Greater Vancouver Zoo has unveiled a new habitat for the grizzly bear triplets that came to the wildlife centre as cubs five years ago.

The new enclosure is more than double the size of the grizzly's previous enclosure, said Menita Prasad, animal care director and deputy general manager at the Aldergrove zoo.

The bears 鈥� who came to the zoo in July 2020 after their mother was shot by hunters 鈥�  garnered international attention when they received their permanent home at the zoo.

Videos of the grizzly bear cub triplets romping and playing together went viral at the time, recounted Prasad.

The trio 鈥� named in a contest by zoo goers as Huggy, Henry, and Scout 鈥� were raised at the zoo on formula and introduced to solid food while being taught skills including hunting, foraging, and hiding.

鈥淭heir mother was shot by a poacher and, without a permanent home, the cubs would have had to be euthanized,鈥� Prasad said.

She notes that typically bear cubs spend three years with their mothers in the wild, so everything had to be taught to the triplets at the zoo.

鈥淏ecause of human intervention that took place at an early age, it would not be ideal for the cubs to be released into wild,鈥� she explained.

So this new, larger habitat was in order, to accommodate the trio as they grow.

鈥淭he triplets have been a favourite with the many people attending the zoo," Prasad reiterated, "and their new enclosure gives them an enhanced lifestyle for the future.鈥�