InsideJapan News Network

Japanese zoo officials who were puzzled at the failure of two polar bears to mate have finally solved the mystery - they are both female.

The bears are inhabitants of a zoo in the northern city of Kushiro. One of the bears, Tsuyoshi, had been traded for an orangutan in 2005 and was intended as a mate for a female bear called Kurumi.

Zookeeper Hiroyuki Kubono commented: "Even though the rutting season came in spring this year, Tsuyoshi didn't show mating behaviour such as chasing after a female bear We thought it might be because Tsuyoshi was still too young."

Following DNA tests, it was discovered that Tsuyoshi was actually a she, not a he, report AFP.

Mr Kubono added: "Tsuyoshi came here when she was a cub and people just love her."

Kushiro is located in Hokkaido Prefecture, 90 minutes flight from Haneda airport in Tokyo.


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