Rizzo moves to Salt Lake City!

Rizzo

I had heard that Rizzo would be leaving the Cincinnati Zoo in early May, so I planned a visit to say goodbye to this beautiful lady in late April. Plans had changed, however, and when I arrived, there were only two bears in the Lords of the Arctic habitat, Little One and Berit. Rizzo had left for her new home at Rocky Shores in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City in mid-April.

After talking to several members of the zoo staff, I learned that Rizzo had been taken off exhibit several days before her departure so she could fast, which would make the trip easier. She was still accessible to her friends Little One and Berit, who strolled back to see her often during this period, probably wondering why their friend was being kept separate. An elephant keeper told us that Rizzo was flown to Salt Lake City, and the zoo usually uses DHL. He said the Cincinnati Zoo always sends a keeper along when an animal is transferred, and they stay for a short period of time to help the animal adjust. Typically, no sedatives are given for the flight, according to the elephant-keeper.

Hogle Zoo's new Rocky Shores, scheduled to open June 1, is an $18 million complex covering 4 acres. It will have space for polar bears, grizzly bears, seals, sea lions, otters and bald eagles. Rizzo should enjoy living in this state-of-the-art habitat, with large swimming areas and a natural environment. People in that region of the country will again have the chance to meet a real polar bear, face to face, and watch her swim in the underwater viewing area. And hopefully she won't be alone for long.

Rizzo and Little One, a few months ago

A zoo staffer said that there was a lot of mating going on between Rizzo and Little One before she left, so maybe she will have a cub this fall. Little One has always been amorous toward Rizzo, but he regards Berit as just a pal. With Rizzo out of the picture, and Berit being the only lady bear available, the Cincinnati Zoo hopes that Little One will now see Berit in a more romantic light. However, on the day I visited, Little One pretty much ignored Berit except for a brief tussle over food. Both bears seemed to miss Rizzo. Berit, who always liked to cuddle up with her friend, spent a lot of time swimming her laps, as usual, and then took a nap in the nook always favored by Rizzo.

Is Berit pining for her friend?

Rizzo and her little Tyre

14 year old Rizzo came to the Cincinnati Zoo when she was only 10 months old, back in the fall of 1998. She has grown up to be a very gentle and sweet-natured bear.

Little One

22 year old Little One came from the Cleveland Zoo five years ago. Rizzo and Little One have been active with each other every spring, but no cubs so far. The Hogle Zoo hopes to eventually find a new mate for Rizzo and hopefully produce cubs.

Berit

13 year old Berit has been at the Cincinnati Zoo since 2000, so Rizzo and Berit have been together for 12 years, a long time to form a friendship between these two ladies, who practically grew up together.

Rizzo is beloved by her Cincinnati Zoo human family, many of whom have watched her grow up. She has been popular with the guests and this extraordinarily photogenic lady has always loved to pose for pictures. It is as if she knows just how beautiful she is. Rizzo will make many new friends at the Hogle Zoo.

Rizzo and Little One

Berit and Rizzo nap together

Rizzo daintily chews on a twig

Berit swims as Rizzo supervises

Rizzo the Polar Bear Lady

Rizzo admiring her own lovely reflection

Rizzo relaxes in her favorite nook

Rizzo looks for feeding time...



Rizzo the Supermodel, always posing for the photographer

Meeting up with Thane Maynard at the Cincinnati Zoo

There was time for one last polar bear visit in 2011.

Rizzo

In the days between Christmas and New Years, we ventured to the wonderful Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden to visit 22 year old Li'l One, 14 year old Rizzo and 13 year old Berit during the PNC Festival of Lights. This is a magical time to visit the Cincinnati Zoo. There are colored lights everywhere, and tunnels of twinkling lights between various areas. A black-light puppet show, a 4-D Polar Express movie, and a festive train ride make it a great family experience. But I was here to see the bears. Little did I suspect, I would meet someone else!

Berit swimming her laps

Mid-Afternoon, and Berit was heading for the pool area to do her laps. Li'l One and Rizzo were napping. As I was gazing at Berit in the magnificent pool observation area, I heard a familiar voice. It was Cincinnati Zoo Director and well-known animal expert Thane Maynard. I recognized his voice from “The 90 Second Naturalist” on the radio, and his many TV appearances. What an opportunity! I introduced myself, and we had a most wonderful conversation about the polar bears.

Me with Thane Maynard, Director of the Cincinnati Zoo. Berit is swimming in the background

He told me that there are plans for Rizzo to move from the Cincinnati Zoo to the Buffalo Zoo for breeding opportunities. She has been here for a good number years with Li'l One with still no cubs. There is a hopeful breeding male, 21 year old Nanuq in Buffalo. He was rescued in Alaska as a wild cub in 1987 and grew up in the Henry Villas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin. Since Nanuq was born in the wild, it is important to pass his genes on into the zoo population if possible. The Buffalo Zoo is also where Rizzo was born, so she will be going home, so to speak. There is currently another female at the Buffalo Zoo, 10 year old Anana.

Berit and Li'l One will remain at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Rizzo

Rizzo defers to Li'l One

Thane also reminded me of the CREW polar bear breeding program project centered at the Cincinnati Zoo, whereby “poop” samples from female polar bears in zoos all over the country are sent to Cincinnati every week during pertinent times to test for pregnancy hormones using cutting edge technology. In this way, zoos can have a head's up on whether a certain bear might be pregnant. Previously, zoos just had to go on behavior and den up the females in the fall on the chance they might be pregnant.

He said that zoos made a terrible mistake in breeding polar bears in the 70s and 80s, in giving contraceptives to the female bears, in that they didn't become fertile when they went off the contraceptives. Now zoos have learned from that mistake. Polar bears are notoriously difficult to breed, in the wild and in captivity, and it is difficult to keep the cubs alive, but a lot of progress is being made.

Thane remarked how he is personally aware of how the climate in changing. On the day we talked, he said that he was planning to go running later that day, and here it was, late December. However, he said, we won't completely lose wild polar bears. Some bears will remain in the very northern areas, and other are already breeding with other bears, and there will be more hybrids. But today's polar bears are facing a very difficult future, since they need the sea ice to hunt seals, and the sea ice is so late in forming, especially this year.

I told him how I had been allowed to feed some figs to Augo, a 6 month old baby polar bear in Denmark this past May. He reminded me of the 1990 incident in the Cincinnati Zoo in which one of the zookeepers lost a hand to an adult polar bear by reaching into a cage at the wrong time. These are incredibly strong and unpredictable animals.

Rizzo and Li'l One - Don't
fight over your toys, kids.

Rizzo

Berit (in back) and Rizzo

Cincinnati Zoo's Lords of the Arctic exhibit opened in the summer of 2000. It has a 12 foot deep 70,000 gallon pool with a spectacular underwater viewing area. There are pools, waterfalls, and trails wandering through the separated areas of the compound. I will save stories and more pictures about my Christmas visit with Li'l One, Rizzo and Berit for a future blog. Stay tuned.