Minnesota Zoo: On Monday morning, July 6, 2015 a brown bear in the Russia’s Grizzly Coast habitat moved a rock from the bottom of the exhibit pool and rolled it up and along the pool’s glass barrier, eventually causing the inner pane of glass to break and spiderweb, much like a car windshield.
The pane is one of five layers of shatter-proof glass and it responded to the event exactly as it was designed to do – causing no harm or danger to either the animals or Zoo guests. The bears were immediately recalled to their holding area so that Zoo staff could begin inspections and repairs.
The brown bear was exhibiting typical curious natural behavior, interacting with a found object just like it might in the wild. The award-winning Russia’s Grizzly Coast exhibit simulates the natural habitat of these bears and features grassland, streams, a pool and rock formations that encourage daily enrichment, play and exploration.
The exhibit’s three non-releasable brown bears came to the Minnesota Zoo in 2008 after they were found orphaned in Alaska.
Photo: KARE
