Two polar bear cubs in east China’s Shandong Province have marked their first 100 days in good health. The pigeon pair twins, elder sister Sophia and younger brother Alek, were born in August at Quancheng Ocean and Polar World in Dezhou City.

Hand-reared since birth, the cubs are now entering a key stage as they gradually move from milk to supplementary food. Their keepers say the pair are thriving, gaining 400 to 500 grams a day, though still sensitive to their surroundings and being cared for in a dedicated nursery. As manager Li Guofeng noted, “They will be ready to meet the public before the Spring Festival”.

The 2026 Spring Festival falls on 27 February and will usher in the Year of the Horse, when visitors are expected to see the young bears for the first time. 

Polar bears, the world’s largest land carnivores, are currently listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Source: China Central Television