Old man Neil of Como Zoo

Neil, almost 31, gets only slightly into the pool at Como Zoo

 I paid a visit last week to Neil, who is the oldest male polar  bear in the US. Neil, who will be 31 years old in November, is one of four polar bears living at Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota, where they get a good deal of snow and cold winter weather, perfect for polar bears.

Neil smiles for the camera. Or is it a sneer?

Neil thinks he is too old for toys.

He is in fairly good health, but does take arthritis medication. He has been trained to give blood samples with a specially designed sleeve for bears, as long as he is distracted with goodies like his favorite lard, so keepers and vets can detect any changes in his health.

These days, Neil shares space with young Kulu, at left, and old Nan.

Neil still occasionally takes a swim, but it is seldom these days, because it is difficult to get out of the water. So he is rather dirty. 

Neil takes his time. 

When I was there visiting him a week or so ago, he lumbered around the pool, looking for some of the treats the keepers leave, carrots, lettuce, polar bear chow. He didn't interact with young Kulu, who was also out at the time. 

Neil barely steps in, then back out of the pool. 

He did put his front paws into the freshwater pool, but just to take a drink. No swimming that day. 

                                                    Just a little drink...

Neil and Nan in 2025

                                                          Nan and Neil, 2025

Since the death of his twin brother Buzz, Neil's companion in his old age has been wildborn Nan, who is a year older, and who came from the Toledo Zoo. I did not see her on my recent visit to Como Zoo. She and Buzz come out more seldom than they used to, and I have been told that afternoon nap time is sacred. She may come out in the morning, but both oldsters take a nap after lunchtime.

Neil emerges through the canvas straps of the door,
 designed to keep out the wind.
He reminds me of the Panzerbjorn of the Golden Compass stories.

                          Kulu and Neil the Panzerbjorn (Armored Bear)

Neil, behind him is the polar bear inspired climbing rock.
 Photo from last week's visit.

Happier days. Neil and his twin brother Buzz in 2016.

Neil and Buzz were born December 9, 1995 in Louisville to Skeena and Irsinak. The boys were named for the astronauts, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. They moved to the San Diego Zoo for several years, and then to Como Zoo in St. Paul. They made a move to Detroit in 2008 when their Como habitat was being upgraded. While in Detroit, they became popular playmates with cub Talini, then returned to St. Paul in 2010. They have shared their habitat with several guests, including their older niece Berlin when her zoo was flooded, and then twins Suka and Sakari, while they waited for Henry Vilas to finish their new habitat. Buzz died in 2020. 

Neil, Nan and Kulu in 2022

                            Neil and Kulu frolic in the water in 2022


When young Kulu arrived in 2022, Neil was re-energized and was happy to play with the youngster in the water. He and Nan played the part of nurturing grandparents to the cub. Kulu is still at Como, and also young Astra as a mate for Kulu. Neil is now getting too old to play. 

     These days, Neil on the left, too old to play with Kulu, on the right. 

A look at polar bears of extreme age

The oldest male polar bear currently is probably UD, who will be 35 years old in November. He lives at the Seversk Zoo in Russia. UD was born at the Kazan Zoological and Botanical Garden on November 29, 1991, to mother Diksa and father Umka. His name came from his the initials of his parents. UD arrived at the Seversk Zoo in 1994 and has lived there ever since. His favorite treat is carrots, and he gets ice cream once a year on his birthday.

In Japan, old male bear Yukimaru just died a few days ago, on October 1, in Yokohama. He was born in 1992 in the wilderness, so was thought to be almost 34 years old.

Ballyba of Ehime Japan was born in Aalborg Zoo December 17, 1990, so is about to turn 36 years old. She came to Japan when she was about two years old. Ballyba has a younger sister Malik who still lives in Aalborg. Ballyba is most likely the oldest polar bear in the world. She has a daughter, Peace.

In 2018, old Boris, the retired Circus Bear in Point Defiance Zoo.

Boris the rescued circus bear, son of Churchill, born in Rostock Germany, died in 2020 at age 35 at Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington. He performed in the East German Circus, and with other polar bears was sold to a Mexican Circus after the Berlin Wall fell. He and the other polar bears, who were living in terrible conditions with the Suarez Bros. Circus, were rescued by the feds when the circus wintered in US territory Puerto Rico and brought to Point Defiance Zoo in 2002.

Katjuscha in Berlin Zoo in 2018.

Katjuscha was born in Karlsruhe in 1984 and died in the Berlin Zoo at age 37, in 2021. Her companions were Tosca, Nancy, Lars, and also the famous Knut. She was sister of famous dwarf polar bear Antonia.

Famous Antonia, sassy little dwarf polar bear

Katie's sister Antonia, the famous dwarf polar bear, also born in Karlsruhe, died in 2025 at almost 36 years of age, in Gelsenkirchen.

Aika in Tierpark Berlin

Aika, grandmother and great grandmother to many bears including Flocke, was born in 1980 and died in 2016 in Tierpark Berlin at the age of 36.

Debby was born in the Russian Arctic in 1966, rescued as a cub and taken to Assiniboine Zoo in Winnipeg Canada, where she had six cubs, all of whom lived to an extended age. She died in 2008, at the age of 41 years old, verified by the Guinness Book of World Records (although she may have been 42, having been born in the wild and her actual birthday unsure at the time of rescue.)

Debby's daughter Winnie, who was born in Winnipeg in 1984, moved to Sendai Japan and lived to be 36 years old.

Famous Gorilla Gladys is mom to one year old Mboka Jo

 

One year old Mboka Jo and a birthday treat

Miracle baby Gladys was raised by keepers and then a surrogate gorilla mom after her mother rejected her. Some had questioned whether Gladys would know how to be a good mother, but those fears faded away as 13 year old Gladys seemed to know exactly how to be the best mother to her son Mboka Jo, right from the beginning, when she had her first baby in September of 2025.

                                              Mboka Jo in June

 Mboka Jo just celebrated his first birthday at the Cincinnati Zoo with an elaborate party, well attended by his fans and friends.

Mboka Jo has a cupcake at his party, Gladys looks on.

Gladys was born in the Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas on January 29, 2013, to first time mother Kiazi, who showed no interest in taking care of her baby. 

In February of 2013 Gladys was brought to the Cincinnati Zoo, where there were four potential surrogate gorilla mothers who could help raise the infant. A ground-breaking method of "gorillafication" for the baby included the human keepers wearing specially designed fake fur vests so Gladys could hang onto her caretaker just as she would a gorilla mother. The mothering job was divided among a number of keepers, but they all wore the gorilla fur vests and spoke to Gladys in what you might call gorilla language. Her caretakers crawled around, ate bananas, and did what they could to teach Gladys how to be a gorilla. 

Baby Gladys in 2013, hangs onto one of her human caretakers,
 before she bonded with surrogate mom Mlinzi

 This eased the transition when Mlinzi, one of the potential surrogate mothers, stepped in to raise Gladys, although the baby still had to be brought to the bars to drink her special gorilla milk formula from a bottle. It worked so well with Gladys that, ever since, the gorilla fake fur vests are commonly used when a baby gorilla needs keeper care.

Head Primate Keeper Ron Evans at the time,
with Baby Gladys

Mara, the late Samantha and Chewie eventually joined the mothering group as Mlinzi cared for baby Gladys.

As Gladys grew, Silverback Jomo was in the picture, and other babies were born. Gladys could observe as baby Mondika "Mona," born in 2014 to Asha,  and Elle, born in 2015 to Anju,  were cared for by their mothers and other females in the troop, as well as father Jomo. This provided a good foundation for Gladys when she eventually became a mother. She had some good role models to follow.

Daddy Jomo with the kids.

  

Gladys and Mboka Jo when he was about a month old. 

Gladys and her baby.

Mboka Jo in June, 2026

The First Birthday party for Mboka Jo was held on September 20, with much fanfare, for it was also celebrating World Gorilla Day which was later that week. 

Riding on his mom's back, Mboka Jo sees his birthday cake

At the party, the family,
Father Mbeli, Mother Gladys and Baby Mboka Jo.

There were banners galore, special frozen treats, coconuts, some special gorilla cupcakes, and a very fancy and fruity layer cake made of frozen juices.

Elle had some blue "world" treats

Gladys and Mboka Jo looked for treats in the blue raffia

Chewie and Elle celebrate

The Birthday Cake. Elle wants some. MBeli thinks it is his cake

                                 Mboka Jo schemes how to get some of his cake

                                             while his dad Mbeli is guarding it

                                                             The prize

                                                      My Birthday Cake!

                                                                  Mboka Jo gets a taste

                                             

                       Elle finally gets some cake, and what does she do? 

                       

                       She picks it up and tosses it straight into the moat!

                                        Chewie munches on a frozen flower treat.

                                   Chewie is expecting her first baby this winter.

                                              Mboka Jo will have a playmate.

        Baby gorillas like Mboka Jo have a white spot on their tails,

                     so troop members can easily identify a baby.

                                     It fades as they get older.

                            Even with the cake tossed into the moat, 

                             there are plenty more party goodies for all.

                  All the humans who came to the party were given a gift 

                     of a souvenir pin with a photo of the birthday boy. 

                             Happy First Birthday to Mboka Jo

                                    and Happy World Gorilla Day

End of an Era - Princess Schottzie retires to Florida

Schottzie on her last morning in Cincinnati, Tuesday, Sept. 10

                                               Schottzie at Halloween, 2022

                                         

 

             Jati and Schottzie in the new Cincinnati Zoo Elephant Trek, 

                      late August, just a few weeks before their departure.

                                            

Several generations of Cincinnati families have grown up with visit to the famous Schottzie the elephant at the Cincinnati Zoo. She was always there with her two friends, Mai Thai and Jati, the three Golden Girls, plus sometimes Sabu, the male, but he usually lived in the back paddock, behind the magnificent historic Elephant House. More recently, people could visit them in the vast new Elephant Trek on the back side of the zoo.  

                            Schottzie and our beloved Zoo Santa

                          in the days of free contact, Christmas 2014.

On Tuesday, September 10, Schottzie and Jati left the Cincinnati Zoo for an overnight journey to Busch Gardens in Tampa Florida. I was at the zoo with a friend, and we watched Anak and the two boys play in the yard by the Asian Otters. Separated from the others by a gate, Schottzie and Jati munched on leaves and branches in the main yard. 

 

The historic old Elephant House at the Cincinnati Zoo.

 Schottzie's home for nearly half a century, the elegant Indian inspired elephant house of the Cincinnati Zoo was designed by architect James W. McLaughlin. It was originally named the Herbivora House and held rhinos, hippos, tapirs, and elephants. 

                          Another view of the historic Elephant House

For the past hundred years or so, the elephants of the Cincinnati Zoo have lived in the historic elephant house designed to look like the Taj Mahal. The all-concrete structure was built in 1906 on the highest point of the zoo at a cost of $50,000. In the early days, when the building was known as the Herbivora House, the elephants sometimes shared space with kangaroos, bison, rhinos and hippos. In the 1930's there was even a rare Pygmy Elephant from Africa, named Gimpy. The building is 150 feet long, 75 feet high, and was intended for Asian elephants. African elephants would be too large and too strong for the design. In 1975 the remarkable building was  listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Since the Cincinnati elephants moved to the new Elephant Trek several years ago, the empty elephant house is now being converted to a home for giraffes.

Now demolished to make room for the new Giant Panda habitat,
this is the Copenhagen Zoo Elephant House where Schottzie was born
 in 1975. A new elephant house was built,
 and Schottzie's relatives still live there.  Photo from my 2013 visit.

Schottzie was born to royalty in Copenhagen in on December 15, 1975.  Her father Chieng Mai and her mother Buag Hah were royal gifts to the King and Queen of Denmark from the King of Thailand upon their visit. 

                                                   Chieng Mai, 

                                       father of Schottzie in Copenhagen.

Schottzie's brother Chang, born in 1981, fathered 20 children,  died in 2020. I visited him and took this photo of Chang in 2019 in the Copenhagen Zoo.

History posted at the new elephant house at Copenhagen Zoo

Among other offspring (ten in total), her parents had previously produced another daughter five years before named Irma, who went to live in Rotterdam. Irma's progeny would later encounter Schottzie in Cincinnati.

Schottzie's original name was Irma Boon Ma (another Irma). When she was almost three years old, it was arranged that she should fly to the United States, and her fare was paid by wealthy and eccentric zoo patron Marge Schott, who was owner of the Cincinnati Reds baseball team. Marge had the idea of bringing Schottzie to the games, and to the Opening Day Parade.  She insisted on changing the young elephant's name to Princess Schottzie II (The first Princess Schottzie had passed away).  

The young elephant flew to Chicago, but there was some sort of transportation mix up, so Schottzie spent several days at the Brookfield Zoo before making it to her final destination of Cincinnati, where she met one of her lifelong companions, Mai Thai, who was only a few years older. There was also an African elephant named Gretchen, who was famously featured on post cards, and visitors were allowed to feed her peanuts through the fence. 

I have been told that Schottzie still remembers and obeys commands in Danish, but has long since also learned English commands. As they say, an elephant never forgets. 

                      Schottzie and Jati celebrate Christmas in 2014.

Schottzie moved to the Fort Worth Zoo when she was 11 years old, where she stayed for several years, then back to Cincinnati, and then briefly in the Dickerson Park Zoo with Mai Thai, before returning to Cincinnati with her friend, where Schottzie would stay until just this week.

  

In 1991, Malaysian wildborn Jati arrived in Cincinnati. She was 12 years younger than Schottzie. And she is the companion moving to Florida with her.

                                            Jati and Schottzie in 2016

Cincinnati Zoo elephant keeper Cecil Jackson Jr. has just retired in August. He and Schottzie have shared most of the their lives at the zoo together.

              Elephant keeper Cecil Jackson and his three ladies (and Santa)

                             Mai Thai, Schottzie, Jati at Christmas in 2014.

Mai Thai and Schottzie at Easter, 2018, having an Easter Egg Hunt. 

Schottzie's life changed two years ago, when she was moved from the historic Elephant House to the Cincinnati Zoo's new Elephant Trek, along with Mai Thai, Jati and Sabu. Already living in the Elephant Trek were four younger elephants: Schottzie's late sister Irma's daughter SheRa (Yasmin) (36), born in Rotterdam, SheRa's daughter Anak (23) also born in Rotterdam, SheRa's young son Kabir (9), and Anak's young son Sanjay (8), both boys born in Dublin with the same father. 

Schottzie never did accept her sister's offspring as part of the herd, and has been kept separate, along with her friend Jati. Elephant Trek has two main yards, a side yard and a spacious elephant barn, so it wasn't too hard to give her space. But maybe there were tensions. In any case, it was decided to move Schottzie and Jati to another zoo. 

                  Elephant Bull Sabu and longtime keeper Cecil Jackson 

                at the old Cincinnati Zoo elephant house backyard.  

Elephant bull Sabu had spent several years in the Columbus Zoo while the new Elephant Trek was being built, and the result was two calves born there last year. 

So far, the Cincinnati Zoo has not had much luck in breeding Sabu with SheRa and Anak, the two fertile lady elephants who recently arrived from Europe. It is hoped that having Schottzie and Jati moved to a new home will ease tensions and the female elephants will bond with Sabu and possibly produce babies. 

Retirement to Florida

A move to Busch Gardens in Tampa, a combination amusement park and zoo, is not without controversy. Carina, a 54-year-old geriatric Asian elephant, was euthanized in July 2026 after a sudden decline in health. Rosie, another 54-year-old Asian elephant, had collapsed during a park fireworks show in 2022, and could not stand for over five hours. She never fully recovered, and was euthanized in November of 2024. 

The remaining elephants are Carina's daughter 36 year old Karnaudi, the 58 year old matriarch Simba, and 57 year old Tina.

The habitat has a big pool, and it looks like they give their elephants lots of enrichment. 

I have not visited Bush Gardens, but I did look at a map of the park. While most of the animals at Busch Gardens live in habitats a little removed from the amusement park, the elephants live right next to coasters and other rides, noisy construction of a new coaster, and there are also fireworks shows, which are controversial regarding the elephants, who would probably prefer peace and quiet. 

Florida, as a warmer weather state, may be more comfortable for the aging elephants during the winter. 

I hope Schottzie and Jati adjust to their new home, and make friends with the three older lady elephants already there.