ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - A young polar bear from Washington state is settling into her new home at Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul.

Como Zoo's newest polar bear

The backstory:

Astra, a 700-pound female polar bear, arrived in St. Paul on Thursday after a long journey from the Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium in Tacoma, Washington.

The Polar Bear Population Alliance (PBPA) recommended Astra move to Como to be paired with the zoo’s 5-year-old male, Kulu, as part of a long-term breeding effort to support the threatened species.

"Astra is a young, energetic bear with tremendous potential," said senior zookeeper Allison Jungheim. "Her genetics are valuable to the population, and we’re optimistic that, in time, she and Kulu will form a strong bond that contributes to the susta

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