The emaciated female polar bear that was brought to Roev Ruchey Park from Norilsk has gained 12 kilograms over the past three weeks, the park’s press service reported.

The animal, which dwells in a quarantine enclosure, weighs 118 kilograms now. Vets are monitoring her health while a new enclosure with a swimming pool is being prepared for her.

Female polar bears living in the wild weigh between 130 and 300 kilograms, according to Viktor Nikiforov, coordinator of the sea animals programme of the Marine Mammal Council. Bears can vary in size and, consequently, in weight.

“This young female bear has been fed by humans for almost a month and has grown used to them. In my opinion, this means that she cannot be released into the wild,” Nikiforov noted.

(Photo © Roev Ruchey Park)