Sloth Bears Updates May 03, 2013
In a poll conducted on the Zoo's Facebook page, 830 fans elected to name the cub Hank, a moniker that combines the cubs' parents' names, Hana and Francois. "Hank" proved to be more popular than "Ravi" or "Bandar," which received 615 and 219 votes, respectively. It's important for Hank to know his name now that keepers have started training sessions. They've spent the last few weeks teaching him behaviors that will help animal care staff evaluate his health. The family's public debut will take place later this summer.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature lists sloth bears as vulnerable because populations in their native Bhutan, India, Nepal and Sri Lanka are decreasing due to loss of habitat and poaching.
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