St. Paul

Two Como Zoo polar bears set to leave

By Anne Millerbernd, Star Tribune

February 28, 2015 at 5:44AM

Como Zoo soon will reduce its polar bear population by half.

Suka and Sakari, 2½-year-old bears who have been at the zoo since September, will move into the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis., for the grand opening of its Arctic Passage exhibit on Memorial Day, according to a Como Zoo news release.

Zoo staff called the brother and sister bears playful when they joined the zoo from Ohio's Toledo Zoo in September. The bears have proved to be a popular exhibit with the St. Paul zoo's visitors.

The two bears have been separated from the older and much larger resident polar bears, Neil and Buzz, in Como's Polar Bear Odyssey for the past five months, the release said.

The bears will remain in the Odyssey habitat for at least the next month as plans for their move develop, according to the release.

Friday was International Polar Bear Day, the release said.

Anne Millerbernd is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune.

Anne Millerbernd • 651-308-7126

One of two new 2-year-old twin polar bears, Suka or Sakari, swims inside the Polar Bear Odyssey display at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory on Tuesday, September 23, 2014.
One of two new 2-year-old twin polar bears, Suka or Sakari, swims inside the Polar Bear Odyssey display at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory on Tuesday, September 23, 2014. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Suka and Sakari in the Polar Bear Odyssey display at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory.
Suka and Sakari in the Polar Bear Odyssey display at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory. (Dennis McGrath/The Minnesota Star Tribune)
Here, Suka, a 435 pound female polar bear on loan from the Toledo Zoo, treaded water and played in the Polar Bear exhibit as part of the Como's Noon Year Party at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2015, in St. Paul, MN.](DAVID JOLES/ STARTRIBUNE)djoles@startribune.com New Year's Eve day beach ball drop at noon at the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory as part of New Year's festivities 2015 Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2015, in St. Paul, MN.
Suka, one of Como Zoo’s two young polar bears on loan from the Toledo Zoo, will move with her brother, Sakari, to the zoo in Madison, Wis., later this year. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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Anne Millerbernd, Star Tribune