Point Defiance Zoo’s polar bear is leaving Tacoma
Aug 26, 2026, 5:12 PM | Updated: 5:12 pm
(Photo: Katie G. Cotterill, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium via KIRO 7)
(Photo: Katie G. Cotterill, Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium via KIRO 7)
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium’s 5-year-old polar bear, Laerke, is moving.
According to staff, she will move to an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility in the Midwest later this fall so she can mate with another polar bear.
Laerke arrived at Point Defiance Zoo in 2023 as a 2-year-old cub alongside her twin sister, Astra. Astra relocated to another accredited zoo in 2025 under a separate breeding recommendation.
Shortly after her birth at the Detroit Zoo, Laerke experienced a medical emergency that required intensive care, leading staff to hand-raise her.
Female polar bears typically mature between 4 and 6 years old. Point Defiance Zoo veterinarians monitored Laerke’s fecal hormone levels over the past year, confirming evidence of estrus cycling.
“It has been incredibly special to watch Laerke grow from a young bear into the cautious, gentle, and powerful animal she is today,” Malia Somerville, facility representative for the Polar Bear Population Alliance at Point Defiance Zoo, said. “We will miss her deeply, but we’re excited about what this next chapter could mean for Laerke and for polar bear conservation.”
Animal care staff will work with the receiving care team to familiarize them with Laerke’s routines.
Matt Thompson, spokesperson for the Polar Bear Population Alliance, noted that introductions will progress at the bear’s pace.
“Every breeding recommendation is made with the long-term health and genetic diversity of the population in mind,” Thompson said. “Laerke has been carefully matched with a potential breeding partner, but her comfort and behavior will guide the pace of introductions. Her opportunity to contribute to the next generation is an important part of our collective work to sustain a healthy, genetically diverse polar bear population.”
Keepers provide daily enrichment items for Laerke, including wood wool, boomer balls, ice blocks and food treats to encourage natural behaviors.
“Our team has invested so much time and care in her, and our guests have watched her grow and get to know her personality,” Somerville said. “We’re proud that she may now have the opportunity to contribute to the next generation of polar bears.”
Although the zoo has no immediate plans to welcome another polar bear, Point Defiance Zoo will remain a designated polar bear facility, a Polar Bears International Arctic Ambassador Center and a member of the Polar Bear Population Alliance.
The zoo also collaborates with Polar Bears International on research initiatives, including the “Burr on Fur” study testing tracking methods for wild bears.
Point Defiance Zoo will announce Laerke’s exact departure date and specific destination once plans are finalized with the receiving facility.
In early 2027, the zoo’s penguins will temporarily move into the polar bear habitat while construction proceeds on an expanded penguin exhibit funded by a voter-approved bond from April 2026.
