New at the zoo - Space Farms welcomes Syrian grizzly bear sisters

Beemerville —When Fred and Parker Space pull out of Space Farms Zoo and Museum with a pickup truck and a trailer, you just know something new is coming home to the zoo. Two female Syrian grizzly bears were the honored guests on the ride back to the zoo. After two weeks of acclamation to their new environment, the pudgy, auburn bruins will be ready to greet the visitors on opening day, Saturday, April 19. The bears are sisters, weighing approximately 250 pounds, each. Jeanette Rix, daughter of founder Al Rix, raised the siblings by hand on a bottle at the Al Rix Bear Center in Orange County, N.Y. “They are wonderful bears. They are used to the public and were part of an educational exotic animal display for two years,” said Rix. “We are sharing the sisters with Space Farms for visitors to enjoy. I know Pricilla and Angelina will enjoy the grassy acre enclosure at the Space Farms Zoo.” How do you move grizzly bears? Carefully, very carefully. Parker and Fred Space arrived at the Al Rix Bear Center and watched Jeanette lure the bears into a specially constructed steel transport cage with marshmallows. The transport cage was then rolled onto the Spaces’ trailer and taken to their new home at Space Farms Zoo. Once at the zoo, the Space men drove the white pickup truck and trailer directly to the bear enclosure inside the zoo. Parker dashed across the zoo complex to retrieve the skid loader, which he carefully maneuvered into place at the end of the trailer. Doug Day, Tom Williamson and Space rolled the transport cage, with the two bears inside, to the back of the trailer. Once carefully set on the ground, the transport cage was rolled into position within the swinging gate of the Syrian Bear enclosure. The electric fence was unplugged and unhooked. The bruins’ transport cage was unlocked. Pricilla looked warily out the door. She hesitated only a moment, sniffing the air, then bounded down onto the grass. Angelina quickly followed. The bears romped in the spring grass, running, digging and rolling in the damp earth. The male Syrian grizzly, 23 years old, looked on from a distance, letting the youngsters, only 8 years old, play themselves out. After a half hour the blonde male sauntered down to the gals, stomped both feet, and huffed. Angelina and Pricilla stomped their feet, huffed and growled to each other, acknowledging the senior bear’s authority. And continued to play. Meanwhile, the men hooked up the electric fence, wheeled the heavy transport cage out of the way and locked the enclosure gate. Fresh food was brought for the newcomers. Afterward everyone took a moment to witness the joy of the sister bears romping through the enclosed hilly acre of grass and trees. Syrian grizzly bears originate in the Middle East and range in weight from 200 to 600 pounds, males being significantly larger than the females. Omnivores, the bears at the Rix Bear Center are fed meat, vegetables, bread and occasionally fish. The nine bears of four species at Space Farms are fed a diet of venison, bread and veggies. Paws the size of dinner plates help scoop food into their mouths. Syrian grizzlies vary in color from sandy blonde to dark chocolate brown, often with streaks of cream across their shoulders and chests. The new sister bears are auburn brown with cream streaks. The older male grizzly bear at Space Farms is the other end of the bruin color spectrum, a sandy blonde. Syrian grizzlies have the grizzly hump on their backs, which holds extra fat storage for winter. Space Farms will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily from April 19 until Oct. 31 and is located at 218 Route 519 in Beemerville. Admission is $12.95 per adult, $11.95 per senior and $8.50 per child, plus tax. Group rates and season passes are available. For more information call Space Farms at 973-875-5800 or check the Web site, spacefarms.com.