Australia's first Sun Bear cub blossoms

Perth Zoo has unveiled a precious new addition and an Australian first - a rare Sun Bear cub.

Images of the cub, the first Sun Bear born in Australia, have been captured as the youngster named Maly (pronounced mahlee) begins a tentative and gradual emergence from her den.

Environment Minister David Templeman said Maly - a Cambodian name for blossom - weighed just 406 grams when she was born 13 weeks ago and had remained tucked away in a birthing den with first-time mum, Bopha, for the first three months of her life.

"Perth Zoo staff have been monitoring mother and cub via a video surveillance system and conducting weekly physical checks to ensure all is going well," Mr Templeman said.

"It is still early days and we are only seeing short glimpses of the cub at the moment as she starts to venture out of the den but she is looking strong and healthy and now weighs 6kg. 

"Maly is particularly special, because of the remarkable survival story of her parents, six-year-old Bopha and eight-year-old Jamran, who were rescued from poachers.

"Bopha and Jamran were taken illegally from the wild when they were cubs and were in a terrible condition when they arrived at the Free The Bears Fund sanctuary near Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Jamran was still tied to a pole when he reached the sanctuary."

The bears were nursed back to health at the Free The Bears Fund sanctuary before planning began to provide them with a new home in Perth.

Mr Templeman said the birth of Maly, which was part of a regional breeding program for the threatened Sun Bear, the world's smallest bear species, was a major achievement for Perth Zoo.

"This breeding success is the culmination of years of planning and would not have been possible without the support of Free The Bears Fund and the Cambodian Government and the generosity of the Western Australian community and businesses," he said.

Project Sun Bear raised money to build a new home for Bopha and Jamran at Perth Zoo and to transport them to Australia.  The bears arrived safely in Perth in January 2007.

Free the Bears Fund founder Mary Hutton said the birth of the female cub at Perth Zoo was a significant contribution to the Australasian population of Sun Bears, a globally threatened species, and demonstrated the importance of inter-regional co-operation in endangered species conservation.

"Besides creating an increased awareness of the threats facing Sun Bears in the wild in Cambodia, the Sun Bears at Perth Zoo are directly aiding their wild cousins through visitor support for in-situ conservation efforts by Free the Bears Fund and our partners in Cambodia," Ms Hutton said. 

"This support is vital to ensure a future for wild Sun Bear populations, which face numerous threats from habitat loss and illegal hunting to supply the demand for bear parts in traditional Asian medicine.

"Both Jamran and Bopha were themselves victims of this illegal trade but were fortunately rescued and now have a much brighter future ahead.  We are delighted that they have successfully given birth to a female cub at Perth Zoo."

Minister's office  - 9220 5050

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

·        Maly was born at 9am on Wednesday, March 26.  This followed a gestation period of 97 days.

·        Bear cubs are quite inactive and undeveloped at birth, constantly suckling for the first three months.  Maly should start eating solids over the next month.

·        Cubs stay with their mother until they are independent at around two years of age.

·        The Sun Bear (Helarctos malayanus) is the smallest bear species and is found throughout South-East Asia.  It is also known as the Honey Bear, Malay Bear or Dog Bear.

·        The Sun Bear is targeted by the restaurant trade in parts of Asia as a delicacy with reputed medicinal benefit.  In Cambodia, a bowl of bear paw soup can fetch up to $1,290.

·        The toll on species numbers from this illegal culinary trade and from the destruction of its rainforest habitat is very high.  Traditional Asian medicine prescribes bear fat, gall, meat, paws, spinal cord, blood and bones for all kinds of complaints.   Dried gall can sell for up to 18 times the price of gold.

·        Sun Bears have short, sleek coats and take their name from the light yellow rising sun-shaped patch on their chest.

·        They are omnivores, eating a varied diet of fruit, vegetables and meat. One of their favourite foods is honey, straight from the hive, bees and all. They have a long tongue that helps them collect food, especially honey.

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