National Zoo Set to Welcome Andean Bear Cubs
Zoo hopeful that bears will reach full term.
Move over Prince William and Kate, Duchess of Cambridge. The biggest baby news on this side of the pond is that Billie Jean, a 6-year-old Andean bear, is pregnant with two cubs. The Smithsonian National Zoo made the announcement on Friday and officials are hoping Billie Jean will reach full term successfully as she did in January 2012, when she gave birth to two other cubs—Bernardo and Chaska. But what makes this story even sweeter is that Bille Jean mated naturally with Nikki, a male Andean bear that was humanely euthanized in August after he was diagnosed with skin cancer. So if the Billie Jean's cubs are born healthy, they'll be a legacy. “It would not only be a heartwarming story if Nikki’s legacy were to continue,” said Craig Saffoe, …
