ASHEBORO, N.C. -- The North Carolina Zoo, forced to close following last week's ice storm, plans to reopen Friday with its two new polar bears on display.
Wilhelm, one of two new polar bears at the North Carolina Zoo, explores his surroundings after being introduced to the outdoor habitat for the first time Thursday in Asheboro.
The bears, which have been on mandatory quarantine since they arrived Nov. 19 from Puerto Rico, will be in the zoo's Rocky Coast exhibit area, the zoo said Wednesday. Federal wildlife officials confiscated the neglected bears from a traveling circus.
The bears have been confined to a special pen and two small pools away from zoo visitors. Now they will be allowed to frolic in the exhibit's larger pool used by bears previously kept at the zoo.
While the bears technically remain under quarantine, "the vet has determined that it will be better for the animals to get some exercise and use the pool," zoo spokesman Tom Gillespie.
Only the zoo's North American region of exhibits will reopen. The Africa region exhibit area will remain closed for storm repairs.
The ice storm toppled trees at the zoo, making public walkways impassable and damaging some animal exhibits, the zoo said in a release. Zoo animals were secured safely in exhibits or off-exhibit holding areas over the past week.
Zoo officials also have worked to save valuable outdoor plants damaged by the ice, but many plants were destroyed, Gillespie said.
In monetary terms, "our plant collections are worth a lot more than our animal collection," he said.
The zoo's winter hours are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
-- Anonymous, December 13, 2002