Alcor and Mizar are the winning names selected for Hogle Zoo's two male polar bear cubs.
And Wendy Foy, West Valley City, is the winner of a contest to select the names. They were chosen from several thousand entries and announced Saturday at the zoo, said Jan Murphy, zoo public relations coordinator.Foy found the winning names in the night sky. Alcor and Mizar are two stars right next to each other in the handle of the Big Dipper. The Big Dipper is a cluster of stars in the constellation Ursa Major, or the Big Bear.
The two cubs were born last Thanksgiving Day to Chinook, a 21-year-old polar bear who has produced nine cubs since her arrival at the zoo in 1979. Chinook and Andy, the father of the cubs, will remain at the zoo. But the cubs will be transferred to a Memphis, Tenn., zoo sometime next fall, Murphy said.
Foy will receive a prize package from the sponsors of the polar bears that will include a one-year family membership to the zoo, a commemorative picture of the bears, a certificate and a polar bear plush animal.
The stellar names were chosen based on their originality and creativity. The polar bears are sponsored by AT&T, Taco Time, KUTV (Channel 2) and KZHT-94.9.