HONOLULU -- Two new reasons to drop by the Honolulu Zoo include a pair of Borneo bears, sun bears to be exact, which arrived last week.

For the first time in a long time, the bears will have their first winter without snow.

Blackie and Juwita are teenage bears that were caught in the wild and came to Honolulu by way of Cleveland. They are part of a species survival program in the zoo world that had high hopes of breeding the bears in captivity. Its success rate is not high.

"There have been 12 pairs of bears that have come from their home area of Borneo and only one has pair produced offspring," city Enterprise Services Director Sid Quintal said.

Hopes are high that will change. The island's balmy weather just might provide a more romantic backdrop, which could translate to baby bears in the not so distant future.

The sun bears may not be comfortable enough to break out in any acrobatics no matter how much enticing with peanut butter and honey. However, visitors can look forward to more lively creatures on the zoo grounds.

The zoo is close to debuting baby tigers that are getting their final shots before they can do on display. The rollout of new residents will include a gang of eight meerkats.

"We are embarking on a program to get more youthful collections more youthful species in our collection," Quintal said.

There is a lead on a new lion and one more addition in the works. The city is close to naming the new zoo boss. Ken Redman earlier this year announced he is stepping down.