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,

Marty and Nan the power couple

Marty is a huge father bear

The Toledo Zoo is home to five polar bears these days, who enjoy the gorgeous habitat in the Arctic Encounter in two rotation groups. When Crystal and her twins are enjoying the backyard of the exhibit, we can see Marty and Nan playing and swimming and sleeping, almost always separately.

Der Toledo Zoo ist die Heimat von fünf Eisbären in diesen Tagen, welche den wunderschönen Lebensraum in The Arctic Encounter in zwei Rotationsgruppen genießen. Wenn Crystal und ihre Zwillinge den Hinteren Teil der Ausstellung genießen können wir Marty und Nan spielen sehen und beim Schwimmen und Schlafenzuschauen, fast immer getrennt. 

Nan relaxing in the cave

Marty and Nan face off

Marty is the proud father of Crystal's twins, Suka and Sakari, as well as four other cubs, all born at the Toledo Zoo.

Marty ist stolzer Vater von Crystals Zwillingen- Suka und Sakari, sowie vier andere Jungtieren, die alle im Toledo Zoo geboren wurden. 

Marty the Magnificent

17 year old Marty was born at the Brookfield Zoo His father Aussie (who just celebrated his 29th birthday) still lives at Brookfield, but his mother Arki died last year at the Louisville Zoo. Marty is a massive bear, like his father Aussie. Marty is brother to Hudson of the Brookfield Zoo and Payton of the Memphis Zoo.

Der 17-jährige Marty wurde im Brookfield Zoo geboren Sein Vater Aussie lebt noch im Brookfield Zoo, aber seine Mutter Arki starb letztes Jahr im Louisville Zoo. Marty ist ein massiver Bär, wie sein Vater Aussie. Marty ist der Bruder von Hudson im Brookfield Zoo und Payton aus dem Memphis Zoo. 

Marty enjoys his swimming and diving time

Marty came to the Toledo Zoo in 1999, when he was three years old. 

Marty kam in den Toledo Zoo im Jahr 1999, als er drei Jahre alt war.

Nan contemplates entering the cool cave, which has windows all around

Nanuyaak, or Nan for short, was born in the wild in Alaska in 1994. After four months in the Alaska Zoo, the cub moved to Tacoma, Washington. Nan came to the Toledo Zoo in 2001.

Nanuyaak oder auch Nan abgekürzt, wurde in der Wildnis in Alaska im Jahr 1994 geboren. Nach vier Monaten im Alaska Zoo, wurde das Jungtier nach Tacoma, Washington verlegt. Nan kam in den Toledo Zoo im Jahr 2001.

Yes, it is time for a nap, she smiles

The Arctic Encounter opened in 2000. Previous to that time, the Toledo polar bears lived in the grotto where the tigers now live, in the historic southern part of the zoo.

The Arctic Encounter wurde im Jahr 2000 eröffnet. Vor dieser Zeit lebte die Eisbären in der Grotte, wo heute die Tiger leben in dem historischen südlichen Teil des Zoos.

Inside the cave,  Nan is looking for a good spot to nap, against the cool glass

 In November of 2006, Nan gave birth to Nikita, and Crystal gave birth to Aurora and Anana, three cubs all born at the same time at the Toledo Zoo, and all fathered by Marty. Aurora and Anana have since moved to the Columbus Zoo, and Nikita is in the Kansas City Zoo with an older lady bear named Berlin. Crystal later gave birth to Siku, who now lives in the Louisville Zoo, and Suka and Sakari, who are about a year and a half old.

Im November 2006 gab es die Geburt von Nan mit Nikita und Crystal gebar Aurora und Anana, drei Jungen alle zur gleichen Zeit im Toledo Zoo geboren, und alle von Marty gezeugt. Aurora und Anana sind in den Columbus Zoo umgezogen und Nikita ist in den Kansas City Zoo mit einer älteren Bärin namens Berlin. Crystal später gebarSiku, dieser Eisbär lebt heute im Louisville Zoo und Suka und Sakari, der etwa ein Jahr und eine halbe alt sind.

Nan growls at Marty and they spar

Marty backs off

 Nan and Marty spend their time in different parts of the enclosure, and rarely come near each other when it is not mating season. Marty likes to pace and swim, and Nan likes to nap in the sun. When they did come close to each other, I heard some growling from Nan, and Marty backed off.

Nan und Marty verbringen ihre Zeit in verschiedenen Teilen des Geheges, und kommen nur selten in die Nähe miteinander, wenn es nicht gerade Paarungszeit ist. Marty liebt es, herumzulaufen und zu schwimmen, und Nan liegt gerne in der Sonne schlafend. Wenn sie mal nahe beieinander kamen, hörte ich etwas Knurren von Nan, und Marty zog sich zurück.

Nan makes friends with a young visitor

Nan likes to nap in the cave, and delights the children because they are so close to a real polar bear, and they can interact with this gentle lady bear.

Nan schläft auch gerne in der Höhle, und erfreut damit die Kinder, weil sie so nah an einem echten Eisbären sind, und sie mit dieser sanften Eisbärin interagieren können.

The lovely Nan

Next: The twins Suka and Sakari are growing up!

Next: Suka und Sakari wachsen!