ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Three orphaned grizzly bear cubs that came to the Detroit Zoo from Alaska in December have made their zoo debut.

Mike, Thor and Boo spent the winter “denned up” as they would in the wild.

On
Thursday, the 14-month-old brothers met their public. They explored
their new habitat, did a little rough-housing and took a dip in the
pool.

The three were orphaned in October and captured by the
Alaska Department of Fish and Game after their mother was shot and
killed by a poacher.

Alaska wildlife officials contacted the Detroit Zoo after determining the cubs couldn’t survive the winter on their own.

The
cubs have nearly doubled in size. They now measure about 4 1/2 feet
(1.37 metres) tall and weigh between 215 and 255 pounds (97 and 116
kilograms).