Get set to experience the life of bears in a whole new way.
The Francis J. Carey Bear Country at the Philadelphia Zoo debuts on Thursday, June 4, showcasing a $25 million, state-of-the-art habitat designed for endangered bears with immersive viewing, educational displays, and a Zoo360 trail.
Zoo members can preview the exhibit on Tuesday, June 2, and Wednesday, June 3, from 9:30 a.m. to noon, and Friday, June 5, through Sunday, June 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Beginning June 5, Carey Bear Country will be open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
This restoration marks the largest project since KidZooU opened in 2013, featuring expanded bear facilities that increase habitat space by approximately 60%. The rehabilitation work includes a third outdoor habitat, heated pools, climbing structures, digging pits, and indoor/outdoor den spaces to support breeding and cub rearing.
According to a PhillyVoice report, during construction on the habitat, some bears were temporarily moved. The zoo’s sloth bears, Bhalu and Kayla, are returning. Andean bear Sinchi, however, was permanently relocated as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ breeding program. The zoo has not said whether it intends to seek a replacement for Sinchi.
The Andean (spectacled) bear and the sloth bear are considered endangered species. Both face habitat loss and poaching pressures across their native ranges in the Andes and parts of Asia, noted zoo officials in a statement shared with MyChesCo.
Renovations to the Humboldt penguin exhibit adjacent to the bear area are ongoing. The penguins in the exhibit have been temporarily removed.