A resident at the National Zoo and Aquarium is celebrating their 25^th birthday!

Arataki the Malayan Sunbear will be treated to a bunch of bear delicacies and gifts as part of his big day.

Arataki was bred as part of an Endangered Species Breeding Program, and has been living happily at the National Zoo & Aquarium since 2001.

His partner, and breeding partner Otay was rescued as part of Mary Hutton’s Free the Bears program.  Otay was rescued from a poacher in Cambodia when she was a cub. Her destiny would have been the restaurant trade, where bears are kept in tiny cages, marginally larger than themselves until they are used for restaurant delicacies.

On February 23, 2010 a cub was born. The cub was named Mary, after Mary Hutton, the founder of Free the Bears.

Mary has since left the National Zoo & Aquarium and has become an important part of the Sun Bear breeding program. This program aims at ensuring that the species survives while efforts are made to protect their habitat and their future in the wild.

Hit 104.7’s Wilko & Courts spoke to Zookeeper Will Tran about the breeding program, and how important it is to celebrate Arataki’s 25^th birthday…