Things have been busy behind the scenes at the Sequoia Park Zoo lately.
While not out and about quite yet, several recent arrivals are in quarantine after coming on board this summer, including two goats, four spider monkeys — with one making a return appearance — and a rescued bear cub that was unable to be released back to the wild.
Known as “Cub 24-3926” while being rehabilitated at the Gold Country Wildlife Rescue in Auburn, the yearling was given the name Kunabulilh by councilmembers of the Bear River Band of the Rohnerville Rancheria, which translates to “he bites” in the Wiyot language Soulatluk.
Dubbed “Nabu” by his zoo caretaker team, the newest member of the Bear and Coyote habitat was found in dire condition back in December in the Coloma area of El Dorado County, according to the Gold Country center’s website.
“At just 20 pounds and nearly hairless, he was suffering from multiple serious health issues, including bacterial and fungal skin infections (yeast and ringworm), and deep ear infections in both ears,” one of the cub’s updates says. “These conditions, likely worsened by the effects of malnutrition and the stress of being orphaned, had left him severely compromised.”
While touch and go for a bit, Nabu made a miraculous recovery and was raised to be returned to the wild. But, with concerns about the bear’s ability to maintain the thick coat needed for survival, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife determined he was unsuitable for release, setting in motion Nabu’s placement at the Sequoia Park Zoo in late June.
According to the zoo’s Animal Curator Amanda Austin, Nabu is “very shy toward people,” which was to be expected, saying “the goal of wildlife rehabilitation is always to return an animal to the wild, and Gold Country Wildlife Rescue did an amazing job of not habituating Nabu to humans during his recovery.”
But she notes in an email, “now that he is with us, our zookeepers are helping him learn how to be a bear in human care.” Austin adds that the cub’s care team reports, “Nabu is most active at night, and his favorite foods (so far) seem to be peanut butter and bananas. Our expert zookeepers will work at his pace to gradually acclimate him to life at the zoo.”
Currently staying in the coyote house in the habitat, Nabu’s debut to the public is still down the road.
“Right now, humans are still a scary experience for him, so we encourage visitors to remain quiet and calm around the bears’ habitat, especially near the coyote night house,” Austin says, explaining that the “habitat space is divided by temporary fencing which has created an empty zone between the coyote night house and the rest of the front yard.”
“All three bears are aware of each other’s presence, although they cannot get close or physically interact with each other,” she says. “There is no timeline for informal introductions, and it might be quite a while before Nabu is visible to guests and ready to meet the other bears.
On the less quiet side, the zoo also recently welcomed a new trio of spider monkeys — Sam, Melina and Mia — which will form one troop, with the hope of bringing some more tiny tails into the world. Meanwhile, a fourth spider monkey named Sprite is marking a homecoming, having been born at the zoo in 1995 before spending time at the John Ball Zoo in Michigan and then Zoo Miami.
Spite will soon be reunited with her mother, Candy, and half-brother, Jake, making up a second troop for Sequoia Park.
Longtime zookeeper Natalie Parchman says Sprite is spending the quarantine period in an area located next to Candy and Jake and “they have been able to see and hear each other without physical interaction.”
And Parchman reports, “Candy makes a very specific vocalization when she sees someone she hasn’t seen in a while, including past zookeepers and staff returning from maternity leave, and Candy made the same vocalization when she saw Sprite!”
“As with all animal introductions, the process will be gradual and determined by the behavior of the individual animals,” Parchman says in an email. “Spider monkeys have a fascinating social structure based on matriarchy, and it will be interesting to see how each troop settles in. Animal care staff will monitor the introductions to ensure a smooth transition.”
Over in the barnyard, two new male goats are getting ready to join the herd — a long-eared Alpine and a La Mancha, which Austin describes as having “tiny, elf-like ears” — which are from local goat cheese company Cypress Grove.
“We have a great relationship with Cypress Grove, and these adorable kids were hand-picked by their staff for their friendliness and sweet personalities — both important traits to have in the Contact Corral, where guests can interact with them,” Austin says of the yet-to-be-named additions. “Grover, a fan favorite and the largest goat in our current group, is also a La Mancha from Cypress Grove, which is how he got his name. Goats and other barnyard friends help us teach about caring for animals, the process of domestication, and the wildlife that lives alongside us.”
The newest arrivals join more than 150 fellow denizens representing more than 50 species at the zoo that is not only the oldest in California — having been established in 1907 — but one of the smallest in the nation to be accredited by Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
While visitors may not be able to catch a glimpse of Nabu for a bit, fellow bear newcomer Ishng is settling in after arriving in March following her removal from a Butte County’s wildlife facility by the CDFW.
As some might remember, the 3 year old — the same age the zoo’s third bear Tule — came to the zoo at a weight described as “atypical for her frame, sex and species” but with a nutrition plan and the extra activity Ishng’s new habitat now affords her, she has slimmed down in the last few months.
“Although she is not swimming in the pond or climbing trees (yet!), she is confident in exploring all areas of the habitat and interacting with enrichment toys and natural items — especially sticks,” Austin says in an email, following up that last remark with loves in all caps. “Her mobility and stamina are improving every day, and we are pleased to report that she is now under 400 pounds. Given her petite frame, she still has some weight to lose to get to a healthy body condition, but we are very happy with her progress. She is so engaging and delightful to watch; everyone just loves her. We call her ‘Queen of Humboldt’ for a reason.”
Introductions between Ishng and Tule, the new habitat’s longest resident, are also moving forward. Like Nabu, both bears are at the zoo because they can’t be released into the wild, in Ishng’s case because she has an affinity for people while Tule, like Nabu, suffered from a skin infection as a rescued cub and is unable to grow a full coat.
“Over the past several weeks, Ishng has become comfortable exploring most areas of the habitat, including the bear night house, and now that she is accessing that space, she and Tule have been able to see each other and go nose-to-nose with chain link fencing in between them,” Austin says. “Zookeepers have set up parallel enrichment activities in the divided night house, and both bears were observed playing comfortably at a distance from each other.
“Sharing the habitat is dependent on their behavior, and, while we do not have an exact timeline, animal care staff are pleased with the progress made so far,” she continues. “Although they might never become ‘best friends,’ we are hopeful that they will be amicable habitat-mates in the future!”
Zookeepers also recognize that this has all been an adjustment for Tule. Austin report has “recovered completely” after being neutered recently and “back to his typical teenage-bear antics,” noting that “cute as baby bears are, there is no shortage of American black bears in the wild or in human care, and there is no need for a captive breeding program in accredited zoos.”
“Like a child who suddenly finds himself sharing his house with new siblings, Tule has been going through an understandable adjustment with the arrival of Ishng and now Nabu,” Austin says. “Sharing space and staff attention isn’t always easy, and zookeepers have been giving him extra enrichment opportunities and attention during this time. When not interacting with staff for care and training, Tule spends a lot of time playing and swimming in the water, climbing trees, and lounging in the sun — either in a firehose hammock or in the redwood duff.”
With the trio, Austin adds, the zoo is “lucky enough to have three special bears that showcase a range of colors” that American black bears can have.
“Ishng is a true black bear with a dark, glossy coat and a lighter muzzle. Tule has rich, chocolate-brown fur with noticeable bald patches across his rump and a white patch of fur on his chest. Nabu is the lightest of the three bears, and photos from Gold Country Wildlife Rescue show his fuzzy golden fur growing in,” she says.
Kimberly Wear is the Journal’s assistant editor. Reach her at (707) 442-1400 or kim@northcoastjournal.com.
This article appears in A Saturday at the Rodeo.