Sedgwick County Zoo reveals new bear cubs’ names

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The newest additions to the Sedgwick County Zoo have officially been named!

On Wednesday, the zoo announced that they welcomed twin black bear cubs .

After working with Oregon Fish and Wildlife to come up with names that are significant to the area where the new bear cubs’ were born, the SCZ revealed on Monday that the sister’s name is “Sama” and the brother’s name is “Takelma.”

“Takelma was named after the Native American people who lived in the region of Oregon where they were found,” the zoo said in a Facebook post . “Sama translates to ‘summer’ in the native Takelma language, which is fitting for the time of year she was rescued.”

Photos courtesy of the Sedgwick County Zoo

The bear cubs also took their first steps into their new outdoor exhibit, which used to house Mitch before his death in December .

“This morning, Takelma and Sama spent a few supervised minutes exploring a portion of their new habitat. Although they are still too small to be in this habitat alone and need some time to adjust, we are thrilled with their progress,” said the SCZ.

Takelma and Sama are receiving care behind the scenes and are sporadically brought into their outdoor exhibit based on their needs and their keepers’ availability, according to the zoo.

“You might catch a glimpse of them during these supervised outdoor visits, but we’ll keep you posted on when they’ll be ready for regular viewing,” the SCZ said.

Stay up to date with the cubs’ and their latest adventures, like “ Sedgwick County Zoo ” on Facebook.

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