Old Neil in his golden years

 

Nan, age 30, and Neil, age 29.

Neil drools a bit in his old age.

Neil

Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota is home to three polar bears, two of whom are age related record holders. While Nan is the oldest female polar bear in the US, Neil is the oldest male polar bear in human care.

Nan on rock, Neil and Kulu

Neil, named for astronaut Neil Armstrong, and his twin brother Buzz (the namesake of Buzz Aldrin), were born in the Louisville Zoo on December 9, 1995.  Their father was Irsinaki. Their mother Skeena was half sister of Arki (mother of Marty). Neil and Buzz had an older brother, Icee, who lived at the Cincinnati Zoo where he fathered twins Berlin (who later lived with Neil and Buzz) and Yukon (father of Lee and others). Neil and Buzz's older sister Ulu became the mother of Berit of the Cincinnati Zoo, now living in Henry Vilas. Irsinaki and Skeena were also the parents of triplets born in the Louisville Zoo in 1992, one of these triplets was Aquila. 

 

Neil and Buzz's mother Skeena with her triplets.

Neil and Buzz moved to San Diego in 1997, and lived there for five years, before moving to Como Zoo in 2001. 

Neil on top of the viewer tunnel, Detroit 2009

Because of planned renovations at Como, the twins lived in Detroit for two years from 2008 to 2010, where they played with young Talini, Barle's cub. They then returned to Como, where they lived happily together at their Polar Bear Odyssey until Buzz died in 2020.

During that time, they played host to three grizzly bears in 2011 whose zoo home in Minot, North Dakota Zoo was flooded out, until their enclosure could be rebuilt.

Berlin, right, in Como Zoo in 2012.
 One of the brothers watches in the doorway.
(Photo by daughter Corinna)

Then they welcomed their older niece Berlin, whose enclosure at the Duluth Zoo was consumed by a river flood in 2012. She stayed for six months, and enjoyed bossing around her younger uncles before moving to the Kansas City Zoo, where she lived well into old age. 

Neil and Buzz in the center area, while the kids play in the deep pool - 

                                             - 2014 (Photo by daughter Corinna)

Suka and Sakari play in the big pool while Neil and Buzz watch,
 top photo. - 2014 - (photo by daughter Corinna)

Neil, playing on the shallow pool side,
 while the youngsters had the deep pool in 2014

In 2014, those crazy two year old twins Suka and Sakari moved in from Toledo, waiting for their new home at Henry Vilas to be completed. The young twins stayed for seven months! Their father Marty was nephew of Neil and Buzz's mom Skeena.

Neil and Buzz - 2016

After that, Neil and Buzz closed their Bear B&B and it was just the brothers together until Buzz passed away in 2020. Neil struggled being alone, so older lady Nan came to Como Zoo in 2021. A few months later, two year old Kulu arrived from the Columbus Zoo. Kulu is the son of Crystal and Marty's daughter Aurora, and Yukon's son Lee.

Nan, Kulu and Neil at keeper talk time - treat time.

Neil's food is ground up and put in a paper cup.

Neil is related to Kulu through both his mother and his father. Neil's brother Icee was father of Yukon, grandfather of Lee, and great grandfather of Kulu. Neil's mother Skeena was sister of Arki, who was mother of Marty, grandmother of Aurora, and great grandmother of Kulu.

Neil and Kulu playing in 2022, back when Neil felt better.

Nan, being wildborn, is not related to Kulu or Neil, but she did live for many years in Toledo with Crystal, who is Kulu's grandmother.

Neil and Kulu in 2022

Polar Bear Odyssey has a great set up for polar bears. Since 2010, the bears have enjoyed two lovely enclosures of 13,140 square feet outdoor space with saltwater pools and grass and shrubbery, and a central training area. Their favorite side is the right, with the 16 foot deep diving pool, sometimes stocked with live fish. But the left side, with the shallower pool that Neil favors, is where the snacks are placed for the daily keeper talk, and this year, this enclosure has turned into a wildflower meadow, towered over by a polar bear shaped jutting rock. There is also a digging pit, so that's fun too.

Nan and Neil in the wildflowers, July 2025

Neil, at age 29, has lost most of his teeth, which is why his mouth seems to be foaming when he eats, and often drools. His keepers mash up his food to help him out. Neil weighs 1000 pounds, now, which is a little less than when he was in his prime, but the lighter weight is easier on his bones, so the keepers try to keep it about there. 

Neil in the wildflowers - July 2025

Nan weighs 650 pounds. Kulu weighs 1300 pounds.

Neil has arthritis, which makes it hard to get in and out of even the shallow pool, which is why he looks so dirty. Still, he does manage a bath every few weeks. I did see him wander out into the wildflowers, and he even attempted to climb the polar bear rock.

Neil by the shallow pool - July 2025

When Kulu first arrived in 2021, Neil would often play with the youngster. But Neil is slowing down. Kulu still wants him to play, but most of the time Neil just can't. So Kulu plays with grandma Nan, who is happy to spend time with the young bear. 

During the keeper talk, Keeper Allison pointed out that in the wild, a bear like Neil would be lucky to live to be 15. 

Neil in 2013. 

Neil and the other bears are trained to take part in their own medical check ups, and a specially designed "sleeve" even allows blood to be drawn, a technique that Neil helped to test out and pioneer in its usage some years ago.

Kulu asks Neil to come play in the water. Neil is too tired.

Handsome Neil. Hang in there, big boy.

Kap leaves a legacy

Kap, always curious

 

Kap was a handsome bear

Kap was born in the Moscow Zoo on October 16, 2000. He had many relatives, including some half brothers. He leaves behind a daughter, Anouk now in France, and a son, young Mika, still living with his mother Nuka in Karlsruhe.

Kap's son Mika, and his mother Nuka.
Photo with permission by Petra Ballon.

Kap's father was Uold, brother of the famous Uslada, mother of 16 cubs, and also of Maleishka, mother of new father Pim in Sao Paulo.

Kap's mother was Murma, who was also mother of  new father Gota of Japan (father of the late Milk and also 4 year old Fubuki),  Boris/Ivan of Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark (father of Nuna's cubs), and  Rasputin of Aalborg (father of Hope and the triplets Tala, Indie and Yuma). 

Kap in his empire. My photos from 2017.

He lived in Karlsruhe three times, and Neumünster twice. He also live in Hannover for a short time. While in Hamburg, he became a father of daughter Anouk, born in 2022 to Viktoria. Then just last fall, his mate in Karlsruhe, Nuka, gave birth to twins, one of whom survived and is a boy named Mika. Kap spent many years alone in Neumünster, so I was glad when he was given the chance to live with another bear, and to father some cubs.  

In Karlsruhe, Kap had a nice big pool, with an underwater viewing area.

Kap shaking it off.

Kap - King of the Mountain.

Kap and the cave

Kap rather suddenly became ill about two months ago, and the vets examined him under anesthesia to find the cause, and it seems there were a number of illnesses. He would get a little better, then worse again. At the end, he could barely walk and had trouble lifting his head. He was confined to the mother-cub enclosure, which was a lot smaller and safer for him in his condition.

Smiling Kap

It became clear that his condition had deteriorated to the point when the kind thing was to put him to sleep. At age 24, he was the oldest male polar bear in a European zoo. Worldwide, the oldest in Neil in Como Zoo, who is 29 years old. In the wild, a polar bear would be lucky to live to be 15 years of age.

Sharing his lunch with the herons

Kap and feathered friend

Kap was a gentle bear, always curious. He was happy to share his food with the herons who liked to visit the polar bears in Karlsruhe. 

It's a sad time in Karlsruhe. Kap was well loved. 

Kap in his swimming days

The zoo published this on their facebook page, to announce the death of Kap.

At 24 years old, he was the oldest male polar bear in the European Conservation Breeding Program (EEP). However, after his health deteriorated further, Kap was euthanized today at the Karlsruhe Zoo. The two zootists and two external veterinarians had previously placed the polar bear in anesthesia for further examination.

Kap has been strangely worse in the past few days. Among the previous complaints, he had had trouble walking, and also kept his head very low in a kind of good posture. That's why the polar bear was put on pain medication. Zoo doctors Dr. Marco Roller and Dr. Lukas Reese opted for another examination in anesthesia.

During this, it was found that liver levels had deteriorated despite special medication. In addition, the study, conducted in collaboration with AniCura Karlsruhe, showed major changes in the gallbladder and liver in the ultrasound. Since there was no positive prognosis, it was decided to redeem Kap. The body of the animal will now be examined in pathology. "A section is generally made for such zooters, we hope for even more clarity from it. Unfortunately, on living large animals, the possibilities for examination are limited, so pathology always has a special importance for us," says Roller.

About eight weeks ago, it had begun that the general state of  Kap changed from one day to the next and the responsible concern was prepared. The polar bear's health has become increasingly critical. Subsequently, he was already examined under anesthesia. However, the investigation at that time did not bring a clear conclusion to the cause. Meanwhile, Kap was also getting better, which gave the zoo team hope. The situation had to be re-evaluated due to the problems that have now been added.

Farewell, handsome Kap.

Polar bear cubs have names (updated)

The eight polar bear cubs born this past birthing season have passed the half year mark, and all now have their names. The eight cubs include two sets of twins, and four single cubs. There are five boys and three girls. Three of the cubs live in Japan. Alas, no cubs in the US zoos this year. As I have not visited any of the new babies, I have borrowed photos from the zoos' facebook pages, and also I send thanks to several friends who have been lucky enough to visit some of the cubs and allowed me to share their photos here. 

Mika and Nuka in Karlsruhe Germany. Photo by Petra Ballon.

Mika in Karlsruhe. Photo from zoo's facebook page.

MiKa, a little boy pronounced MeeKah, was born in Karlsruhe on November 2 to Nuka and Kap. Nuka gave birth to twins outside the den, but in a sheltered part of the mother-cub enclosure. Polar bear babies are fragile and have a 50 percent survival rate in the wild and in zoos, but these babies were even more at risk because they were not safely in a den. But one of the cubs did survive. Mika is doing well, and is now exploring the large enclosure with his mom Nuka, who was born in Aalborg. Mika's father Kap is unwell, and at the moment is resting inside. MiKa's name includes the Ka for Zoo Karlsruhe.

Mika's mother Nuka is half sister of the late famous Knut, as they share the same father Lars. So Mika is Knut's nephew.

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Milka (Yumki) and her cub in an early photo provided by the zoo.

Milka (Yumki) and Seridu had a girl cub in Perm Zoo in Russia on November 15. There has not been a lot of information about this little family. I do have an update, thanks to a friend in Russia. I have just found out that her name is Parma!

Milka is half sister of Pim, father of Nur, the cub in Brazil, on their mother's side. Milka is also half brother of Gogo, father of new cub Rai in Japan. 

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Shilka and Rai. Photo from the zoo's facebook page.

A boy named Rai was born November 18 to Shilka and Gogo in Yokohama Zoorasia in Japan. Rai is the second cub for the couple. Their first cub was Hochan, who lives in Tennoji Zoo in Osaka.

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Nur and Aurora - Aquario de Sao Paulo facebook page

On November 25, wildborn Aurora and Russian born Pim had a girl who was quickly  named Nur in The Aquarium of Sao Paulo, Brazil. She is the only cub born in the Western Hemisphere this year, also also the Southern Hemisphere. Aurora and Pim both came from Russia originally. This is their first cub.

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Jorek and Ootek at play in Sosto Hungary
 Photo from the zoo's facebook page 

A kiss for mama Sznezsana, - photo from the zoo's facebook page - 
Monika Czombané Nádasdi

Sznezsana nursing her boys - photo from the zoo's facebook page
Monika Czombané Nádasdi

On November 27 ,  Moscow born Sznezsana and Vienna born Lloyd had twin boys Jorek and Ootek in Nyíregyházi Állatpark (Sosto Zoo) in Hungary. 

Jorek is named for the armored "panzerbear" in the Golden Compass books and movies. Ootek is an elderly Inuit character in the movie "Never Cry Wolf."

The boys' father Lloyd is also the father of Lale, Lili, and twins Anna and Elsa born in Bremerhaven Germany. Lloyd is the grandson of Aika of Tierpark Berlin and also the grandson of Omaha of the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha Nebraska.

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Paula and her twins. Photo from zoo's facebook page.

Paula with daughter Sora and son Umi. Photo by Hasumi Nobuo.
You can see Paula has her grandmother Aika's big round ears.

Twins were born in Yagiyama Zoological Park in Sendai Japan on December 20 to Paula and Kai. The boy is named Umi and the girl is name Sora. Paula is the granddaughter of Aika of Tierpark Berlin. 

Umi means "sea" and Sora means "sky" in Japanese.

Agee, a very special bear, passes away

Agee - Photo from the Assiniboine Zoo.

Agee was a remarkable bear, part of a human family, a star in films and TV commercials. She passed away this week from the ravages of old age, at 30. She lived most of her life with people, but spent the past several years behind the scenes, without other bears and being pampered by keepers, in the Assiniboine Zoo in Winnipeg.

She was born January 3, 1995 in Kolmarden, Sweden, the 11th  and final cub born to Mirsha. She was raised by keepers, so from the beginning, she was used to humans. That may be why the zoo allowed her to be sold to Beyond Bears in British Columbia in Canada when she was four months old. 

Kolmarden Zoo stopped keeping polar bears about 20 years ago.

She lived with her trainer Mark Dumas and his human family for most of her life, until they were unable to care for her, when she was transferred in 2022 to Assiniboine Zoo, where she lived a quiet life away from the public eye. 

She first appeared in the 1996 movie "Alaska," in which she played a cub.  Agee would travel to movie sets in a 12-metre-long trailer and was provided with a pool to wade in on hot days.  Agee's film credits include Alaska (1996), The Journey Home (2014) and Operation Arctic (2014).  Agee was also the subject a 2017 episode of the documentary series  "Wild Animal in My Family," Season 2 episode 1. She was featured in episodes of the TV series  "Psych," and "Arctic Air." I also remember her appearing in a car commercial.

Just about everyone has seen the famous video of Agee swimming in a pool with her trainer Mark Dumas. 

Marissa, born in 1993, was full sister of Agee. Marissa moved to Fasano Italy and became mother of Giovanna of Munich, Noel of Copenhagen, Dea (now in Japan) and Grace of Fasano. 

Agee's niece Giovanna nursing Nela and Nobby.
Giovanna is also mother of Quintana.

Noel of Copenhagen, niece of Agee

Read on to find out who else is related to Agee.

In those earlier days, when Agee was born, zoos didn't seem to worry much about genetics or inbreeding, like they do today. Agee's mother Mirsha and her father Imarac were half sister and brother, sharing the same father, Olaf Wildfang, who was also the father of famous Churchill (father of Rostock's V cubs and also father of rescued circus bear Boris), Kara (mother of Boris), Lisa (mother of Lars, grandmother of Knut) and Norpol (father of Japan's Cookie). 

As far as half-siblings for Agee, in Kolmarden Zoo in Sweden, Agee and Marissa's father Imarac was also father of cubs with American born CW, who came from the Memphis Zoo. Their offspring were Nuuk-Nordman and Ilka of the Skandinavisk Dyrepark; Manasse of Finland, Yukime of Japan, all passed away. Agee's only surviving half-sibling, daughter of Imarac, is Baffin of Hamamatsu Japan, whose daughter is Momo.  

Huggies of Ouwehands spent almost two years in Kolmarden, where she gave birth to daughter Freedom, who was fathered by Agee's half brother Nuuk-Nordman. Freedom and Huggies returned to Ouwenhands in the Netherlands and Freedom became mother to Sprinter, twins Sesi and Siku (Taiko), twins Akiak and Sura, and twins Yuka and Yura, all but the last two fathered by Churchill's son Victor. 

Agee's half sister Ilka, now gone, was mother of Danish Siku, and twins Nuno and Nanu, all born in Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark.

Agee's half brother Manasse moved to Finland and with Victor's daughter Venus fathered Ranzo and Sisu.

This is the statement from the zoo about Agee, and their fondness for this special bear.

We are saddened to share that our senior polar bear Agee passed away late last week.

Agee arrived in our care in 2022 as a geriatric bear in need of rescue. She lived a quiet, private life behind the scenes and has not been visible to Zoo guests, but immediately stole the hearts of her care team who have bonded deeply with her over their time together.

Since her arrival, the Zoo’s animal health team has been managing multiple age-related health conditions in Agee. These were primarily related to kidney failure, her dental health, and her mobility. Over the past month, Agee seemed to be doing quite well, and she had even gained weight. Last week she had a sudden onset, severe deterioration in her health. We believe she had a rapid, significant decline in her kidney function, potentially associated with an infection. Sadly, despite the medical intervention of our team, Agee passed away. Agee was 30 years old.

Further investigation into her sudden decline in health is ongoing and involves postmortem examinations of various tissues, screening for different types of infections, and evaluating organ functions at specialty veterinary pathology laboratories. These tests may provide further insight on Agee’s condition at the time of her passing.

Agee could be very set in her ways, our team was on Agee’s schedule and living in Agee’s world! She preferred a calm environment, familiar people, and she found comfort in predictable routines.

She loved to swim and spent much of her time cruising around in her personal pool. She would often take enrichment items and food to her bed (aka her nest) and could be spotted cuddling with her toys. Some of her favourite things included carboard boxes, rain barrels, and nesting materials like straw and hay.

Agee spent most of her life with private owners in British Columbia who were no longer able to care for her. Her short time here at Assiniboine Park Zoo was deeply meaningful to her caregivers. Please join us in offering our sincere condolences to those members of our team who loved Agee and cared for her every day.

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