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. 

Qannik, Bo, and International Polar Bear Day

 

Borealis of the Louisville Zoo

I traveled down to the Louisville Zoo on February 27 for International Polar Bear Day, and to see how Bo and Qannik were getting along. They have been together for two years.  

The chalk writings for the special day.

Scrawled in chalk on the floor and walls of the Alley room was  some wording for International Polar Bear Day and young Bo was in the Alley, just waiting for something to happen.  Most polar bears look white or grey, but Bo looked positively silver.

Qannik with her new toy.

Qannik floating.

Qannik inside the underwater culvert.

Qannik loves to manipulate the culvert to suit her underwater ballet.

Meanwhile, water girl Qannik was across the way in the big pool, playing with a giant black culvert tube. The keepers had placed several of these tubes around the enclosure, and Qannik got the bright idea that it would make a fun water toy. She was right, it was great fun to watch her maneuver the tube around, swim through it, roll it, toss it, and entertaining all her fans.

Bo and one of his keepers during keeper talk training.

Bo gets a syringe of yummy salmon oil during training.

We were treated to a couple of training sessions with Bo in the Alley, and Qannik at the big enclosure gate. Keepers explained how the bears are taught to present various parts of their bodies for inspection with the help of a bribe, that would be lettuce, fish, and in this case some vials of salmon oil. 

Qannik gets some lettuce during training.

In this way, the bears are taught to participate in their own health check ups, so keepers can see if there is some small injury or a problem somewhere. 

Bo keeps an eye on Qannik,
to be ready in case she wants to play with him. 

We were hoping for some interaction between the two bears, but it was a little disappointing. When Bo was brought over to share the big enclosure with Qannik, the two bears did seem aware of each other, and kept an eye on their companion, but Qannik was being coy. It seemed that Bo was interested in getting closer to his girl, but he has learned to take his cues from her.

Bo spent several years in Henry Vilas Zoo with older lady Berit, and she taught him good manners when it comes to affairs of the heart. While one of the Louisville Zoo docents reported that earlier in the season there had been some breeding between the two, nothing much was happening on the day we visited. Bo watched Qannik carefully, while pretending to keep busy with his own little projects.

Qannik finds a bag of treats, but abandons it.

Bo finds the bag of treats. 

The bears were given treats thrown down by keepers from atop the wall. Surprises included paper bags with some goodies inside.

Qannik rolling in the straw

Covered in straw, Qannik is golden.

Qannik was more interested in rolling in the straw and making a cozy nest. Many years ago, when Qannik was quite young, she got a spore infection which was caused by mulch, and she was very sick for a long time, possibly from an allergy, since other zoos use mulch without a problem for their bears. Now there is no mulch in the enclosure, just straw, mud, and grass. And lots of toys.

Qannik and a few of her toys.

Qannik and one of the giant culvert tubes,
like the one she hauled over to the pool to used as a pool toy.

I had several opportunities to get them in the same photo, but Qannik did not want to cooperate when it came to any actual interaction. 

Qannik in the simulated glacier-wrecked road below,
 watching her boyfriend Bo up top.

Qannik strolling by Bo, trying to ignore him. 

Qannik knows right where Bo is, even though she is ignoring him, and Bo knows right where Qannik is. 

Qannik eventually went inside, and Bo contented himself with swimming laps in the big pool, nothing creative like Qannik does, but it still thrills the visitors to see this large bear swimming vertical circles, pushing off with his giant paws, and blowing bubbles. 

Bo swimming his laps in the deep pool. 

Bo was born in 2018 in the Toledo Zoo, a single cub, with Crystal and Marty as his parents.  He moved to Henry Vilas when he was two years old, and moved again to Louisville in early 2024.  He was said to weigh a thousand pounds during the keeper talk.

Bo, looking all silvery. The keeper is above him, throwing down treats.

Qannik was wildborn on the North Slopes of the Alaskan oil fields. She and her mother and sister were tagged. A few months later, she was separated from her mother and sister, and found alone, starving. Little Qannik was brought to the Alaska Zoo, where she recovered for a few months, and then was flown to the Louisville Zoo. She has been near other polar bears: Arki, Siku, Lee, so she was familiar with their sight and scent, but never shared space since as a wildborn bear, she was property of Fish and Wildlife, and was not allowed to be part of the breeding program. She is reported to be about 500 pounds. Qannik recently celebrated her 15th birthday, although the actual date is not known. 

Qannik during her 14th birthday party.

That ban was lifted a few years ago, and Qannik was introduced to Bo. So far no cubs, but they are still getting acquainted. There may be results this fall/winter.

Bo in the sunlight, keeping an eye on Qannik.

Bo on the prowl.

Bo investigating the culvert.

Qannik so self assured.

Qannik's birthday with a love match theme

 

Little rescued polar bear cub Qannik, now all of 14 years old, is ready to throw her ring into the dating pool. Actually, the love match has already been made, and Qannik's beau Bo, age 6 years, was just across the way during her big birthday party on Saturday, January 4, at the Louisville Zoo. He has been courting her for the past year, since his arrival from Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin. Having lived alone for all of her 14 years, Qannik has been a reluctant girlfriend. On the other hand, Bo has never lived alone until he came to Louisville, having lived with his mother Crystal in the Toledo Zoo, and then with older lady Berit in Madison.

Young Bo (left) and Berit in Henry Vilas

While they have spent quality time at the "howdy gate" getting to know each other during the past 11 months, Qannik and Bo have not yet been put together in the same space without a barrier. That is about to change.

Bo in the indoor exhibit at Louisville on Saturday

Qannik's specimens have been sent to CREW at the Cincinnati Zoo on a regular basis during the past year, and her hormones spikes have been charted. According to her charts, the ideal time for Qannik to meet Bo and be receptive is in the next couple of weeks. 

The keepers plan to introduce the two sweethearts in the large outdoor enclosure some morning before the zoo opens, with a large staff present and plenty of preparation. There will be fire hoses at the ready, as well as a number of other precautions to separate them if needed.  After all, Bo does weigh twice as much as Qannik. But hopefully, all will go well, and Qannik will welcome Bo's attentions. He has been anxious to spend time with her for the past year. Keepers say that Qannik's attitude towards Bo has warmed up considerably, and she is interested.

Bo in the overhead bridge

With Qannik's social life about to change, the keepers thought a dating app theme would be appropriate for Saturday's party, held with just a small public crowd on a very cold day.

Bo's dating app page. He weighs 1045 pounds, and likes barrels,
 long walks by the pool, and fine dining.

Qannik's dating app page. She weighs 485 pounds, and likes grapes, snuggling and chewing on bones.

 Everyone sang Happy Birthday, while Qannik came out to find a nice meaty knuckle to chew on, a brand new giant pickle, lots of peanut butter smeared on birthday blocks, a Christmas tree, and her favorite, a frozen pumpkin.

Qannik swipes right

Qannik finds the peanut butter.

A new pickle. The keepers say they will have to keep it way from the boys, polar bear Bo and grizzly Otis, who are rough on pickles.

A frozen pumpkin is a favorite treat.
 The keepers have about a hundred put away in a freezer for her.

 

Qannik settles down to consume her birthday treat.

Since Bo already had a big breakfast and wasn't invited to the party,
he took a nap.

Since Qannik is property of the Fish and Wildlife Department as a rescued bear cub from Alaska, Louisville Zoo had to get special permission for her to be part of the breeding program. As a wildborn bear, Qannik's genes are especially valuable. This match is important because almost all the younger polar bears in US zoos are related to Crystal, and Qannik is not related. 

Bo, the son of Crystal and the late Marty at the Toledo Zoo, came from Henry Vilas last February, and has been waiting for Qannik to come around to him ever since. Let's hope it all works out for the "love match" at the Louisville Zoo. Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Maybe Qannik and Bo will be the next supercouple.

Here's a flashback to Qannik's fifth birthday party, in 2016, where she had a peanut butter cake from a bakery.