WINNIPEG, MB. – The Zoo wants your help picking the names for two polar bear cubs that are new to the Assiniboine Park Zoo.

The two orphaned polar bear cubs arrived at the Zoo in early December 2017. One male and one female, who are unrelated, were identified by Manitoba Sustainable Development in separate circumstances as being candidates for transfer to the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre.

“Our visitors and the community at large form strong attachments to the polar bears in our care, so we are happy to give them the opportunity to help choose names for these young cubs,” said Laura Cabak, Marketing & Communications Specialist, Assiniboine Park Conservancy. “It’s a great way to engage the community in learning about our polar bears and how they can help protect and conserve this iconic species.”

The naming poll is now open on the Zoo’s website and will remain open for voting until 4:00 pm on Thursday, January 25.

The names for both cubs were submitted by the polar bear zookeeper team and chosen for their relevance to Arctic geography.

The name options for the female cub are:

· Willow

· Tundra

The name options for the male cub are:

· Arctic

· Baffin

The cubs will make their public debut at 11:00 am Friday morning at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre.

Kevin Klein, Manitoba Post

Photo – assiniboineparkzoo.ca/vote