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On August 9, marking the Budapest Zoo’s 158th birthday, the public was introduced to Csángó and Hargita, two young brown bears. Their arrival ends a two-year hiatus since the last brown bears were introduced in summer 2022.
According to the Budapest Zoo’s website, the bears now inhabit an enclosure previously used by polar bears. Located on the north side of the zoo’s so called Little Rock, this enclosure, originally built in 1912, was expanded in 2006 to include a large glass-walled pool. Recent renovations have added climbing trees, expanded the digging area, and updated the enclosure to accommodate the new residents.
Csángó and Hargita, both three and a half years old, were born at Timisoara Zoo (Romania) and previously lived at the Bear Home in Veresegyház (near Budapest) before being transferred to their new home.
They have been acclimating to the indoor enclosure but were introduced to the outdoor rock run for the first time on their debut. The pool was filled to a shallow depth as the bears are skilled swimmers but have not previously encountered such deep water. The bears spent the day exploring their new environment, including a fun swim in the pool. They were also given a teddy bear-shaped treat made of oatmeal and raisins.
The zoo has had brown bears since its inception, with notable interruptions. In 1866, when the zoo opened, a brown bear named Kristóf was the most popular resident, drawing attention from notable figures like Ferenc Deák (1803-1876, statesman, minister of justice) who reportedly visited the bear daily and even shared draft documents of the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867 with it.
Via zoobudapest.com; Featured Image: MTI / Bruzák Noémi