Deprived of visitors, health measures oblige, it is under the cameras and lenses of journalists that Kara made her first outing in an enclosure of the Zoological Park of Mulhouse, this Thursday morning.
After a few hesitant and awkward steps, the three-month-old polar bear cub was able to count on the support of her mother Sesi to take her first bath in the outdoor pool.
“It is a very moving moment but also very rare.
There were only three births of polar bears in animal parks around the world in 2020, ”says Brice Lefaux, director of the Mulhouse Zoological Park.
His name chosen by Internet users
An emblematic victim of global warming with the melting sea ice, the polar bear has only 25,000 representatives on Earth.
“We hope that Kara will help raise awareness among the general public about the cause of these animals.
In addition, the 7,500 people who chose his first name have undertaken to carry out eco-responsible actions, ”explains Brice Lefaux.
When the bear was born on November 22, the zoo had left three months for Internet users to choose the name of the newborn.
“Kara won 40% of the vote ahead of the other three proposals.
It's the name of a sea bordering the Arctic Ocean, quite a symbol!
»Says the park manager.
Weighing 16 kg today, Kara will continue to grow alongside her mother in the coming months to reach 300 kg as an adult.
An education that Sesi will give on her own since Vicks (the father) left the Mulhouse zoo on Thursday "for safety reasons because in nature, males and females live separately", explains Brice Lefaux.
