Kalluk was king of the hill in San Diego

Chinook on the left, and Kalluk

The famous trio of the San Diego zoo has lost the magnificent Kalluk, who died at the age of 24, due to diseases of old age.

Stare down with Kalluk

 The world famous San Diego Zoo's polar bear habitat, Polar Bear Plunge, sits atop a hill far from the entrance, and for over two decades, Kalluk has been the king of that hill, with his companions sister Tatqiq and mate Chinook. The famous ornate California Tower of Balboa Park loomed in the distance as visitors could watch the polar bears frolic.

Kalluk under the California Tower in San Diego's El Prado.

Chinook (hidden),  Kalluk in the middle, and sister Tatqiq.

 Kalluk's story started in the winter of 2000-01, when he and his sister were born in the wilds of Alaska. Their mother, even though she was wearing a satellite collar, was shot and killed by a hunter near Point Barrow, Alaska. The cubs were rescued within hours, and brought to the San Diego Zoo at the end of March 2001. When Kalluk and Tatqiq arrived in San Diego, there were five other bears there, including Chinook, who was born in the wilds of Manitoba during the winter of 1995. As a young cub, Chinook had become separated from her mother, was rescued and brought to the San Diego Zoo. Neil and Buzz were there too, but in just a couple of months, moved to their permanent home in Como Zoo, St. Paul Minnesota.

The three bears love to have play fights in the water.

When the cubs arrived at the San Diego Zoo, the little male was 12 pounds and the little girl was 10. To tell them apart, the keepers shaved a spot on Kalluk's head. They called them Bubba and Sissy at the start.

Kalluk attacks during one of their fun battles.

In 1996, when Polar Bear Plunge at the San Diego Zoo first opened, there were more polar bears in American zoos than there were accommodations, so the enclosure was built without plans for these bears having cubs. The San Diego Zoo remodeled Polar Bear Plunge in 2010 to provide mother-cub accommodations, but there were no cubs born.

Epic battle

Officials made the decision to keep brother and sister Kalluk and Tatqiq together, since they had developed a very strong bond. For a time, Tatqiq has had birth control implanted during her annual physical exam, although zoo staff said Kalluk only had eyes for Chinook during breeding season.

Kalluk and his sister Tatqiq

Kalluk was about 1100 pounds at his peak. The keepers always gave the bears lots of vegetables, especially carrots, to keep their weight down in this warmer climate of San Diego, although it doesn't get terribly hot there, with the ocean breezes.

Three way battle. Everyone wins.

Kalluk liked to lie half in the dirt, so the other half was clean. He favored taking his naps in the center rock shelter by the double doors in the back, at the plunge point on the beach, and sometimes in the sand box in the middle.

Kalluk wakes Chinook from her nap, on the big rock

The zoo tour bus stops at the polar bears
 so everyone can get a good look.

The three bears got along very well, and I witnessed some incredible play battles in the big pool. They have always had a lot of fun together. Often Kalluk would be swimming, and the girls would be off together.

Taking turns attacking.

Tatqiq and Kalluk were incredibly bonded, and she will miss her lifelong playmate. Chinook will miss him too. Farewell, handsome Kalluk. You were loved by so many.

San Diego's golden couple, Chinook and Kalluk

Kalluk and Chinook