[eeyore]

Originally Posted by agrumpycow

I read this too........Polar Bears are a declining species but this bear will not be able to help increase numbers as the bear will not be able to intergrate with other bears.

its far from certain that he wont be able to fit in - other bear species (vis the spectacled bears in peru) have been hand reared and still been able to integrate with their wild reared brethren.

also if he survives to maturity he will be able to be a sperm donor for Artificial insemination programmes - virtually all polar bear captive breeding uses AI as the potential for the partners to injure each other during natural mating in unacceptably high.

i