Bears are always up to something. If they’re not interrupting a reporter’s live segment or ringing the door bell to ask for permission to use a jacuzzi seemingly, they’re finding other ways to keep themselves entertained.
Take these two bears, for example, caught on video at the Queens Zoo having fun with a giant tree branch. A visitor filmed two young Andean bears lifting a huge tree branch that’s wedged between a split tree.
Then, out of nowhere, one of the young bears holds onto one end of the branch while the other pushes it down, creating a see-saw movement. The heartwarming moment was caught on film by guest Ursula McDermott.
The Young Bears Are …
According to the Queens Zoo, the pair includes Coya, a female bear almost 2 years old, and Ransisku, a male bear almost 4 years old. Coya is on the right, and Ransisku is on the left in the video.
Bears that play together, stay together! In September, we shared that we had welcomed a new male Andean bear, Ransisku, to the Queens Zoo and introduced him to our young female Andean bear, Coya. (1/3) pic.twitter.com/eIDJJ2EzuV
— Queens Zoo (@thequeenszoo) October 8, 2025
What They’re Saying
“As young bears, Coya and Ransisku are curious about everything in their environment,” said Mike Allen, Director of the Queens Zoo. “While this particular interaction with the branch is unique and fun to watch, it’s very much in line with their natural instinct to explore, climb, and test their surroundings. They’re learning about their habitat—and each other—every day.”
The Queens Zoo says Andean bears are the only bear species native to South America. Adults typically measure five to six feet long, with males reaching up to 340 pounds and females around 200 pounds. Highly arboreal, they rely on trees for nesting, foraging, and resting.
In the wild, Andean bears inhabit the Tropical Andes across Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela. They are classified as Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Fewer than 18,000 are estimated to remain, with populations threatened by deforestation and conflict related to cattle and corn production.
