Master Corporal Juno (born November 11, 2015) is a female polar bear who serves as the Canadian Army's official mascot. Juno resides at the Toronto Zoo. [1] [2]
On February 27, 2016, Juno was made a Honorary Private and official live mascot of the Canadian Army. [3] [4] On her first birthday, she was promoted to Honorary Corporal. On November 11, 2020, Juno was promoted to Honorary Master Corporal, [1] and became the highest-ranking bear as recognized by the Guinness World Records.
Juno serves as symbol of the Canadian Army and helps contribute to esprit-de-corps, public affairs, and corporate image.
June was born on November 11, 2015. She was named by Toronto Zoo staff in respect to Remembrance Day, with her being named after Juno Beach, where many Canadians were injured and killed in the Normandy landings in World War II. [5] Within a week of her birth, her twin brother had died and her mother, Aurora, was not producing the colostrum she needed. She became lethargic and quiet, so zoo staff took her away from her mother and attempted to "hand raise" her. [6]
After being adopted by the Canadian Army, Juno was deployed on Operation SOCIALIZATION to Assiniboine Park Zoo, in Winnipeg, Manitoba from March 2017 to October 2018, an 18-month deployment. [7] [8] [9]