Noah’s Ark Zoo Farm Tests if Real-Life 'Paddington Bears' Have a Taste for Marmalade
6th Nov 2024
As anticipation builds for the latest Paddington Bear film, Paddington in Peru TM, we have brought the iconic bear’s love for marmalade to life with a unique, sweet-themed research project. Our own Andean bears, often seen as the real-life inspiration for Paddington, have taken part in a playful “taste test” to see if they truly share the much-loved bear’s fondness for marmalade.
Inspired by the film, the Andean bears choose between marmalade, jam, and peanut butter. This light-hearted experiment has a serious purpose: to raise awareness about the endangered Andean bear species and support our ongoing partnership with Spectacled Bear Conservation Society.
For the project, our Senior Animal Keeper Emily De Pasquale-Wood offered the bears a selection of marmalade, jam, and peanut butter smeared across their habitat. Emily explained, “The bears loved all the treats but definitely lingered longest with the marmalade!” Emily said. “Tuichi, especially, was quite the messy eater— is just like Paddington! She always gets her paws into mischief. We’re thrilled that marmalade came out as the winner.”
With marmalade as the clear winner, the bears proved that marmalade is the rightful favourite snack of the popular on-screen bear!
Here at the zoo, we actively champions the cause of spectacled bear conservation and supports the vital work of the Spectacled Bear Conservation Society (SBC). SBC is working to protect spectacled bears in Peru through community empowerment, scientific research and habitat protection.
The spectacled bear, native solely to South America, faces an uncertain future due to habitat loss and climate change, with as few as 2,500 mature individuals thought to remain in the wild. We actively raise awareness for this species, aiming to shed light on the plight of these bears and to generate vital funds to support SBC’s conservation efforts.
In recent months, devastating wildfires have threatened Peru’s ecosystems, impacting the landscapes that Andean bears call home. There have been roughly 10,400 fires in 2024, which is more than double the previous record and nearly 2.5 times the total area burned.
Molly Shutt, Marketing Coordinator, added, “With the recent wildfires in Peru, we felt it was crucial to highlight the real-life ‘Paddington’ bear’s situation. We hope this fun activity encourages Paddington fans to learn more about Andean bears and to support wildlife conservation in Peru.”
Noah’s Ark is home to a family of spectacled bears, including a breeding pair, Madidi and Rasu, and their twin cubs Tuichi and Beni. The zoo encourages fans of the film to come and say hello to their own loveable bears and learn about the species.
