors that this temporary measure will not affect their viewing experience.

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