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.

Aussie celebrates a summer birthday!

Aussie the birthday boy

Aussie the Polar Bear is one special guy.

Aussie der Eisbär ist eine spezielle Bär.

Other polar bears have their birthdays bunched up in November and December, with a few in October and January. Aussie is the only polar bear in the history of the world with a summer birthday. With one recent exception...

Andere Eisbären haben ihre Geburtstage im November und Dezember gebündelt, mit ein paar im Oktober und Januar. Aussie ist der einzige Eisbär in der Geschichte der Welt mit einem Sommer-Geburtstag. Mit einer aktuellen Ausnahme ...

Aussie

That is because polar bears live only in the Northern Hemisphere, and they are all born in the early winter. Because Aussie was born in Adelaide, Australia, in the Southern Hemisphere, and their seasons are switched, Aussie was born on June 20, 1985. He was the only polar bear ever to be born in the Southern Hemisphere until last month, when Liya gave birth to twins on May 9 at the Sea World Gold Coast, Australia. One cub died, but the other is doing well. 

Das liegt daran, Eisbären nur in der nördlichen Hemisphäre leben, und sie sind alle in den frühen Winter geboren. Weil Aussie wurde in Adelaide, Australien, in der südlichen Hemisphäre geboren, und ihre Jahreszeiten geschaltet wurde Aussie am 20. Juni 1985 geboren. Er war der einzige Eisbär, die jemals in der südlichen Hemisphäre bis zum letzten Monat geboren werden, wenn Liya gebar Zwillinge am 9. Mai im Sea World Gold Coast, Australien. Ein Jungtier starb, aber die anderen geht es gut. 

The late Arki, at the Louisville Zoo

In December of 1986, Aussie moved to the Brookfield Zoo, also known as the Chicago Zoological Park, where he met young Arki, who was born in 1984 at the zoo. In these days, the bears were in the old polar bear “grotto” at Brookfield, which was all concrete.

Im Dezember 1986 verließ Aussie Australien. Er fand eine neue Heimat im Brookfield Zoo, der auch als Chicago Zoological Park, wo er mit jungen Arki, der 1984 im Zoo geboren wurde, lebte bekannt. In diesen Tagen waren die Bären in der alten polar bear "Grotte" in Brookfield, die alle konkreten war.

Marty at the Toledo Zoo

It took ten years but Aussie and Arki finally had a cub, Marty, in 1996. He is now at the Toledo Zoo where he has fathered six cubs.

Es dauerte zehn Jahre, aber Aussie und Arki endlich ein junges, Marty, im Jahr 1996. Er ist jetzt an der Toledo Zoo, wo er sechs Jungen gezeugt hat.

Son Payton at the Memphis Zoo

Arki and Aussie went on to have four other cubs who grew up, but sadly two have passed away.

Arki und Aussie ging auf vier andere Jungen, die aufgewachsen sind, aber leider zwei sind gestorben.

Hudson, who still lives at the Brookfield Zoo

Aussie and Arki's son Payton, born in 2003, is now in the Memphis Zoo. Their other surviving son, Hudson, born in 2006, still lives at the Brookfield Zoo.

Aussie und Arki Sohn Payton, geboren 2003, ist jetzt in der Memphis Zoo. Ihre andere überlebende Sohn, Hudson, 2006 geboren, lebt immer noch in der Brookfield Zoo.

Son Hudson enjoys the Bear Wilderness home

The polar bear family moved to a fantastic new exhibit at Brookfield called the Great Bear Wilderness in May of 2010. Here they had grass, dirt, diving pools and waterfalls.

Der Eisbär zog die Familie nach einem fantastischen neuen Ausstellung im Brookfield genannt Great Bear Wilderness Mai 2010. Hier haben sie Gras, Schmutz, Tauchbecken und Wasserfällen.

Aussie watches Anana

Aussie can be a bit domineering, according to zoo staff, so Arki was probably happy to be sent into retirement at the Louisville Zoo in 2011, where she enjoyed a relaxing life in a fantastic new state of the art bear enclosure called “Glacier Run.” Soon her grandson Siku moved to Louisville from Toledo. There was also a little wild cub named Qannik from Alaska. Arki lived the good life for two years in Louisville, but passed away quietly in May.

Aussie ist eine herrschsüchtige männlichen Bären, so Arki war wohl gerne in den Ruhestand Louisville Zoo werden im Jahr 2011, wo sie genossen einen entspannten Leben in einer fantastischen neuen Bärengehege genannt gesendet "Glacier Run." Bald ihrem Enkel Siku nach Louisville zog von Toledo. Es gab auch eine kleine wilde Jungtier namens Qannik von Alaska. Arki lebte ein gutes Leben für zwei Jahre in Louisville, aber ruhig verstarb im Mai.

Anana - from Buffalo to Brookfield

Aussie guards Anana in the private enclosure as they are getting used to each other

In the meantime, Aussie has found comfort in the company of the new girl in town. 12 year old Anana moved from the Buffalo Zoo to Brookfield in January 2013. She has spent some time with young Hudson, but is now with Aussie, who seems to carefully guard her.

In der Zwischenzeit hat Aussie Komfort in der Firma des neuen Mädchen-Bär in der Stadt gefunden. 12-jährige Anana bewegt von der Buffalo Zoo Brookfield im Januar 2013. Sie hat einige Zeit mit jungen Hudson verbracht, aber ist nun mit Aussie, der sorgfältig bewachen ihr scheint.

Aussie and Anana

Aussie seems to be a gruff kind of guy, and Anana is having a hard time warming up to him, but she is a strong character, and it should be interesting to watch how things develop. Stay tuned.

Aussie scheint eine barsche Art von Kerl zu sein, und Anana wird eine harte Zeit Aufwärmen zu ihm, aber sie ist ein starker Charakter, und es dürfte interessant sein zu beobachten, wie sich die Dinge entwickeln. Bleiben Sie dran.

Aussie

In the meantime, Happy 28^th Birthday to Aussie. He's having a pool party in the hot summer sun to celebrate.

In der Zwischenzeit, alles Gute zum 28. Geburtstag Aussie. Er ist mit einer Pool-Party in der heißen Sommersonne zu feiern.

Happy Birthday, Aussie!

Arki dances her last dance

Arki

Last week we said farewell to a grand lady. 28 year old Arki died suddenly in her home at Glacier Run in the Louisville Zoo on Thursday, May 16. She was beloved by her caretakers at the Louisville Zoo, and at her previous home in the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

Letzte Woche haben wir Abschied von einer großen Dame. 28-jährige Arki starb plötzlich in ihrem Haus am Glacier Run im Louisville Zoo am Donnerstag 16. Mai. Sie war von ihrem geliebten Tierpfleger im Zoo Louisville, und an ihrer früheren Heimat im Brookfield Zoo in Chicago.

Arki enjoying a snack at the Louisville Zoo - photo taken in March 2013

One of the two cubs living at the Louisville Zoo is Arki's grandson Siku, who was born at the Toledo Zoo and moved to Louisville almost two years ago.

Einer der beiden Jungen leben in der Louisville Zoo ist Arki Enkel Siku, der an der Toledo Zoo geboren und zog nach Louisville vor fast zwei Jahren.

Arki stretches

Arki was born November 27, 1984, to Clark and Trisha and the Brookfield Zoo.

Arki war geboren 27. November 1984, um Clark und Trisha und dem Brookfield Zoo.

Aussie at the Brookfield Zoo

She spent most of her life at the Brookfield Zoo, where she and her mate Aussie produce some fine polar bear cubs, three of whom are still living, include Siku's father Marty, born in 1996, who now lives at the Toledo Zoo.

Sie verbrachte die meiste Zeit ihres Lebens im Brookfield Zoo, wo sie und ihr Mann Aussie produzieren einige feine Eisbärenkinder, von denen drei noch leben, gehören Siku Vater Marty, 1996 geboren, lebt heute in der Toledo Zoo.

Payton at the Memphis Zoo

Arki was also mother to Payton, born in 2003 and now living in the Memphis Zoo with his young lady friend Haley; and six year old Hudson, born in 2006 and still living at the Brookfield Zoo.

Arki war auch die Mutter von Payton, im Jahr 2003 geboren und lebt heute in der Memphis Zoo mit seiner jungen Freundin Haley; und sechs Jahre alte Hudson, im Jahr 2006 geboren und lebt noch im Brookfield Zoo.

Grandson Siku at the Toledo Zoo - now at the Louisville Zoo

Through Marty, Arki has six grandchildren: 3 1/2 year old Siku at the Louisville Zoo, six year old twin girls Aurora and Anana (with Crystal) at the Columbus Zoo, six year old Nikita (with Nan), now at the Kansas City Zoo, and another set of twins born to Crystal and Marty at the Toledo Zoo last winter.

Durch Marty, hat Arki sechs Enkelkinder: 3 1/2 Jahre alt Siku im Louisville Zoo, sechs Jahre alten Zwillingsmädchen Aurora und Anana (mit Crystal) im Columbus Zoo, sechs Jahre alten Nikita (mit Nan), jetzt an der Kansas City Zoo, und ein anderer Satz von Zwillingen geboren, Kristall und Marty im Toledo Zoo im letzten Winter.

Granddaughters Aurora and Anana at the Columbus Zoo

The year Arki gave birth to Hudson, there were only four cubs born in U.S. Zoos, and the other three were her grandchildren, Aurora, Anana and Nikita, fathered by Arki's son Marty.

Das Jahr Arki gebar Hudson gab es nur vier Jungen in US-Zoos geboren, und die anderen drei waren ihre Enkel, Aurora, Anana und Nikita, von Arki Sohn Marty gezeugt.

Hudson at the Brookfield Zoo

Arki gave birth to a baby girl, Tiguak, born in 1999. Arki unexplainably rejected Tiguak, so the tiny cub was hand raised by zookeepers. She went to the zoo at St. Foy in Canada, where she was adored by all who knew her. Sadly, Tiguak died in April of 2011 following some routine dental surgery.

Arki gebar ein Mädchen, Tiguak, im Jahr 1999 geboren. Arki unexplainably abgelehnt Tiguak, so dass die winzigen Kind war durch Tierpfleger angehoben. Sie ging in den Zoo von St. Foy in Kanada, wo sie von allen, die sie kannten, verehrt wurde. Leider starb Tiguak im April 2011 nach einem gewissen Routine zahnärztliche Chirurgie.

Arki was also mother of a boy, Kinapak, born in 2000, who tragically died in the Buffalo Zoo in 2007.

Arki war auch Mutter eines Jungen, Kinapak, im Jahr 2000 geboren, die auf tragische Weise in der Buffalo Zoo starb im Jahr 2007.

Arki at snack time

Arki retired three years ago and came to live in Glacier Run, a new state-of-the-art exhibit. She has always been known for her signature pacing dance, although she had been doing it less at Louisville, thanks to training techniques. She would walk forward, then gently step backwards, swinging from side to side with her eyes closed and a peaceful look on her face. She also often enjoyed swimming in the big pool at Glacier Run.

Vor drei Jahren kam Arki in Glacier Run, eine neue state-of-the-art Ausstellung leben. Sie hat immer für ihre Unterschrift Tanz bekannt, obwohl sie getan hatte es weniger auf Louisville, dank Trainingsmethoden. Sie würde zu Fuß nach vorne, dann vorsichtig nach hinten fort, schwingt hin und her, mit geschlossenen Augen und einem ruhigen Blick auf ihr Gesicht. Sie hat auch oft Schwimmen im großen Pool auf dem Glacier Run genossen.

Arki loved her peanut butter and lettuce sandwichs.
 Here she enjoys some lettuce

A lettuce treat - her favorite

Arki was also known for her fondness for lettuce and peanut butter sandwiches.

Arki wurde auch für ihre Vorliebe für Salat und Erdnussbutter-Sandwiches bekannt.

Photo memories of Arki on display at the Brookfield Zoo following news of her death

The Brookfield Zoo put up a tribute to Arki in the alcove between the bear enclosures.

Der Brookfield Zoo in Aufmachungen eine Hommage an Arki in der Nische zwischen den Bärengehege.

Arki's family tree on display at the Brookfield Zoo

This grand lady will indeed be missed by so many who loved her.

Das Grand Dame wird in der Tat von so vielen, die sie liebten entgehen lassen.

Arki, you will be missed

                                    Arki and her dance