Nashville Zoo has matchmaking plans for Andean bears

Roarthy of your time: The zoo's Andean bear exhibit won top honors for exhibit design from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums in 2019.

Mate of play: Pinocchio is the subject of a matchmaking plan, as executives hope he is a breeding partner for the zoo's other Andean bear Luka.

• The Nashville Zoo tried unsuccessfully to pair Luka with male bear Muniri, who was then sent to a zoo in Indiana.
• Pinocchio fathered three cubs at his previous zoo in Maryland.

Flash fur-ward: Pinocchio was rescued as an abandoned cub in the countryside of Ecuador. He was deemed unfit to be released back into the wild.

Be smart: There are believed to be about 18,000 Andean bears living in the wild. They are native to the mountains of South America.

• The Nashville Zoo partners with the Andean Bear Conservation Alliance, a Peru-based organization, to help track and protect the bears.