OPENED: 1989
Dedicated in 1989, Durham Family Bear Canyon features the largest of all bears, polar bears, swimming in a 30,000 gallon pool with above and below water viewing. Grizzly bears and Malayan sun bears are also on display. Bald and golden eagles are rehabilitation animals that perch at Durham Family Bear Canyon during their recovery from injury in the wild.
Bear Training and Enrichment
Some of the bears in Durham Family Bear Canyon are trained to make medical procedures go as smoothly as possible with as little anesthesia as necessary. Along with the training, enrichment activities are provided to the bears to keep them as keen as possible. A dig pit was built in the grizzly bear den. The grizzly bear loves to dig in the 8 - 10 square feet area which is two feet deep. Sometimes the keepers will bury carrots and other treats in the pit for the grizzly to find. A favorite treat for the polar bears is frozen blocks of ice with fish treats inside. Visitors young and old enjoy these playful animals as they try to get to their fishy reward.
Sun Bear
In contrast to the polar bear, the sun bear is the world's smallest bear. The sun bear can weigh between 60 - 140 pounds and four feet tall. In the wild, a sun bear weighing over 110 pounds is considered huge. The sun bear has thick black or brown fur with a yellowish crescent on its chest, which is why they received the name sun bear. This mark varies in size on each bear and may not even be present at all.
The sun bear is native to the forests of the Malay Peninsula, Java, Sumatra, Burma and Thailand. Few sun bears are left in the wild. Due to habitat destruction and lack of money in the nations where sun bears are found, little research has been done to save these bears.
The sun bears are excellent climbers due to the structure of their legs and paws. Visitors can often see the sun bears up close in the trees from the Cat Complex level. At Omaha's Zoo, they are fed a produce mix and dog chow.
Polar Bear
The polar bears enjoy the Omaha winters. They are native to areas where the water freezes in the winter including regions of North America, Asia, Europe and Greenland and are known to have several denning areas in the Arctic. They have black skin which helps absorb heat in their cold environments. Their individual hairs are hollow and colorless, but together looks white. This thick hair provides excellent camouflage and grows between their toes to keep the bear's feet warm.
Being the largest of all bears and land carnivores, the polar bear can measure up to nine feet long and five feet high at the shoulders and can weigh up to 1,300 pounds. At Omaha's Zoo, the polar bears eat a ground meat mixture, dog chow and fish.
Grizzly Bear
The grizzly bear is a solitary animal native to a climate much like that of Nebraska. They are found in Canada, Alaska, remote areas of Idaho, Montana and Wyoming. However, rather than the great plains, they prefer mountainous terrain and alpine meadows.
The grizzly's front claws are longer than most other species of bears - they may be up to six inches long, curved and partially hidden in fur. Grizzly's have keen senses of smell and hearing, but poor eyesight. At the Zoo, the grizzly bear eats celery, mackerel, meat mix and dog chow.