DENVER — The new bear exhibit at the Denver Zoo is almost - but not quite - ready.
According to a Saturday morning update from the zoo staffers, Tundra, one of the zoo's grizzly bears, is very excited for World Bear Day and for her new enclosure.
"Expect updates and maybe even a sneak peek or two of our newest exhibit in the coming week," a Facebook post from the Denver Zoo reads.
When most people think of bears and the Denver Zoo, however, most likely they'll think of polar bears.
After failing to breed for years, Cranbeary and Lee, the zoo's beloved polar bears, departed late last fall for the separate places. Cranbeary went to the Alaska Zoo and Lee moved on to the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio.
A zoo spokesperson told 9NEWS at the time that while their departure was temporary, there was no timetable for their return.
"Denver Zoo is committed supporting the species and bringing polar bears back to the Zoo, which would require raising the necessary funds and sufficient time to plan for and construct a new, innovative exhibit," the zoo said.
In 2010, the Denver Zoo lost 25-year-old Frosty the polar bear to cancer. The zoo said he was the oldest male polar bear living in captivity in North America
The Denver Zoo also lost another older polar bear in April of that year. Twenty-three-year-old Voda had renal disease and was also euthanized.
According to the Denver Zoo, there are only 44 polar bears in North American zoos currently, and the species faces increasing threats in the wild.
The zoo's two grizzly bears, meanwhile, will move from where they are now to the old polar bear exhibit - which is becoming the new grizzly bear exhibit. Half a year of work later, the zoo said it's almost ready to move their two grizzlies - Tundra and Kootenai - to their new home.
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