Aww Alert: First Andean Bear To Be Born In NYC Makes Public Debut
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- We can "bearly" contain our excitement!
The first Andean bear to be born in New York City has made its grand debut at the Queens Zoo.
The cub, which has yet to be named, was born over the winter and now weighs 25 pounds.
PHOTOS: Andean Bear Cub Debuts At Queens Zoo
The Queens Zoo is breeding the animals as part of the Species Survival Plan.
There are fewer than 18,000 Andean bears remaining in the wild, according to the Wildlife Conservation Society.
"This is a significant birth for the Queens Zoo and the Andean bear SSP breeding program. This little guy may be adorable, but more importantly he reminds us of what we stand to lose when a species is in danger of extinction," Queens Zoo Director and Animal Curator Scott Silver said.
The animals are the only bear species native to South America and are known as "spectacled bears" because the markings on their faces sometimes look like glasses.
They are relatively small compared to some other bear species, with adult males weighing between 250-350 pounds and females rarely exceeding 200 pounds.
