Toronto Zoo unveils name of female polar bear cub
CBC News | Posted: February 25, 2016 4:16 PM | Last Updated: February 25, 2016
Meet little Juno: the baby bear with a historic name
The Toronto Zoo has finally put a name to that cute little polar bear face.
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At a news conference Thursday morning, officials from the zoo, city council and the Canadian Armed Forces gathered to reveal the young female bear's name: Juno.
The name was chosen as a tribute to the Canadian Armed Forces. It comes from Juno Beach where hundreds of Canadian soldiers were killed or wounded during the June 1944 D-Day invasion of German-occupied France during the Second World War.
"We are proud and happy to adopt Juno to the army today, and to promote her immediately to the rank of private," said Brigadier General David Patterson.
Officials at the unveiling said the name is fitting because the cub was born on Remembrance Day.
"Polar bears are brave, strong, resilient, tenacious, agile and more than capable of defending themselves, just like our Canadian soldiers," said Patterson.
Aurora, Juno's mother, gave birth to two cubs in November, but only one survived. Juno currently weighs more than 10 kilograms and will be on display at the Toronto Zoo starting on Saturday.