San Diego Zoo transfer brings Kartick the sloth bear to Kansas, and a careful new start at Sunset Zoo
On a winter morning in Manhattan, Kansas, keepers at Sunset Zoo began another measured step in a slow introduction: one bear into the other’s empty den, then back again, the kind of routine that turns a new arrival into a neighbor. The newcomer came from the san diego zoo—a male sloth bear named Kartick—now settled into Expedition Asia as staff work methodically to pair him with the zoo’s resident female, Tess.
Sunset Zoo Kartick arrived on Dec. 10, 2025, and that every animal entering the facility must first complete a quarantine period. The purpose,, is to ensure the animal does not carry contagious diseases, with separation from other animals until passing a rigorous veterinary exam.
Why did the San Diego Zoo send Kartick to Sunset Zoo?
Kartick’s move was recommended through the Sloth Bear Species Survival Plan (SSP), which Sunset Zoo operates in cooperation with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). the SSP evaluates populations of a species in human care at select institutions and makes breeding recommendations based on genetic variability.
Sunset Zoo described the transfer as critical for vulnerable species such as the sloth bear, noting that the population has decreased by nearly 50% in the last 30 years. In that framing, Kartick’s relocation is not only a change of address—it is a coordinated attempt to strengthen the managed population through carefully planned pairings.
How are keepers introducing Kartick and Tess safely?
After quarantine, Sunset Zoo keepers began introducing Kartick to Tess in stages designed to reduce stress and limit risk. Officials described the first steps as simple but deliberate: swapping bedding so each bear becomes familiar with the other’s scent. Next came allowing the bears to smell each other through shift doors.
The zoo says the current stage involves letting one bear enter the other’s vacant den to deepen that sense of familiarity. Officials emphasized that taking the process slowly matters for potentially dangerous animals, which have a higher possibility of injuring each other if an introduction goes poorly. Keepers, the zoo said, are doing everything they can to help the process go as well as possible.
For visitors, much of this work is easy to miss—a quiet choreography behind doors and timing schedules. For staff, it is the heart of the transition: making space for a bond to form without forcing it.
What comes next for Kartick, Tess, and sloth bear conservation efforts?
Sunset Zoo the hope is that Kartick and Tess will breed and produce cubs. They noted that sloth bears have a defined breeding season, usually from about May to July, with cubs born around December or January. Officials also pointed to a recent family milestone in the same broader managed network: Tess’s sister, Molly, produced cubs at the Smithsonian Zoo last December.
For now, Kartick and Tess follow a daily rhythm intended to balance access and comfort. Kartick is given access to the outdoor habitat in the mornings, then swaps with Tess for the afternoons. Keepers also offered an easy way to tell them apart: Kartick has large, round, very fuzzy ears, and they say he looks like a teddy bear or a Teddy Graham. Kartick is also described as larger than Tess.
Kartick’s path to this point has included multiple institutions. he was born at the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle, Washington, on Dec. 27, 2017, making him currently eight years old. He was transferred to the san diego zoo in 2019 before coming to Kansas last December.
Sunset Zoo, tucked inside a residential area near Manhattan High School’s West Campus, is open 360 days a year. Summer hours are daily, 9: 30 a. m. to 5: 00 p. m. For those walking in, the exhibit may read as a local attraction. For those running the introduction, each swapped den and each careful pause is part of a longer plan—one that depends on patience as much as genetics, and on the day-to-day work of getting two bears used to the same air.
