Antonia was unique in all the polar bear world

 

The famous Antonia

Today we heard the sad news that little old Antonia, the rare dwarf polar bear of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM, had reached her end. She had enjoyed some active days recently, but then her elderly body suddenly showed signs of failing due to old age, just as I saw last week with my 19 years old cat Pumpkin. When the body has run its course, there is nothing to be done to fix it.

Antonia was known for her big personality.

She was born November 24, 1989, in Karlsruhe Zoo, to Nadine and Willie, the same year that her half brother Anton was born there.  Antonia and Anton, along with two other cubs, were moved before their first birthday to nearby Stuttgart, in the Wilhelma. Antonia's stunted growth was obvious by her first birthday, and even so she was more aggressive and playful than the other cubs.  She was removed from the group for her own safety, and by the time she was three years old, sent to Gelsenkirchen, where she occupied a barren platform surrounded by a moat, near the entrance, for a time. Eventually, Gelsenkirchen ZOOM built the new Alaska habitat, and designed an enclosure just for Antonia.

Antonia by her personal little pond.

Despite her size, she was feisty, and keepers knew that for her safety she could not be kept with other adult polar bears. She loved to play with her keepers, though, and they would throw balls and rings back and forth. 

Antonia in her usual spot, at the edge of her pond

Antonia's dwarfism is a mystery. Her parents and siblings were all normal size. Her sister Katyusha, who lived in Berlin, reached her 37th birthday, so good genes may explain Antonia's long life, but certainly being small meant less stress and strain on bones and circulation for the little bear, less arthritis, less heart disease.

Antonia liked to admire her own beautiful reflection

Visitors often thought she was a cub, exclaiming, "kleines Eisbärbaby!" A sign was erected to explain Antonia's condition and size differences, although it is a little misleading because female polar bears usually weigh 500 to 700 pounds.. 

I have translated the sign for pounds and inches.

Length - normal bear a little over 7 feet  - Antonia 4.43 feet

Shoulder - normal bear 60 inches - Antonia 27 inches

Weight - normal bear 900 pounds - Antonia 287 pounds 

                                   Little Antonia on the big cliff 

                             

Antonia sometimes was able to experience one of the larger enclosures. When old Fanny (Hamburg's Victoria's mother) became infirm due to old age, she was given Antonia's smaller enclosure, and Antonia was given the big meadow, where she enjoyed digging at old logs.

Digging at an old log, looking for bugs, in the big enclosure.

When she was in her regular enclosure, Antonia liked to sit at the edge of the pond and gaze at her visitors.

Antonia and her reflection

Of course Antonia never did have cubs, living away from other polar bears, but her half brother Anton was father of the late Wilbär, who in turn was father of  Hope's sons in Peak Wildlife Park, and of Otis in Eindhoven. 

Wldflowers in her custom enclosure at Gelsenkirchen ZOOM.

With the recent departure of Lara for Bremerhaven Zoo Am Meer, the only polar bear in Gelsenkirchen (which has three enclosures) is Bill.

Antonia on the prowl

Antonia was the most famous resident of Gelsenkirchen, and she will be greatly missed.

Farewell, little Antonia. We were so happy to have met you.

A look at polar bear LOVE for Valentine's Day

 For Valentine's Day,
 some glimpses of romantic love between polar bears.

Flocke and Raspi
 Marineland, Antibes France - 2018

Little One and Anana
Cincinnati Zoo - 2018

Little One and Anana
 Cincinnati Zoo - 2018

"The Coy Lady"
Little One and Berit
Cincinnati Zoo - 2013

Little One runs away wit Berit's icy heart
 Cincinnati Zoo - 2015 

Yoghi and Giovanna
Hellabrunn Tierpark, Munich - 2011

Yoghi and Giovanna
Tierpark Hellabrunn, Munich - 2011

Nord and Malik
Aalborg Denmark - 2019

Little One and Anana
 Cincinnati Zoo - 2019

Corinna and Anton - The Wilhelma - Stuttgart Germany - 2011
Every afternoon, Anton would climb onto a jutting rock, and Corinna would come up next to him, and lick his ears. A sign of great love.

"Yin and Yang"
Raspi and Flocke
Marineland - Antibes France - 2018

"Love bite"
Flocke and Raspi
Marineland, Antibes France - 2018

"Two Ladies"
Nanuq and twin sisters Aurora and Anana
Columbus Zoo - 2013

Not polar bears, but these two hippos knew now to show love.
 Fiona's parents Henry and Bibi - Cincinnati Zoo - 2017

Corinna and Anton together again

Corinna

 Today I received word from a friend that beautiful Corinna, with her lovely fluffy big ears, has left us. She was 28 years old.

Corinna

Corinna was born in Copenhagen in 1989, and spent most of her life in the elegant Wilhelma Zoological Park in Stuttgart, Germany with her adored Anton.

Corinna's half brother, with the same father, was the famous Wilhelm, or Willie, born in 1985, who had been sold by the Copenhagen Zoo at the age of 4 months to private owners and spent 16 years sweltering and being forced to perform in a poor Mexican circus. He was rescued in 20o2 along with six other polar bears when the circus overwintered in Puerto Rico, which is a territory of the U.S. Thankfully, Willie lived in comfort the rest of his life, in the North Carolina Zoo, and then the Milwaukee County Zoo, where he died in 2013. 

 Corinna was spared that fate, and was sent to Germany. Anton and Corinna arrived at the Wilhelma together, at the age of one, and grew up as playmates. As they matured, the zoo expected that they would have cubs. They waited and waited. No cubs.

Anton and Corinna

But then Corinna surprised the polar bear world when she gave birth to Wilbär in the fall of 2007 at the ripe old age of 18. The zoo kept his birth a secret, for fear of too much press attention as happened to Knut in Berlin, and was happening at the same time in Nuremburg with Flocke's birth.  Mother Corinna took good care of her only child, but there was an early separation in the spring of 2009, when Corinna and young Wilbär  engaged in some aggressive behavior, sometimes resulting in blood. Maybe it was because Corinna was anxious to get back to her Anton, for they truly were a love match.

Corinna and her beloved Anton

Every afternoon, for most of their lives together, Anton and Corinna would settle in for the famous ear licking ritual, something quite uncommon for polar bears. I have only seen one other pair engage in ear licking, best friends Nancy and Tosca in Berlin Zoo.

Corinna licking Anton's ear

Anton would climb onto the central rock perch in the left hand side, and lay there while Corinna spent long periods of time licking his right ear, while Anton closed his eyes with enjoyment.

Corinna shows her love

The pair seemed to never tire of this rite of affection.

How Anton loved it

They were separated for a period of several years when Corinna had her cub. During this time, Anton really missed Corinna. He pined away for her. The zoo painted the separating glass with whitewash so he couldn't see her, but still he pined, for he could hear her, and smell her.

Love in the afternoon

When young Wilbär left the Wilhelma, he moved to the polar bear Paradise of Orsa Bear Park in Sweden, where he was soon joined by a young girl bear named Ewa, but no cubs have resulted. This past fall, another young girl cub named Hope, the daughter of Flocke and Raspi, has arrived in Orsa so Wilbär now has two girlfriends. 

Swimming with Anton

With Wilbär gone north, Anton and Corinna were reunited, and lived together for many happy years and countless afternoons of ear licking.

Anton and Corinna

Corinna and Anton

Then there was a terrible tragedy in early 2014, when some thoughtless  visitor threw a backpack into the enclosure, Anton ate the contents, and it ended up killing him.

Pretty Corinna

Corinna lived alone in the ensuing years, with several suitors coming to call, but no one could replace Anton, her true love.

From 2014, Yoghi naps while Corinna swims, avoiding him

Yoghi came to the Wilhelma in 2014 when Giovanna, who had given birth to twins the previous fall, needed privacy and space to raise her family, so Yoghi stayed for seven months in Stuttgart, but then returned to his family in nearby Munich. Corinna tolerated Yoghi, but was happy when he left.

From 2015, Corinna on the left, Felix on the right

In 2015, Felix came to visit for 8 months, after Vera had baby Charlotte in Nuremburg. Again, Corinna tolerated him, but was happy when he moved on and she could be alone.

Corinna on the balancing rock

Corinna

After that, the zoo decided Corinna should have her privacy so she has lived alone for the past three years, happily enjoying her solitude.

Corinna and a play stick

I like to think of the beautiful Corinna being reunited with her Anton again, for they were so happy together.

Corinna follows Anton

More ear licking

The cause of death has not been announced.

Corinna on the balancing rock

 

Farewell, beautiful Corinna

 

Little Antonia - the dwarf polar bear of Gelsenkirchen Zoom

Antonia Geschichte

Little Antonia looks out over her world

Antonia is one of a kind. This miniature version of a polar bear is brave and bold, and she has no idea that she is any different from your normal bear.

Antonia ist eine Eisbärin der besonderen Art. Diese Miniaturausgabe eines Eisbären ist tapfer und mutig, und sie hat keine Ahnung, daß sie ist anders ist als andere Bären.

Antonia is known for her many facial expressions

Antonia the dwarf polar bear is 25 years old today. She was born to Nadine and Willie in Karlsruhe Zoo on November 24, 1989. She lives in Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen in Germany.

Antonia die Zwergwüchsige Eisbärin ist heute 25 Jahre alt. Sie wurde von Nadine und Willie im Karlsruhe Zoo am 24.November 1989 geboren. Sie lebt in Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen in Deutschland.

Antonia in 2011 in her own little enclosure. She has very short legs.

At that time, Karlsruhe Zoo in Germany was on a roll with their polar bear breeding program. In 1989 there were four bear cubs born from four mothers, Nadine, Nina, Tatjana and Silke, with Willie from the Berlin Zoo as father to all. Nadine gave birth on November 24 to a cub named Antonia. This birth was recorded by camera. Nina and Tatjana each had twins in December. Nina's surviving cub was called Nancy. Tatjana's surviving cub was called Hallensia. Silke, age 24, had cubs on December 22, and one died, but the other was a small sickly boy named Anton. Both Antonia and Anton were named after zoo director Dr. Anton Kohm.

Damals war der Karlsruher Zoo in Deutschland das Eisbär Zuchtprogramm äußerst erfolgreich. Im Jahr 1989 gab es vier Bärenjunge von vier Müttern, Nadine, Nina, Tatjana und Silke, mit Willie aus dem Berliner Zoo als Vater. Nadine gebar am 24. November ein Jungtier namens Antonia. Diese Geburt wurde von der Kameraaufgezeichnet. Nina und Tatjana hatten jeweils Zwillinge im Dezember. Ninas überlebendes Jungtier wurde Nancy genannt. Tatjana's überlebendes Jungtier wurde Hallensia genannt. Silke, mit immerhin 24 Jahren, hatten Jungtiere am 22. Dezember und eines starb, aber der andere war ein kleiner Junge namens Anton und sehr kränklich. Sowohl Antonia als auch Anton wurden nach Zoodirektor Dr. Anton Kohm benannt.

Antonia's relatives:

The late Anton (shown with his Corinna)
 was Antonia's half brother,
 and grew up with her in Karlsruhe and Stuttgart.

Nancy, who just died last week in the Berlin Zoo, was Antonia's half sister, and grew up with her too in the Polar Bear Kindergarten at Karlsruhe Zoo.

Katjuscha (age 30) of the Berlin Zoo is Antonia's full sister,
 but is five years older.

While Antonia and the other two female cubs thrived, Anton did not grow normally and was very weak. They feared Silke did not have enough milk, and the keepers removed Anton to raise him by hand. Anton's pelvis was weak, and he had to wear a special corset, and be confined in a box. For a time, he could not even walk.

Während Antonia und die anderen zwei weiblichen Jungtiere gediehen, war Anton nicht normal gewachsen und war sehr schwach. Sie befürchteten, Silke könnte nichtgenug Milch haben, und die Tierpfleger entfernten Anton von seiner Mutter, um ihn mit der Hand aufzuziehen. Antons Becken war schwach, und er musste ein speziellesKorsett tragen und in einer Box gehalten. Eine Zeit lang konnte er nicht einmal richtig laufen.

Antonia in 2011

Anton and his three half sisters were exhibited to the public in the carnivore house at the Karlsruhe Zoo. It was reported that Antonia was “the most rude, playful and dominant, stealing balls from her companions.” For the first several years of her life, the keepers did not realize there was anything wrong with Antonia, just that she was small, it seems. But photos of the growing cubs show that her limbs were shorter, in addition to her being much smaller. In the meantime, Anton had improved and become much stronger.

Anton und seine drei Halbschwestern wurden der Öffentlichkeit im Raubtierhaus vorgestellt und gezeigt. Es wurde berichtet, dass Antonia "die unhöfliche, verspielte unddominante war, und ihren Begleitern das Spielzeug wehnahm." In den ersten Jahren ihres Lebens bemerkten die Tierpfleger nicht, daß etwas nicht in Ordnung mitAntonia war, nur, dass sie klein war, so schien es. Aber Fotos der wachsenden Jungtiere zeigen, dass ihre Glieder kürzer waren, zusätzlich zu ihrem viel kleineren Wuchs. In der Zwischenzeit hatte Anton's Zustand sich verbessert und sich erheblich gestärkt.

Antonia in 2011 in her own little home 

In the fall of 1990, as the four cubs were approaching their first birthday, Nancy was sent to the Berlin Zoo where she joined her half sister Katjuscha, who was five years older. Katjuscha is the full sister of Antonia. Nancy remained at the Berlin Zoo until her sudden death earlier this week.

Im Herbst 1990, als die vier Jungen sich ihrem ersten Geburtstag näherten, kam Nancy in den Berliner Zoo, wo sie ihre Halbschwester Katjuscha, die inzwischen fünfJahre alt war, wieder traf. Katjuscha ist die Vollschwester von Antonia. Nancy blieb im Berliner Zoo bis zu ihrem plötzlichen Tod Anfang dieser Woche.

Little Antonia

The other three were sent to the newly opened polar bear enclosure in the Wilhelma in Stuttgart. Anton remained there his entire life, and grew into a massive, healthy polar bear. He and Corinna had a cub named Wilbär in December of 2007. Sadly, Anton died earlier this year after eating a backpack and jacket thrown into the enclosure.

Die anderen drei Eisbären wurden in das neu eröffnete Eisbärengehege in der Wilhelma in Stuttgart geschickt. Anton blieb dort sein ganzes Leben, und entwickelte sich zu einem massiven, gesunde Eisbären. Anton und Corinna hatte ein Junges namens Wilbär im Dezember 2007. Leider Anton starb Anfang dieses Jahres nach dem Fresseneinen Rucksacks und einer Jacke, welches beides achtlos in die Anlage geworfen worden war.

Antonia doesn't think there is anything different about her

 Because Antonia was so much smaller than the other bears, it was decided she needed to be kept separate for her own safety. In 1992 she was moved to Gelsenkirchen Ruhr Zoo, and lived in a small, barren enclosure near the entrance.

Da Antonia viel kleiner war als die anderen Bären, wurde beschlossen, sie getrennt für ihre eigene Sicherheit zu halten. Im Jahr 1992 zog sie um in den Ruhr Zoo Gelsenkirchen, und lebte nun in einem kleinen, kargen Gehege nahe des Eingangs.

Antonia in her old enclosure, made just for her

When the zoo was changed to Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen, and the new Alaska exhibit was built in 2005, a special enclosure just for Antonia was designed, where she would be safe and happy. She does not realize that she is smaller than the other bears. Her strong personality would bring her to challenge any other bear, and she might be hurt. So Antonia is alone for her own good.

Als dann der Zoo zur Zoom Erlebniswelt Gelsenkirchen umgebaut wurde, und die neuen Alaska Ausstellung 2005 errichtet wurde,entstand ein spezielles Gehege nur fürAntonia konzipiert, wo sie sicher und glücklich sein konnte. Sie wußte nicht, dass sie kleiner als die anderen Bären ist. Ihre starke Persönlichkeit würde sie dazu bringenandere Bären herauszufordern, und sie könnte dann verletzt werden. So ist Antonia allein zu ihrem Besten.

When the Alaska area was built at Gelsenkirchen ZOOM,
it included an enclosure designed just for Antonia

She even has her own sign that explains how special she is. While a normal polar bear weighs about 900 pounds, Antonia weighs under 300 pounds.

Sie hat sogar ihre eigene Kennzeichnung, das erklärt, wie Speziell sie. Während eine normaler Eisbär etwa etwa 900 Pfund auf die Waage bringt, wiegt Antonia unter 300 Pfund.

A sign explains how Antonia is different

When the elderly Fanny became frail this past summer, she was moved to Antonia's enclosure, and Antonia was turned loose into one of the large enclosures with meadow and a lake-like pool.

Nachdem dann die ältere Fanny vergangenen Sommer gebrechlicher wurde im siedelte man sie in Antonias Gehege verlegt und Antonia wurde umgesiedelt in eine dergroßen Gehege mit Wiese und einem See ähnlichen Pool verwandelt.

Antonia has lots of space to roam, and a large pool now

In the new area, Antonia has enjoyed exploring, climbing, digging in old logs, digging in the sand pit, and swimming in a deep pool.

In dem neuen Gehege, genoss es Antonia alles zu erkunden, zu Klettern, alte Baumstämmer auszugraben, das Buddeln in der Sandgrube, und Schwimmen in einemtiefen Pool.

Napping in the sand pit

Digging bugs out of an old log

Antonia became known as the Oracle of Gelsenkirchen when she successfully predicted winning and losing teams in the UEFA Euro 2012 soccer games. Just before the 2014 world cup, a terrible storm hit Gelsenkirchen that knocked down trees and closed the zoo paths to the Alaska exhibit, so no one heard Antonia's prediction of Germany's eventual victory.

Antonia wurde bekannt als das *Oracle von Gelsenkirchen*, als sie erfolgreich Siege und Niederlagen des Fußball-Spiel Teams der UEFA 2012 verkündete.
Kurz vor der WM 2014 traf ein furchtbarer Sturm Gelsenkirchen, die zu Boden geworfen Bäume ließen den ZOOM geschlossen halten so dass niemand Antonias Vorhersage von möglichem Sieg von Deutschland gehört hat.

Getting a drink from her big pool

Antonia has never been bothered by her condition. She is fierce and playful, and love to jump at and pretend to attack visitors and their dogs (dogs are allowed in Zoom).

Antonia kümmert ihr *Anderssein * überhaupt nicht. Sie ist wild und verspielt und liebt es, aufzuspringen und so zu tun, als würde sie Besucher und ihre Hunde (Hundesind im Zoom erlaubt) angreifen.

Antonia is curious and active in her new big enclosure

Fanny, who was thought to be the oldest polar bear in the world, died recently. That means that Antonia can stay in the large area, unless other polar bears move to Gelsenkirchen. At present only Bill and Lara live there, besides Antonia, and there are two very large areas, each with its own lake, in addition to Antonia's small enclosure, now empty.

Fanny, die vermutlich die älteste Eisbärin der Welt war, starb vor kurzem. Das bedeutet, dass Antonia nun auf der großen Anlage bleiben kann, es sei denn, andereEisbären ziehen um nach Gelsenkirchen. Derzeit sind nur Bill und Lara dort, nebenan lebt Antonia, und es gibt zwei sehr große Außenanlagen, die jeweils ein eigenes Wasserbecken haben, zusätzlich zuAntonias ehemaliger kleinen Anlage, welche nun leer steht.

Bill and Lara live at Gelsenkirchen too

Antonia in 2011

  Here is a short video of Antonia walking around her small enclosure.

Hier ist ein kurzes Video von Antonia zu Fuß rund um ihre kleine Anlage.

Antonia is worth a visit. She is truly unique.

Antonia ist einen Besuch wert. Sie ist wirklich einzigartig.

Antonia sticks out her cute little tongue

Antonia on the move

German translation assistance by Marga Andresen-Gransow.