Antonia was unique in all the polar bear world

 

The famous Antonia

Today we heard the sad news that little old Antonia, the rare dwarf polar bear of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM, had reached her end. She had enjoyed some active days recently, but then her elderly body suddenly showed signs of failing due to old age, just as I saw last week with my 19 years old cat Pumpkin. When the body has run its course, there is nothing to be done to fix it.

Antonia was known for her big personality.

She was born November 24, 1989, in Karlsruhe Zoo, to Nadine and Willie, the same year that her half brother Anton was born there.  Antonia and Anton, along with two other cubs, were moved before their first birthday to nearby Stuttgart, in the Wilhelma. Antonia's stunted growth was obvious by her first birthday, and even so she was more aggressive and playful than the other cubs.  She was removed from the group for her own safety, and by the time she was three years old, sent to Gelsenkirchen, where she occupied a barren platform surrounded by a moat, near the entrance, for a time. Eventually, Gelsenkirchen ZOOM built the new Alaska habitat, and designed an enclosure just for Antonia.

Antonia by her personal little pond.

Despite her size, she was feisty, and keepers knew that for her safety she could not be kept with other adult polar bears. She loved to play with her keepers, though, and they would throw balls and rings back and forth. 

Antonia in her usual spot, at the edge of her pond

Antonia's dwarfism is a mystery. Her parents and siblings were all normal size. Her sister Katyusha, who lived in Berlin, reached her 37th birthday, so good genes may explain Antonia's long life, but certainly being small meant less stress and strain on bones and circulation for the little bear, less arthritis, less heart disease.

Antonia liked to admire her own beautiful reflection

Visitors often thought she was a cub, exclaiming, "kleines Eisbärbaby!" A sign was erected to explain Antonia's condition and size differences, although it is a little misleading because female polar bears usually weigh 500 to 700 pounds.. 

I have translated the sign for pounds and inches.

Length - normal bear a little over 7 feet  - Antonia 4.43 feet

Shoulder - normal bear 60 inches - Antonia 27 inches

Weight - normal bear 900 pounds - Antonia 287 pounds 

                                   Little Antonia on the big cliff 

                             

Antonia sometimes was able to experience one of the larger enclosures. When old Fanny (Hamburg's Victoria's mother) became infirm due to old age, she was given Antonia's smaller enclosure, and Antonia was given the big meadow, where she enjoyed digging at old logs.

Digging at an old log, looking for bugs, in the big enclosure.

When she was in her regular enclosure, Antonia liked to sit at the edge of the pond and gaze at her visitors.

Antonia and her reflection

Of course Antonia never did have cubs, living away from other polar bears, but her half brother Anton was father of the late Wilbär, who in turn was father of  Hope's sons in Peak Wildlife Park, and of Otis in Eindhoven. 

Wldflowers in her custom enclosure at Gelsenkirchen ZOOM.

With the recent departure of Lara for Bremerhaven Zoo Am Meer, the only polar bear in Gelsenkirchen (which has three enclosures) is Bill.

Antonia on the prowl

Antonia was the most famous resident of Gelsenkirchen, and she will be greatly missed.

Farewell, little Antonia. We were so happy to have met you.

Queen Nan is the oldest polar bear in the USA

Nan (and friend) in the Toledo Zoo, 2014

 Nanuyaak is her official name, but we all just call her Nan. At age 30, Nan is the oldest polar bear in the US zoo system. She started off life in the wilds of Alaska, and was rescued as an orphan on May 1, 1995, spending a few days in the Alaska Zoo.

Nan in Como Zoo - just weeks ago.

The little orphan girl Nan lived and grew up for six years in the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington. In 1996 two more orphans, from Churchill in Canada, arrived in Tacoma. The boys Blizzard and Glacier were a year younger than Nan. I imagine that Nan, Blizzard and Glacier were playmates, since they were close in age.

Nan, Neil and young Kulu at Como Zoo

Point Defiance has been home to a good number of polar bears over the years. Blizzard and Glacier remained at Point Defiance until they died, Glacier in 2015, and Blizzard in 2023. 

Nan moved in 2001 to Toledo to join young Crystal at the brand new Arctic Encounter. Crystal had arrived from Belgium the year before. A young male named Marty had arrived in Toledo from Brookfield Zoo in 1999. Marty was two years younger than Nan. This trio of young bears started a tradition of having polar bear cubs in Toledo. 

Marty and Nan in Toledo 2014

In the fall of 2006, both lady bears gave birth to Marty's cubs. Nan had a son Nikita born November 21, and Crystal gave birth to twin daughters, Aurora and Anana, on November 25. 

Nan and Marty in Toledo 2014

Things were fine while the moms were in their maternity dens, but when the cubs were old enough to make their debuts, things got crowded, with rotating the two young families, and also Marty, through the one public enclosure. They do have separate enclosures in the back, but it was thought best that Marty should leave for awhile, moving to Pittsburgh for over a year. Then in a swap at the end of 2008 Marty returned to Toledo, and twins Aurora and Anana moved to Pittsburgh, where they stayed for a year until their brand new home in Columbus was ready. 

Nikita stayed in Toledo until he was a little over three years old, then moved to the Kansas City Zoo. Later he moved to the North Carolina Zoo, and is now in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City with Crystal's granddaughter Neva.

While Marty and Crystal went on to have more cubs, Nikita was Nan's only offspring.

Nan on rock, and her friend Crystal, in Toledo - 2015. 

Nan stayed in Toledo until 2017, when she moved to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, to be companion to Marty's brother Hudson. In 2021, Nan moved to Como Zoo in St. Paul, where old Neil was alone after the death of his twin brother Buzz in August of 2020.

Kulu, Nan and Neil in the center area at Como Zoo 2022.

Nan has settled in well at Como, and it has done Neil a world of good to have her as a companion. 

Neil and Nan enjoy lettuce and snacks - 2022 at Como Zoo.

Nan on the left, and Neil - July 2025

Neil, Nan and Kulu at Como Zoo in 2022.

In 2022, young Kulu arrived from Columbus. Kulu was two years old, the son of Crystal's daughter Aurora. It was likw the story of "The Three Bears," and everything was just right for Grandpa Neil, Grandma Nan and young Kulu. 

Nan and Kulu in 2022 at Como Zoo

Nan watches as Kulu and Neil play in the water in 2022

In those days, Neil played with Kulu quite a bit then, but has slowed down in the past couple of years, and now Nan is the primary playmate for Kulu.

Kulu tries to boss Nan. It doesn't work. Nan is in charge.

This year the Como Zoo planted a field of wildflowers in one of the enclosures, to make a gorgeous natural habitat for the polar bears, and they love it. 

Again, Kulu tries to challenge Nan, in the wildflowers.
 She doesn't back down and Kulu runs away.

The happy bear family in the wildflowers at Como. 

Currently, the oldest polar bear in a zoo worldwide is Antonia, who is a dwarf polar bear, something unique in all the world. Antonia is 35 years old and lives in Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in Germany. She was born in Karlsruhe of normal sized parents. 

Antonia of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM is 35 years of age.

Nan is quite active, and has no problem climbing up the polar bear shaped Pride Rock, chasing young Kulu when he gets out of line, and roaming in the meadow. Sometimes she swims with Kulu too.

Kulu and Nan have a swim.

And swim some more.

30 year old Nan on Pride Rock at Como Zoo.

As for the other older bears in the US, Nan's companion Neil is the oldest male in the US and actually in the world, born December 9, 1995, in Louisville, and at 29 years old, is the same age as wildborn female Chinook in San Diego (birthday unknown). Female Snowflake of the Pittsburgh Zoo is a few weeks older than Neil at 29. Snowflake was born November 28, 1995, in Buffalo.

Male Kiska of ABQ Biopark, is 28 years old. He and his late twin brother Koluk were born November 19, 1996, in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City.  Anoki of the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY was born November 20, 1996 so is 28 years old, one day younger than Kiska.

Nan and Neil

Neil and Nan, happy in their senior citizens home at Como,

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.