Nur, the First Brazilian Polar Bear, Makes Her First Appearance to the Public

After spending 102 days isolated in a den since her birth, Nur, the first Brazilian and Latin American polar bear, was finally presented to the public at the São Paulo Aquarium on Thursday (February 27).

Nur’s birth, which means “light” in Arabic, was revealed by BBC News Brazil on February 13. She was born on the morning of November 17 last year and, since then, has been isolated with her mother in a dark space. Initially weighing 400 grams, the cub now weighs 7 kilograms and follows her mother’s steps in an environment with temperatures around 4°C. However, Nur still hesitates to enter the water, something that is normal for polar bear cubs. According to the veterinarians, the swimming skill will be learned by mimicking her mother, and it may take a few months. “Nur’s arrival will help raise public awareness and strengthen our commitment to environmental preservation,” says Anael Fahel, director of the Aquarium.

Nur marks a historic moment in Latin America, as she is officially the first polar bear cub recorded in the region. According to experts consulted by BBC News Brazil, this is the first recorded birth of a polar bear cub in Latin America.

The cub is the daughter of Aurora and Peregrino, two bears who have lived at the São Paulo Aquarium for over 10 years. The Aquarium team witnessed the pair’s mating in May 2023, and five and a half months later, Nur was born. Aurora had previously given birth in 2023, but the cub did not survive the first few days. A study published in the Canadian Journal of Zoology shows that 44% of polar bears do not make it to one year of age.

Nur was the sixth polar bear cub born worldwide in 2024, with four born in Russia, one in Germany, and the Brazilian cub. The chief veterinarian and spokesperson for the São Paulo Aquarium, Laura Reinsfeld, explained that Aurora has now resumed her normal eating habits after three months post-birth, and the cub will now have her first experience with solid foods, such as fish and fruits, which her mother eats.

Aurora will patiently teach Nur to swim and help her understand her limits. “This will be a new phase of learning for both of them,” says Laura. The time that the mother and cub spent in the den was critical, as the cub was still fragile, and the mother could have rejected her. However, the cub is now much stronger.

“Seeing Nur leave the den with Aurora during Polar Bear Week is a huge gift. Our team is deeply moved, not just because of the bond we have with the bears, but because we believe this will make history in terms of conservation,” says the veterinarian.

This monitoring of Nur from birth to her transition into the Aquarium’s larger space will serve as a global reference for polar bear reproduction and preservation. In an interview with BBC News Brazil, Alexander Malev, the vice-director of the Kazan Zoo in Russia, stated that global warming may reduce the polar bear population by up to 30% and that it is crucial for more bears to be born worldwide to help sustain the species and raise awareness about climate change.

Malev also mentioned that, in the distant future, it might be possible to rehabilitate these polar bears back to the Arctic, although this depends on several factors, including the animals’ ability to adapt to the wild. Since Aurora was rescued as a cub after losing her parents, she does not have the hunting skills necessary to teach her daughter, which presents a challenge for Nur’s future survival.

However, the director of the Russian zoo was convinced by the owner of the São Paulo Aquarium that it would be possible to create the right conditions in Brazil to care for the bears. “In the end, everything worked out,” he said, smiling.4o mini

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