Thursday, October 11, 2012

The magical story of Tips and Taps



Tips (above) and Taps (below) at Zoo Osnabrück in Germany
This is the story of Tips and Taps (pronounced Tips and Tops), two magical, beautiful and very rare hybrid bears living in Zoo Osnabrück in Germany. They are sometimes called “Chocolate Bears,” for their coloring.

Dies ist die Geschichte von Tipps und Taps, zwei magische, schöne und sehr seltene Hybrid Bären im Zoo Osnabrück in Deutschland. Sie werden manchmal auch als "Chocolate Bears" für ihre Färbung.


This lion guards the old entrance of the Memphis Zoo,
where Polar Bear Elvis was born in 1979

Once upon a time there was a tiny little polar bear cub named Elvis. This special cub, the last one born in the Memphis Zoo to date, was born in November of 1979 in the Memphis Zoo to the prolific polar bear parents, Bruno and Olga, and was named after the late, great Memphis resident Elvis Presley, who had died two year earlier.

Once upon a time es war ein kleines Eisbärenbaby namens Elvis. Diese spezielle cub, die letzte in der Memphis Zoo geboren, wurde im November 1979 in der Memphis Zoo der produktivsten Eisbären Vater und Mutter, Bruno und Olga, geboren und wurde nach dem verstorbenen, großartigen Memphis Sänger Elvis Presley, benannt, hatte im Jahr 1977 starb.

Elvis at Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in 2011
Elvis the polar bear cub moved to Zoo Osnabrück in Germany in November of 1980, where he lived with another polar bear lady named Sonja, together with some European Brown Bears, in the same enclosure, strangely enough. Living in this bear commune were European Brown Bear sisters named Susi and Ossi.

Elvis das Eisbärbaby bewegt Zoo Osnabrück in Deutschland im November 1980, wo er mit einem anderen Eisbären Dame namens Sonja wohnte, zusammen mit einigen europäischen Braunbären, im selben Gehäuse, seltsam genug. Das Leben in dieser Bärengehege waren Braunbären Schwestern namens Susi und Ossi.

Tips (above) and Taps (below)
After 24 years of living together, there was a surprise for Elvis and Susi (and the zookeepers) in January of 2004. Susi gave birth to twin cubs. Tips (the girl) and Taps (the boy) were Hybrids, half Polar Bear, half European Brown Bear. Susi wasn't interested, but her sister Ossi took care of the cubs. A report in a scientific journal reports that the cubs were taken away at some point to be raised by hand so they wouldn't learn behavior from other bears.

Nach 24 Jahren des Zusammenlebens, gab es eine Überraschung für Elvis und Susi (und die Tierpfleger) im Januar 2004. Susi gebar zwei Jungen. Tipps (das Mädchen) und Taps (der Junge) waren Hybriden, halb Polar Bear, halb European Brown Bear. Susi war nicht interessiert, aber ihre Schwester Ossi kümmerte sich um die Jungen. Ein Bericht in einer Fachzeitschrift berichtet, dass die Jungen weg waren, damit sie nicht lernen, das Verhalten von anderen Bären genommen.


Below is a link to a page that shows the little cubs in May of 2004, still with their mother Susi and Aunt Ossi. 

http://www.zoo-osnabrueck.de/magazin/drucken.php?artikel=263&type=2&menuid=63&lang=de#.UH3Rur0QvT0.facebook

Tips (below) and the darker and bigger Taps (above)
Tips and Taps are smaller than their father, but bigger than their mother. They have the longer necks of polar bears, and tails like polar bears, Their hairs have hollow pockets. They act more like polar bears in how they play and act, say the scientists who have studied them.

Tips und Taps sind kleiner als ihr Vater, aber größer als ihre Mutter. Sie haben die längere Hälse von Eisbären und Schwänze wie Eisbären, haben ihre Haare hohlen Taschen. Sie wirken eher wie Eisbären, wie sie spielen und zu handeln, sagen die Wissenschaftler, die sie studiert haben.


The Silver Foxes gather, along with Tips and Taps. for feeding time!

Tips and Taps get many visitors at their home

Tips and Taps have a beautiful place to live at Zoo Osnabrück, and now share their place with a family of Silver Foxes, who have their own enclosure next door, but dart in and out of the bear space through tunnels. The bears and the foxes share feeding time, and it is fun to see the pretty foxes scurry around, getting scraps. The foxes give the bears some fun and interest, but the bears can't catch the foxes, and don't really seem interested in chasing them.

Tips und Taps haben einen schönen Platz zum Zoo Osnabrück leben und teilen sich nun ihren Platz in einer Familie von Silver Foxes, die ihr eigenes Gehege nebenan, aber dart in und aus dem Bären Raum durch Tunnel. Die Bären und die Füchse Aktien der Fütterung, und es macht Spaß zu sehen, die hübschen Füchse rund huschen, immer Fetzen. Die Füchse geben die Bären etwas Spaß und Interesse, aber die Bären können nicht fangen die Füchse, und nicht wirklich daran interessiert, jagt sie.

Tips has a smile for the visitors

Tips, waiting for feeding time

Tips is like a Siamese cat, with darker fur on her paws and around her eyes, like make-up. 

Tips has a most lovely dark stripe down her back

Tips goes swimming
Tips, the lady bear, is much smaller than her brother, and is almost silver, very light. She almost looks like a Spirit Bear. With a darker line going down her back starting at her shoulders, she is quite beautiful.

Tips, die Dame Bär, ist viel kleiner als ihr Bruder, und ist fast Silber sehr leicht. Sie sieht fast aus wie ein Spirit Bear. Mit einem dunkleren Linie, ihren Rücken hinunter ab den Schultern, sie ist sehr schön.

Taps with his big black ball



Taps has been rubbing the fur off his hind end. 

Taps and his log

Taps at play, always

Taps stand up while he is waiting for his food at feeding time
Taps is darker, and even though he is bigger, Sister Tips seems to be in charge, at times sending Taps running when she approaches. Taps is a very playful boy. Currently, he has rubbed much of the fur off his lower back from scratching against the rocks.

Bruder Taps ist dunkler, und obwohl er größer ist, scheint Schwester Tips in Rechnung zu stellen, manchmal Senden Taps laufen, wenn sie nahe kommt. Taps ist eine sehr spielerische Junge. Derzeit hat er viel Fell seinen unteren Rücken rieb vor Kratzern gegen die Felsen.




The bears can be seen from almost every angle, thanks to an elevated bridge. They have grass, a waterfall, and pools to swim in. Taps really enjoys playing in the pool. Construction is underway to provide additional viewing windows next year.

Die Bären können aus nahezu jedem Winkel zu sehen ist, dank einer langen Brücke. Sie haben Gras, einen Wasserfall und Pools zu schwimmen in. Taps wirklich spielt gerne im Pool. Konstruktion ist im Gange, um weitere Sichtfenster bieten im nächsten Jahr.


The Fox Enclosure
The Silver Foxes are quick and clever,










Tips and Taps have also become ambassadors of climate change awareness. Since climate change is causing more and more hybrid bears to appear in the wild, scientists are even more interested in studying Tips and Taps.

Tips und Taps haben auch zu Botschaftern des Klimawandels bewusst. Da der Klimawandel verursacht mehr und mehr Hybrid-Bären in der Wildnis erscheinen, sind die Wissenschaftler noch mehr Interessenten an einem Studium Tips und Taps.

Mother Susi is in retirement, still living at Zoo Osnabrück

Father Elvis moved to Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in June of 2005. Mother Susi still lives at Zoo Osnabrück, in a quiet, set back enclosure. She is elderly and blind, and needs the quiet place, which is between the elephant area and the tiger area.

Vater Elvis zog nach Gelsenkirchen ZOOM im Juni 2005. Mutter Susi lebt im Zoo Osnabrück, in einer ruhigen, zurückversetzt Gehäuse. Sie ist älteren und blind, und braucht die ruhige Lage, die zwischen dem Elefanten und dem Tiger-Bereich ist.

As offspring of Olga and Bruno, Elvis is great uncle to Aurora of the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY. Haley, one of Aurora's cubs, is now living in the Memphis Zoo. So visitors to the Memphis Zoo can see a cousin of the famous Tips and Taps.

Als Sohn von Olga und Bruno ist Elvis Großonkel Aurora des Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY, USA. Haley, Tochter von Aurora, lebt jetzt in der Memphis Zoo. So Besucher der Memphis Zoo sehen Sie eine Cousine von Tips und Taps.

-


Taps has fun with his black ball





13 comments:

  1. Dear Molly,
    I am very impressed by reading this wonderful article about our Chocolate Bears. They are so cute and I am glad that they are doing well.
    Your photos are stunning and the information given very valuable and mostly appreciated.
    I am glad you had a marvellous time in good Ol' Germany!

    Warmest Regards
    from caren

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    Replies
    1. Dear Caren,
      Yes I had a wonderful time in good Ol' Germany. Every zoo is different, and every bear is different. I must come back to visit again. I hope to meet more of my polar bear friends the next time. I appreciate your beautiful stories and photos too.
      Molly

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  2. Dear Molly, nice to learn from your articles and further wonderful photos that you visited Germany, and some of its zoos. Since today, I had only seen those bears by reports of one German KNUT-friend, and now I see them from another angle and via the USA. Great! Thank you. 22.02.2013

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  3. Dear Dumba,
    I was very excited to visit Tips und Taps. They are just so pretty. I learned about them from one or two German blogs, and I had to take a special trip just to see them. They are special.
    Molly

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  4. Hello Molly !
    Thank you for your nice blog. Tips and Taps are so cute ! Did you take those photos by yourself ? If yes, I would to konow if I can use them in my science museum in Paris with children ?

    Best regards,

    Cyrielle

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  5. Yes, the photos are all mine. Yes, I give permission to use the photos in your science museum, I would be honored.
    Molly

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  6. Taps was shot today After breaking out of his enclosure. 😕

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    Replies
    1. It was Tips who was shot, sadly. She was a treasure, and will be greatly missed. She was a clever girl. Too clever and too curious. Very sad that it led to this. A great loss.

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  7. Hi, I really enjoyed your story. Thank you for sharing. I am writing a book about how humans are altering evolution, and have been writing about Tips and Taps. I'm wondering if it might be possible to use one of your photos in my book - perhaps you can email me to discuss? My name is Helen Pilcher and my email is helenpilcher@gmail.com Thanks.

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  8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  9. Good story of bear cubs. Interesting one. Thanks for sharing. To see bears book alaska bear tours

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  10. Molly. I read this article back in 2012 without being able to comment. As you write there will be more Tips and Taps being born as Polars and Brown Bears meet in the wild

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