SALISBURY, Md. - The Salisbury Zoo has announced that their male Andean bear Pinocchio is heading to the Nashville Zoo on a breeding loan.
Pinocchio, 10 years old, was recommended for the loan by the Species Survival Plan. According to the Zoo, the captive Andean bear population in the United States will benefit from Pinocchio’s pairing with a female at the Nashville Zoo.
Pinocchio is owned by the Salisbury Zoo and they say he will return to Salisbury at a later point.
“We will miss Pinocchio, but we know that this breeding loan is important for the Andean bear population,” said Salisbury Zoo Director Leonora Dillon. “It will also be nice for us and the Zoo guests to have a little more time with one of the cubs.”
The Zoo’s female Andean bear, Chaska, remains with her 16-month-old cubs Inti and Raymi. It is expected that Chaska will determine if it’s time to separate from the cubs sometime this year. With Pinocchio gone on the breeding loan, the Zoo will be able to keep one of the cubs in Salisbury separate from Chaska.
“Though this is bittersweet news, it has been the utmost honor and pleasure of the City of Salisbury to have Pinocchio as part of our Zoo and we look forward to welcoming him back in the future,” said Mayor Jack Heath. “From our first Andean bear, Poopsie, in 1972, to today, I am confident that our great Andean bear exhibit will continue to grow and thrive for many decades to come.”
Pinocchio is expected to leave for Nashville before the end of June, the Zoo says.
