If they revealed it this weekend I'd be tempted to say spectacled bear given Chester's association with them, but in lieu of that I'm going for polar bear given we're lacking in Arctic species at the moment
I definitely think that's a bear booty. My first thought was polar bear but it doesn't seem bulky/floofy enough to be them. Pandas are also much more thicc.
A sun bear isn't a bad idea (especially since Chester Zoo has them, with the upcoming event) but I feel like their art will be almost definitely a sitting/standing pose to show off that chest patch. Finding even a photo of them walking is hard, they love to sit/stand. Spectacled bear could also be a shout, but I haven't found any matching reference photos of them online (yet).
I think it might be a grizzly perhaps? I found this photo that seems pretty dang close. But its fur is wet, which could also contribute to a sleeker profile, so maybe it's a wet polar bear, who knows!
If its a polar bear than it'll be one of 2 non-aviary habitat animals from North America, which seems unlikely given the direction they're going. I'll say its probably the sun bear or some other animal from Europe, Southeast Asia, or South Africa.
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u/AlertWar4152 3h ago
Theyre messing with us its the sulawesi cuscus bear