Kulu and the old folks home

 

Kulu on the left, Nan says hello on the right.

Young Kulu

The largest of three bears at the Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota, young Kulu, is 5 1/2 years old and weighs 1300 pounds. As polar bear keeper Allison says, he is now a young adult, with hormones surging through his body. His companions are up there in years. Nan, at 30, is the oldest polar bear in a US zoo. Neil, at 29, is the oldest male polar bear in the world.

Nan on rock, Neil center, and Kulu, right

It is like an old folks home that has had a teenager move in, as Allison says. While having a youngster around helps keep the oldsters on their toes, Kulu is learning adult bear behavior from Nan and Neil.

Kulu on rock, Nan below

Kulu was born as a single cub in the Columbus Zoo to Aurora and Lee on November 28, 2019.

Baby Kulu in Columbus with mom Aurora

Previously, Aurora had given birth to Nora and twins Nuniq and Neva. This is a first offspring for Lee. Aurora, daughter of Crystal and Marty, was born in the Toledo Zoo along with her twin sister Anana, who passed away several years ago. Lee is the son of another Aurora (born in Salt Lake City), and Yukon, who was born in the Cincinnati Zoo.

Kulu and his mom Aurora in Columbus

When baby Kulu reached a certain age, Aunt Anana was introduced and quickly became Kulu's favorite playmate, while mother Aurora took naps or watched. 

Kulu in center, with mom Aurora and Aunt Anana in Columbus

Kulu plays with his Auntie Anana in Columbus

In the fall of 2021, Kulu moved to Como Zoo, where Neil and Nan were waiting. They easily took over the role of doting adoptive grandparents, and Kulu especially enjoyed playing in the pool with Neil.

Neil and Kulu spar in the Como pool - in 2022.

Now that Neil is a few years older and slowing down, Kulu plays a lot more with Nan, who is half his size at 650 pounds, but she knows how to keep him in line. 

In 2025, Kulu begs Neil to come into the pool. But it is too hard
 for Neil to get in and out because of his arthritis, so he declines.

Nan is still the boss. After all, Kulu grew up being bossed around by the ladies, his mom Aurora and his Aunt Anana. 

Kulu and Nan

I visited a few months ago, and the three bears enjoyed frolicking in the wildflower meadow, playing games and even engaged in a bit of chasing. 

Nan, Kulu and Neil in the wildflowers  this summer

Old Neil rarely goes into the water these days, but that doesn't stop Kulu from begging the old guy to join him in the pool. 

Kulu and Nan have a little battle in the wildflowers

Nan doesn't mind being a swim buddy for Kulu, although there isn't a lot of playing. She does her best, though.

Kulu gives Nan a little "kiss" in the Como pool. 

Or maybe a little bite for Nan.

Kulu's older companions are family too. While wildborn Nan is unrelated, she did live for many years in the Toledo Zoo with Kulu's grandparents Crystal and Marty. Neil is brother of the late Icee, who was father of Kulu's grandfather Yukon who was born in the Cincinnati Zoo, so Neil is Kulu's great great uncle. 

Kulu on the left, Great Great Uncle Neil on the right.

Winter is coming in a few months and there will be plenty of snow and cold at Como Zoo. Kulu will celebrate his 6th birthday. Nan will be 31, and Neil will be 30. Yes, things will change as Nan and Neil get older, and someday will pass on, but for now, it is a great situation for a young polar bear boy. 

A lovely situation,
 Nan, Kulu and Neil all living happily together at Como Zoo.

Kulu is a busy boy, always up to something.

Queen Nan is the oldest polar bear in the USA

Nan (and friend) in the Toledo Zoo, 2014

 Nanuyaak is her official name, but we all just call her Nan. At age 30, Nan is the oldest polar bear in the US zoo system. She started off life in the wilds of Alaska, and was rescued as an orphan on May 1, 1995, spending a few days in the Alaska Zoo.

Nan in Como Zoo - just weeks ago.

The little orphan girl Nan lived and grew up for six years in the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington. In 1996 two more orphans, from Churchill in Canada, arrived in Tacoma. The boys Blizzard and Glacier were a year younger than Nan. I imagine that Nan, Blizzard and Glacier were playmates, since they were close in age.

Nan, Neil and young Kulu at Como Zoo

Point Defiance has been home to a good number of polar bears over the years. Blizzard and Glacier remained at Point Defiance until they died, Glacier in 2015, and Blizzard in 2023. 

Nan moved in 2001 to Toledo to join young Crystal at the brand new Arctic Encounter. Crystal had arrived from Belgium the year before. A young male named Marty had arrived in Toledo from Brookfield Zoo in 1999. Marty was two years younger than Nan. This trio of young bears started a tradition of having polar bear cubs in Toledo. 

Marty and Nan in Toledo 2014

In the fall of 2006, both lady bears gave birth to Marty's cubs. Nan had a son Nikita born November 21, and Crystal gave birth to twin daughters, Aurora and Anana, on November 25. 

Nan and Marty in Toledo 2014

Things were fine while the moms were in their maternity dens, but when the cubs were old enough to make their debuts, things got crowded, with rotating the two young families, and also Marty, through the one public enclosure. They do have separate enclosures in the back, but it was thought best that Marty should leave for awhile, moving to Pittsburgh for over a year. Then in a swap at the end of 2008 Marty returned to Toledo, and twins Aurora and Anana moved to Pittsburgh, where they stayed for a year until their brand new home in Columbus was ready. 

Nikita stayed in Toledo until he was a little over three years old, then moved to the Kansas City Zoo. Later he moved to the North Carolina Zoo, and is now in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City with Crystal's granddaughter Neva.

While Marty and Crystal went on to have more cubs, Nikita was Nan's only offspring.

Nan on rock, and her friend Crystal, in Toledo - 2015. 

Nan stayed in Toledo until 2017, when she moved to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, to be companion to Marty's brother Hudson. In 2021, Nan moved to Como Zoo in St. Paul, where old Neil was alone after the death of his twin brother Buzz in August of 2020.

Kulu, Nan and Neil in the center area at Como Zoo 2022.

Nan has settled in well at Como, and it has done Neil a world of good to have her as a companion. 

Neil and Nan enjoy lettuce and snacks - 2022 at Como Zoo.

Nan on the left, and Neil - July 2025

Neil, Nan and Kulu at Como Zoo in 2022.

In 2022, young Kulu arrived from Columbus. Kulu was two years old, the son of Crystal's daughter Aurora. It was likw the story of "The Three Bears," and everything was just right for Grandpa Neil, Grandma Nan and young Kulu. 

Nan and Kulu in 2022 at Como Zoo

Nan watches as Kulu and Neil play in the water in 2022

In those days, Neil played with Kulu quite a bit then, but has slowed down in the past couple of years, and now Nan is the primary playmate for Kulu.

Kulu tries to boss Nan. It doesn't work. Nan is in charge.

This year the Como Zoo planted a field of wildflowers in one of the enclosures, to make a gorgeous natural habitat for the polar bears, and they love it. 

Again, Kulu tries to challenge Nan, in the wildflowers.
 She doesn't back down and Kulu runs away.

The happy bear family in the wildflowers at Como. 

Currently, the oldest polar bear in a zoo worldwide is Antonia, who is a dwarf polar bear, something unique in all the world. Antonia is 35 years old and lives in Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in Germany. She was born in Karlsruhe of normal sized parents. 

Antonia of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM is 35 years of age.

Nan is quite active, and has no problem climbing up the polar bear shaped Pride Rock, chasing young Kulu when he gets out of line, and roaming in the meadow. Sometimes she swims with Kulu too.

Kulu and Nan have a swim.

And swim some more.

30 year old Nan on Pride Rock at Como Zoo.

As for the other older bears in the US, Nan's companion Neil is the oldest male in the US and actually in the world, born December 9, 1995, in Louisville, and at 29 years old, is the same age as wildborn female Chinook in San Diego (birthday unknown). Female Snowflake of the Pittsburgh Zoo is a few weeks older than Neil at 29. Snowflake was born November 28, 1995, in Buffalo.

Male Kiska of ABQ Biopark, is 28 years old. He and his late twin brother Koluk were born November 19, 1996, in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City.  Anoki of the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY was born November 20, 1996 so is 28 years old, one day younger than Kiska.

Nan and Neil

Neil and Nan, happy in their senior citizens home at Como,

Happy Mother's Day to Crystal

Crystal nibbles some watermelon at Kallik and Kallu's
 birthday party last November 11 at the Toledo Zoo.

Happy Mother's Day to Supermom Crystal, who is the mother or grandmother of just about every young polar bear in the U.S. (a problem when it comes to finding mates for them, but at least we have young polar bears).

Crystal is the mother of nine cubs, eight of whom are still living, and all born at the Toledo Zoo.

                             Crystal in September of 2022 - carrying twins

About a month ago, Crystal said goodbye to her twin boys Kallik and Kallu, and hello to a new suitor, the wildborn Kali.  The polar bear habitat in Toledo is undergoing renovations, so Crystal and Kali have spent their time behind the scenes, getting to know each other.

Kali was rescued as a cub in Alaska in early 2013 after a hunter shot his mother, thinking she was a male as she was such a large bear. The hunter realized there was a cub somewhere and followed the mother's tracks to her den where Kali was alone.

Kalli in the Buffalo Zoo as a fluffy cub

After a snowmobile ride to safety, Kali lived in the Alaska Zoo for a few months, then was brought to the Buffalo Zoo to be companion and playmate to young Luna of the same age, whose mother would not care for her, so Luna was raised by keepers. Luna and Kali helped each other grow up. They had so much fun together.

Kali and Luna in the Buffalo Zoo.

When they were older, Kali was sent to the St. Louis Zoo, where he had lived alone ever since, until recently coming to Toledo. Kali is a very large bear.

Kali in St. Louis

 Looking back to her 26th birthday last November, Crystal had her own party but had to share the spotlight with her two year old twins, who had their own party the next day. 

One of the cubs (Kallu?) with a birthday sign for Crystal.

Kallu, Kallik and Crystal enjoy the goodies at one of the parties.

Crystal is the mother or grandmother of almost all the younger generation of polar bears in the US. If we didn't have Crystal, we would only have a handful of aging polar bears in this country. Since 2008, a federal law has prohibited the import of polar bears from other countries. Crystal has done her best to fill that gap.

Crystal swimming in 2011

She was born in Monde Sauvage Safari Parc in Aywaille, Belgium in 1998, where she had an older sister, Blanche. Crystal came to Toledo when she was about a year and a half, in the spring of 2000, just as the fine new polar bear habitat at the Arctic Encounter was opening. A young male polar bear named Marty was waiting for her. Another female bear, wildborn Nanuyaak, usually called Nan, arrived in 2001.

Marty and Nan in 2014

Aurora and Anana

Twins Aurora and Anana were born to Crystal in 2006, and at the same time, Nan gave birth to Nikita, so there were three cubs at the Toledo Zoo. This was to be Nan's only offspring. Marty went to another zoo for a time to give his two little families room, but came back in 2008. Aurora and Anana moved to a gorgeous roomy new polar bear meadow at the Columbus Zoo and Nikita moved to the newly opened and very fine polar bear habitat at the Kansas City Zoo.

Aurora and Anana in 2011 in Columbus

Nikita now lives at Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City with Crystal's granddaughter Neva.

Crystal and Siku in 2010

Siku

Next was Siku, born in 2009. Crystal did a fine job of mothering him, and in the fall of 2011 he moved to the Louisville Zoo where his grandmother Arki had retired from Brookfield Zoo. Siku currently lives in Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago with Talini.

Siku in Louisville in 2016

Suka and Sakari

In 2012 boy and girl twins Sakari and Suka were born.

Crystal, with kids Suka and Sakari bickering behind her.

Crystal nursing Sakari and Suka.

Sakari grew large quickly, but Suka was scrappy and always got her share.

Sakari and Suka in Toledo.

 When they were ready to leave, they moved to Como Zoo in Minnesota for awhile, where they lived with older gentlemen brothers Neil and Buzz. 

Suka and Sakari at Como Zoo in December 2014

Then, when their new place was ready, they moved to a brand new grassy habitat at Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin.

Sakari and Suka in the meadow at Henry Vilas.
 That is a restaurant behind them.

After Sakari left Henry Vilas to move to Buffalo, old lady Berit of the Cincinnati Zoo moved in and she and Suka became best friends.

Berit and Suka at Henry Vilas Zoo in 2017.

Sakari now lives in the Buffalo Zoo with Luna, and Suka lives in the Detroit Zoo with Nuka, who is the father of Crystal's last set of twins Kallik and Kallu, as well as Suka's twins Laerke and Astra. 

Hope

Hope was born in 2015. She moved to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City where she played with Aurora's daughter Nora. Hope now lives in Brookfield Zoo in Chicago with Hudson, brother of Marty.

                                                  Hope as a cub in Toledo.

                                                    Hope in Hogle Zoo.

Borealis

Borealis, usually called Bo, was born in 2018. Since he was a single cub, Crystal was designated playmate.  Mother and son spent a lot of time in the pool. 

                                               Bo and one of his many toys

Bo was probably the silliest of Crystal's cubs. He always had to be playing a game, tossing a toy, investigating a mystery. A very busy playful cub. Bo loves his toys.

                                                 Crystal nursing Baby Bo

In 2020 Bo moved to Henry Vilas to play with Berit.

                                         Bo and Berit at Henry Vilas

 Just this year, Bo moved to Louisville Zoo, where he hopes to mate with wildborn Qannik, who has just gotten permission from Fish and Wildlife to associate with boy bears.

Marty died in late 2021. Since Crystal's daughter Suka had given birth to twins in nearby Detroit, Suka's mate Nuka was on his own, so he was brought to Toledo, where he and Crystal got along very well.

Kallik and Kallu

Twin boys Kallik and Kallu were born in late 2022. Nuka had returned to Detroit, so it was just Crystal and her cubs. She took excellent care of the babies, but probably was happy they were twins and could entertain each other while she rested and watched. She looked worn out.

          
                                                        Kallik and Kallu

Kallik was much smaller, and also more independent. Kallu always had to be near mama, while little Kallik was off happily playing by himself.

Crystal nursing her twins in the den

Kallik and Kallu have just moved to the St. Louis Zoo, changing places with Kali, who just moved to Toledo to be with Crystal.

Grandchildren

Nora

Wildborn Nanuq arrived in 2012 in Columbus. Twins Aurora and Anana loved this big hunk, who was also father of Luna in Buffalo. Aurora gave birth to Nora in Columbus in 2015 but something was wrong, and Aurora lost interest in the cub, so the keepers raised her. Nora did have some medical issues, and bone development problems, but has done very well. Nora moved to the Oregon Zoo, then to Hogle Zoo where she played with her Aunt Hope for a few years.

Hope (up) and Nora in Hogle Zoo

Nora also broke her leg while in Salt Lake City, and had to have some serious surgery with metal pins and all. Nora is now back at the Oregon Zoo with her sister/cousin Amelia Gray.

Amelia Gray, Nuniq and Neva

Amelia Gray was born in the Columbus Zoo in 2016 to Anana and Nanuq. At the same time, Anana's sister Aurora was next door giving birth to twins Nuniq and Neva.

Anana and Amelia Gray in Columbus

 The zoo rotated the two families, so the three cubs never did play together. Old Nanuk, father of Nora, Amelia Gray, Nuniq and Neva, died the spring following the cubs' births.

Nuniq and Neva in Columbus

Neva, Nuniq and Aurora in Columbus

Amelia Gray and Neva moved to the Maryland Zoo for a time, then Amelia Gray moved to the Portland Zoo to live with Nora. Neva moved to Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, while Nuniq went to Henry Vilas Zoo to play with older lady Berit. He then moved to the Kansas City Zoo, where he lives today by himself. 

Kulu

Kulu was born to Aurora and to the new male polar bear in Columbus, Lee, in 2019. Lee moved to Louisville in the meantime, but has since returned to Columbus.

Kulu and his mom Aurora, Crystal's daughter

Kulu moved to Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota where he lives with the two oldest polar bears in the country, his mother's old friend Nan, and  old Neil, who doesn't seem to mind playing with the youngster. Nan is quite grandmotherly, and likes to watch them play.

Neil, Nan and Kulu in Como Zoo

Astra and Laerke

Suka gave birth to twin girls in Detroit in November of 2020, with Nuka as the father. Astra was strong and healthy, but Laerke needed medical intervention, and was taken away to be raised by keepers. Laerke grew at a slower pace, and will probably always be small but she is doing well. 

Laerke and Jebbie play

A young grizzly bear orphan named Jebbie was brought in to be a playmate, and great fun followed. Eventually, Jebbie grew to be too much larger and stronger than Laerke, so they were separated. Jebbie has gone to a wildlife sanctuary in Colorado.

                 Sisters Astra (far) and Laerke (close) separated by a moat.

When Astra was ready to leave her mom, the twins were reunited, and then they moved to Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington, where they continue to develop their sisterly love.

The future

The story may continue this fall with possible expected births by Suka and Nuka in Detroit, and by Aurora and Lee in Columbus.

There is also an outside chance that Crystal will have cubs this fall after the arrival of new mate Kali. No word on how they are getting along, but Crystal will be 27 years old in November, and the oldest bear to give birth that I know of was Uslada in St. Petersburg, who had her 16th cub when she was 26 years old.

As for the future, there is a young  girl polar bear Kava, who was rescued and lives in the Alaska Zoo. If Fish and Wildlife would agree, she would be a good mate (unrelated) for Kallik or Kallu eventually.

I hear by the grapevine that there are some interesting moves planned soon, to make some new bear pairs. 

In Memoriam - We can't forget Crystal's longtime mate Marty, father of seven of her nine cubs.

    
                                                                   Marty

For those wondering about Crystal's overseas relatives, her sister Blanche died last year, but her daughter Qannik still lives in Monde Sauvage. Blanche's son Nanok lives in Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark, and there he has a son Siku and a daughter Nuno, who also has twin daughters, Nivi and Anori.  Nanok's son Nanu lives in France.  

Happy Mother's Day, Crystal.