Suka and Haley, the Ladies of Detroit

 

                    Suka and Haley looking for snacks in the Tundra area.

                      Hey Suka, there's an apple in the crack in the wall. 

We have three polar bears at the Detroit Zoo these days: the male Kali, and the girls, Suka and Haley. 

Haley and Suka on the Pack Ice side of the Arctic Ring of Life.

Haley with a carrot, in the underwater tunnel viewing area.

Haley and Suka are about the same size, and similar fur.

Haley's paws are spotty and mostly pink. 

 You can tell them apart when they are in the viewing tunnel, for Haley has lack of pigment in her paw pads. 

Haley swims laps in the left hand corner
of the underwater viewing area.

 Haley also swims a particular recognizable lap, that Suka 

does not. Plus, if you see one of the girls approaching Kali, it is probably Haley. 

Suka in the right hand corner of the underwater viewing area.

Suka has been there the longest, since. 2018. She was born on November 21, 2012, in the Toledo Zoo, along with her twin brother Sakari, who is now in Buffalo. Their parents are Crystal and the late Marty. 

Suka and Sakari as cubs in Toledo.

The twins moved to Como Zoo in St. Paul in 2014 for about six months, while the new polar bear enclosure in Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin was being finished.

Suka (front) and Sakari in 2015 in Henry Vilas. 

Sakari moved out first, going to Buffalo as a mate for Luna (same Luna Kali lived with as a cub), but Suka stayed at Henry Vilas for three years, sharing space with older lady Berit for a time. In 2018 Suka moved to Detroit, and in 2020 she gave birth to twin girls, Astra and Laerke. 

Astra and Suka in 2021

Nuka across the way, with Suka and Astra in 2021 in Detroit.

Grizzly cub Jebbie came to Detroit as companion for Laerke,
who was being raised by keepers.

Nuka, now in Toledo, is father of the twin girls born in Detroit. Their mother Suka will be 14 years old this fall.

Haley in 2012 in Memphis.

Haley was born in Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY to Aurora and Yukon, on November 15, 2002, the last of their four cubs.  In 2005 she moved to Brookfield Zoo to become acquainted with Peyton, a young male there, and together they moved to Memphis in 2006, but never did produce cubs. She moved to Detroit in March of 2025. She will be 24 years old this fall, a little old to be having her first cubs, but we remain hopeful.

Kali, the current male at the Detroit Zoo, was rescued as an orphan in Alaska, and spent his first two years at the Buffalo Zoo being companion to Luna of the same age.

Kali as a just rescued Alaskan cub in the Buffalo Zoo in 2015.

Kali lived alone in St. Louis for a decade before coming to the Toledo Zoo for a short stay and very little romance, and then to the Detroit Zoo where it is hoped he will be more successful with these two lady bears.

Kali in 2016 in the St. Louis Zoo. 

Kali in Detroit

Suka's mother Crystal, the older lady bear in Toledo, did not like 12 year old unsocialized Kali. Everyone knew she liked Nuka very well, as they had lived happily together and produced twin cubs, so the two male bears, Nuka and Kali,  traded places at the beginning of 2026.

Haley in her corner, Kali watches her from atop the tube in the underwater viewing area. 

At first it was a rocky relationship between the two Detroit girls and the new guy, as Kali had not spent a great deal of time with other bears. He had grown up with Luna in the Buffalo Zoo at the beginning, that was a long time ago, and after he moved to the St. Louis Zoo,  he was all alone for over a decade so as an adult, he had not known another bear. Kali didn't know how to live together with the girls. 

There was some breeding going on early in the year with both lady bears during breeding season, but Kali was definitely an amateur, and needed more practice. It is doubtful that either Suka or Haley is pregnant, but we can hope. Next year, he will know better what he is doing. In any case, the Detroit Zoo is currently building a second den for Haley. Both girls will be denned up this fall, just in case.

In July, Haley in front, Kali at a distance.
She tries to make friends with him. 

After breeding season, Suka has been doing her best to avoid Kali. Haley has made him her project, however, trying to socialize him. 

Suka and Haley in the Tundra area of the Arctic Ring of Life in Detroit.

Haley and Suka in the Pack Ice part of the 4 acre polar bear habitat.

Haley wearing the tube. Note her paw coloration. 

The girls swim their underwater ballet together,
using a tube for even more fun.

Haley loves to swim in the Detroit pool.
 In Memphis, she did not have a deep pool with all the
 caves and pillars for hiding. This is great fun for her. 

Suka went diving and found a piece of melon.

We will be watching to see how Kali's social skills improve as Haley teaches him how to be a successful male bear in a relationship with two lady bears.

We will also be watching to see if the outside chance for a cub in Detroit comes true this spring. 

Kali has two girlfriends

Kali in Detroit

At almost 14 years of age, Kali is a lucky guy, with two girlfriends and living in the Detroit Zoo in one of the best polar bear habitats in the world. He spends his days napping, enjoying interesting snacks, wandering around the meadow in the tundra area, swimming through caves in the ice pack's saltwater pool, and watching his companions Suka and Haley swim and play nearby. 

Kali marches around the tundra area in Detroit Zoo 

He has gone through many years living alone up to this point, however. 

Kali looking rather solemn after being awoken from his nap

Kali profile

His story begins with a terrible tragedy. Kali was born in a snow den in the wilds of Alaska, near Point Lay on the Chuckchi Sea coast in the winter of 2012-13. His mother was larger than your normal female polar bear, so much so that a native Alaskan hunter mistook her for a male and shot her during a subsistence hunt. Upon examining the bear's body, the hunter realized that he had killed a nursing mother. The hunter knew there was at least one hungry cub out there, in desperate need of help and some good luck. The hunter followed the mother bear's tracks back to the den and found a tiny cub, tucked the baby into his coat, or maybe his backpack, giving him a ride to safety on his snowmobile. This was in March of 2013. 

Baby Kali in Buffalo

Kali's name comes from the native word for the village of Point Lay. 

Kali and Luna in Buffalo Zoo

Kali was turned over to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and taken to the Alaska Zoo, where he was bottle fed and cared for. The Alaska Zoo had done this before, for Qannik, who now lives in the Louisville Zoo. 

Kali standing tall in Buffalo Zoo

In May, the cub was flown to the Buffalo Zoo in New York State, where young Luna was being raised by the keepers after her mother Anana neglected and ignored her. Luna was exactly the same age as Kali, and could use a playmate as well as helping Kali develop his bear skills. Both mother Anana and father Nanuq had moved to other zoos long before Kali arrived. 

Little Kali, next to the zebras.

I visited Luna and Kali in the summer of 2013, and found the two youngsters wrestling and playing up a storm. Because the Buffalo Zoo had just started construction of new polar bear habitats on the spot of the old bear grottos, the little bears were given a fenced in area next to one of the buildings, where they had constant supervision, a shallow pool, a semblance of a forest, shade, room to play and lots of toys. And of course they had each other. 

Luna and Kali

While Kali spent much of his time playing with Luna or on his own, he also had to get over the trauma of losing his mother. He comforted himself by sucking on his paws, and humming  loudly like he had a little motor running, as cubs do when they nurse. 

Kali and Luna at play. They had such good times.

The cubs were the star attraction of the zoo, with lots of folks wanting to get a glimpse of this cute little odd couple. 

Baby Kali

Everything seemed to be going well for these two cubs, until they were moved to the tiger enclosure. Luna fell into the moat and broke her leg, so the two cubs were separated while Luna's leg healed.

Kali at play

The playmates did have some time together once again, but soon Kali was sent off to the St. Louis Zoo, which had just opened up its fantastic new polar bear habitat Polar Bear Point, in May of 2015, and needed an occupant. 

Kali in St. Louis, 2016.

He settled into his new home in St. Louis just fine, and was a popular guy with all the zoo visitors, but he was all alone. The Department of Fish and Wildlife had rules that allowed rescued cubs to be housed and cared for in zoos, but they were not to be allowed in the breeding programs, so Kali was not to have a companion. 

Kali loved the kids in St. Louis. This photo was from 2016,

Kali is a very sociable bear, and loved interacting with all the visitors in St. Louis. His people-oriented personality probably comes from being fed and raised by humans in the Alaska Zoo and then the Buffalo Zoo. Kali is still beloved in St. Louis. 

Kali on his favorite ledge,
where he liked to sit and watch his fans in St. Louis

Kali with his tire in St. Louis. 

Kali in 2017 in St. Louis

Because of various political pressures, and the fact that polar bear breeding in the US zoos was in great need of fresh genes, the ban on rescued polar bears breeding was lifted several years ago. Kali, and Qannik too, could now be part of the breeding program.

In an exchange, the 2 year old twin boy cubs Kallik and Kallu from Toledo were sent to St. Louis in early 2025, and Kali was sent to Toledo, in hopes that he would be a breeding partner for the twins' mother Crystal, even though she is probably too old for such a venture and Kali was not prepared to deal with a female and inexperienced, having been alone for so long. 

Crystal and her twin sons, Kallik and Kallu
on their second birthday in Toledo. 

In Toledo, it was not a love match. Crystal actively avoided Kali, and Kali did not know how to deal with this mature polar bear lady. 

The queen mother, Crystal.

By the start of the next breeding season, it was arranged that Nuka, the father of Crystal's last set of twins, would come back to Toledo from Detroit, and Kali would go to Detroit to try his luck with Suka and Haley, the ladies there. At least they knew Crystal could get along with Nuka. 

The handsome mature Kali in Detroit

In Detroit, Kali had to figure out how to impress these two females, and he had no idea. There was some breeding going on with both girls, but this was all new to Kali, and those watching what was going on expressed doubts that he was up to this new challenge. He was an inexperienced boyfriend, but he was trying. There may be cubs this year, however chances don't look good. Maybe we will be surprised. Kali has learned a lot about dealing with the ladies, and should do much better the next breeding season. 

Haley in front, Kali strolling away.

After breeding season, the girls pretty much avoided Kali, but things are getting better. Haley especially has been trying to socialize Kali. After all, he hasn't had much experience as an adult polar bear dealing with other polar bears. He has learned a lot in his first breeding season about courtship. And even this summer there have been times when all three, Kali and his two lady companions, have been seen playing together in the freshwater pool.

Kali is looking great. He weighs in at a magnificent 1500 pounds. His fur is thick and clean, and he walks around like he owns the place. He has gained a lot of confidence in the last year. Hopefully his wild genes will be passed on with successful breeding seasons to come.

Kali atop the underwater viewing tunnel

Haley, lower left, with her eye on Kali, in the viewing tunnel

I noticed a little bit of the Baby Kali mannerisms when I visited the Detroit Zoo. When he stood atop the tunnel, I saw that he moved one of his paws in the same waving way he did when he was a baby, in a comforting move. Very sweet. 

Kali repeatedly waves his paw while atop the viewing tunnel, which may be a reminder of a comforting movement from when he was a baby in Buffalo, when he was sucking on his paw. 

Kali's paws, as he stands on the viewing tunnel. 

Detroit Zoo's Arctic Ring of Life has two separate areas, Pack Ice and Tundra, which is a beautiful meadow.

Kali and his friends are living in one of the best polar bear zoo habitats in the world, The Arctic Ring of Life, a 4,2 acre park divided into the grassy hills of the Tundra with a 30,000 gallon freshwater pool, and the Pack Ice which offers a 300,000 gallon salt water pool dissected with a 70 foot underwater viewing tunnel for visitors. Currently, the bears have access to all the habitat, but it can be divided when needed, as when cubs are born. 

Moving season for the bears

 Now that the summer is over, and weather is cooler, some of the planned moves for polar bears have taken place, or are coming right up.

Earlier this year, Haley moved from Memphis to the Detroit Zoo, where both she and Suka are currently denning up. Also in Detroit is Nuka, twin brother of Koda, whom Haley left behind in Memphis.

Haley

In August, almost 9 year old Amelia Gray, daughter of the late Anana and Nanuq in the Columbus Zoo, moved from the Oregon Zoo in Portland, where she lived with her sister/cousin Nora, to the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, where she joined Hudson and her Aunt Hope. Hudson is brother of Amelia Gray's late grandfather Marty of Toledo. With almost all the younger bears related to the Crystal-Marty family, the officials are trying their best to match up possible polar bear breeding couples.

Amelia Gray

An upcoming move will split up Crystal's twins Kallik and Kallu, born in Toledo almost three years ago and currently in St. Louis. Their father is Nuka of the Detroit Zoo. Kallik will moved to the Oregon Zoo, and current resident Nora will move to the Henry Villas Zoo to be with older lady Berit.  So Kallik will be alone at the Oregon Zoo and Kallu will also be alone at the St. Louis Zoo for the time being. 

Kallik and Kallu

Nora, who was born with a bone condition and was raised by her keepers, is the daughter of Aurora and the late Nunuq, born in Columbus almost 10 years ago. While living in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, she suffered a severe bone break, and had to have extensive surgery involving screws and other metal parts to stabilize her paw. She is totally recovered now, but may not be good breeding material due to her bone problem. Even so, She is moving to the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin where they plan to bring in a male for her at some time in future, in addition to Berit currently living there. The Henry Vilas Zoo plans to move the two grizzly bear sisters to another zoo so the polar bears will have two enclosures.

Nora in Salt Lake City

Twins Astra and Laerke, almost four years old and living at the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington, have been split up, with Astra going to Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota, where there are currently three bears. Young Kulu, almost six years old, is to be Astra's mate. Since Astra's mother Suka and Kulu's mother Aurora are sisters, Astra and Kulu are first cousins.

 The other two Como bears, Nan and Neil, are elderly and quite beloved there, but will not always be around so Como Zoo is looking to the future with a new breeding pair. Laerke  and Astra were born at the Detroit Zoo, daughters of Suka and Nuka. Laerke was failing within a few days after birth, so was taken into the care of zookeepers, where she faced challenges. To give Laerke company, a grizzly bear cub named Jebbie was brought in to be her companion. Astra and Laerke were finally allowed to play together when they were about two years old, and were moved to the Point Defiance Zoo together. Soon Laerke will be alone again, but she did grow up for many months with just human company, so she should be comfortable with that.

Astra in Detroit

Cubs this year?

To speculate on who might be giving birth in the coming few months, I am hopeful about Aurora and Lee in Columbus, and Suka and Nuka in Detroit. Wildborn Qannik in Louisville is a long shot this year since she injured her paw just as her first breeding season started with her new companion Bo, but she is denned up anyway. Haley in Detroit may have been bred by Nuka's brother Koda in Memphis last spring before she moved, and she is denned up as well.

Luna and Sakari in Buffalo have had many years of trying, but this year may be different, for I hear they are doing something different in Buffalo.

Nikita and Neva in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City are also a possibility.

Although the powers that be brought wildborn orphan Kali from St. Louis to Toledo to be mate to Crystal in hopes for more cubs from this champion mother, I doubt that will happen. Crystal will be 27 years old this fall, and as far as I know, the oldest mother to give birth was Uslada in St. Petersburg at age 26. I have not heard much news about Crystal and Kali being together during breeding season.

In Europe, so many of the bears have been split into boy groups and girl groups, to prevent overpopulation, just the opposite problem the US zoo are facing.

Malik nursing cubs Imaq and Inuk in Aalborg.

I am hopeful that my Rasputin and Malik in Aalborg  Denmark, will produce cubs this year. I am pinning my main hopes on this pair. Both have proven fertile.

In Hanover, we  have Sprinter and Milana (also Vera is there), so that might work. We also have Nuka's twin sister Qilak in Pairi Daiza, where there are twin brother Bely and Cery, although I don't know if they have been together. 

15 year old Qannik, daughter of Toledo Crystal's sister Blanche, is with Cora's son Nanuk in Zoo Sauvage in Belgium. 

European moves

In Europe, Anna and Elsa have left their mother Valeska in Bremerhaven's Zoo Am Meer, and have moved to Zoo Brno in the Czech Republic, where longtime resident Cora was already enjoying the new enclosure. Anna and Elsa are soon to be six years old. There is a trend in European zoos to form all girl groups, or all boy groups, since their breeding program has been so successful, and they do not want a surplus of cubs with no home to go to.

Last May, Anouk left her mother Victoria in Hamburg and moved to to a brand new polar bear home in  Lumigny Safari Resort just outside of Paris. Anouk will be three years old in December. Her father is the late Kap. In June 10 year old Nicky arrived from Zoo de Cerza, also in France, where she had been living with her twin sister Simone. Those twins are offspring of Frimas and Henk in Eindhoven Zoo in the Netherlands.