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.

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Taps has fun with his black ball

Qannik and friends win top AZA award!

Qannik

Another visit to the Louisville Zoo, and the delightful polar bear cub Qannik. Because of the rotation schedule, yet again I did not see the American Siku.

Ein weiterer Besuch der Louisville Zoo, und die reizvolle Eisbärbaby Qannik. Aufgrund der Drehung Zeitplan, noch einmal sah ich nicht die amerikanische Siku.

Qannik in her bucket of water

And now in a bucket of ice!

Qannik and her favorite toy - a yellow Crazy Egg

I did see the Grizzly Bear family. Because Mama Inga has decided that her cubs should be on their own, Inga is now in her own rotation, and almost fully grown cubs Otis and Rita are together by themselves.

Ich sah die Grizzly Bear Familie. Weil Mama Inga hat beschlossen, dass ihr Sohn und Tochter sollten sich auf ihre eigenen zu sein, ist Inga jetzt in ihrem eigenen Rotation, und fast ausgewachsen Bären Otis und Rita zusammen für sich.

Inga, the mamma Grizzly

I talked to head keeper Jane Anne, who said that Siku is doing very well. He is also very careful with his toys, and loves his new red crazy egg. Siku weighs 647 pounds at last report, and is fully in rotation, but not out every day, like Qannik is.

Ich sprach mit Tierpfleger Jane Anne, die, dass Siku geht es sehr gut. Er ist auch sehr vorsichtig mit seinen Spielsachen und liebt seine neue rot crazy Ei. Siku wiegt 647 £ am letzten Bericht und ist voll in Drehung, aber nicht jeden Tag, wie Qannik ist.

The new banner announces good news for Glacier Run

And there is some great news about Glacier Run. Qannik's home now proudly displays a banner announcing that Glacier Run has won the 2012 top honors for Exhibit Design from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The award was announced September 14, 2012.

Und es gibt ein paar tolle Neuigkeiten zu Glacier Run. Qannik Hause Jetzt zeigt stolz ein Banner der Ankündigung, dass Glacier Run hat die 2012 die höchste Auszeichnung für Exhibit Design von der Vereinigung der Zoos und Aquarien (AZA) gewonnen. Die Auszeichnung wurde angekündigt, 14. September.

The enclosure looks like a town suffering from the damages of a melting glacier,
 giving the bears a nice area to climb. This photo was taken before the Grizzly Bears were separated.

Glacier Run is modeled after Churchill, a town on the Hudson Bay in Canada, known for its population of polar bears. The Louisville Zoo's Glacier Run is home to seals, sea lions, a grizzly bear mother and her two cubs, and polar bears Qannik, Siku and Siku's grandmother Arki.

Glacier Run ist so konzipiert, wie Churchill, einer Stadt an der Hudson Bay in Kanada, für seine Bevölkerung von Eisbären bekannt aussehen. Die Louisville Zoo Glacier Run ist die Heimat von Robben, Seelöwen, ein Grizzlybär-Mutter und ihre zwei Jungen, und Eisbären Qannik, Siku und Siku Großmutter Arki.

Near the enclosure is a toy UPS truck, to remind everyone that UPS helped save Qannik

Qannik, as everyone knows, made international news when she was rescued from the wilds of Alaska after being somehow separated from her mother and sister in the early spring of 2011. She only weighed 15 pounds when she was brought to the Alaska Zoo to recover. In late June, Qannik was flown courtesy of UPS and their “Operation Snowflake,” to the Louisville Zoo.

Qannik, wie jeder weiß, machte international Schlagzeilen, als sie aus der Wildnis von Alaska wurde, nachdem er irgendwie von ihrer Mutter und Schwester im Frühjahr des Jahres 2011 getrennt gerettet. Sie wog nur 15 £, wenn sie zu der Alaska Zoo gebracht wurde zu erholen. Ende Juni wurde Qannik mit freundlicher Genehmigung von UPS und ihre "Operation Snowflake", der Louisville Zoo geflogen.

Qannik enjoys the big pool at Glacier Run

According the Louisville Zoo's press release, “This award is the highest honor for new exhibits, and the Louisville Zoo is on the leading edge of zoological exhibits in North America,” said AZA president and CEO Jim Maddy. “This exhibit demonstrates the Louisville Zoo’s innovation and dedication to the best in animal care and public education.”

Nach der Louisville Zoo in der Pressemitteilung, "Diese Auszeichnung die höchste Auszeichnung für neue Exponate ist, und das Louisville Zoo ist auf der Vorderkante des zoologischen Exponaten in Nordamerika", sagte AZA President und CEO Jim Maddy. "Diese Ausstellung zeigt die Louisville Zoo Innovation und Engagement zu den besten in Tierhaltung und Aufklärung der Öffentlichkeit."

“Glacier Run has exceeded our expectations, and our guests and visiting professionals are always surprised at the immersive experience of Glacier Run,” said John Walczak, Louisville Zoo Director. “We are proud to offer extraordinary spaces and enrichment opportunities for our animals as well as a place where visitors can have fun and learn about the arctic and some of the most important environmental stories of our generation.”

Glacier Run hat unsere Erwartungen übertroffen, und unsere Gäste und Fachbesucher sind immer auf der immersive Erfahrung Glacier Run überrascht", sagte John Walczak, Louisville Zoo Director. "Wir sind stolz darauf, außergewöhnliche Räume und Bereicherung Chancen für unsere Tiere sowie einen Ort, wo die Besucher Spaß haben und erfahren Sie mehr über die Arktis und einige der wichtigsten Umwelt-Geschichten von unserer Generation zu bieten."

Arki, and one of the ramps she gets to climb every day

Glacier Run was one of eight entries for the Exhibit Award. Here, the habitat gives the bears and the zoo visitors plenty of variety. It has two exhibits, seven bedrooms, bridge transfer and under town tunnel, and the keepers are constantly striving to keep the bears active and engaged with innovative enrichment activities which mimics the activities of wild bears. The ramps and stairways give the bears the right kind of exercise, which has especially helped Grandma Arki in strengthening her back legs.

Glacier Run war einer von acht Einträge für den Exhibit Award. Hier gibt der Lebensraum der Bären und die Zoobesucher viel Abwechslung. Es verfügt über zwei Exponate, sieben Schlafzimmer, Brücke Übertragung und unter Stadt-Tunnel, und die Tierpfleger sind ständig bemüht, um die Bären aktiv und engagiert mit innovativen Aktivitäten zur Anreicherung, die die Aktivitäten von wilden Bären nachahmt. Die Rampen und Treppen geben die Bären die richtige Art von Übung, die vor allem Oma Arki hat bei der Stärkung der Rücken Beine geholfen.

One of the educational posters around Glacier Run

Glacier Run usually has staff and volunteers to answer questions and interact with the visitors. Polar bear videos are also presented on flat screens tv (include a nice video about how Qannik was rescued), and informative posters about the individual bears and their history. Displays throughout the zoo give recycling information and encouragement to reduce our carbon footprint, as well.
Glacier Run hat in der Regel Mitarbeiter und Freiwilligen, Fragen zu beantworten und die Interaktion mit den Besuchern. Eisbär gibt es auch Videos auf Flachbildschirmen tv (gehört ein schönes Video über Qannik gerettet wurde), und informativen Plakaten über die einzelnen Bären und ihrer Geschichte vorgestellt. Displays über den Zoo geben Recycling-Informationen und Ermutigung, um unseren Kohlenstoff-Fußabdruck zu reduzieren, wie gut.

Elvis the King of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM

As we pause to observe the 35th anniversary of Elvis Presley's death, it is time to visit his namesake, Elvis the Polar Bear.

This Elvis is alive and well and living in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Like the original Elvis, this hulking guy has a swagger and a sneer, and also calls Memphis Tennessee his hometown.

This Elvis loves his carrots. 

Like any popular celebrity, Elvis the Polar Bear was at the center of a scandal in his younger days! A love triangle of sorts.

Elvis was born in the Memphis Zoo, Memphis Tennessee, USA, in November of 1979, two years after the death of the original Elvis, and was named in honor of the late King. This cub's parents were Olga and Bruno.

When Elvis was a year old, he moved to Zoo Osnabrück in Germany, where he lived happily for many years with lady polar bear Sonja. They did produce cubs, but none survived.

Also part of the Osnabrück bear group were brown and black bears, in a strange arrangement, living together with the polar bears. Living in this bear commune were European Brown Bear sisters named Susi and Ossi.

After 24 years of living together, there was a surprise 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. At first the birth of these hybrid cubs was something of a scandal and an embarrassment to the zoo, but public attitudes quickly shifted so that today Zoo Osnabrück is very proud of their rare and quite beautiful silvery bears. Many visitors come to Zoo Osnabrück just to see this unique accidental pair.

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.

Elvis the Polar Bear gives us his best Elvis "sneer."

Elvis spends his days sleeping, playing with toys, and enjoying yummy snacks.

Elvis moved the Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in June of 2005. He is now living like a king in a luxurious environment in the Gelsenkirchen Zoo with a elderly lady friend, Fanny, who is one year older than Elvis. She also has a connection to USA bears. Fanny is the mother of Charly, born in 1995 in the Hamburg, Germany zoo. Charly has been living at Sea World in San Diego since 1997.

Fanny

Elvis and Fanny are enjoying their sunset years in a very nice zoo, which is also home to young lovers Bill and Lara, as well as the cute and sassy little Antonia, also a remarkable little bear as she is about a third the size of a normal bear. She seemed to be normal when she was born, and was very bold and rude, but failed to grow at a normal rate. So anyone visiting Gelsenkirchen can enjoy watching five bears: amorous young bears, elderly bears, and a special and very cute little dwarf bear.

Bill and Lara enjoy a beautiful new home at Gelsenkirchen Zoom

 On the day I visited last year, Bill and Lara were swimming and walking and very active, but darling little Antonia spent the entire afternoon taking a nap.

Antonia the dwarf bear sleeps in her private enclosure at Gelsenkirchen Zoom

As offspring of Olga and Bruno in the Memphis Zoo, 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, which is the birthplace of her Great Uncle Elvis. So visitors to the Memphis Zoo can still see a relative of Elvis the King (Polar Bear).

Elvis admires his reflection as he takes a drink.

Elvis is now 33 almost years old, quite elderly for a polar bear. Fanny is almost 34. They are doing very well for their age, and although they move more slowly than younger bears, they are still active in interested in life. 

Bam Bam keeps her cool

Pretty Bam Bam

We visited Bam Bam at the World Famous Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium in the middle of a brutal heat wave. She has plenty of energy, even in 100 degree heat, but then she does spend a lot of her time in the pool.

Bam Bam loves her pool

Bam Bam loves to interact with her fans

Born in the Henry Doorly Zoo on November 29, 1987. twin sisters Bam Bam and Patches were the last cubs of the prolific and popular Olaf and Olga of the Omaha Zoo. In fact, I think they were the last cubs born at the zoo. During the seventies and eighties, Olaf and Olga had many cubs in the Omaha Zoo, eleven of which lived.

Patches and Bam Bam were together at the Omaha Zoo until Patches left for the Erie Zoo in December of 2007. Patches was moved to Erie as part of a trade, and a male bear was supposed to come to the Omaha Zoo, but I don't think that actually happened. I am pretty sure that Bam Bam has been alone since her sister left. She seems to be getting along just fine on her own, and loves to interact with the visitors. Alan Host, Senior Supervisor of Cats and Bears, said there are no plans to get another polar bear at this time.

24 year old Bam Bam weighs in about about 550 pounds.

Her official book name is Fanny, but she got the name Bam Bam because when she was younger she like to bang on the metal doors and make a racket to be let in or out. The keepers successfully worked with Bam Bam over the last few years to cut back on this noisy behavior, and while she doesn't do it anymore, she has kept the name.

Bam Bam has a heart shaped nose

Feeding time for the Omaha bears is at 11 a.m.. Before the food comes, Bam Bam is happy to swim and play with all her fans. She has a lovely 30,000 gallon pool and a waterfall in the Durham Family Bear Canyon, which opened in 1989 at a cost of $1.4 million. 

Bam Bam dives for her lunch

Her friends can view her from above, or wander down a trail to see her at eye level. A three level elevator can also make it easier for visitors to access the upper and lower levels of Bear Canyon.

She loves her celery

A yummy piece of fruit

Bam Bam stalks a floating melon

She seems to love cantaloupe melons, and. She also got various fruits and celery during feeding time, and had lots of fun swimming around and gathering her snacks, which are thrown by a keeper from above. She gets training three or more times a week, and her favorite training food is some delicious crunchy celery! Her favorite toy at the moment is a big red ball.

My mother Carol and Bam Bam study each other. This is the first time
 Carol had ever seen a polar bear in her 93 years.

I visited Bam Bam with my sister Lois, and my almost 94 year old mother, both of whom had never before seen a polar bear. My elderly mother was enthralled by the silly antics of Bam Bam, who gave her a face-to-face experience, in spite of the famous early July heat wave of 2012. Even with the incredible heat, the zoo was busy and crowded and Bam Bam was having a lot of fun.

Bam Bam is ready for an afternoon nap

Bam Bam spent the afternoon napping in her favorite spot in her enclosure, happy after an active morning and a big helping of healthy snacks.

The Henry Doorly Zoo has a roomy polar bear home with a great pool

Although the Bear Canyon is an outdoor exhibit, the Omaha Zoo has a great number of indoor, air-conditioned attractions to comfortably enjoy: the Lied Forest, gorilla house, the brand new Aquarium, the Butterfly House, the Desert Dome, the IMAX theatre and more. With the help of an $8 rental wheelchair and a big umbrella, our little group spent the whole day at the zoo. Much of this zoo is designed to be enjoyed year-round, no matter what the weather.

A shady spot on a hot day

  

Bam Bam plays in her waterfall. Goodbye.

Farewell, gentle Bärle

Bärle 

Circus bear Bärle did get her fairytale ending. And now she is at peace.

 After 17 years of being confined to a tiny dirty cage and being forced to perform tricks in a traveling Puerto Rican circus, she was rescued ten years ago and given the gift of spending happier days in a beautiful setting in the Detroit Zoo's Arctic Ring of Life area. She enjoyed the company of other bears, was given proper food, and ventured out onto real green green grass. Even more miraculously, she experienced the joys of motherhood with her darling cub Talini, now age 7. She enjoyed the affection of her many fans, zoo docents and caretakers.

Bärle enjoyed her final years in the Detroit Zoo

The former circus star's story came to an end yesterday, July 18, 2012, when Detroit Zoo vets found that Bärle had terminal cancer, and they made the decision to end her suffering. She had been acting poorly for about five days, even refusing to eat her favorite meal of sweet potatoes and chicken.

Bärle in July 2009, roaming around the lush vegetation in the green area of the Arctic Ring of Life,
 which is North America's largest polar bear exhibit

Bärle had been captured in Manitoba as a cub, and grew up in a small cage in the Suarez Brothers Circus. She and a number of other polar bears were rescued in November of 2002, including the famous Willie, now living at the Milwaukee County Zoo while his home in Asheboro NC is being upgraded and expanded. Willie is also an older bear, in his late 20s. With the loss of Bärle, Willie is the last of the rescued circus bears still alive.

When she arrived in Detroit back in 2002, Bärle was small and her muscles were not well developed, due to lack of exercise and poor diet. The Detroit Zookeepers had to teach her to swim at age 17. She was pear shaped from inactivity, so she had to get used to having room to move around. She gained weight quickly, and learned to be a polar bear. On November 22, 2004, Bärle gave birth to Talini, fathered by Triton, who died in 2008. Zoo staffers were hoping that she would have another cub with Lee, but that did not come to pass.

Bärle playing in the wildflowers in August, 2011

Bärle enjoys a summer afternoon in nature

Bärle

My last vision of Bärle was a happy one, as she napped among the wildflowers on a lovely summer afternoon last August. She was a gentle spirit among bears, and she will be greatly missed.

Sweet Dreams,  Bärle