TOLEDO, Ohio — Editor's note: The above video originally aired in 2018.
The Toledo Zoo has a new polar bear.
The zoo announced Wednesday that Nuka, a 17-year-old male bear, has joined the zoo's polar bear pack.
Nuka was born at the Denver Zoo and has lived at the Detroit Zoo since 2011.
Nuka's arrival comes about three months after the death of the zoo's previous male polar bear Marty. Marty was euthanized at age 24 in November 2021, as he was suffering from kidney disease.
Marty had fathered seven cubs with his long-time mate Crystal, the zoo's adult female polar bear.
The Association of Zoos and Aquarium's Species Survival Program, which coordinates breeding programs, recommended pairing Nuka with Crystal.
“Being an SSP program means this animal is part of a cooperatively managed population of animals within Association of Zoos and Aquarium member institutions where expert advisors work cooperatively together to maximize genetic diversity to boost the long-term sustainability of the species,” Michael Frushour, curator of mammals for the Toledo Zoo, said in a written statement Wednesday.
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