Two rescued grizzly bears at the San Diego Zoo got the ultimate surprise when their habitat was transformed into a snowy playground.
Scout and Montana, two brother bears who have lived at the zoo for nearly 20 years, spent the day rolling, wrestling and digging through fresh powder after zookeepers created a special snow day just for them.
The zoo used specialized industrial snowblowers to cover the bears’ habitat in manufactured snow, giving the pair a chance to experience the kind of chilly conditions grizzlies would normally encounter in the wild.
In adorable footage shared by the San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, the massive bears can be seen tumbling into each other, rolling on their backs and using their huge claws to dig into the snow piles and the cold ground below.
The snowy setup was part of the zoo’s enrichment program, which is designed to give animals new experiences that encourage natural behaviors.
“They’re a fan favorite,” Meghan, a zoo representative, told PEOPLE. “Our guests are really used to having watched them grow up. They know everything about them.”
Scout and Montana have a brotherly bond that zoo staff say matches their very different personalities.
Scout, the older of the two, tends to act like the protective big brother. Montana is more adventurous and playful, often pushing the limits while Scout helps keep him in check.
“They’re very close,” Meghan said. “They’ve been together in the same habitat their whole lives.”
The brothers arrived at the San Diego Zoo in 2007 after being rescued as 10-month-old cubs from an area outside Yellowstone National Park.
Officials said the cubs and their mother had repeatedly gotten into unsecured food in areas where people lived or worked, creating safety concerns for both the bears and nearby communities.