Farewell to Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria, on her throne by the window in Aalborg.

Victoria, 28, was let go on Tuesday, May 20, in Highland Wildlife Park, following struggles with age related health problems.

Victoria with Wee Hamish.
He is a very large bear now, living in YWP.

She will forever be remembered as the first mother polar bear to share her time raising a cub with the world through the first public dencam while at Aalborg Zoo. Many of us watched Victoria tenderly care for newborn cub Milak during the winter of  2008-09. 

Victoria was also a TV star, featured on Denmark's Channel 2's annual Christmas Calendar series, where she guarded the precious jewel in the grotto in one episode.

Victoria and daughter Milak in 2012

Victoria started out as a German girl, the first of the six "V" cubs born in Rostock to Churchill and Vienna. She lived for years as a Danish lady in Aalborg Zoo, dubbed Queen Victoria for her penchant for regally sitting on her "throne" in front of the top window, receiving her subjects. For the last third of her life, she was a Scottish lass in the Highlands, enjoying a spacious natural habitat, the wild winds, and the deep snow in winter. 

Victoria was often smiling.

Victoria was put to sleep at age 28, having arthritis and other health problems associated with old age, but still roaming around her habitat during her last weeks. 

Victoria in HWP in 2018

Victoria was born December 12, 1996 in Rostock, and came to Aalborg when she was two years old, then spent a few months in Duisberg, then back to Aalborg, where she lived with another lady bear Malik, who is still there. A gentleman bear named Felix came from Nuremburg, where he had fathered the famous Flocke. In Aalborg, gentle Felix had two lady friends: Victoria and Malik. Victoria gave birth to daughter Milak (although she was thought to be a boy for nearly four years) on December 7, 2008. 

Milak and Victoria in Aalborg in 2011

Felix went back to Nuremburg, but the following year, Malik gave birth to Augo, also thought to be a boy but actually a girl. 

Mother Victoria gives a little nip to daughter Milak

Victoria was a good mother to Milak, until she decided she had had enough, and turned on Milak, driving her away. It was a tricky time in Aalborg, for there were two mothers with cubs one year apart, and the habitat could be divided into two areas, but Victoria wanted nothing to do with a very distressed Milak.

In 2012, Victoria turned on her cub Milak, and drove her away.

The solution was give Victoria her own space, and let Milak be playmate to younger Augo, along with Malik. The two cubs were so happy to be together, and never got tired of playing with each other. Sadly, Augo died after a terrible fall in May of 2013. Near the end of 2014, Milak, who was known to be female by that time, moved to St. Felicien in Canada, where she had a son, Shouka.

Victoria

Victoria moved to Highland Wildlife Park in 2015, near Kingussie, where she was provided with a companion during breeding season, Arktos. Most of the time, Arktos is with his longtime friend Walker. Victoria's habitat was at a distance from the boys' habitat.

Victoria at the window.

HWP was much different from Aalborg, which was well designed with smooth river rocks, but no grass. At Aalborg, Victoria enjoyed watch people through the many windows in Aalborg, especially from her throne at the top window. Victoria did not spend a lot of time in the pool while in Aalborg, preferring the land. 

Victoria greeting the children.

 In Scotland, the habitat was all natural. People were at a distance and she had a vast rolling meadow with a natural pool in which to swim.

Victoria in the pool at HWP with Wee Hamish.

Victoria with Wee Hamish, shakes it off.

When Victoria was denned up with Milak in Aalborg, she could hear cars on the back road behind the zoo, and lots of chatter from the visitors, noises from the neighboring animals, especially the peacocks. Keepers, as well as the public, could see exactly what she was doing. But in Scotland, in the winter Victoria was tucked away in a remote den with no one to check on her, no one to even be sure she had given birth except through a listening device. 

At HWP, she gave birth to Wee Hamish on December 18, 2017. He stayed in Scotland until 2020 when he moved to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, where he lives in a bachelor group.

                                   Wee Hamish hugs his mom Victoria

After a reunion with Arktos during breeding season, Victoria had Brodie on December 13, 2021. He is still in Scotland, and even though he is past age three, Victoria had not driven him away. 

I remember Victoria as a gentle, sweet bear, as she was that way with people. I fed her figs and grapes, and she would sit like a puppy, waiting for her snack.

                                       I got to feed some figs to Victoria

 However, she was more harsh with other bears, according to her longtime keeper Frank in Aalborg Zoo. Victoria liked people, but wasn't as fond of other bears. In Aalborg, she liked nothing more than sitting on her throne, watching the people and the occasional dog go by. In the Highlands, she wasn't close to the public, but I am sure she created strong bonds with her keepers, who will miss her greatly. I know I will. 

                                                         Victoria and Hamish

I had hoped to make it back to HWP to see her again. Now I will just have to remember her as regal Victoria, Queen of all she surveyed. 

                                           Rest in Peace, dear Victoria

Happy Mother's Day to Crystal

Crystal nibbles some watermelon at Kallik and Kallu's
 birthday party last November 11 at the Toledo Zoo.

Happy Mother's Day to Supermom Crystal, who is the mother or grandmother of just about every young polar bear in the U.S. (a problem when it comes to finding mates for them, but at least we have young polar bears).

Crystal is the mother of nine cubs, eight of whom are still living, and all born at the Toledo Zoo.

                             Crystal in September of 2022 - carrying twins

About a month ago, Crystal said goodbye to her twin boys Kallik and Kallu, and hello to a new suitor, the wildborn Kali.  The polar bear habitat in Toledo is undergoing renovations, so Crystal and Kali have spent their time behind the scenes, getting to know each other.

Kali was rescued as a cub in Alaska in early 2013 after a hunter shot his mother, thinking she was a male as she was such a large bear. The hunter realized there was a cub somewhere and followed the mother's tracks to her den where Kali was alone.

Kalli in the Buffalo Zoo as a fluffy cub

After a snowmobile ride to safety, Kali lived in the Alaska Zoo for a few months, then was brought to the Buffalo Zoo to be companion and playmate to young Luna of the same age, whose mother would not care for her, so Luna was raised by keepers. Luna and Kali helped each other grow up. They had so much fun together.

Kali and Luna in the Buffalo Zoo.

When they were older, Kali was sent to the St. Louis Zoo, where he had lived alone ever since, until recently coming to Toledo. Kali is a very large bear.

Kali in St. Louis

 Looking back to her 26th birthday last November, Crystal had her own party but had to share the spotlight with her two year old twins, who had their own party the next day. 

One of the cubs (Kallu?) with a birthday sign for Crystal.

Kallu, Kallik and Crystal enjoy the goodies at one of the parties.

Crystal is the mother or grandmother of almost all the younger generation of polar bears in the US. If we didn't have Crystal, we would only have a handful of aging polar bears in this country. Since 2008, a federal law has prohibited the import of polar bears from other countries. Crystal has done her best to fill that gap.

Crystal swimming in 2011

She was born in Monde Sauvage Safari Parc in Aywaille, Belgium in 1998, where she had an older sister, Blanche. Crystal came to Toledo when she was about a year and a half, in the spring of 2000, just as the fine new polar bear habitat at the Arctic Encounter was opening. A young male polar bear named Marty was waiting for her. Another female bear, wildborn Nanuyaak, usually called Nan, arrived in 2001.

Marty and Nan in 2014

Aurora and Anana

Twins Aurora and Anana were born to Crystal in 2006, and at the same time, Nan gave birth to Nikita, so there were three cubs at the Toledo Zoo. This was to be Nan's only offspring. Marty went to another zoo for a time to give his two little families room, but came back in 2008. Aurora and Anana moved to a gorgeous roomy new polar bear meadow at the Columbus Zoo and Nikita moved to the newly opened and very fine polar bear habitat at the Kansas City Zoo.

Aurora and Anana in 2011 in Columbus

Nikita now lives at Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City with Crystal's granddaughter Neva.

Crystal and Siku in 2010

Siku

Next was Siku, born in 2009. Crystal did a fine job of mothering him, and in the fall of 2011 he moved to the Louisville Zoo where his grandmother Arki had retired from Brookfield Zoo. Siku currently lives in Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago with Talini.

Siku in Louisville in 2016

Suka and Sakari

In 2012 boy and girl twins Sakari and Suka were born.

Crystal, with kids Suka and Sakari bickering behind her.

Crystal nursing Sakari and Suka.

Sakari grew large quickly, but Suka was scrappy and always got her share.

Sakari and Suka in Toledo.

 When they were ready to leave, they moved to Como Zoo in Minnesota for awhile, where they lived with older gentlemen brothers Neil and Buzz. 

Suka and Sakari at Como Zoo in December 2014

Then, when their new place was ready, they moved to a brand new grassy habitat at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin.

Sakari and Suka in the meadow at Henry Vilas.
 That is a restaurant behind them.

After Sakari left Henry Vilas to move to Buffalo, old lady Berit of the Cincinnati Zoo moved in and she and Suka became best friends.

Berit and Suka at Henry Vilas Zoo in 2017.

Sakari now lives in the Buffalo Zoo with Luna, and Suka lives in the Detroit Zoo with Nuka, who is the father of Crystal's last set of twins Kallik and Kallu, as well as Suka's twins Laerke and Astra. 

Hope

Hope was born in 2015. She moved to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City where she played with Aurora's daughter Nora. Hope now lives in Brookfield Zoo in Chicago with Hudson, brother of Marty.

                                                  Hope as a cub in Toledo.

                                                    Hope in Hogle Zoo.

Borealis

Borealis, usually called Bo, was born in 2018. Since he was a single cub, Crystal was designated playmate.  Mother and son spent a lot of time in the pool. 

                                               Bo and one of his many toys

Bo was probably the silliest of Crystal's cubs. He always had to be playing a game, tossing a toy, investigating a mystery. A very busy playful cub. Bo loves his toys.

                                                 Crystal nursing Baby Bo

In 2020 Bo moved to Henry Vilas to play with Berit.

                                         Bo and Berit at Henry Vilas

 Just this year, Bo moved to Louisville Zoo, where he hopes to mate with wildborn Qannik, who has just gotten permission from Fish and Wildlife to associate with boy bears.

Marty died in late 2021. Since Crystal's daughter Suka had given birth to twins in nearby Detroit, Suka's mate Nuka was on his own, so he was brought to Toledo, where he and Crystal got along very well.

Kallik and Kallu

Twin boys Kallik and Kallu were born in late 2022. Nuka had returned to Detroit, so it was just Crystal and her cubs. She took excellent care of the babies, but probably was happy they were twins and could entertain each other while she rested and watched. She looked worn out.

          
                                                        Kallik and Kallu

Kallik was much smaller, and also more independent. Kallu always had to be near mama, while little Kallik was off happily playing by himself.

Crystal nursing her twins in the den

Kallik and Kallu have just moved to the St. Louis Zoo, changing places with Kali, who just moved to Toledo to be with Crystal.

Grandchildren

Nora

Wildborn Nanuq arrived in 2012 in Columbus. Twins Aurora and Anana loved this big hunk, who was also father of Luna in Buffalo. Aurora gave birth to Nora in Columbus in 2015 but something was wrong, and Aurora lost interest in the cub, so the keepers raised her. Nora did have some medical issues, and bone development problems, but has done very well. Nora moved to the Oregon Zoo, then to Hogle Zoo where she played with her Aunt Hope for a few years.

Hope (up) and Nora in Hogle Zoo

Nora also broke her leg while in Salt Lake City, and had to have some serious surgery with metal pins and all. Nora is now back at the Oregon Zoo with her sister/cousin Amelia Gray.

Amelia Gray, Nuniq and Neva

Amelia Gray was born in the Columbus Zoo in 2016 to Anana and Nanuq. At the same time, Anana's sister Aurora was next door giving birth to twins Nuniq and Neva.

Anana and Amelia Gray in Columbus

 The zoo rotated the two families, so the three cubs never did play together. Old Nanuk, father of Nora, Amelia Gray, Nuniq and Neva, died the spring following the cubs' births.

Nuniq and Neva in Columbus

Neva, Nuniq and Aurora in Columbus

Amelia Gray and Neva moved to the Maryland Zoo for a time, then Amelia Gray moved to the Portland Zoo to live with Nora. Neva moved to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, while Nuniq went to Henry Vilas Zoo to play with older lady Berit. He then moved to the Kansas City Zoo, where he lives today by himself. 

Kulu

Kulu was born to Aurora and to the new male polar bear in Columbus, Lee, in 2019. Lee moved to Louisville in the meantime, but has since returned to Columbus.

Kulu and his mom Aurora, Crystal's daughter

Kulu moved to Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota where he lives with the two oldest polar bears in the country, his mother's old friend Nan, and  old Neil, who doesn't seem to mind playing with the youngster. Nan is quite grandmotherly, and likes to watch them play.

Neil, Nan and Kulu in Como Zoo

Astra and Laerke

Suka gave birth to twin girls in Detroit in November of 2020, with Nuka as the father. Astra was strong and healthy, but Laerke needed medical intervention, and was taken away to be raised by keepers. Laerke grew at a slower pace, and will probably always be small but she is doing well. 

Laerke and Jebbie play

A young grizzly bear orphan named Jebbie was brought in to be a playmate, and great fun followed. Eventually, Jebbie grew to be too much larger and stronger than Laerke, so they were separated. Jebbie has gone to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado.

                 Sisters Astra (far) and Laerke (close) separated by a moat.

When Astra was ready to leave her mom, the twins were reunited, and then they moved to Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington, where they continue to develop their sisterly love.

The future

The story may continue this fall with possible expected births by Suka and Nuka in Detroit, and by Aurora and Lee in Columbus.

There is also an outside chance that Crystal will have cubs this fall after the arrival of new mate Kali. No word on how they are getting along, but Crystal will be 27 years old in November, and the oldest bear to give birth that I know of was Uslada in St. Petersburg, who had her 16th cub when she was 26 years old.

As for the future, there is a young  girl polar bear Kava, who was rescued and lives in the Alaska Zoo. If Fish and Wildlife would agree, she would be a good mate (unrelated) for Kallik or Kallu eventually.

I hear by the grapevine that there are some interesting moves planned soon, to make some new bear pairs. 

In Memoriam - We can't forget Crystal's longtime mate Marty, father of seven of her nine cubs.

    
                                                                   Marty

For those wondering about Crystal's overseas relatives, her sister Blanche died last year, but her daughter Qannik still lives in Monde Sauvage. Blanche's son Nanok lives in Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark, and there he has a son Siku and a daughter Nuno, who also has twin daughters, Nivi and Anori.  Nanok's son Nanu lives in France.  

Happy Mother's Day, Crystal.