Thursday, October 24, 2013

A fond farewell to Wilhelm



Wilhelm, Willie, or Willy. He was known by many names

One of the most well-known polar bears in the world, 28 year old Wilhelm, has left us.

Einer der bekanntesten Eisbären der Welt, 28-jährige Wilhelm, hat uns verlassen.

Wilhelm
Willie started life in the Copenhagen Zoo, born January 11, 1985. He was sold as a cub to an animal handler in Germany, and that is why he has a German name. Not much is known about his life in Germany. He lived a good many years under terrible conditions with other polar bears in the Suarez Brothers Circus, a Mexican Circus. Here they lived in small cages and were given a very poor diet, and hardly any exercise.


Willie begann das Leben im Zoo Kopenhagener, geboren 11. Januar 1985. Er wurde als Jungtier zu an einen Tier -Handler in Deutschland verkauft, und deshalb hat er einen deutschen Namen. Nicht viel ist über sein Leben in Deutschland bekannt. Er lebte zu viele Jahre unter schrecklichen Bedingungen mit anderen Eisbären in der Suarez Bruder-Zirkus, eine mexikanische Circus. Hier lebten sie in kleinen Käfigen und erhielten eine sehr schlechte Ernährung, und hatten kaum Bewegung.
Willy playing with his toys, and looking for lettuce

Also known as Willie, or Willy, he enjoyed over a decade of the good life in two American zoos after being rescued from his sad years in the circus. The rescued bears were known as the Suarez Six, although there were at least seven polar bears involved. These bears were confiscated in November 2002 by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service while they were under U.S. jurisdiction in Puerto Rico.

Als Willie bekannt oder auch Willy genannt, genoss er über ein Jahrzehnt das gute Lebens in zwei amerikanischen Zoos, nachdem er von seinem traurigen Jahren im Zirkus gerettet wurde. Die geretteten Bären wurden als Suarez Six bekannt, obwohl es sieben beteiligte Eisbären waren. Diese Bären wurden im November 2002 von der US Fish & Wildlife Service beschlagnahmt, während sie unter US-Gerichtsbarkeit in Puerto Rico waren.
Willy knew how to have fun

The bears flew through Memphis and went to three zoos. Wilhelm and another male bear Masha went to the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina. Masha also had compromised health because of the poor treatment by the circus. Wilhelm, now called Willie or Willy, had bonded with Masha in the circus, and they remained fast friends at the Asheboro zoo. After Masha died in 2007, Willie pretty much lived alone until he moved two years ago to the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin.


Die Bären flogen nach Memphis und gingen an drei Zoos. Wilhelm und Masha verbrachte man in dem North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, North Carolina. Masha war auch wegen des Gesundheitszustandes wegen der schlechten Behandlung durch den Zirkus gefährdet. Wilhelm, jetzt genannt Willie oder Willy, hatte mit Masha im Zirkus verbunden sind, und sie blieben gute Freunde am Asheboro Zoo. Nachdem Masha dann starb im Jahr 2007, hat Willie ziemlich lange allein gelebt, bis er vor zwei Jahren umzog in den Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin.

Willy
Wherever he was, Willy was very good at having fun, and liked to show off for his fans at the zoo. He was something of a superstar.

Überall dort, wo er war, war Willy sehr schnell dabei Spaß haben, und zeigeen sich gern für seine Fans im Zoo. Er war schgon fast si etwas wie ein Superstar.

Willy had a distinctive mole on his chin, giving him character

Willy made many friends in the North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro, where he lived from 2002 to 2011.


Willy hat viele Freunde in der North Carolina Zoo in Asheboro , wo er von 2002 bis 2011 lebte.

Willy, a little foam on his mouth after chew up some vegetables

Photographer Valerie Abbott fell in love with Willy, and spent many hours in his company, enjoying his antics and playing camera games with the big guy. We are lucky to have so many incredible pictures of the distinctive-looking Willy, thanks to Valerie.

Fotografin Valerie Abbott verliebte sich in Willy, und verbrachte viele Stunden in seiner Nähe, genoss seine Possen und Spiele vor der Kamera mit dem großen Kerl. Wir sind glücklich, so viele unglaubliche Bilder von der unverwechselbaren aussehende Willy dank Valerie haben.

Willy
Upon hearing of his death, Valerie was heartbroken. She shares a few of her thoughts here:

“Why was Willy so special you may ask. To begin with he was rescued from a Mexican traveling circus and had to live in terrible conditions. When he and another bear arrived at the North Carolina Zoo they were in bad health. Through much time and patience their caregivers nursed them back to health.

“From that time on Willy loved to show off for humans. He loved to hear the squeal of young children when he would swim towards the glass they were behind. He would grab his big black ball, which weighed about 50lbs, and toss it like it was a basketball. He may next find a giant plastic pickle or even a Pepsi crate (For some odd reason he preferred Pepsi to Coke). The zoo even installed a snow making machine to let him enjoy the cold.

“During the winter months there were plenty of Mondays, my volunteer day, that it was just the two of us. These were very special times as he would locate me and swim towards me and play with unbridled joy. I spent hours with him and was fortunate to capture so many of these times with photos and some video. Willy became famous through my lens making friends and fans worldwide.

“When he left our zoo while the exhibit was being enlarged, I made the journey twice to Milwaukee to visit him.

“It's doubtful many people will understand my connection with this particular bear but he touched my heart like no other.”

To her special bear friend, Valerie says, “Thank you Willy for bringing such joy to me and so many others. May you rest in peace,”


Nach der Mittelung von seinem Tod, war Valerie untröstlich. Sie teilt ein paar ihrer Gedanken hier:

"Warum war Willy so besonders war werden Sie fragen. Zunächst ist er aus einem mexikanischen Wanderzirkus gerettet wurde und musste unter schrecklichen Bedingungen leben. Als er und ein anderer Bär an der North Carolina Zoo ankamen, waren beide Bären in einem schlechten Gesundheitszustand. Durch viel Zeit und Geduld ihrer Betreuern pflegten sie die Eisbären wieder gesund.

"Von diesem Zeitpunkt an wurde Willy von den Menschen geliebt geliebt. Er genoss es, das Quietschen von kleinen Kindern zu hören, wenn er an dem Glasfenster beim Schwimmen zu sehen war. Er würde seine große, schwarzen Kugel greifen, die etwa 50 pounds gewogen hat, und dann warf er sie wie einen Basketball. Alsnächstes fand er eine riesige Gurke aus Kunststoff oder sogar eine Kiste Pepsi (Aus irgendeinem Grund, den nur Willy weiß, bevorzugt er Pepsi statt Coke). Der Zoo installierte sogar eine Beschneiungsanlage, damit er die Kälte geniessen konnte.

"In den Wintermonaten gab es viele Montage, mein ehrenamtlicher Tag, dass nur
wir beide ganz allein waren. Dieses waren sehr besonderen Zeiten, wenn er mich finden würde um auf mich zu zu schwimmen und spielte mit ungezügelter Freude. Ich erbrachte Stunden mit ihm und hatte das Glück, so viele von diesen Zeiten mit Fotos und einige Video- Aufnahmen festzuhalten. Willy wurde durch meine Linse berühmt, Freunde und Fans aus aller Welt.

"Nachdem er unsere Zoo verlassen Hatte, während die Aussenlage vergrößert wurde, machte ich die Reise zweimal nach Milwaukee, um ihn zu besuchen.
Es is etwas schwierig zu verstehen, veile Menschen werden meine Vergindung mit diesem speziellen Bären nicht einfach nachvollziehen können aber er hat mein Herz berührt wie kein anderer." 
Zu ihrem besonderen Bären Freund,Valerie sagt: "Danke an Willy. Du hast anderen und mir so viel Freud geschenkt. Mögest du in Frieden ruhen."

Willy's home in Milwaukee. That is Snow Lilly in the pool.
There is a sign to tell Willy's story - spelled Willie here.

In 2011, when work started on building a new polar bear facility in the Asheboro Zoo, Willie moved to the Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin.

Jahr 2011, wenn die Arbeit auf den Aufbau einer neuen Eisbär-Anlage im Zoo Asheboro begann, zog Willie der Milwaukee County Zoo in Wisconsin.

Willy's friend Snow Lilly
Here he met the aristocratic Snow Lilly, who had rejected her previous mate Zero. Zero was sent to the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY, and Willie was invited to move in with Snow Lilly.

Hier traf er auf die adlige Snow Lilly, die ihrem früheren Kumpel Null abgelehnt hatte. Null wurde an den Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY geschickt, und Willie wurde eingeladen, sich mit Snow Lilly zu bewegen.

Willy had been cruelly declawed while in the circus, as you can see here.

Willy had been happy at the Milwaukee County Zoo, but his arthritis had given him trouble in recent years. Willie also had the addition burden of having been “declawed” because he swiped at someone in his circus days.


Willy war im Milwaukee County Zoo glücklich, aber seine Arthritis machte ihm Probleme in den letzten Jahren. Willie hatte auch noch die zusätzlich Belastung  - er war "declawed," wurde weil er bei von jemandem in seinen Zirkustagen  seiner Vorderklauen beraubt. 



Willy says hello to his visitors.
 He always appreciated his fans.

It is so sad to lose another bear. Willie was a special guy.


Es ist so traurig weider einen Bären zu verlieren. Willie war ein besonderer Kerl.

We will miss you, Herr Wilhelm

5 comments:

  1. Dear Molly - Thank you very much for this tribute to dear "Wilhelm - Willie - Willy", and also for having published some of the quotes from VALERIE.

    Be convinced any polar bear friend, e.g. all the friends of KNUT from all over the world will perfectly understand what Valerie and you mean by
    “It's doubtful many people will understand my connection with this particular bear but he touched my heart like no other.”. So, you don't have to doubt at all we will understand!

    Even I, who never met WILLY in person am very sad about his passing and I will miss to get some news and photos of his funny and relaxed actions once in a while . Rest in peace, dear WILLY!

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    1. Dear Dumba,
      Yes, I agree. polar bear friends do understand this connection. I think Willy was a very special individual, and he will never be forgotten by those who loved him. And yes, he was very silly sometimes. I am glad I got to see him, but sad that his journey has come to an end.
      Molly

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  2. Dear Molly,

    Thank you so much for this beautiful tribute to Willy - the polar bear I learnt to love. He was a very special bear and I will miss him terribly. However, he will always have a special place in my heart. The legends never die!

    Dear Willy, you are now with Knut in the Rainbow Zoo beyond all pain and sorrow. Be happy in your heavenly home!

    Hugs from Mervi

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    1. Dear Mervi,
      This has been a hard year, we have lost so many wonderful polar bears here in the U.S. And now Willy. He was indeed a legend, and we won't forget him.
      Molly

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  3. Dear Molly!
    Thank you for the tribute for Willy. I have the pictures of Willy, but I never met him. I am happy that he had the good life in Zoo the last years. R.I.P., dear Willy.
    Hugs from Ludmila

    ReplyDelete