Polar bear cub enjoys first snow playtime at Detroit Zoo

One of the Detroit Zoo's newest residents seems to be adjusting to her home and its wintry conditions.

Zoo officials on Tuesday shared a video on Instagram of one of its nearly 4-month-old twin polar bear cubs frolicking in the snow recently at the Oakland County site.

"Over the last week the female cub at the Detroit Zoo was able to experience her first romp in the snow during a brief, supervised playtime," the post said. "She is not yet old enough to venture out on her own, or stay out all day, but has moved out of her nursery and is now living in a larger space inside of the Ruth Roby Glancy Animal Health Complex."

Last month, zoo representatives showed pictures of the cubs, the first born there since 2004.

The pair debuted Nov. 17. Their mother is 8-year-old Suka.

The zoo said the female captured on video seemed weak days after her birth and needed special attention, including round-the-clock care and bottle feeding.

"The cub has also graduated from her bottle and is able to drink formula from a bowl," officials wrote Tuesday. "She is tipping the scales at over 20 pounds – what a big girl!"

Meanwhile, the post said, "Suka and cub are also doing well and are expected to venture out of the maternity den within the next few weeks."

Zoo officials haven't released the gender of the other cub. When they were born in November, officials said the fact the twins are being raised separately, one by Suka and one by humans, would give the zoo a rare chance to learn from the experience.

Their father is 16-year-old Nuka, who came to the zoo in January 2020. On Feb. 8, he killed the zoo's other female polar bear, 20-year-old Anana, during a breeding attempt, officials said.