22.4.2026 – Photos by Hasumi Nobuo
On the 4th of December 2025 a polar bear baby was born at the Oga Aquarium in Japan. On the 14th of April this year it was time for the baby to present himself to the media and the visitors. With Hasumi’s kind permission I can now show his photos of the baby here.
We know now that the cubbie is a boy.
What an agile little fellow!
A naming vote has been held until April 19th, allowing visitors to choose from six candidate names. When I publish this the name hasn’t been revealed yet.
The cubs mama is Momo who was born on 25 November 2014 in Tennoji Zoo, Osaka, Japan. She arrived at Oga Aquarium in March 2024.
This is papa Gota. He was born on 26 November 2003 in Moscow Zoo and arrived at Oga Aquarium in June 2005. He can take it easy while Momo is taking care of the baby bear. 🙂
By the way – Gota is Raspi’s brother!
The cub, which was estimated to have weighed about 500 grams when it was born, has grown to a healthy 19 kilograms.
He likes to show his tongue and what a cute pink tongue it is!
Although the cub has not mastered the art of swimming just yet, it manages to make it back to solid ground whenever it falls into the pool. The cub’s mother, Momo, is often seen nearby watching over her little one.
Here we can see the difference in sizes between the mother and her son.
Mama’s big paws are certainly impressive!
The aquarium has been bustling with visitors from both inside and outside the prefecture eager to catch a glimpse of the cub’s adorable appearance,
Hasumi’s photos are so wonderful, he is such a cute little baby boy, but Hasumi has captured his personality. We are so lucky to have polar bear fans like Hasumi who can share their photos and experiences with the little ones. Thanks so much for sharing.
Molly