Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

December 2, 2008 8:08:38 PM CST

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Zoo's Polar Bears Go Green

Posted Sep 8, 08 6:38 AM CDT in Science & Health,  World 

(Newser) – Polar bears at a Japanese zoo are turning green, AP reports. Visitors to Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Nagoya are stunned by big green patches on the bears' fur, caused by algae. The algae was picked up by swimming in the bear pond and is now growing deep within the animals' fur.

High summer temperatures and fewer water changes due to conservation efforts have triggered the algae growth in the bears' pond. "Visitors seem to be shocked by the color, and we are asked every day why they are so green," said  a zoo official. The bears' color is expected to return to normal when the algae dies off in cooler weather.

Source Associated Press

1 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Aha! Zoo Bears Won't Mate Because Both Are Female

    Nov 26, 08 1:36 PM CST
    Aha! Zoo Bears Won't Mate Because Both Are Female A Japanese zoo is learning it might want to check the plumbing more closely the next time it acquires a polar bear cub, CNN reports. Tsuyoshi was brought to the Kushiro Zoo to breed with 11-year-old Kurumi. But when the cub reached reproductive age, he turned out to be she, which explained why Tsuyoshi wasn't making a move on “his” older lady. More »

  • Hunting Canada's Polar Bears Breeds Heated Argument

    Nov 21, 08 4:43 PM CST
    Hunting Canada's Polar Bears Breeds Heated Argument One man’s endangered species is another’s livelihood in the Arctic north, where polar bear hunting is this season’s hot-button issue, the Economist reports. Scientists set a sustainable annual quota to protect dwindling species near the Canada-Greenland border, but some Inuit locals—who distrust outsiders and use the bears for blankets, mukluks and stews—refuse to comply. More »

  • Zoo Rescues Bear Trapped in Moat

    Oct 30, 08 12:10 PM CDT
    Zoo Rescues Bear Trapped in Moat Fed-up zookeepers took drastic action today to rescue Zero the polar bear from the moat he’s been trapped in since Oct. 13, the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports. Milwaukee County Zoo officials used tranquilizer darts to subdue the 1,100-pound beast, then had a crane lift him to safety. “Things were hanging on for a little bit too long,” a spokesman explained. More »

  • Zoo Tries to Lure Stranded Polar Bear Out of Moat

    Oct 27, 08 4:01 PM CDT
    Zoo Tries to Lure Stranded Polar Bear Out of Moat Staff members at the Milwaukee County Zoo are taking new action to rescue a polar bear named Zero who has been stuck in the moat that surrounds his habitat for 2 weeks, the Journal Sentinel reports. Using a crane, handlers lowered a big plastic crate filled with Zero’s favorite treats—apples with peanut butter and herring—to the bottom of the moat. More »

  • Warmest Year Ever Threatens Arctic Wildlife

    Oct 16, 08 6:44 PM CDT
    Warmest Year Ever Threatens Arctic Wildlife The Arctic had its warmest year on record in 2007, and a new government report underscores the unsettling consequences for ice sheets and wildlife, ABC News reports. The report reiterates many of the familiar scenarios of late about the region—sea ice is vanishing at a record pace and permafrost is thawing, and these in turn set off a sort of climate domino effect that spells bad news for polar bears, walruses, and other creatures. More »

A polar bear, its fur stained with algae, stands in its cage at Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, central Japan.   (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Shuzo Shikano)
Polar bears, their fur stained with algae, stand in their cage at Higashiyama Zoo in Nagoya, central Japan.   (AP Photo/Kyodo News, Shuzo Shikano)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow

Visitors seem to be shocked by the color, and we are asked every day why they are so green." - Masami Kurobe, Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens

« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 2)

Tags

polar bear


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Face it: there's too much news. At Newser a team of editors and writers culls the most important stories from hundreds of U.S. and international sources and reduces them to a headline, picture, and two paragraphs. It's the Newser guarantee: we can take any report or column or video and pack what you need to know into 120 words or less. Newser's short-form aggregation, visual format, and unique information tools help you get more of the kind of news you want, in a quicker and more entertaining way. And we do it 24/7—you can come back morning, noon, night (and in between) for something new that matters. Read less, know more.

Learn more »