Photos: Polar bear Nora as a cub to now
From the Complete coverage: The remarkable journey of Nora, Madison's newest polar bear series
Vilas Zoo's newest polar bear, Nora, from a cub at Columbus Zoo to now.Â
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Polar bear cub, Nora Photo by Grahm S. Jones, Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
Nora, a female polar bear. Photos provided by Oregon Zoo
Nora, a female polar bear. Photos provided by Oregon Zoo
Polar bear Nora swimming in Polar Passage. © Oregon Zoo / photo by Michael Durham.
Polar bear Nora swims in her pool at the Oregon Zoo's Polar Passage habitat. ©Oregon Zoo/ photo by Michael Durham
Nora, a female polar bear. Photos provided by Oregon Zoo
Zella McCarthy, 7, gets a close look at Henry Vilas Zoo’s newest polar bear, Nora, as she swims in the pool in her enclosure at the zoo in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, March 3, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Polar bear, Nora, in her enclosure at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Zookeepers Kristen Myers and Ben Meendering, at left, incorporate training during an afternoon feeding with polar bears, Nora, right, and Siku, at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Tuesday, March 24, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Kristen Myers, lead zookeeper, and Johanna Soto, right, zoo manager, feed lettuce to polar bears Nora and Siku, right, at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Polar bear, Nora, eats an ice treat, made of honey water and chopped produce, in her enclosure at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Polar bears Siku, left, and Nora interact in their enclosure at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Thursday, March 12, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Polar bears, Nora and Siku, right, in their enclosure at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Visitors at Henry Vilas Zoo’s Glacier Grille watch polar bear, Nora, in her enclosure at zoo in Madison, Wis. Friday, Feb. 27, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
Olin Jastram, 3, of McFarland, gets a close look at Henry Vilas Zoo’s newest polar bear, Nora, during a visit to the zoo in Madison, Wis. Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. AMBER ARNOLD, STATE JOURNAL
In this Series
Complete coverage: The remarkable journey of Nora, Madison's newest polar bear
Nora was abandoned by her mother at 5 days old, and against all odds survived. Now she is at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison, where zookeepers …
Columbus, Ohio zookeepers hand-raised Nora after the polar bear's mom abandoned her. Now she's at the Madison zoo, and there are high hopes for her.
