Buffalo Zoo's Polar Bear Pair Reunited for Breeding Season

Sakari and Luna, the zoo's resident polar bears, are back together with hopes for cubs next winter.

Published on Feb. 17, 2026

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The Buffalo Zoo's polar bear duo, Sakari and Luna, have been reunited after months of separation during denning season. The zoo staff is hopeful that the pair will successfully breed and produce cubs this winter, as they have not had a cub born at the zoo since Luna was born in 2012.

Why it matters

The successful breeding of polar bears is crucial for the conservation of the species, which is threatened by climate change and habitat loss. The Buffalo Zoo's polar bear exhibit is an important part of their conservation efforts, and the birth of cubs would be a significant milestone.

The details

Sakari and Luna have been slowly reintroduced to each other over the past few weeks, starting with visual and scent-based interactions before being allowed to physically interact. Zoological Manager Kayla Woodard says the process has been smooth, as Sakari is very affectionate towards Luna. The zoo is hopeful that this breeding season will be successful, as Luna is now 13 years old, which is considered the prime breeding age for polar bears.

  • The polar bears were recently reunited after denning season.
  • Breeding season for the polar bears has now begun.

The players

Sakari

A male polar bear at the Buffalo Zoo.

Luna

A female polar bear at the Buffalo Zoo, born at the zoo in 2012.

Kayla Woodard

The Zoological Manager at the Buffalo Zoo, who was part of the team that hand-raised Luna.

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What they’re saying

“You can see that Sakari's all about Luna. Luna's all about him. So, love is in the air at the Buffalo Zoo.”

— Kayla Woodard, Zoological Manager (WGRZ)

“Every year we're really hopeful that they'll be successful at having offspring. We've not been there yet. So we have our fingers crossed this year that we'll have successful breeding and hopefully babies in the winter time.”

— Kayla Woodard, Zoological Manager (WGRZ)

What’s next

The zoo staff will closely monitor Sakari and Luna's interactions over the coming months, hoping for successful breeding and the birth of cubs next winter.

The takeaway

The reunion of Sakari and Luna at the Buffalo Zoo is an important step in the conservation efforts for polar bears, a species threatened by climate change. The birth of cubs would be a significant milestone for the zoo and its visitors, who have not seen a new polar bear cub since Luna was born in 2012.