Melbourne Zoo's Brown Bears Honey and Roan have received a magnificent home renovation, a generous gift from the Friends of the Zoos.

The changes were designed to give the bears more opportunities for climbing and a greater selection of sunny and shady spots to suit different weather conditions.

Zoo Director Kevin Tanner says that ‘the Bear Exhibit opened in 1986, and this renovation is the latest update in our ongoing work of providing the bears with a great environment.

‘The Carnivore Keepers will use the new platforms to distribute some of the snacks that the bears are given several times a day, with as many as nine feeds on some days.

‘Feeding them small amounts at frequent intervals reflects their diet in the wild, when they spend the day foraging and eating different food items as they come across them.'

The pool has also been modified, so they now have a shallow wading pool as well as a deeper area for swimming.

To the surprise of many visitors, these bears enjoy their swimming pool year-round, because Melbourne winters are very mild compared to the winters in their native habitat. This species hibernates during the very cold winters in their native habitat, in the mountains of Syria and neighbouring countries.

The 23-year-old male Brown Bear Roan was born at Adelaide Zoo.

Honey, the 22-year-old female, was born at the Tierpark Dahlholzli in Switzerland and brought to Melbourne Zoo to meet Roan.

They are currently in full winter condition, at their peak weights, with their full winter coats.