Queens, NY – The Queens Zoo released a heartwarming video on December 11, 2025, showing two young Andean bears using a large tree branch to swing back and forth like a seesaw. The footage was captured by guest Ursula McDermott.

The pair includes Coya, a female almost two years old, and Ransisku, a male nearly four years old. In the video, Coya is on the right and Ransisku on the left, balancing on the branch as they play and explore their surroundings.

“As young bears, Coya and Ransisku are curious about everything in their environment,” said Mike Allen, Director of the Queens Zoo. “While this particular interaction with the branch is unique and fun to watch, it’s very much in line with their natural instinct to explore, climb, and test their surroundings. They’re learning about their habitat—and each other—every day.”

Also known as spectacled bears for the distinctive white or cream-colored markings around their eyes, Andean bears are the only bear species native to South America. Adults measure five to six feet long, with males reaching up to 340 pounds and females around 200 pounds. Highly arboreal, they rely on trees for nesting, foraging, and resting.

In the wild, Andean bears inhabit the Tropical Andes across Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. Classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, fewer than 18,000 remain, threatened by deforestation and conflicts over cattle and corn production.

The Queens Zoo, operated by the Wildlife Conservation Society, participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Program and supports field conservation efforts to protect Andean bear populations.

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