An orphaned polar bear cub from the Churchill area has found a safe new home at the Zoo.

After the cub's mother was found deceased, Conservation Officers identified him as a candidate for transfer to the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre (LIPBCC) under Manitoba's Polar Bear Protection Act. In consultation with the Province of Manitoba, the Zoo's Polar Bear Rescue & Care Team quickly mobilized equipment, resources, and expertise to support the cub's immediate care needs in Churchill.

Zoo veterinary staff travelled north to assess the bear and oversee his transfer to Winnipeg, where he arrived safely at the Zoo.

Research has shown that polar bear cubs orphaned during their first year of life are unable to survive independently in the wild. The cub is now undergoing a quarantine period at the Cub Care Centre in our Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre, with our Veterinary and Animal Care teams continuing to assess his health and care needs.

Every rescued polar bear adapts to a Zoo environment at its own pace. While the transition process is being carefully managed to support his comfort and welfare, we’re pleased to share that the cub is off to a positive start.

He has been exploring new forms of enrichment, enjoying his meals, and steadily building trust with the dedicated professionals caring for him. He's becoming more curious and confident each day as he settles into his new surroundings.

And like many polar bears, he has already discovered a favourite activity: splashing in his pool.

Watching the cub explore, learn, and adapt has been incredibly encouraging for our team. Every day brings new discoveries, and we're optimistic about the progress he's making.

While it is always heartbreaking when a cub loses its mother, we are grateful to be able to provide this young bear with a safe home and a new opportunity to thrive. As he grows, he will serve as an ambassador for polar bears, Churchill, and the Arctic, helping connect people with the challenges the species faces in the wild and inspiring conservation action.

For now, the cub will remain behind the scenes and is not visible to Zoo visitors. We cannot predict when he may be introduced to the public, but we look forward to sharing updates as he continues to grow and settle into his new home.

For years, support from our community has helped build the expertise, facilities, and capacity that allow our Polar Bear Rescue and Care Team to respond when a polar bear needs help. You can be part of that story.

Thanks to the generosity of the Rice family, gifts to support the Polar Bear Rescue and Care Team will be matched up to $25,000, doubling your impact for this cub and the six other rescued polar bears in our care.