Racine Zoo welcomes newest resident, an Andean Bear named Inti!
RACINE, Wis. (CBS 58) -- The Racine Zoo has a new resident, an Andean Bear named Inti.
Inti is 2-and-a-half-years-old and is very active in his exhibit. The zoo staff says, Inti enjoys playing in his pools, climbing rocks or other structures looking for treats, and just resting in one of the built-in dens his exhibit provides. Inti's favorite foods include salads of sweet potatoes, carrots, apples, oranges and other fruits and vegetables his keepers prepare for him!
Inti will share "on exhibit" days with another recent arrival, Fong, a Sun Bear. The two cannot be on exhibit at the same time, so they will split or alternate days.
According to a news release from the zoo, Andean Bears are native to the Andes Mountains, in South America, ranging from Colombia in the north, through Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia and into Northern Argentina. They inhabit high altitude forests and grasslands, and are an IUCN Threatened species, due to poaching and habitat loss throughout their native range.
Andean Bear diets are different from the diets of many other bears, in that they eat primarily fruits and vegetables, and only about 10% of their diet consists of meat products.
Welcome, Inti!
Inti, Andean Bear at Racine Zoo