MADISON (WKOW) — Dane County’s Henry Vilas Zoo is gearing up to welcome a new furry friend. Nora, a female polar bear from the Oregon Zoo, will soon join Berit, the 26-year-old bear already in Madison. The plan is for Nora to eventually meet a male bear in hopes of raising cubs.

This initiative is part of the Polar Bear Population Alliance's efforts to maintain a sustainable and diverse polar bear population in the U.S. Polar bears are classified as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act due to habitat changes.

“This polar bear move is a tremendous step forward towards helping the overall polar bear population,” Executive Zoo Director Ronda Schwetz said in a statement. “Our award-winning polar bear habitat was built with cubs in mind."

Conservationists stress the importance of

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