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Ben, the renowned Andean bear at Gladys Porter Zoo, will soon head out to his new long-term home at the ABQ BioPark Zoo in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
The public is invited to wish Ben “bearwell” before he departs Brownsville at the end of the month. Ben will remain on exhibit until 3 p.m. Sept. 28 before preparing for his journey to New Mexico.
Ben arrived at the Gladys Porter Zoo in March 2023 from Saint Louis Zoo where he had gained notoriety due to his habit of dismantling the wire mesh surrounding his habitat. The decision was made to temporarily move the crafty bear to the Gladys Porter Zoo until a more long-term home could be established.
The Gladys Porter Zoo’s Andean bear habitat, which features a running stream, a large pool and overhanging cliffs, only needed minor adjustments to prepare for Ben’s arrival. During his stay in Brownsville, Ben quickly won the hearts of his caretakers and the public.
“Like most bears, he enjoys swimming, building plush nests (with hay or dry leaves), as well as scratching on logs and rocks. He’s incredibly intelligent and sometimes destructive, but at the heart of it all, he’s a playful and loving young bear. He will be missed by all those who have had the honor of working with him. We wish him all the best at his new home,” said TC Smith, associate curator of gorillas, cats and bears.
Staff at the ABQ BioPark Zoo are eagerly awaiting Ben’s arrival. His new home comes equipped with a large three-level climbing structure, a waterfall and running stream, and plenty of large rocks and logs for him to scratch those hard-to-reach places. He will also be able to dig to his heart’s content in his new dig pit.
Andean bears, also known as spectacled bears, are listed as Vulnerable by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. There are an estimated 10,000 left throughout their native range in South America.
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Gladys Porter Zoo ready to introduce Ben the bear to visitors
