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94-523: With a land area of 80 acres (32,3749 m), the zoo was known for its polar bear exhibit, which was replaced by the Journey to Churchill in 2013. In 1904, the City of Winnipeg Parks Board purchased native animals including deer , bison , and elk to establish the zoo . By 1908, the bear enclosure was built, and by 1909, the zoo housed a total of 116 animals, representing 19 different species. In 1916,

188-487: A decline in sea ice , giving the polar bear less access to its favoured prey and increasing the risk of malnutrition and starvation. Less sea ice also means that the bears must spend more time on land, increasing conflicts with people. Polar bears have been hunted, both by native and non-native peoples, for their coats, meat and other items. They have been kept in captivity in zoos and circuses and are prevalent in art, folklore, religion and modern culture. The polar bear

282-557: A sculpture garden , a miniature railway , an outdoor theatre for performing arts, and numerous other attractions. CN U-1-d Mountain numbered 6043 is on display There is evidence that Henry Sandham Griffith designed a landscape layout for the park in April 1894. One of the earliest park features and a major indoor attraction, The Conservatory is a botanical garden housing more than 8,000 flowers , plants and trees that are non-native to Manitoba, but which grow profusely under

376-495: A " Roman nose ". They have 34–42 teeth including 12 incisors , 4 canines , 8–16 premolars and 10 molars . The teeth are adapted for a more carnivorous diet than that of the brown bear, having longer, sharper and more spaced out canines, and smaller, more pointed cheek teeth (premolars and molars). The species has a large space or diastema between the canines and cheek teeth, which may allow it to better bite into prey. Since it normally preys on animals much smaller than it,

470-500: A 2011 study concluded that living polar bear populations derived their maternal lines from now-extinct Irish brown bears. Later studies have clarified that gene flow went from polar to brown bears rather than the reverse. Up to 9 percent of the genome of ABC bears was transferred from polar bears, while Irish bears had up to 21.5 percent polar bear origin. Mass hybridization between the two species appears to have stopped around 200,000 years ago. Modern hybrids are relatively rare in

564-419: A bear spots a seal hauling out on the sea ice, it slowly stalks it with the head and neck lowered, possibly to make its dark nose and eyes less noticeable. As it gets closer, the bear crouches more and eventually charges at a high speed, attempting to catch the seal before it can escape into its ice hole. Some stalking bears need to move through water; traversing through water cavities in the ice when approaching

658-588: A carcass when they see an adult male approaching, though are less likely to if they have not eaten in a long time. Whale carcasses are a valuable food source, particularly on land and after the sea ice melts, and attract several bears. In one area in northeastern Alaska, polar bears have been recorded competing with grizzly bears for whale carcasses. Despite their smaller size, grizzlies are more aggressive and polar bears are likely to yield to them in confrontations. Polar bears will also scavenge at garbage dumps during ice-free periods. Polar bear mating takes place on

752-428: A central, fish-filled lily pond. (No roses exist in this area, the central pond has a large fountain in it, no fish or lilies exist.) The English Garden is open free of charge to the public every day of the year. The Formal Garden, located at the southeast park entrance, was designed in 1907 by Frederick Todd as part of the original park. It features flower beds in sharply defined geometric shapes that stand out from

846-614: A clear wall; a short-film experience inside the 360-degree Aurora Borealis Theatre ; and other interactive and interpretive components. Inside the Journey to Churchill, exhibit is also the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Centre (IPBCC), an interpretive centre sponsored by Calm Air that offers information regarding polar bears, the Arctic ecosystem , research in action, climate change , etc. Also located inside

940-473: A combination of both. The inside of these shelters can be around 1.5 m (4.9 ft) wide with a ceiling height of 1.2 m (3.9 ft) while the entrance may be 2.1 m (6.9 ft) long and 1.2 m (3.9 ft) wide. The temperature of a den can be much higher than the outside. Females hibernate and give birth to their cubs in the dens. Hibernating bears fast and internally recycle bodily waste. Polar bears experience delayed implantation and

1034-455: A dance hall, a banquet hall, lunch and catering. The 90-foot (27 m) tower contained the pump and water tower for the park's water system. It was destroyed by fire in May 1929. The current larger pavilion was designed by architects Northwood and Chivers, and was opened in May 1930. It is today one of Winnipeg's most familiar landmarks. The Lyric Theatre is a large outdoor stage located next to

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1128-405: A day are more common during the former. The species is generally diurnal , being most active early in the day. Polar bears sleep close to eight hours a day on average. They will sleep in various positions, including curled up, sitting up, lying on one side, on the back with limbs spread, or on the belly with the rump elevated. On sea ice, polar bears snooze at pressure ridges where they dig on

1222-560: A duck pond, it is more common to find Canada geese swimming there. The park also includes picnic areas. The park offers playgrounds, a bicycle path, baseball and cricket fields with three cricket pitches (upper and lower grounds) and a clubhouse on site. The park is the Manitoba Cricket League's premier facility for hosting club cricket. The Terry Fox Fitness Trail, dedicated to the Canadian humanitarian's memory,

1316-676: A female, a male will try to isolate and guard her. Courtship can be somewhat aggressive, and a male will pursue a female if she tries to run away. It can take days for the male to mate with the female which induces ovulation . After their first copulation, the couple bond. Undisturbed polar bear pairings typically last around two weeks during which they will sleep together and mate multiple times. Competition for mates can be intense and this has led to sexual selection for bigger males. Polar bear males often have scars from fighting. A male and female that have already bonded will flee together when another male arrives. A female mates with multiple males in

1410-643: A grant from the DeFehr Foundation funded the renovation of the unused Bison Restaurant Kiosk into the Palliser Interpretive Centre, the headquarters for ICE Camp. An alliance with the University of Manitoba Summer Camps initiated "Mini U Zoo," where campers spend one week at the university and one week at the zoo. In 2004, In part with the University of Manitoba Architecture Department, substantial improvements were made to

1504-441: A marine environment, some taxonomists, such as Theodore Knottnerus-Meyer, have placed the polar bear in its own genus, Thalarctos . However Ursus is widely considered to be the valid genus for the species on the basis of the fossil record and the fact that it can breed with the brown bear. Different subspecies have been proposed including Ursus maritimus maritimus and U. m. marinus . However these are not supported and

1598-494: A mid-sized seal out of the water or haul a beluga carcass for quite some distance. Polar bears only occasionally store food for later—burying it under snow—and only in the short term. Arctic foxes routinely follow polar bears and scavenge scraps from their kills. The bears usually tolerate them but will charge a fox that gets too close when they are feeding. Polar bears themselves will scavenge. Subadult bears will eat remains left behind by others. Females with cubs often abandon

1692-533: A more efficient circulatory system . The polar bear's thicker coat is the result of more copies of genes involved in keratin -creating proteins. The polar bear is the largest living species of bear and land carnivore , though some brown bear subspecies like the Kodiak bear can rival it in size. Males are generally 200–250 cm (6.6–8.2 ft) long with a weight of 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). Females are smaller at 180–200 cm (5.9–6.6 ft) with

1786-516: A private rideable miniature railway named the Assiniboine Valley Railway , with a track gauge of 7 + 1 ⁄ 2  in ( 190.5 mm ), is located outside the park near the zoo. Toward the north of the park, and just to one side of the pedestrian footbridge from Portage Avenue is the serpentine duck pond . Originally a fenced area, in the 2010s the duck pond was upgraded with new plants and benches. Although called

1880-418: A season and a single litter can have more than one father. When the mating season ends, the female will build up more fat reserves to sustain both herself and her young. Sometime between August and October, the female constructs and enters a maternity den for winter. Depending on the area, maternity dens can be found in sea ice just off the coastline or further inland and may be dug underneath snow, earth or

1974-723: A soft pulsing call, is made by mother bears presumably to keep in contact with their young. During the breeding season, adult males will chuff at potential mates. Unlike other animals where chuffing is passed through the nostrils, in polar bears it is emitted through a partially open mouth. Cubs will cry for attention and produce humming noises while nursing. Teeth chops, jaw pops, blows, huffs, moans, growls and roars are heard in more hostile encounters. A polar bear visually communicates with its eyes, ears, nose and lips. Chemical communication can also be important: bears secrete their scent from their foot pads into their tracks, allowing individuals to keep track of one another. The polar bear

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2068-420: A thick layer of fat. It is more slender than the brown bear, with a narrower skull, longer neck and lower shoulder hump. Its teeth are sharper and more adapted to cutting meat. The paws are large and allow the bear to walk on ice and paddle in the water. Polar bears are both terrestrial and pagophilic (ice-living) and are considered marine mammals because of their dependence on marine ecosystems . They prefer

2162-452: A time and travel an average of 154.2 km (95.8 mi). They can dive for as long as three minutes. When swimming, the broad front paws do the paddling, while the hind legs play a role in steering and diving. Most polar bears are active year-round. Hibernation occurs only among pregnant females. Non-hibernating bears typically have a normal 24-hour cycle even during days of all darkness or all sunlight , though cycles less than

2256-467: A weight of 150–300 kg (330–660 lb). Sexual dimorphism in the species is particularly high compared with most other mammals. Male polar bears also have proportionally larger heads than females. The weight of polar bears fluctuates during the year, as they can bulk up on fat and increase their mass by 50 percent. A fattened, pregnant female can weigh as much as 500 kg (1,100 lb). Adults may stand 130–160 cm (4.3–5.2 ft) tall at

2350-425: A weight of around 600 g (21 oz). Their eyes remain closed for a month. The mother's fatty milk fuels their growth, and the cubs are kept warm both by the mother's body heat and the den. The mother emerges from the den between late February and early April, and her cubs are well-developed and capable of walking with her. At this time they weigh 10–15 kilograms (22–33 lb). A polar bear family stays near

2444-463: A well-known and much-loved recreational area just east of the footbridge on the south side of Portage Avenue . Over many years, the forest has suffered a loss of vegetation due to flooding, invasive plant species that replace native species, and trampling from recreational activities such as hiking and biking. Generations of heavy usage has resulted in the creation of an extensive trail network, soil compaction and large areas of bare ground. Restoration

2538-534: A wider frequency range than expected given that their prey mostly makes low-frequency sounds. The nasal concha creates a large surface area, so more warm air can move through the nasal passages. Their olfactory system is also large and adapted for smelling prey over vast distances. The animal has reniculate kidneys which filter out the salt in their food. Polar bears inhabit the Arctic and adjacent areas. Their range includes Greenland, Canada, Alaska, Russia and

2632-608: A year, while drifting ice allows them to move further. Depending on ice conditions, a bear can travel an average of 12 km (7.5 mi) per day. These movements are powered by their energy-rich diet. Polar bears move by walking and galloping and do not trot . Walking bears tilt their front paws towards each other. They can run at estimated speeds of up to 40 km/h (25 mph) but typically move at around 5.5 km/h (3.4 mph). Polar bears are also capable swimmers and can swim at up to 6 km/h (3.7 mph). One study found they can swim for an average of 3.4 days at

2726-486: Is Latin for ' sea bear ' . Carl Linnaeus classified the polar bear as a type of brown bear ( Ursus arctos ), labelling it as Ursus maritimus albus-major, articus in the 1758 edition of his work Systema Naturae . Constantine John Phipps formally described the polar bear as a distinct species, Ursus maritimus in 1774, following his 1773 voyage towards the North Pole . Because of its adaptations to

2820-620: Is a hypercarnivore , and the most carnivorous species of bear. It is an apex predator of the Arctic, preying on ice-living seals and consuming their energy-rich blubber . The most commonly taken species is the ringed seal , but they also prey on bearded seals and harp seals . Ringed seals are ideal prey as they are abundant and small enough to be overpowered by even small bears. Bearded seal adults are larger and are more likely to break free from an attacking bear, hence adult male bears are more successful in hunting them. Less common prey are hooded seals , spotted seals , ribbon seals and

2914-500: Is a 130,000- to 110,000-year-old jaw bone, found on Prince Charles Foreland , Norway, in 2004. Scientists in the 20th century surmised that polar bears directly descended from a population of brown bears, possibly in eastern Siberia or Alaska . Mitochondrial DNA studies in the 1990s and 2000s supported the status of the polar bear as a derivative of the brown bear, finding that some brown bear populations were more closely related to polar bears than to other brown bears, particularly

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3008-414: Is a large bear native to the Arctic and nearby areas. It is closely related to the brown bear , and the two species can interbreed . The polar bear is the largest extant species of bear and land carnivore , with adult males weighing 300–800 kg (660–1,760 lb). The species is sexually dimorphic , as adult females are much smaller. The polar bear is white- or yellowish-furred with black skin and

3102-576: Is designed for disabled and non-disabled individuals alike. Assiniboine Park is wheelchair-accessible. The Assiniboine Park Riparian Forest Project purposes to help the riparian forest recover from heavy use and enhance the recreational trail experience. The ongoing riverbank restoration project, begun in 2006, continues each summer. The project concerns the strip of forest along the Assiniboine River within Assiniboine Park,

3196-697: Is inside the Nature Playground area. Adjacent to Roblin Boulevard, the last steam locomotive to run scheduled service in Canada, CNR 6043, Class U-1-d, 4-8-2, is on permanent display courtesy of the Winnipeg Railway Museum . A 2 ft ( 610 mm ) narrow gauge railway named Assiniboine Park Railroad operates in one section of the park, which features a working steam locomotive made by Crown Metal Products . Additionally,

3290-1086: Is one of eight extant species in the bear family, Ursidae, and of six extant species in the subfamily Ursinae . Giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) [REDACTED] Spectacled bear ( Tremarctos ornatus ) [REDACTED] Sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) [REDACTED] Sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) [REDACTED] Asian black bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) [REDACTED] American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) [REDACTED] Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) [REDACTED] Brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) [REDACTED] Giant panda ( Ailuropoda melanoleuca ) [REDACTED] Spectacled bear ( Tremarctos ornatus ) [REDACTED] Sloth bear ( Melursus ursinus ) [REDACTED] Sun bear ( Helarctos malayanus ) [REDACTED] Asian black bear ( Ursus thibetanus ) [REDACTED] American black bear ( Ursus americanus ) [REDACTED] Polar bear ( Ursus maritimus ) [REDACTED] Brown bear ( Ursus arctos ) [REDACTED] Fossils of polar bears are uncommon. The oldest known fossil

3384-621: Is the Zoo's 2nd-biggest indoor exhibit with fish, snakes, reptiles, etc. Announced in November 1986 and originally planned to open in the fall of 1987, the center broke ground in June 1988. Costing $ 1.75 million, the 743 m (8,000 sq ft) Kinsman Discovery Centre opened on March 23, 1990, two and a half years late and $ 550,000 over budget. It replaced the old Aunt Sally's Farm, which operated between 1959 and 1989. A statue honoring Winnipeg

3478-585: Is the most comprehensive northern species exhibit of its kind in the world. The exhibit is named for the town of Churchill , on Hudson Bay in northern Manitoba, which is home to the largest polar bear denning area in the world. The exhibit features expansive habitats for: The exhibit also features the Gateway to the Arctic , which includes: an underwater viewing tunnel called the Sea Ice Passage that houses polar bears and seals, who are separated by

3572-459: Is the primary hunting method from winter to early spring. Bears hunt walrus groups by provoking them into stampeding and then look for young that have been crushed or separated from their mothers during the turmoil. There are reports of bears trying to kill or injure walruses by throwing rocks and pieces of ice on them. Belugas and narwhals are vulnerable to bear attacks when they are stranded in shallow water or stuck in isolated breathing holes in

3666-403: Is thought to signal their fitness to females. The outer surface of the hairs has a scaly appearance, and the guard hairs are hollow, which allows the animals to trap heat and float in the water. The transparent guard hairs forward scatter ultraviolet light between the underfur and the skin, leading to a cycle of absorption and re-emission, keeping them warm. The fur appears white because of

3760-465: Is too specialized for animal matter, though they have been recorded eating berries, moss, grass and seaweed . In their southern range, especially near Hudson Bay and James Bay, polar bears endure all summer without sea ice to hunt from and must subsist more on terrestrial foods. Fat reserves allow polar bears to survive for months without eating. Cannibalism is known to occur in the species. Polar bears hunt their prey in several different ways. When

3854-401: Is underway in the forest through careful planning, cooperation from trail-users and efforts such as tree planting , invasive species removal and creating a main trail. The project's aim is that by reducing the impact of recreation in the forest, this natural area will still be around for generations to enjoy 100 years from now. Spector, David (2019). Assiniboine Park: Designing and Developing

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3948-473: The ABC Islands bears of Southeast Alaska . A 2010 study estimated that the polar bear lineage split from other brown bears around 150,000 years ago. More extensive genetic studies have refuted the idea that polar bears are directly descended from brown bears and found that the two species are separate sister lineages . The genetic similarities between polar bears and some brown bears were found to be

4042-645: The Association of Zoos & Aquariums . The Animals of Asia section of the Zoo contains various rare and exotic animal species, including (as of 2021): An exhibit was opened in June 2010, the Pavilion of Lions , with a pair of African lions becoming the exhibit's first residents. In April 2012, the African lions were replaced with Asian lions in the Pavilion of Lions exhibit, making Assiniboine Park Zoo

4136-542: The Russian Far East ) and Eastern Basin (Greenland east to Siberia). The polar bear is dependent enough on the ocean to be considered a marine mammal . It is pagophilic and mainly inhabits annual sea ice covering continental shelves and between islands of archipelagos . These areas, known as the "Arctic Ring of Life", have high biological productivity . The species tends to frequent areas where sea ice meets water, such as polynyas and leads , to hunt

4230-652: The Svalbard Archipelago of Norway. Polar bears have been recorded as close as 25 km (16 mi) from the North Pole . The southern limits of their range include James Bay and Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada and St. Matthew Island and the Pribilof Islands of Alaska. They are not permanent residents of Iceland but have been recorded visiting there if they can reach it via sea ice. As there has been minimal human encroachment on

4324-442: The backscatter of incident light and the absence of pigment. Polar bears gain a yellowish colouration as they are exposed more to the sun. This is reversed after they moult . It can also be grayish or brownish. Their light fur provides camouflage in their snowy environment. After emerging from the water, the bear can easily shake itself dry before freezing since the hairs are resistant to tangling when wet. The skin, including

4418-475: The seals that make up most of its diet. Polar bears travel in response to changes in ice cover throughout the year. They are forced onto land in summer when the sea ice disappears. Terrestrial habitats used by polar bears include forests, mountains, rocky areas, lakeshores and creeks. In the Chukchi and Beaufort seas, where the sea ice breaks off and floats north during the summer, polar bears generally stay on

4512-551: The 1980s, the Zoological Society of Manitoba began to provide money for new signage, exhibits, and infrastructure. The main entrance was reconstructed to include a new gift store operated by the Zoological Society, and the Carousel Restaurant was renovated. In 1995, new enclosures for the camels , yaks , and zebras were built and the "Camel Oasis" Interpretive Playground opened at the northwest end of

4606-551: The Bear —the bear that was made famous as Winnie-the-Pooh —was unveiled in 1992 and has since been relocated to the Nature Playground in the general Park area. As of 2021, species contained at the Kinsmen Discovery Centre include: Crustaceans and Insects Fish Reptiles and Amphibians Birds Mammals The Open Range section is located at the center of the Zoo and features various animals from around

4700-716: The Education Centre. In 2009, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy announced a redevelopment plan for both the Assiniboine Park and Zoo, to be completed in several phases. The revitalization of the Zoo was involved in the plan's second phase with its main attraction being the opening of the "Journey to Churchill" exhibit. In September 2014, the Assiniboine Park Zoo became one of only five Canadian zoos to be accredited by

4794-639: The Journey to Churchill exhibit, the Tundra Grill is a 150-seat restaurant with views of the largest of three polar bear habitats in the exhibit. The International Polar Bear Conservation Centre was opened in January 2012, followed by the Journey to Churchill Northern Species exhibit in July 2014 as a permanent area. The Kinsmen Discovery Centre contains six galleries about different life forms —water, grasslands, air, underground, and two forest galleries—and

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4888-548: The Park had initially opened. However, in later years it was determined that a wider and safer bridge would be needed. A second bridge, connecting the district of St. James (at Overdale St.) with Assiniboine Park, is an active transportation/pedestrian bridge, and officially opened in May 1932 by Winnipeg mayor Ralph Webb . A small (2-hectare) portion of the park lies north of the Assiniboine River, and together with

4982-405: The Pavilion. Opened in 1999, it carries on the tradition of bandshell entertainment near the Pavilion that started in the 1920s. The 90 acres (36 ha) Assiniboine Park Zoo is at the western end of the park just north of the main parking area, and is home to over 300 animal species. It initially opened in July 1908. The first foot bridge across the Assiniboine River was built in 1908 when

5076-416: The Zoo's animal collection had increased to include 77 different mammal species (390 specimens), 151 different birds (700 specimens), and 14 reptiles (34 specimens). The collection now totalled 1,193 individuals representing 271 species. The zoo budget was $ 2,497,173 ($ 161,800 for food and supplies and $ 1,952,707 for labor). As late as the 2000s, the zoo was open from 9 AM until sunset at 9   PM. However,

5170-590: The Zoo's total species. Temperatures inside the Tropical House would be maintained at a constant 27 °C (80 °F). In 2009, the Zoo contracted with demolition company Klassen Concrete to demolish the early 1970s Tropical House. Instead of demolishing the building, a plan was put into place to reuse most of the existing building, but the displays would be reconfigured. The project took five months to complete, with infrastructure renewal costing $ 900,000, and exhibit renewal costing $ 2.1 million. On 20, 2011,

5264-564: The annual sea ice but live on land when the ice melts in the summer. They are mostly carnivorous and specialized for preying on seals , particularly ringed seals . Such prey is typically taken by ambush; the bear may stalk its prey on the ice or in the water, but also will stay at a breathing hole or ice edge to wait for prey to swim by. The bear primarily feeds on the seal's energy-rich blubber . Other prey include walruses , beluga whales and some terrestrial animals. Polar bears are usually solitary but can be found in groups when on land. During

5358-608: The bears' remote habitat, they can still be found in much of their original range, more of it than any other large land carnivore. Polar bears have been divided into at least 18 subpopulations labelled East Greenland (ES), Barents Sea (BS), Kara Sea (KS), Laptev Sea (LVS), Chukchi Sea (CS), northern and southern Beaufort Sea (SBS and NBS), Viscount Melville (VM), M'Clintock Channel (MC), Gulf of Boothia (GB), Lancaster Sound (LS), Norwegian Bay (NB), Kane Basin (KB), Baffin Bay (BB), Davis Strait (DS), Foxe Basin (FB) and

5452-558: The breeding season, male bears guard females and defend them from rivals. Mothers give birth to cubs in maternity dens during the winter. Young stay with their mother for up to two and a half years. The polar bear is considered a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) with an estimated total population of 22,000 to 31,000 individuals. Its biggest threats are climate change , pollution and energy development. Climate change has caused

5546-619: The breeding season. They have been recorded forming stable "alliances", travelling, resting and playing together. A dominance hierarchy exists among polar bears with the largest mature males ranking at the top. Adult females outrank subadults and adolescents and younger males outrank females of the same age. In addition, cubs with their mothers outrank those on their own. Females with dependent offspring tend to stay away from males, but are sometimes associated with other female–offspring units, creating "composite families". Polar bears are generally quiet but can produce various sounds. Chuffing ,

5640-513: The current exhibit, the old Aunt Sally's Farm was a petting zoo that operated between 1959 and 1989. It was replaced by the Kinsman Discovery Centre, which opened on March 23, 1990. The current farm includes the following mammals: The Grasslands & Boreal Forest section features animal species that are native to North America . After Journey to Churchill opened in 2014, an enclosure for an additional species of wolves

5734-463: The den for roughly two weeks; during this time the cubs will move and play around while the mother mostly rests. They eventually head out on the sea ice. Assiniboine Park Assiniboine Park (formerly known as City Park ) is a park in Winnipeg , Manitoba , Canada, located along the Assiniboine River . The Winnipeg Public Parks Board was formed in 1893, and purchased the initial land for

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5828-419: The existing polar bear enclosure, but this eventually grew into a much larger Master Plan Development project. In 2008, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy was created to develop, govern, and manage Assiniboine Park , including the zoo. In June 2009, the Assiniboine Park Conservancy unveiled a comprehensive $ 200 million redevelopment plan for Assiniboine Park and Zoo that was to be completed over 10 years. In 2001,

5922-574: The existing space has not been determined. In 2018 a group of citizens spoke out about the future Diversity Gardens, that visitors will have to pay an admission fee like at the Zoo, and that this will cause lower income citizens to be unable to afford to visit the new displays. Known throughout North America for its luxuriant display of thousands of annual and perennial flowers, the English Garden (established between 1926 and 1927) contains nearly 3 acres of flowers, shrubs and trees arranged in

6016-418: The fertilized embryo does not start development until the fall, between mid-September and mid-October. With delayed implantation, gestation in the species lasts seven to nine months but actual pregnancy is only two months. Mother polar bears typically give birth to two cubs per litter. As with other bear species, newborn polar bears are tiny and altricial . The newborns have woolly hair and pink skin, with

6110-515: The first new exhibit as part of the Assiniboine Park Zoo's redevelopment plans, Toucan Ridge, was opened. As of 2021, species contained at the Toucan Ridge include: Mammals Birds Polar bear Ursus eogroenlandicus Ursus groenlandicus Ursus jenaensis Ursus labradorensis Ursus marinus Ursus polaris Ursus spitzbergensis Ursus ungavensis Thalarctos maritimus The polar bear ( Ursus maritimus )

6204-435: The footbridge, provides access to the main body of the park from Portage Avenue . Opened in May 2011 as part of the Park's redevelopment, a 0.81 ha (2-acre) Children's Nature and Adventure Playground was built as a children's play area . It is located adjacent to the Pavilion and cost $ 6 million. The play area features a kid-size doorway, although adult throughway is also provided. The relocated Winnie-the-Pooh statue

6298-565: The grassy areas. Each of the beds, as well as the overall design, is symmetrical. The Leo Mol Sculpture Garden displays more than three hundred works by Dr. Leo Mol , including bronze and ceramic sculptures, paintings and drawings. Opened in 1992, the sculpture garden has been expanded twice since. The park's signature feature, the Assiniboine Park Pavilion became a focus of early Winnipeg's social life. Originally designed by John D. Atchison and built in 1908, it included

6392-461: The ice and then pokes its head in to catch the pup before it can escape. A ringed seal's lair can be more than 1 m (3.3 ft) below the surface of the ice and thus more massive bears are better equipped for breaking in. Some bears may simply stay still near a breathing hole or other spot near the water and wait for prey to come by. This can last hours and when a seal surfaces the bear will try to pull it out with its paws and claws. This tactic

6486-463: The ice, though a large portion of the population (15–40%) has been observed spending all summer on land since the 1980s. Some areas have thick multiyear ice that does not completely melt and the bears can stay on all year, though this type of ice has fewer seals and allows for less productivity in the water. Polar bears may travel areas as small as 3,500 km (1,400 sq mi) to as large as 38,000 km (15,000 sq mi) in

6580-399: The ice. When stalking reindeer, polar bears will hide in vegetation before an ambush. On some occasions, bears may try to catch prey in open water, swimming underneath a seal or aquatic bird . Seals in particular, however, are more agile than bears in the water. Polar bears rely on raw power when trying to kill their prey, and will employ bites and paw swipes. They have the strength to pull

6674-589: The ideal conditions created in the Palm House and Display Garden. The original Palm House was erected in 1914, and in 1968 a fully modern structure was built over and around the Palm House, enclosing it. It was announced in early 2018 that the Assiniboine Park Conservatory would close permanently in April 2018 due to ongoing renovation costs and it reaching the end of its "useful life". The building has since been demolished, and usage of

6768-478: The more temperate-living harbour seals . Polar bears, mostly adult males, will occasionally hunt walruses both on land and ice. They mainly target young walruses, as adults, with their thick skin and long tusks, are too large and formidable. Besides seals, bears will prey on cetacean species such as beluga whales and narwhals , as well as reindeer , birds and their eggs, fish and marine invertebrates . They rarely eat plant material as their digestive system

6862-417: The nose and lips, is black and absorbs heat. Polar bears have a 5–10 cm (2.0–3.9 in) thick layer of fat underneath the skin, which provides both warmth and energy. Polar bears maintain their core body temperature at about 36.9 °C (98 °F). Overheating is countered by a layer of highly vascularized striated muscle tissue and finely controlled blood vessels. Bears also cool off by entering

6956-558: The park in 1904. Although in use before then, the park officially opened in 1909. It is named for the Assiniboine people . The park covers 1,100 acres (450 ha), of which 400 acres (160 ha) are designed in the English landscape style. The park includes the 700-acre (280 ha) Assiniboine Forest , Assiniboine Park Zoo , Assiniboine Park Conservatory, the historic Assiniboine Park Pavilion , formal and informal gardens,

7050-526: The polar bear does not have a particularly strong bite. Polar bears have large paws, with the front paws being broader than the back. The feet are hairier than in other bear species, providing warmth and friction when stepping on snow and sea ice. The claws are small but sharp and hooked and are used both to snatch prey and climb onto ice. The coat consists of dense underfur around 5 cm (2.0 in) long and guard hairs around 15 cm (5.9 in) long. Males have long hairs on their forelegs, which

7144-413: The polar bear is considered to be monotypic . One possible fossil subspecies, U. m. tyrannus , was posited in 1964 by Björn Kurtén , who reconstructed the subspecies from a single fragment of an ulna which was approximately 20 percent larger than expected for a polar bear. However, re-evaluation in the 21st century has indicated that the fragment likely comes from a giant brown bear. The polar bear

7238-525: The result of interbreeding. A 2012 study estimated the split between polar and brown bears as occurring around 600,000 years ago. A 2022 study estimated the divergence as occurring even earlier at over one million years ago. Glaciation events over hundreds of thousands of years led to both the origin of polar bears and their subsequent interactions and hybridizations with brown bears. Studies in 2011 and 2012 concluded that gene flow went from brown bears to polar bears during hybridization. In particular,

7332-424: The sea ice and during spring, mostly between March and May. Males search for females in estrus and often travel in twisting paths which reduces the chances of them encountering other males while still allowing them to find females. The movements of females remain linear and they travel more widely. The mating system can be labelled as female-defence polygyny , serial monogamy or promiscuity . Upon finding

7426-463: The seal or swimming towards a seal on an ice floe. The polar bear can stay underwater with its nose exposed. When it gets close enough, the animal lunges from the water to attack. During a limited time in spring, polar bears will search for ringed seal pups in their birth lairs underneath the ice. Once a bear catches the scent of a hiding pup and pinpoints its location, it approaches the den quietly to not alert it. It uses its front feet to smash through

7520-670: The sheltered side and lie down. After a snowstorm, a bear may rest under the snow for hours or days. On land, the bears may dig a resting spot on gravel or sand beaches. They will also sleep on rocky outcrops. In mountainous areas on the coast, mothers and subadults will sleep on slopes where they can better spot another bear coming. Adult males are less at risk from other bears and can sleep nearly anywhere. Polar bears are typically solitary, aside from mothers with cubs and mating pairs. On land, they are found closer together and gather around food resources. Adult males, in particular, are more tolerant of each other in land environments and outside

7614-418: The shoulder. The tail is 76–126 mm (3.0–5.0 in) long. The largest polar bear on record, reportedly weighing 1,002 kg (2,209 lb), was a male shot at Kotzebue Sound in northwestern Alaska in 1960. Compared with the brown bear, this species has a more slender build, with a narrower, flatter and smaller skull, a longer neck, and a lower shoulder hump. The snout profile is curved, resembling

7708-589: The traditional English style. From the outset, the English Garden was designed to serve as a popular park attraction where local residents and tourists could obtain information about specialized floriculture in Manitoba. New plant varieties have been introduced annually. A large rose garden (with more than 400 bushes (there are only a few remnants of roses in this area.) of Floribunda , Grandiflora and Rugosa varieties), broken into four sections, surrounds

7802-526: The very first facility in North America to house a pair of Asian lions. In 2013, a new 2,400 m (26,000 sq ft) expansion of the enclosure for the Siberian tigers was constructed and opened. The new enclosure would assist the breeding program. Aunt Sally's Farm is a child-friendly learn-and-play area of the zoo, which includes a wishing well and sits parallel to a playground. Unlike

7896-556: The water. The eyes of a polar bear are close to the top of the head, which may allow them to stay out of the water when the animal is swimming at the surface. They are relatively small, which may be an adaption against blowing snow and snow blindness . Polar bears are dichromats , and lack the cone cells for seeing medium, mainly green, wavelengths. They have many rod cells , which allow them to see at night. The ears are small, allowing them to retain heat and not get frostbitten . They can hear best at frequencies of 11.2–22.5 kHz,

7990-587: The western and southern Hudson Bay (WHB and SHB) populations. Bears in and around the Queen Elizabeth Islands have been proposed as a subpopulation but this is not universally accepted. A 2022 study has suggested that the bears in southeast Greenland should be considered a different subpopulation based on their geographic isolation and genetics. Polar bear populations can also be divided into four gene clusters : Southern Canadian, Canadian Archipelago , Western Basin (northwestern Canada west to

8084-493: The wild. Analysis of the number of variations of gene copies in polar bears compared with brown bears and American black bears shows distinct adaptions. Polar bears have a less diverse array of olfactory receptor genes, a result of there being fewer odours in their Arctic habitat. With its carnivorous, high-fat diet the species has fewer copies of the gene involved in making amylase , an enzyme that breaks down starch , and more selection for genes for fatty acid breakdown and

8178-462: The world, including: Mammals Birds Toucan Ridge , originally known as the Tropical House , is an exhibit featuring animal, bird, and plant life of the new-world tropics of Central and South America . Constructed in 1971 for $ 500,000, the original 1,230-square-metre (13,200 sq ft) Tropical House building first opened to the public in November 1972 and almost doubled

8272-481: The zoo's budget was $ 8,000, which included $ 1,800 for food, $ 4,200 for labor, and $ 1,158 for new construction. In 1935 the zoo acquired its first lion , a female. Four years later, it welcomed its first polar bear , a wild orphaned cub named Carmichael. Carmichael was later joined by a female named Clementine in February 1940. The Zoological Society of Manitoba was formed in 1956 to provide vision and funding for

8366-413: The zoo's hours have been significantly reduced since then. In July 2015, the zoo extended visiting hours every Wednesday until 8   PM due to visitor requests for later closing times to accommodate working schedules. In 2000, the Zoological Society of Manitoba and the zoo started work on a new Master Plan Development Proposal for the zoo (the first since 1960). Initial proposals were for the redesign of

8460-399: The zoo. In 1957, the zoo helped develop "Aunt Sally's Farm", a children's petting zoo named after Sally Warnock, a community activist. A scale model was presented in February 1958, and the petting zoo officially opened on August 7, 1959. Initially, an admission fee was charged: 10 cents for children over 5 years and 25 cents for adults. The fee was dropped some years later. In 1959, the zoo

8554-579: The zoo. This was also the first year of "Lights of the Wild", featuring animal light sculptures presented by the zoo and the Society for 3 weeks in the winter. The "Saturn Playground" was constructed in 1997 and the main restaurant facilities were renovated. In 1998, the Saturn Shuttle and kiosk information booth projects were established, and the zoo's electrical infrastructure was upgraded. By 1998,

8648-431: Was added. Later a permanent enclosure was built for them, though originally a wolf exhibit was not planned for. The Grasslands & Boreal Forest exhibit opened in June 2018 and features four male grey wolves and one female grey wolf. As of 2021, species contained in the grasslands and boreal forest include: Mammals Birds Journey to Churchill is an exhibit representing various habitats of northern Manitoba and

8742-835: Was given its common name by Thomas Pennant in A Synopsis of Quadrupeds (1771). It was known as the "white bear" in Europe between the 13th and 18th centuries, as well as "ice bear", "sea bear" and " Greenland bear". The Norse referred to it as isbjørn ' ice bear ' and hvitebjørn ' white bear ' . The bear is called nanook by the Inuit . The Netsilik cultures additionally have different names for bears based on certain factors, such as sex and age: these include adult males ( anguraq ), single adult females ( tattaq ), gestating females ( arnaluk ), newborns ( hagliaqtug ), large adolescents ( namiaq ) and dormant bears ( apitiliit ). The scientific name Ursus maritimus

8836-399: Was officially named Assiniboine Park Zoo. During the 1960s, a gibbon and monkey house was built, another orphan polar bear cub arrived at the zoo, and a snow leopard was added. The polar bear enclosure was renovated in 1967, adding an upper story, and two more orphaned cubs. Subsequently, in 1968 and 1969, the Tropical House, Native Animal Exhibit, and a new south gate were added. In

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