Lincoln Park Zoo Hosting Farewell Party For Polar Bear

By Chuck Sudo in News on Aug 22, 2014 2:35PM

Photo credit: Todd Rosenberg/Lincoln Park Zoo

Lincoln Park Zoo is set to begin building a new polar bear exhibit and African penguin exhibit set to open in 2016. To prepare for the construction Anana, the polar bear who has called the zoo since 2001, is being sent to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, NC.

It's unknown whether Anana will return to Lincoln Park Zoo when the new habitat is completed so zoo officials are throwing a going away party for her Saturday, Aug. 23, from 10 a.m. until noon. During that time, guests will be able to pen a farewell note on banners in front of Anana’s exhibit, chat with animal experts to learn about polar bears and watch as chases chases fish or rolls around in a pile of flake ice for enrichment.

Anana was born at a zoo in Rochester, N.Y. in 1999 and arrived at Lincoln Park Zoo two years later. Mark Kamhout, curator of mammals at Lincoln Park Zoo, said, “Anana’s departure is bittersweet but is also a reminder of the state-of-the-art exhibit that will begin construction and ultimately enhance the welfare of our animals here at the zoo.”