Orphaned polar bear to move from New York to St. Louis Zoo

April 29, 2015 at 2:58 a.m. | Updated April 29, 2015 at 2:58 a.m.

A decorative gate with a polar bear theme marks a service entrance to the new McDonnell Polar Bear Point under construction on Monday, April 13, 2015 at the St. Louis Zoo. The Buffalo Zoo has applied to move its bear to the new facility, scheduled to open June 6. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
A decorative gate with a polar bear theme marks a service entrance to the new McDonnell Polar Bear Point under construction on Monday, April 13, 2015 at the St. Louis Zoo. The Buffalo Zoo has applied to move its bear to the new facility, scheduled to open June 6. (Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)

ST. LOUIS (AP) - A polar bear who gained international fame when orphaned two years ago is coming to the St. Louis Zoo.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/1Gtl1W1) reports that the U.S. government on Monday approved an application to transfer the male bear, named Kali, from his temporary residence at the Buffalo Zoo in New York. Kali will arrive at the St. Louis Zoo just in time for the opening of its new Polar Bear Point exhibit. He will be the first polar bear at the St. Louis Zoo in six years.

Kali was orphaned in March 2013 when a hunter in Alaska killed the cub's mother. When the hunter realized the bear he killed was nursing, he followed tracks to the den and took the cub to U.S. Fish and Wildlife authorities.

Upcoming Events