Snow Lily has a party for her 36th birthday

Snow Lily. Photos by Michelle Rippey

Photos by Michelle Rippey

Thanks to photographer Michelle Rippey, who frequently visits Snow Lily in Milwaukee for giving permission to share her wonderful photos of the Birthday Bear.

It is rare for a polar bear to reach her 36th birthday. This year we have three such ladies: Katjuscha in Berlin Zoo in Germany on November 16, Snow Lily in the Milwaukee County Zoo on December 5, and Winnie in Uni Zoo in Sendai Japan on December 15. These three lady bears are the oldest in the world.

Katjuscha was born in Zoo Karlsruhe to Nadine and Willie. She has a younger sister, Antonia, the only dwarf bear in the world, who now lives in Gelsenkirchen Zoom in Germany and is 31 years old.

Snow Lily was born to Penny and Nicklee in Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY. With her mate Blizzard she had a cub, Tundra in 1991, but he died in 2017 in the Bronx Zoo. Snow Lilly has lived in Milwaukee since 2005. 

Winnie was the only cub of the legendary Debby and Skipper in Winnipeg Canada. Debby lived to be 42 years old, a record. Winnie was sent to Japan when she was just under 9 months old.

  

Snow Lily makes her grand entrance to the Birthday Party 

Snow Lilly enjoyed a little pre-birthday party recently. She is a very active bear, and loves to interact with visitors. She also likes to show off her treats and toys to visitors.

Some shrimp flavored treats . She was hoping for crab legs

Her treats were served on a little table and chair set

She later carried one of the chairs into her den

Frozen treats

Here she is showing off her frozen chunk to visitors 

Time for a swim. She is delighted

The Milwaukee County Zoo has a great underwater viewing area 

Shake it off

Snow Lily loves to play with balls. Sometimes basketball dribbling underwater

You might see Snow Lily spelled as Snow Lilly sometimes. Her name is spelled with one "l" by the zoo, and two in the studbook. Either way is fine with her.

Happy 36th birthday, Snow Lily. Maybe you will get crab legs today. Your favorite.