TicketsCINCINNATI - The University of Cincinnati Department of Athletics and the Cincinnati Zoo have partnered to bring a new live mascot to the Queen City.
The baby Bearcat, a one-month-old female Palawan Binturong born at the Nashville Zoo, will take the place of Lucy, the Bearcats' current live mascot, who recently announced her retirement after many years of service. The mascot was unveiled to the public at a morning event at the Zoo's Animal Ambassador Center (AAC). Visitors able to see the baby Bearcat starting Friday.
"Our students and fans loved Lucy and were sad to see her retire from being the school's live mascot earlier this year," UC Director of Athletics Mike Bohn said. "We're thrilled that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums was able to identify a young bearcat from the Zoo population that is well suited to continue the live mascot program that UC and the Zoo started 35 years ago."
The new mascot must remain in quarantine until mid-January but will look to make her Fifth Third Arena debut in the second half of the 2019-20 season.
UC and the Zoo are asking for name suggestions for the new Bearcat. Submissions will be accepted via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook until Oct. 31. Two names from those submissions will be selected and fans will get to vote for their favorite. Voting will be open from November 4-7 and the new mascot's name will be announced at UC's Homecoming game against UConn on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Nippert Stadium.
"The baby will receive care, TLC, and ambassador training in the Zoo's ambassador center until she is ready to venture out," Associate Curator of Interpretive Animals Amanda Chambers said. "We hope to get her up to UC to make her Fifth Third Arena debut in the second half of the 2019-20 season. Prior to that, we'll work on getting her accustomed to the sights and sounds that she will encounter off site. She has already been exposed to red and black!"
Another name for Bearcat is Binturong. The new Bearcat is a subspecies known as a Palawan Binturong, which is native to an island with that name in the Philippines. The average adult weight is 20-40 lbs. The baby weighs 2.2 lbs now.
The Zoo opens daily at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Cincinnati Zoo members enjoy early entry at 9 a.m. For more information visit www.cincinnatizoo.org.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati athletics, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
The baby Bearcat, a one-month-old female Palawan Binturong born at the Nashville Zoo, will take the place of Lucy, the Bearcats' current live mascot, who recently announced her retirement after many years of service. The mascot was unveiled to the public at a morning event at the Zoo's Animal Ambassador Center (AAC). Visitors able to see the baby Bearcat starting Friday.
"Our students and fans loved Lucy and were sad to see her retire from being the school's live mascot earlier this year," UC Director of Athletics Mike Bohn said. "We're thrilled that the Association of Zoos and Aquariums was able to identify a young bearcat from the Zoo population that is well suited to continue the live mascot program that UC and the Zoo started 35 years ago."
The new mascot must remain in quarantine until mid-January but will look to make her Fifth Third Arena debut in the second half of the 2019-20 season.
UC and the Zoo are asking for name suggestions for the new Bearcat. Submissions will be accepted via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook until Oct. 31. Two names from those submissions will be selected and fans will get to vote for their favorite. Voting will be open from November 4-7 and the new mascot's name will be announced at UC's Homecoming game against UConn on Saturday, Nov. 9 at Nippert Stadium.
"The baby will receive care, TLC, and ambassador training in the Zoo's ambassador center until she is ready to venture out," Associate Curator of Interpretive Animals Amanda Chambers said. "We hope to get her up to UC to make her Fifth Third Arena debut in the second half of the 2019-20 season. Prior to that, we'll work on getting her accustomed to the sights and sounds that she will encounter off site. She has already been exposed to red and black!"
Another name for Bearcat is Binturong. The new Bearcat is a subspecies known as a Palawan Binturong, which is native to an island with that name in the Philippines. The average adult weight is 20-40 lbs. The baby weighs 2.2 lbs now.
The Zoo opens daily at 10 a.m. and closes at 5 p.m. Cincinnati Zoo members enjoy early entry at 9 a.m. For more information visit www.cincinnatizoo.org.
FOLLOW THE BEARCATS
For all the latest information on Cincinnati athletics, please visit GoBEARCATS.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow Cincinnati Athletics on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.