Lincoln Park Zoo welcomes brown bears for the first time in nearly 50 years

Two more bears are ready to make Chicago their home but this time not at Soldier Field.

Lincoln Park Zoo welcomed two female brown bears, Ash and Lexi, who made their debut Monday after coming to Chicago from Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wisconsin. The bears, who are aunt and niece but commonly mistaken for sisters, are both adults, though their exact age is unknown.

They were taken from the wild as cubs but designated “unreleasable” by officials at Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks after learning to raid trash cans and becoming dependent on human food.

“Ash and Lexi’s story is an inspiring one that reminds us of the important role accredited zoos can play in the lives of rescued animals that can’t return to the wild for their own safety,” said Cassy Kutilek, Lincoln Park Zoo curator, in a news release. “We’re excited to get to know these two girls and their unique personalities — especially after their winter torpor!”

The bears are very close and playful with one another, Henry Vilas Zoo employees told the Lincoln Park Zoo. Ash is quicker to participate in training sessions, as she is more food motivated, but Lexi has been called the braver of the two and is more eager to try new things.

The bears are currently gearing up for their winter torpor, a natural process similar to hibernation where the bears will sleep for long periods of the day. Their heart rates, metabolism and breathing slow drastically to conserve energy during a season when food is more scare in the wild. The bears won't have a problem getting food at the zoo, but they'll still go through this process because it's a natural phase for bears.

Ash and Lexi are the first brown bears at Lincoln Park Zoo since 1979, according to the news release.