Chester Zoo’s super cute twin bear cubs emerge from their den for the first time

The first set of Andean bear twins ever born in the UK have emerged from their den at Chester Zoo for the first time. 

The cubs were born in January and have spent the first six months of their life cuddled up with their eight-year-old mum, Lima, but have now finally ventured out to explore.  

The rare twin cubs have been spotted enjoying ‘friendly rough and tumble’, including attempts at climbing trees. 

Chester Zoo – which reopened around three months ago after the country backed a huge petition – has named the cubs Pacha (female) and Mateo (male) and hailed the birth of the cubs ‘very, very special’.

Lucy Edwards, Chester Zoo’s assistant team manager of carnivores, said: “Andean bears are incredibly shy animals and, for this reason, are still something of mystery to conservationists.

“So to see mum Lima allowing her two little cubs to explore so freely and enjoy a bit of friendly rough and tumble is just wonderful – it’s very, very special.

“The twin cubs are so full of energy and their playful personalities are really starting to show – it looks like they will be keeping mum very busy.

“Just a few weeks ago, while the zoo was closed, a small team of keepers and vets managed to give the cubs a quick check over and we’re very happy to report that both were given a clean bill of health.

“It’s great that we can now safely welcome back visitors and they can learn more about Andean bears and see the twins for themselves – an incredibly rare sight, even for conservationists studying them day in, day out in the field.”

The species – made popular by the children’s character Paddington Bear – is estimated to have fewer than 10,000 remaining in the wild. 

Andean Bears, like Paddington, are found in South America, in Peru, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia. 

They are currently listed as ‘vulnerable to extinction’ by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. 

Lucy added: “Mum Lima is doing an incredible job caring for her new cubs and they seem to be really thriving under her watchful eye.

“Her new arrivals are vital additions to the endangered species breeding programme, which is working to preserve the species, help conservationists to learn more about them and, ultimately, protect the long-term future of these beautiful bears.

“Alongside this important work in the zoo, our conservationists have also been working in Bolivia, alongside our partners the local NGO PROMETA and the University of Oxford, to understand how Andean bears live in the wild.

“Together, we are striving to find new ways to prevent conflict between bears and humans – a key threat to this species. The project is the first of its kind in the region and aims to have bears and humans living side by side in harmony.”

In South America, Andean bears share their habitat with the poorest and most vulnerable communities on the continent, an area which is being severely challenged by climate change. 

The bears sadly pose a threat to crops and livestock which is dwindling their natural habitat.  Experts suggest that more than 30% of forests in South America have disappeared in the last 20 years due to mass-scale deforestation and climate change. 

The cubs were born on January 10, 2020 with mum Lima born on January 12, 2012 and dad Bernie born on January 14, 2010