Saturday, May 17, 2014

Qannik grows up

Qannik is getting to be a big girl now.
 Just look at those paws!

Qannik, who turned three years old in January, is now a big girl. She weighs 440 pounds, and towers over her visitors when she stands. She has come a long way from her start as a lost wild bear cub in Alaska.


Qannik, die drei Jahre alt im Januar wurde, ist jetzt ein großes Mädchen. Sie wiegt 440 Pfund, und thront über ihre Besucher, wenn sie steht. Sie ist einen langen Weg von ihrem Start als wilden Bären in Alaska gekommen.


Qannik visits with her friend Debbie

Qannik loves to play with her visitors

Kisses from Miss Qannik


Qannik towers over her visitors now


Here is Qannik shortly after she arrived
 at Glacier Run in the Louisville Zoo in 2011

And here is Qannik now during training. 



Qannik can choose whether or not to take part in training. 
She likes it because she gets snacks.

A favorite lid to play with

Qannik in her pool

Another fun toy - a stick
Glacier Run at the Louisville Zoo has a wonderful 
underwater viewing area, 
to watch Qannik swim and dive and play


Qannik likes to hide toys and sticks in an underwater hole
 and then bring them out again. 

She plays this game over and over again,
 never getting tired of it.

Hide the toy, find the toy again. And then with another object

Qannik loves the water, and would like to swim all day,
 unlike Siku.

She still lives and plays alone in Glacier Run at the Louisville Zoo. Four year old Siku, who weighs 600 pounds, is nearby in Glacier Run, but separate. Siku is interested in Qannik, the zookeepers say, but Qannik is not interested in Siku yet.


Sie lebt immer noch allein und spielt im Louisville Zoo. Der vier Jahre alte Siku, der 600 Pfund wiegt, ist in ihrer Nähe, aber von ihr getrennt. Siku interessiert sich sehr für Qannik, sagen die Tierpfleger, aber Qannik interessiert sich noch nicht für Siku.  

Siku looks for hidden food in the old truck in Bear Alley

When Qannik is in the bigger enclosure with the pool, she spends most of her time in the water, swimming and playing. Siku, on the other hand, swims for a few minutes and then takes a nap.


Wenn Qannik in dem größeren Gehege ist mit Pool, verbringt sie die meiste Zeit im Wasser, schwimmend und spielend. Siku, auf der anderen Seite, schwimmt ein paar Minuten und nimmt dann ein Nickerchen.  


Qannik's friend Siku is a big bear now too

They see each other across the hall in the bedrooms, but maybe they will meet face to face this summer.


Sie sehen sich gegenseitig über den Flur in der Innenanlage, aber vielleicht werden sie in diesem Sommer zusammen gelegt.  


Qannik is very creative in playing with her toys
In the meantime, Qannik will spend her days playing and running and swimming. She knows how to have fun.


In der Zwischenzeit wird Qannik ihre Tage verbringen, spielen und laufen und schwimmen. Sie weiß, wie man Spaß hat.

2 comments:

  1. Dear Molly

    Thank you for the well illustrated report of your visit at Qanniks and Sikus enclosure. Both bears have grown enormous and look very healthy. Are they allowed to be together?

    Greetings
    Chris

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    Replies
    1. Dear Chris,
      No, not yet. Qannik doesn't really care. She is happy on her own. Siku would like to play with Qannik, though. The zoo is taking their cue from the bears, and so far, Qannik really isn't interested. Maybe this summer... I am glad you like the report. I will visit them again in a few weeks.

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