Noi

Noi was born on 29 January 2020, and her keepers frequently describe her as exceptionally curious — or, in local terms, rather “kaypoh”. She is constantly observing activity around her habitat, whether it involves movement in nearby exhibits, unfamiliar sounds, or keepers going about their routines.

On one memorable occasion, a keeper leaned casually against a wall with one hand on their hip. Noi paused, watched carefully, and then adopted almost exactly the same posture herself. Entirely coincidentally, of course.

Noi spends much of her day exploring, digging, and investigating enrichment items with considerable enthusiasm. She has also been observed hugging plants within the moat area while searching for insects visiting flowering stems — a surprisingly effective technique for a small bear. When startled, she produces a short barking sound that is unexpectedly dog-like.

To keep her mentally stimulated, the care team provides multiple enrichment sessions daily. Noi generally approaches each one with the attitude of an animal absolutely determined to discover what happens if she dismantles it completely.

Noi participates in positive reinforcement training for future veterinary procedures, including injection training that helps reduce stress during medical care.

She responds well to familiar keepers and learns behaviours quickly, earning her a reputation as something of an overachiever during training sessions. She is also highly attentive to activity involving other animals — particularly her neighbouring sun bear, Hari, during feeding time. 

Sun bears are classified as Vulnerable by the IUCN, threatened by deforestation, the illegal wildlife trade, and the bear bile industry — in which bears are kept in crushingly small cages and milked for bile used in traditional medicine.

Noi's expressive curiosity offers guests a rare opportunity to connect with a species many people know little about, and highlights why protecting Southeast Asia’s forests matters.