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Honolulu Zoo welcomes female Malayan sun bear

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VIDEO COURTESY HONOLULU ZOO
COURTESY CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU
                                The Honolulu Zoo welcomes Scruffy, a female Malayan Sun Bear, from the Cleveland Zoo.
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COURTESY CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU

The Honolulu Zoo welcomes Scruffy, a female Malayan Sun Bear, from the Cleveland Zoo.

Honolulu Zoo welcomes, Scruffy, a female Malayan Sun Bear. She comes from Cleveland Zoo. Courtesy City and County of Honolulu.
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Honolulu Zoo welcomes, Scruffy, a female Malayan Sun Bear. She comes from Cleveland Zoo. Courtesy City and County of Honolulu.

COURTESY CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU
                                The Honolulu Zoo welcomes Scruffy, a female Malayan Sun Bear, from the Cleveland Zoo.
Honolulu Zoo welcomes, Scruffy, a female Malayan Sun Bear. She comes from Cleveland Zoo. Courtesy City and County of Honolulu.

The Honolulu Zoo today announced the addition of a female Malayan sun bear named Scruffy to its ohana.

Scruffy, who is about 30 years old, was transported to Honolulu from the Cleveland Zoo. She joins the male sun bear resident, Blackie, who was also at Cleveland Zoo. The pair were housed together for a period of time, but more than a decade ago.

“We are very excited to reintroduce Scruffy to her old friend, Blackie,” said Honolulu Zoo Director Linda Santos in a news release. “It was a touching reunion as Scruffy and Blackie immediately greeted each other through the gate when Scruffy arrived. Scruffy has completed her quarantine period and zoo staff can now work on integrating her to share the habitat with Blackie.”

Due to their age difference, the zoo said Scruffy and Blackie have not been identified as a breeding pair.

Scruffy arrives about two years after Honolulu euthanized Juwita, a 25-year-old female Malayan sun bear due to complications from cancer. Juwita and Blackie had arrived at Honolulu Zoo together in 2008.

Sun bears, the smallest of the bear species, are found in the tropical forest habitats of Southeast Asia, according to Honolulu Zoo, and are usually jet black with light-colored muzzles and cream-colored, sickle-shaped claws.

They are listed as vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List due to a decreasing population.

Scruffy and Blackie are on view at the sun bear exhibit.

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