Two boys

It is a lean year for polar bear cubs, only two born and surviving in zoos worldwide. Welcome to one little boy in Novosibirsk Russia, and to another little boy in Akita Japan. 

Momo's cub - photo from Oga Aquarium, Akita Japan

Momo and Gota became parents on December 4 in Oga Aquarium in Japan, to twins. One passed away in the first days, but the second twin was a strong little boy and survived.  Just announced, his name is Momota, a combination of his parents' names. 

Gerda's boy - photo by Novosibirsk News

Gerda and Kai's cub, born on December 7 in the Novosibirsk Zoo in Siberia,  remained a secret for many months, although many suspected because there was "police tape" around Gerda's enclosure to keep things calm and quiet. The cub is another boy. His name has not been announced just yet.

Fewer cubs worldwide in zoos this year

No cubs were born in the USA this year, and also none in European zoos.  Last year, eight zoo cubs were born worldwide, including three in Japan, and one in Europe. None in the USA for the past three seasons, not since Crystal had her twins Kallik and Kallu in Toledo in 2022.

The chart below was posted in the Gelsenkirchen Zoo in Germany ten years ago, to show just how many cubs are usually born, and how many survive. The white blocks are those surviving, and the black blocks are those who are born but did not live. In general, in zoos and in the wild, the survival rate of cubs is about 50 percent, for they are born so unfinished, something that seems to be necessary for life in the Arctic. Only the most robust survive.

The zoo population of polar bears is coordinated and regulated carefully, to ensure that cubs born will have a zoo to go to when they grow up.

For the past few years, the European coordinators have moved many bears to just boys or just girls groups, so that we won't have more cubs than we can handle. Only a few breeding couples are approved.

Last year, there were eight cubs born in zoos worldwide.

Only one cub was born and survived in Europe, that of Nuka and Kap in Karlsruhe. It was twins, but only one lived and that would be Mika, a boy. And none in Europe this year.

Last year, in addition to Mika born in Karlsruhe, there was one girl cub (Nur) born in Sao Paulo Brazil, twin boys (Jorek and Ootek) born in Sosto Hungary, a girl cub named Parma born in Perm Russia, and three born in Japan. The Japanese cubs last year are a boy Rai, and Paula's twins Sora and Umi, a boy and a girl.   

While Europe is carefully controlling its population, the USA zoos are in a drought for cubs. For various reasons, the few fertile females we have are not giving birth. Belgium born Crystal in Toledo, who has produced so many of our current younger generation, is now too old to be expected to make any more babies. Two of her daughters, Suka in Detroit and Aurora in Columbus, have had cubs and very likely will again.

 

Gerda's cub - photo by Novosibirsk News

Momo and Gota's cub - Photo by Hasumi Nobuo

Momota in Japan - his family tree

Momo and Gota's club was born in Oga Aquarium in northern Japan on December 4. 

Mother Momo (Peach) was born in Osaka in 2014 to beloved bears Baffin and Gogo, both of whom have just passed away in recent months.  

Some American bears are cousins of Baffin, having descended from Baffin's sister Chinook. Baffin was born in Sweden in 1991 to American born mother CW, and father Imarec. CW, born in Memphis, was daughter of Bruno, who was also father of Chinook of Hogle Zoo. Chinook was mother of Rochester Aurora, Denali of Japan, Berlin's mate Bubba, Buffalo/ Cincinnati/Detroit Anana, and twins Kiska and Koluk of ABQ Biopark. The next generation includes Luna, Lee, NC Anana, Haley and Anoki.

Many European bears are also related to Momota, bears descended from CW, including CW's granddaughter Freedom and all her cubs, CW's daughter Ilka of Skandinavisk Dyrepark and her cubs, and CW's son Manasse of Finland, father of Ranzo of Vienna and Sisu of YWP.

Gogo was a most beloved bear, famed for his silly antics and big personality. It was especially tragic that he died under anesthetic for transport, so he could breed yet again.  Gogo was born in Perm in 2004, to Anderma and Yukon. His brother Permjak was the father of Pim, who is the father of Nur in Sao Paolo last year, and also Milka, the mother of Parma in Perm Zoo last year. 

In addition to Momo, Gogo was also the father of two children in Japan with Shilka: daughter Hochan in 2020 and son Rai last year. 

Momoto's grandparents Gogo died February 8, 2026 and Baffin died on March 20, 2026. 

Baby Momota's father Gota was born in 2003 in Moscow to Murma and Untai. In 2020 he became father of Fubuki with the mother being Yuki. 

Gota is brother of the famous Raspi, who is now in Hamburg. Raspi is the father of the late Hope, and also Flocke's triplets Indie, Yuma and Tala, now in UK wildlife parks. Gota's brother Kap, father of Anouk of Hamburg and Mika of Karlsruhe, recently died. Gota is also brother of Boris (Ivan) of Copenhagen and Skandinavisk Dyrepark, where he is the father of Nuna's twins.  

Gerda and her cub - photo by Sergie Iltyakov

Gerda's cub - family tree

Gerda and Kai's cub, born in Novosibirsk Zoo, is their seventh cub, after Shilka (in Japan), Rostik (somewhere in China), twins Shauna and Nordi,  and twins Belka and Strelka. Shauna has moved to Izhversk Zoo in Russia. Belka, Strelka and Nordi are still in Novosibirsk.

Gerda was born in Moscow in 2007 to Simona and Wrangel. 

She is the granddaughter of the famous Uslada and Menshikov, who produced 16 cubs altogether. Uslada's daughter Simona, who is still alive, produced 13 cubs. With so many polar bears related to Gerda and Kai, their genes are well represented both in Russia and in Europe, and while we are happy about a new cub, his bloodline does not add much to the gene pool. It is a shame that we cannot bring some of these polar bears to US zoos, where we could use such genes.   

Father Kai (Krassin) was born in St. Petersburg in 2007 to Uslada and Menshikov. So Kai is Gerda's uncle.

When the cub's name is announced, we will add it to this story.

Gerda and her cub - photo by Arkady  Laptenko

Thank you to the photographers whose photos I have borrowed for this story.  I wish I could be there myself. 

Walrus King Odin of Hamburg has gone to Valhalla

 

Odin and friends. You can see that his eyes are blind here 

Odin at dinnertime.

How sad, that the magnificent walrus Odin of Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg Germany has died. 30 year old Odin had some gastrointestinal issues that would not resolve, so he was anesthetized for examination, and did not come out of the sleep. His death occurred on March 19. 

The usual food, fish.

In captivity, walruses are expected to live 20 to 30 years, but they can live up to 40, so Odin was elderly.

Blind Odin waits his turn. 

Odin was  the only successful breeding walrus bull in Europe. His four living children are Olivia born in 2008 in Moscow, now at Dolfinarium Harderwijk in the Netherlands, Thor born in Hagenbeck to mother Dyna in 2014 now in Paira Daiza, Fiete born to Palosa in Hagenbeck in 2019 and still there, and Floki born in 2021 in Pairi Daiza and still there. 

Thor as a baby in Hagenbeck

Baby Thor and his mother Dyna in 2014

Hello from Baby Fiete, 2019. He's a big boy now, like his father.

Baby Fiete in 2019

Loki, born in 2015, lived only two years. Darling Snorre born in 2018, lived only a few months, and an unnamed baby died at birth in 2022 in Pairi Daiza. 

Walrus feeding in 2019

Odin was born in the wild in 1996, and lived in the Moscow Zoo from 1996 to 2013, when he and three females moved to Hagenbeck Zoo. 

Fish for two

Walruses are known to have very poor eyesight, but very good noses. Odin was completely blind, and was kept separate from his babies and their mothers, for fear he would not see the youngster and step on them. 

Very few zoos keep walruses as they are very difficult to keep. And yet, the walrus is the signature animal at the Hagenbeck Zoo, and always has been.

In Europe, Pairi Daiza in Belgium has six walruses, including Thor and Flocki, both offspring of Odin. They started keeping walruses in 2020.  Dolfinarium Harderwijk in the Netherlands has three walruses, including Odin's daughter Olivia. As we said, Hagenbeck now has two walruses, mother and son, Palusa and Fiete.

In the US, the Indianapolis Zoo has two walruses. Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington has two walruses. SeaWorld Orlando in Florida has three walruses. SeaWorld San Diego in California also has three walruses.

Worldwide, Russia has 8 facilities that keep walruses and Japan has 9. China has 23 facilities that keep walruses. There are a few scattered walrus homes, one each in Egypt, South Korea, Thailand, Turkey, and UAE. 

Odin creeping towards the water. Splash. 

At Hagenbeck, the walruses share the Eismeer area with the polar bears and the penguins. There is an underwater viewing area. 

Walrus and polar bears with Heinrich Hagenbeck in 1930 at the zoo.

Walrus underwater at Hagenbeck. Maybe Palosa?

The death of Odin leaves just two walruses at Hagenbeck, Palosa and her son Fiete. 

Baby Fiete waves goodbye.

  

Underwater viewing at hagenbeck.

Odin will be greatly missed by his keepers, and his many fans. 

Gorilla Tales: Ndume's life after the famous Koko

Ndume at the Cincinnati Zoo. Life is good.

 Ndume started his life 44 years ago at the Cincinnati Zoo, and has experienced an unconventional celebrity-adjacent lifestyle, a lot of drama and even a famous custody battle before returning to a normal gorilla life in 2019, returning to his original home at the Cincinnati Zoo.  These days, he happily looks out over his troop of two favored gorilla ladies, M'linzi and her daughter Mara, enjoying life as a silverback should. 

Ndume

Ndume, here in the inside habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo, has a very distinctive profile, with a very tall almost pointed head. 

He spent his early years at the Cincinnati Zoo, and one of his playmates was his half sister M'linzi, who was about a year younger. He moved to the Brookfield Zoo when he was seven years old, and while there fathered four babies, Baraka, Mtu Chuma, and Zuza, plus one who only lived a few days. All have since passed away.

Ndume swirling his pink blanket.

When he was ten years old, Ndume returned to Cincinnati for a short time, but was soon selected as companion to the famous Koko, with the legal agreement that he would return to the Cincinnati Zoo upon the death of Koko. 

Handsome Ndume.

His role as companion to world renowned sign language  gorilla Koko at the Gorilla Foundation in Woodside California started with high hopes, but led to frequent isolation, as Koko seemed to prefer people and even kittens to other gorillas. In addition, successful gorilla troops include a silverback and multiple females. In the Gorilla Foundation scenario, Koko was the only female.

Ndume 

According to the Gorilla Foundation, Koko had selected Ndume through a kind of "video dating," which was probably choosing whom she liked by watching videos of various gorilla suitors.

Ndume  was born October 10, 1981 at the Cincinnati Zoo to Ramses and Rosie (Mata Hari). Rosie went on to become the first and only gorilla mother to give birth through in vitro fertilization anywhere (this was also at the Cincinnati Zoo). The baby girl was named Timu. Rosie/ Mata Hari died in 2018 at age 43 at the North Carolina Zoo. Father Ramses, who is also father of M'linzi, now lives in the Fort Worth Zoo and at age 55 in April is one of the oldest gorillas in the world. Ramses' father was King Tut, the first silverback gorilla of the Cincinnati Zoo.

King Tut, Ndume's grandfather

 The famous Samantha, who had so many babies at the Cincinnati Zoo, was Ndume's aunt. Ndume's father Ramses was also the father of eleven other babies, including M'linzi, who has remained at the Cincinnati Zoo since her birth in 1982 and is now part of his troop.

Mara in foreground, and Ndume in 2021.

When Ndume first returned to the Cincinnati Zoo in 2019, after the judgment in the custody lawsuit, he was placed with M'linzi's daughter Mara, along with Chewie, Mara's half sister through their father. Ndume seemed very happy with the arrangement of having two ladies after so many years of being alone, and especially was fond of Mara. 

Ndume's original troop in Cincinnati, Chewie and Mara in 2021. 

When the beloved Silverback Jomo passed away in March of 2022, the Cincinnati Zoo felt that Jomo's death left a leadership vacuum in his troop, which was composed of younger females and M'linzi, who lacked the strong personality needed. At the time, no outside Silverback was available and the zoo needed to form an all female troop, so Chewie was brought over from Ndume's troop, as she knew how to be in charge.  

Mara in her jungle

Mara in front, and her mom M'linzi back

M'linzi  then became the third member of Ndume's troop, along with her daughter Mara. It has worked out very well. 

M'linzi, in the inside habitat.

In late 2022, Silverback M'Beli arrived from Denver, and became the leader of the girls troop, and since then they have welcomed a baby boy, Mboka Jo, son of Gladys. This troop is now made up of M'Beli, Chewie, Gladys, Baby Mboka Jo, young Elle and young Mona/Mondika. When Gladys was a baby, she came from another zoo in need of a surrogate mother. Keepers cared for Baby Gladys until M'linzi was chosen as surrogate mom.

The third rotating group at the Cincinnati Zoo is a bachelor troop from Detroit, half brothers Chip, Pende and Kongo. 

The three troops are rotated between a fairly new indoor enclosure, the spacious woodsy outside habitat, and behind the scenes,  so anytime you visit during good weather, you probably will see two troops. During the winter, you will probably only see one troop, whichever group is rotated into the inside habitat, although with glare it is harder to get good photos there.

Ndume holding court in the inside habitat.

Ndume is closely related to his ladies, M'linzi being his half sister and Mara being his niece, but all lady gorillas at the Cincinnati Zoo who are not approved for breeding are on birth control, and that is the case for Ndume's troop.

Ndume

Life at the Gorilla Foundation

Ndume's life is settled now, a proper gorilla's life with a troop of ladies, just as it should be.  Not so, in his younger days at the Gorilla Foundation.

When he was ten years old, with his ownership still remaining with the Cincinnati Zoo, he was moved to California and the Gorilla Foundation, where Koko was the star pupil in the experiment to teach gorillas to communicate with sign language. Reportedly, Koko knew how to sign 1000 words, and could understand 2000 words.  Ndume also was taught to sign. 

Ndume was brought there to be mate for Koko, but Koko was not interested in him as a boyfriend, just as a friend.

Koko was famous for many things, including adopting a kitten, and a book was written about this, called "Koko's Kitten." Koko was also visited by many celebrities such as Betty White and Robin Williams, and was featured on Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, where she did what she had seen Fred Rogers do on TV, take his shoes off.

Koko also was the subject of two cover stories in National Geographic.

However, controversy swirled around the Gorilla Foundation. Some charged that Koko was just imitating her teacher, that the interpretations were subjective, and that the gorillas were not getting timely veterinary care, that their diet was not appropriate. In any case, Koko's positive publicity brought public awareness of gorillas and their emotions.

Ndume also learned some sign language, and there was another male gorilla there, Michael. Since Koko was not interested romantically in Ndume, after Michael died in 2000, the lone silverback was sometimes isolated and that is not a good thing for gorillas, who are social animals. 

When Koko died at the age of 46 in 2018 at the Gorilla Foundation, the Cincinnati Zoo required that the original agreement be honored, that Ndume would return to them upon the event of Koko's death. The Gorilla Foundation refused, saying that such a move would be detrimental to Ndume, that the gorilla was attached to and dependent upon his human caregivers, and the move could even cause his death.

The lawsuit dragged on for a year, but the Cincinnati Zoo at last was awarded custody. Ndume returned to his original home, where he learned to be a regular gorilla again, first adjusting to zoo life, and then with a troop of Chewie and Mara. Several of his human companions from the Gorilla Foundation traveled with him and helped him adjust for the first month or two.

Slowly but surely, Ndume got to know the other gorillas. 

Primate keeper Ron Evans, who knew Ndume as a baby,
here with young Gladys..

Ndume was also reunited with primate keeper Ron Evans, who first took care of Ndume when he was young. 

Hi, big handsome guy, says Mara. 

Mara flirts with Ndume. 

Mara runs away, playing hard to get. Ndume runs after her,
 brings her back. 

Here comes Ndume

Hello pretty gorilla

Gorilla courtship.

Ndume seems content now at the Cincinnati Zoo, living the life of a Silverback leader of his own troop.

The Cincinnati Zoo celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2025, as the second oldest zoo in the US.

 

Qannik, Bo, and International Polar Bear Day

 

Borealis of the Louisville Zoo

I traveled down to the Louisville Zoo on February 27 for International Polar Bear Day, and to see how Bo and Qannik were getting along. They have been together for two years.  

The chalk writings for the special day.

Scrawled in chalk on the floor and walls of the Alley room was  some wording for International Polar Bear Day and young Bo was in the Alley, just waiting for something to happen.  Most polar bears look white or grey, but Bo looked positively silver.

Qannik with her new toy.

Qannik floating.

Qannik inside the underwater culvert.

Qannik loves to manipulate the culvert to suit her underwater ballet.

Meanwhile, water girl Qannik was across the way in the big pool, playing with a giant black culvert tube. The keepers had placed several of these tubes around the enclosure, and Qannik got the bright idea that it would make a fun water toy. She was right, it was great fun to watch her maneuver the tube around, swim through it, roll it, toss it, and entertaining all her fans.

Bo and one of his keepers during keeper talk training.

Bo gets a syringe of yummy salmon oil during training.

We were treated to a couple of training sessions with Bo in the Alley, and Qannik at the big enclosure gate. Keepers explained how the bears are taught to present various parts of their bodies for inspection with the help of a bribe, that would be lettuce, fish, and in this case some vials of salmon oil. 

Qannik gets some lettuce during training.

In this way, the bears are taught to participate in their own health check ups, so keepers can see if there is some small injury or a problem somewhere. 

Bo keeps an eye on Qannik,
to be ready in case she wants to play with him. 

We were hoping for some interaction between the two bears, but it was a little disappointing. When Bo was brought over to share the big enclosure with Qannik, the two bears did seem aware of each other, and kept an eye on their companion, but Qannik was being coy. It seemed that Bo was interested in getting closer to his girl, but he has learned to take his cues from her.

Bo spent several years in Henry Vilas Zoo with older lady Berit, and she taught him good manners when it comes to affairs of the heart. While one of the Louisville Zoo docents reported that earlier in the season there had been some breeding between the two, nothing much was happening on the day we visited. Bo watched Qannik carefully, while pretending to keep busy with his own little projects.

Qannik finds a bag of treats, but abandons it.

Bo finds the bag of treats. 

The bears were given treats thrown down by keepers from atop the wall. Surprises included paper bags with some goodies inside.

Qannik rolling in the straw

Covered in straw, Qannik is golden.

Qannik was more interested in rolling in the straw and making a cozy nest. Many years ago, when Qannik was quite young, she got a spore infection which was caused by mulch, and she was very sick for a long time, possibly from an allergy, since other zoos use mulch without a problem for their bears. Now there is no mulch in the enclosure, just straw, mud, and grass. And lots of toys.

Qannik and a few of her toys.

Qannik and one of the giant culvert tubes,
like the one she hauled over to the pool to used as a pool toy.

I had several opportunities to get them in the same photo, but Qannik did not want to cooperate when it came to any actual interaction. 

Qannik in the simulated glacier-wrecked road below,
 watching her boyfriend Bo up top.

Qannik strolling by Bo, trying to ignore him. 

Qannik knows right where Bo is, even though she is ignoring him, and Bo knows right where Qannik is. 

Qannik eventually went inside, and Bo contented himself with swimming laps in the big pool, nothing creative like Qannik does, but it still thrills the visitors to see this large bear swimming vertical circles, pushing off with his giant paws, and blowing bubbles. 

Bo swimming his laps in the deep pool. 

Bo was born in 2018 in the Toledo Zoo, a single cub, with Crystal and Marty as his parents.  He moved to Henry Vilas when he was two years old, and moved again to Louisville in early 2024.  He was said to weigh a thousand pounds during the keeper talk.

Bo, looking all silvery. The keeper is above him, throwing down treats.

Qannik was wildborn on the North Slopes of the Alaskan oil fields. She and her mother and sister were tagged. A few months later, she was separated from her mother and sister, and found alone, starving. Little Qannik was brought to the Alaska Zoo, where she recovered for a few months, and then was flown to the Louisville Zoo. She has been near other polar bears: Arki, Siku, Lee, so she was familiar with their sight and scent, but never shared space since as a wildborn bear, she was property of Fish and Wildlife, and was not allowed to be part of the breeding program. She is reported to be about 500 pounds. Qannik recently celebrated her 15th birthday, although the actual date is not known. 

Qannik during her 14th birthday party.

That ban was lifted a few years ago, and Qannik was introduced to Bo. So far no cubs, but they are still getting acquainted. There may be results this fall/winter.

Bo in the sunlight, keeping an eye on Qannik.

Bo on the prowl.

Bo investigating the culvert.

Qannik so self assured.