Billie Jean and one her cubs in their yard at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo in Washington, DC on Thursday March 26, 2015.
This is some "bear"-able news for folks heading to a zoo near the Jersey Shore.
The Cape May County Park & Zoo in Cape May Court House, New Jersey, announced this week that they had added a South American bear to the community.
What Is a Spectacled Bear From the Andes?
"Meet Billie Jean," the zoo wrote on Facebook Wednesday. "She is an Andean bear, also known as a spectacled bear. This is South America's only bear species, native to the Andes and surrounding mountain ranges. They are solitary, preferring to live alone outside of breeding season."
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The zoo had this to say about the bear species:
"Spectacled bears grow 5 to 6 feet long and stand 2 to 3 feet at the shoulder. Males grow up to 30% larger than females and weigh up to 340 lbs. Females rarely grow heavier than 180 lbs. They eat fruits and bromeliads along with berries, grasses, bulbs, cactus flowers, and small animals such as rodents, rabbits, and birds."
Jersey Shore Retirement for 'Billie Jean'
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Billie Jean might look like a cub, but she's actually 17 years old -- and a mother -- and came to South Jersey from the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the Cape May zoo said.
Most spectacle bears live just over 20 years old, according to the World Wildlife Fund. So, it looks like Billie Jean will be spending her golden years at the Jersey Shore.
"Spectacled Bear populations in the wild are threatened and declining. ‘Billie Jean’ has been an important member of the AZA Species Survival Plan through the years," Dr. Alexander Ernst, Associate Veterinarian at the Cape May County Zoo said. "She has successfully raised many cubs that, one day, may be important for the survival of this species in the wild. But her reproductive years are now behind her and she came to Cape May County to retire with us."
Where Can You See Billie Jean the Bear?
The Cape May zoo is open daily from 10 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Visitors can find Billie Jean in the bear habitat of the South American section of the zoo.
"Make sure to stop by and welcome her," the zoo said.
