Polar Bear Inuka moves into new Frozen Tundra Exhibit

AS THE first polar bear born in the tropics, Inuka has never experienced life on the frozen Arctic tundra.

Yet the 570kg furry giant's new home is perhaps the next best thing.

The $8 million Singapore Zoo enclosure is about the size of 2 1/2 basketball courts - four times bigger than the previous one.

And it is modelled on the natural environment of the Arctic, with a large pool, waterfall and an ice cave where the 22-year-old bear can rest. Called Frozen Tundra, the 2,700 sq m exhibit also includes two separate sections housing raccoon dogs and wolverines, both of which are native to sub-Arctic environments.

Inuka moved in on Wednesday.

The zoo came up with the idea of creating a new habitat in 2006. It was designed to give the Singapore-born bear - whose mother, Sheba, died last November - more space to move around, while offering the public a glimpse of the Arctic world.

"In the past, visitors wanted the animals as close to them as possible," said Wildlife Reserves Singapore director of exhibit design Cham Tud Yinn. "But as they become more educated, they appreciate the fact that animals need privacy and space."

He added that visitors may not be able to get quite as close to Inuka as they would like. However, the exhibit has more glass panels through which to view the spectacular creature.

Native to the Arctic Circle, polar bears are the world's largest land carnivores. Adult males can weigh up to 700kg. But global warming has pushed back the sea ice, shrinking their hunting grounds and cutting off their sources of food.

If global temperatures continue to rise, polar bears may become extinct within a hundred years.

The Frozen Tundra is open every day from 8.30am to 6pm.

Inuka was adopted at birth in 1990 by the SPH Foundation, the charitable arm of Straits Times' parent company Singapore Press Holdings. Its chairman, Dr Lee Boon Yang, was the guest of honour at a ceremony yesterday to mark the foundation's decision to adopt the Amazon Flooded Forest at the River Safari. This means it will sponsor the exhibit by making a donation to zoo owner Wildlife Reserves Singapore every year.

"SPH Foundation has been a long-time partner of Wildlife Reserves Singapore in supporting wildlife conservation," said Dr Lee. He added that it also sponsors the High Flyers Show at Jurong Bird Park and a conservation centre housing proboscis monkeys at the zoo.