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. 

Haley moves to Detroit Zoo

 

Haley in 2012 in Memphis

22 year old Haley has made the move from the Memphis Zoo, where she lived with Koda, to the Detroit Zoo, where she will live with Crystal's daughter Suka, and Koda's twin brother Nuka, in hopes that she will finally have cubs.

Haley in Memphis, 2012.

Haley was born November 15, 2002, in Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY. Her parents were Aurora, born in Salt Lake City to Cheechacko and Chinook, and Yukon, who was born to Connie/Amy and Icee in the Cincinnati Zoo. 

Haley in Memphis

Haley is sister to Anoki, born in 1996 and now in the Seneca Park Zoo, and to twins Lee and Anana, born in 1999. Lee is now in the Columbus Zoo, and is the father of Kulu, with Crystal's daughter Aurora; Kulu is now in the Como Zoo in St. Paul. Anana is in the North Carolina Zoo. Like her sisters, she has never had cubs.

Haley had lived with Marty's brother Payton in the Memphis Zoo for many years, but there was an incident early on where Payton was chasing Haley up and down the steep rocky habitat. She fell and broke her leg, and after a period of healing, the keepers continued to limit contact between the two bears, for fear of a repeat.

Payton was moved to North Carolina, where he became companion to Haley's sister Anana (Lee's twin), but no cubs ever came of this pairing.

Haley's mother Aurora was sister to the famous Denali, father of 8 cubs in Japan). She was also half sister to Anana (a different Anana, who comes up later in our story), the late Koluk and his twin brother Kiska, who lives in Albuquerque.

Nuka in Detroit

Twin brothers Nuka and Koda were born November 25, 2004 in Denver to mother Voda and father Kavek. Nuka and Koda's older sister Cranbearry was born in 2001, and now lives in the Alaska Zoo. Kavek was brother of Rizzo of the Cincinnati and Hogle Zoos.

Koda and Nuka moved to Pittsburgh in 2006. Koda lived most of his life in Pittsburgh, where his sometimes companion was his Aunt Snowflake.  Koda moved to Memphis in 2021. Nuka moved to Detroit in 2011, where his mate was Talini. No cubs happened, so Talini moved to Chicago LP, and Crystal's young daughter Suka came to Detroit. 

Nuka on the Tundra side, Suka and Astra on the meadow side.

In Detroit, Suka had several pregnancies where the cubs did not survive. Then in 2020, she gave birth to Astra and Laerke. Astra was strong, but newborn Laerke was struggling, so after a few days, she was removed and raised by keepers. 

Twin sisters Astra and Laerke, separated during their first two years.

Astra was a strong healthy cub, but Laerke was small and struggled sometimes. The Detroit Zoo brought in a rescued grizzly cub from Alaska to help Laerke socialize and learn to be a bear. They made for an odd couple, but both cubs were happy with the arrangement. 

Jebbie and Laerke in a friendly bear hug.

Eventually Jebbie grew too large for the pair to safely continue. He found a good home at a bear sanctuary in Colorado.

The girls were reunited several years later, and moved to Tacoma Washington, where they continue to do well.

Nuka

Nuka's life as a soap opera

Although he is a bear, some of us polar bear fans have joked that Nuka's life has followed the plots of many human soap operas, from being the father of twins separated at birth, to being accused of murder and then exonerated, to having families with both mother and daughter, and now, stealing his twin brother's mate. Okay, that's enough anthropomorphizing!

The real story

After Suka gave birth to the twin girls Astra and Laerke, who were separated shortly after birth, a lady bear named Anana moved to Detroit from the Cincinnati Zoo, and there were hopes of a successful breeding. What followed was a tragedy, followed by unfair accusations and rumors.

Sadly, Anana was found dead on the Tundra area one wintry morning, and initial suspicions suggested that Nuka was responsible, in breeding gone wrong. There were some bloody wounds on her head. This was a shocking thought, especially since Nuka had always been a very gentle bear and the two bears got along well. Months later, the necropsy showed that Anana had died of natural causes, heart failure. The superficial wounds on her head were caused by Nuka trying to wake her up, to get her to move, alas in vain. The true cause of death was not publicized except in an email necropsy report to Zoo members (which I had access to), so many people went on to blame Nuka for years. 

As the soap opera continued, the Toledo Zoo, only an hour's drive away from Detroit, had lost Marty, the father of all of Crystal's cubs, to old age. So Crystal, Suka's mother, was alone. As mother of seven, Crystal was thought to be still fertile, even though she was up in years. So Nuka was invited to come to Toledo to spend romantic time with -- yes, basically his mother-in-law -- while Suka raised Astra, and the keepers took care of Laerke in the neighboring city of Detroit.

There was worry from the Toledo Zoo fans and maybe even the staff, about Nuka and the safety of Crystal, given the false story about Anana. This blog seemed to be the only news source in the world with the correct story, so the Toledo Blade newspaper contacted me, and printed the true story exonerating Nuka, the two bears were introduced, and all was well.

Nuka and Crystal got along well, and that fall, twins Kallik and Kallu were born. Nuka returned to Suka in Detroit.

Birthday party for 2 year old Kallu and Kallik and 26 year old Crystal

The Detroit Zoo was hoping that Suka and Nuka would have cubs this past fall, but there was noisy construction nearby, and maybe that disturbed the natural cycle. In any case, there were no cubs born in a US zoo last year, or the year before.

This is why Haley was moved to Detroit. All of the polar bears  in the US under the age of 10 are offspring or grandchildren of Crystal, except for rescued youngster Kava in the Alaska Zoo. In fact the last cub born in the US that wasn't a direct descendent of Crystal was Anana's daughter Luna born in 2012, the same Anana who tragically died in Detroit. 

Aurora and Yukon of Seneca Park were parents of four cubs, but only one has become a parent: Lee, father of Kulu in the Columbus Zoo. And now there is new hope that the next generation will continue with Haley's latest move to Detroit.

It is rather late in the breeding season for the two bears to be introduced, but I am sure the keepers will do what they can. 22 years of age is quite old for a first time birth for a polar bear, but fingers are crossed. 

The only living male polar bears who have fathered cubs in the US are Nuka and Haley's brother Lee. Next spring we may see cubs in Detroit, Columbus, and maybe even in Toledo, where wildborn Kali has just arrived for Crystal's approval. 

Farewell to Payton

 

Payton in Memphis in 2012.

We heard today of the sudden passing of Payton, son of Arki and Aussie. He had been living in the North Carolina Zoo with Aurora and Yukon's daughter Anana since January of 2021. He died two hours into a transport to the Louisville Zoo yesterday, October 25. 

Payton in 2012

He would have been 20 years old on November 8. Payton was named for NFL running back Walter Payton. 

Payton

I visited him in October of 2012, when he was living in Memphis with Haley. He had moved to the Memphis Zoo with Aurora and Yukon's daughter Haley, who had come to Chicago from the Seneca Park Zoo in New York to get to know him. The two moved together from the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago in January of 2006. There were never any offspring from these two.

Payton with the kids

Arki and Aussie were the parents of five cubs. Marty, who was born in 1996, moved to Toledo and went on to father many cubs there, all but one with Crystal. Marty died in Toledo in 2021. Arki and Aussi's daughter Tiguak, who was hand raised, went to Canada and died in 2011 while undergoing a procedure under anesthetic.  Kinepak, born in 2000, died in Buffalo in 2007. Payton was born in 2003 and Hudson, the only offspring still alive, was born in 2006 in Brookfield. 

Payton was well loved in Memphis, and also in North Carolina, a cooperative and laid back bear who always had a good relationship with his keepers.

Payton was a playful boy.

I only visited him once, but noticed he had the same kind of dance as his mother Arki, only in the water. He seemed to enjoy interacting with the youngsters who visited him.

Payton interacting with the visitors in Memphis

Payton did the reverse dance, like his mom Arki.

Payton loved to see the kids at the window

Payton at the window in Memphis

Payton

This leaves only 39 polar bears in US zoos, and there is a law preventing the import of polar bears from outside the US.

Payton

Payton was destined for the Louisville Zoo, where wildborn Qannik lives, but she is property of Fish and Wildlife, and cannot be part of the breeding program.

Farewell, Payton. You were such a good bear.

Farewell to Elvis, King of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM

Elvis at play

Elvis has left the building. The elderly Elvis polar bear, longtime resident at Gelsenkirchen ZOOM, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 8.

Elvis hat das Gebäude verlassen. Die älteren Elvis Eisbär, langjähriger Bewohner in Gelsenkirchen ZOOM, verstarb friedlich am Samstag 8. Juni.

Elvis was born in the Memphis Zoo, Memphis Tennessee, USA, in November of 1979, two years after the death of the original Elvis, and was named in honor of the late King. This cub's parents were Olga and Bruno.

Elvis wurde in Memphis Zoo, Memphis, Tennessee, USA, im November geboren 1979. Es war zwei Jahre nach dem Tod des ursprünglichen Elvis und das Junge wurde zu Ehren des verstorbenen Königs benannt. Dieses cub Eltern waren Olga und Bruno.

Elvis, eating his carrots

When Elvis was a year old, he moved to Zoo Osnabrück in Germany, where he lived happily for many years with lady polar bear Sonja. They did produce cubs, but none survived.

Als Elvis ein Jahr alt war, zog er nach Zoo Osnabrück in Deutschland, wo er glücklich lebte seit vielen Jahren mit Dame Eisbär Sonja. Sie taten produzieren Jungen, aber keiner überlebt.

Tips (below) and Taps (Above) - the beautiful and famous Chocolate Bears

He leaves a legacy in his daughter and son, Tips and Taps, the famous Chocolate Bears of Zoo Osnabrück. There is a touch of scandal in this story. And a love triangle.

Er hinterlässt ein Vermächtnis seiner Tochter und Sohn, Tipps und Taps, der berühmte Chocolate Bears of Zoo Osnabrück. Es ist ein Hauch von Skandal in dieser Geschichte. Und eine Dreiecksgeschichte.

In those days the Osnabrück bear group included brown, black bears, and polar bears in a strange arrangement.

In jenen Tagen die Osnabrück Bär Gruppe gehörten braun, schwarz Bären und Eisbären in einem seltsamen Anordnung.

Susi, European Brown Bear who is mother to Tips and Taps

After 24 years of living together, there was a surprise in January of of 2004. European Brown Bear Susi gave birth to twin cubs that were obviously fathered by Elvis. Tips (the girl) and Taps (the boy) were Hybrids, half Polar Bear, half European Brown Bear. At first the birth of these cubs was something of a scandal and an embarrassment to the zoo, but now Zoo Osnabrück is very proud of their rare and quite beautiful silvery bears, sometimes called Chocolate Bears. Many visitors come to Zoo Osnabrück just to see this unique accidental pair.

Nach 24 Jahren des Zusammenlebens, es war eine Überraschung, im Januar 2004. Europäische Braunbär Susi gebar zwei Jungen, die offensichtlich von Elvis wurden gezeugt. Tipps (das Mädchen) und Taps (der Junge) waren Hybriden, halb Eisbär, halb europäischen Braunbär. Auf den ersten der Geburt dieser Jungen war so etwas wie ein Skandal und eine Schande für den Zoo, aber jetzt Zoo Osnabrück ist sehr stolz auf ihre seltenen und sehr schön silbrig Bären, manchmal auch Schokolade Bears. Viele Besucher kommen, um Zoo Osnabrück, nur um diese einzigartige zufälligen Paar zu sehen.

Elvis in all his glory

Elvis moved the Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in June of 2005. For the past eight years, he lived like a king in a luxurious environment in the Gelsenkirchen Zoo with a elderly lady friend, Fanny, who is one year older than Elvis. Elvis loved his carrots.

Elvis zog die ZOOM Gelsenkirchen im Juni 2005. In den vergangenen acht Jahren lebte er wie ein König in einer luxuriösen Umgebung im Zoo Gelsenkirchen mit einer älteren Freundin, Fanny, die ein Jahr älter als Elvis ist. Elvis liebte seine Karotten.

Fanny, age 34

As offspring of Olga and Bruno, Elvis is great uncle to Aurora of the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY. Haley, one of Aurora's cubs, is now living in the Memphis Zoo, which is the birthplace of her Great Uncle Elvis. So visitors to the Memphis Zoo can still see relatives of Elvis the King (Polar Bear).

Als Nachkommen von Olga und Bruno, ist Elvis Großonkel zu Aurora des Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, NY. Haley, einer der Aurora Jungen, lebt jetzt in der Memphis Zoo, das ist der Geburtsort von ihrem Großonkel Elvis. So Besucher der Memphis Zoo kann man noch Verwandten Elvis der King (Eisbär).

Elvis had relatives in Europe also. His twin sister C.W. was the mother of Ilka and Nordman (Nuuk), now at the Skandanavian Dierpark. Ilka is the mother of Siku and also new twins this year. Nordman is the father of Huggies' daughter Freedom, who lives at Rhennen. That means Nordman is grandfather of Freedom's cubs Sesi and Siku (now in France) and also Sprinter, now at Hannover. So Elvis had nieces and nephews. A big family.

Elvis hatte Verwandte in Europa auch. Seine Zwillingsschwester CW war die Mutter von Ilka und Nordman (Nuuk), jetzt an der Skandanavian Dierpark. Ilka ist die Mutter von Siku und auch neue Zwillinge in diesem Jahr. Nordman ist der Vater von Huggies Tochter Freedom, die sich Rhennen lebt. Nordman ist Großvater von der Freedom Jungen Sesi und Siku (jetzt in Frankreich) und auch Sprinter, jetzt in Hannover. So hatte Elvis Nichten und Neffen. Eine große Familie.

R.I.P. Elvis

We say goodbye to a legend. Goodbye, Elvis.