Grizzly Bears at Brookfield Zoo Celebrate 20th Birthday

In July of 1995, two orphaned grizzly bears from Admiralty Island in Alaska were given a second chance at life. Their mother had been killed near a landfill in the small village of Angoon, and the cubs had little chance of surviving on their own. When residents learned of the cubs' fate, they notified the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, and one of its officials asked the Chicago Zoological Society for assistance. After their rescue, the cubs were sent to Brookfield Zoo. The two brothers, who weighed just 80 pounds, spent several weeks in quarantine in the animal hospital to make sure they were healthy. They were then introduced to their new habitat, where they quickly settled in. The bears were named Kutsnuwo Jim, after the Tlingit name for Admiralty Island, and one of the keepers who assisted in their rescue, and Angoon Axie, after the Alaskan village and another keeper. Today, Jim and Axie weigh over 900 pounds and can be seen at the zoo's Great Bear Wilderness exhibit. They continue to receive excellent care from the animal care staff and nutritionists, who provide them with enrichment and a well-balanced, nutritious diet. Millions of guests have seen the two brothers since their arrival at Brookfield Zoo 20 years ago. Their presence has brought awareness to the grizzly bears' plight and recovery in North America.