Qannik and the dating game

Qannik paces in Polar Bear Alley in the Louisville Zoo last week.

 It has been an eventful year for Qannik, the young lady polar bear in the Louisville Zoo. She became an eligible bachelorette recently when she was  okayed for breeding by the Department of Fish and Wildlife, who owns her because she was a wildborn cub rescued in Alaska.

Here's Qannik celebrating her 13th Birthday with a Taylor Swift theme.

She celebrated her 13th birthday in January. Then in the middle of February, Borealis, a five year old prospective suitor, arrived from Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin.

I talked to one of the keepers last week about how things are going between the two potential lovebirds. The keepers gradually introduced the bears and have tried to put them together, but Qannik isn't ready yet. The bears are still separate, but Bo is always aware of where Qannik is. 

Young Bo, in Henry Vilas Zoo

Borealis, usually called Bo, was born in the Toledo Zoo, the son of Crystal and the late Marty. He was a single cub, so had the full attention of his mother, who dutifully played with him until he left Toledo for Wisconsin.

Baby Bo and Mom Crystal in the Toledo Zoo in 2019.

Bo being attentive to older lady Berit at Henry Vilas

At Henry Vilas Zoo, Bo was introduced to a senior citizen lady bear named Berit, who became his new playmate. Bo hated being separated from Berit, and would cry and cry. It is a good thing that mostly they were together. 

So Bo has never known what it is like to be solo. 

Qannik in Louisville at age 8 months.

On the other hand, Miss Qannik has been a single lady since she arrived in Louisville as a lost cub. She was raised by keepers, and relates to humans very well. She has always been aware of other bears, sharing the downstairs area with a grizzly family, and at times with other polar bears, just across the way so she could see them, smell them and hear them, but never had to interact with the other bears.

Siku in Louisville. Siku is older brother to Bo.

When Qannik first arrived in Louisville in the summer of 2011, older lady polar bear Arki was there, and also Arki's young grandson Siku, who was just a bit older than Qannik. As Siku grew into his male hormones, he was anxious to be near Qannik. But mingling was forbidden, as wild bear Qannik was property of Fish and Wildlife, and was not allowed to be part of the breeding program. 

Arki in Louisville. Both Siku and Bo are her grandsons.

Arki died of old age in 2013. Siku left for Chicago in 2016, and then it was just Qannik and the grizzly family in Louisville. The mother grizzly and her two cubs were rotated in the two public enclosures, along with Qannik.

The mother grizzly and her daughter were moved to another zoo, so then it was just Otis the  male grizzly left as a neighbor in Glacier Run. 

Otis and Rita, two of the three grizzlies at the Louisville Zoo.
Qannik's neighbors.

In 2020, the Columbus Zoo sent new father Lee to the Louisville Zoo, to make room for his son young Kulu. Lee remained in Louisville for about two years, but never was introduced to Qannik, who was still restricted as to breeding, which was probably very frustrating for Lee, to be so close to a young female but unable to do anything about it. However, Qannik was indifferent to his presence. And then he was gone,  returning to Columbus.

Qannik has always been aware of her star quality, and spends time at the window of the big pool area visiting her fans.
 She is especially fond of little girls wearing pink.

So for all of her 13 years, Qannik had been neighbors with various other bears, but lived as a solitary bear. And she has been perfectly happy that way. She has always been attracted to the youngest human visitors, sitting at her favorite window, posing for pictures, and playing with them through the glass.

Qannik with a young visitor.

 Last winter, things changed, and Fish and Wildlife finally relented and gave permission for Qannik to be paired with a male bear for breeding.

Bo

Borealis, born in Toledo to Crystal and Marty, was chosen as Qannik's potential mate, probably because he is young and used to playing second fiddle to an older lady bear. 

Young Bo arrived in Louisville in February, but had to wait through the mandatory 30 day quarantine, and by the time he could slowly be introduced to Qannik, the breeding season was almost over. Bo was quite eager, but Qannik was not so sure, so the window of opportunity passed. 

Qannik at the top of the stairs.

The keepers are not pressing the issue. Qannik and Bo remain separated. Although the two bears don't share the same space, Qannik and Bo have many opportunities to get acquainted at a mesh gate, where they can sniff each other, and rub noses if they wish. Bo is trying to impress Qannik, and she, while not entirely cooperative, often shows curiosity about Bo, goes over to the gate and sniffs at him, then walks away. They also see each other in the downstairs bedroom area, across the way.

Qannik's genes are unique in the US zoo polar bear population. Bo is related to many bears, but Qannik, rescued as an orphan cub, is related to no one. 

Currently, Qannik weighs about 500 pounds, while Bo weighs 950 pounds.

Things will change in a few months when the bears' hormones start to run high during breeding season, and the keepers are hopeful that Qannik, who has lived an isolated life until now, will start to see Bo as a romantic partner. Bo certainly hopes so. We should start to see a change in their relationship in January or February, and the bears may finally get together.

Qannik during the keeper talk last week. She enjoyed a bucketful of fish while one of the keepers told visitors Qannik's story,
 and answered questions.