Grizzly bears Ash and Lexi make their debut at Lincoln Park Zoo
Two new grizzly bears made their debut on Monday at the Lincoln Park Zoo.
Bears Ash and Lexi, who are aunt and niece but seen as sisters due to how close they are, are part of the zoo's Walter Family Arctic Tundra after coming from the Kenry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin.
The zoo said the bears are adult, but their exact age is unknown because they were born in the wild. They were removed from the wild as cubs after being deemed "unreleaseable" after learning to raid trash cans and becoming dependent on human food.
Female brown bears can weigh between 200 and 450 pounds and are 3 feet tall at the shoulders.
The bears are said to go into a winter torpor, which is similar to hibernation, around early November, resulting in long periods of inactivity from the newest residents.
The zoo said it's the first time it's cared for brown bears since 1979.
Fun fact: "Grizzly" does not refer to the bear's trait, but to their coat, as the fur gets lighter at the tips.
