Who says heading south for the winter as a snow bird has to be limited to avian and human species?
"He has been training to go into a bear sized crate for the last month or so," said Sean Putney, the director of living collections at the Kansas City Zoo..
Kansas City's resident polar bear - nine-year-old Nikita - is moving to The North Carolina Zoo.
So just how will he get there? In a crate on a FedEx plane.
"The space will be conditioned," explained Putney. "Polar bears have a wide variety of temperature, but we will make sure he is comfortable both before and during the trip."
The reason for the move: he and Berlin, Kansas City's female polar bear, were unable to produce offspring. He'll give love another shot in North Carolina with an older woman - 15-year-old Anana.
"These should be the ambassadors for their brothers and sisters in the wild. We want there to be polar bears down the road that are out there in the wild," said Putney. "Right now it's very discouraging with some of the things that are going on in their natural environment."
And while many will miss Nikita and his tricks, the zoo said the entertainment aspect takes the back seat. The real goal in Nikita's relocation is breeding and conservation.
And for those worried about Berlin losing her mate, the zoo said, don't be. With the exception of mating season and mothers raising their young, polar bears are solitary animals.
Nikita leaves for North Carolina at the beginning of January.
There are still a few chances to see Nikita before he leaves:
- Nikita's Going Away Party
Sat., Dec. 19, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.- Zoo Year's Eve Ball Drop with Nikita
Thurs., Dec. 31, 12 p.m.- Ice Fun for Nikita
Jan. 2 and 3, TBD
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Terra Hall can be reached at terra.hall@kshb.com.
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