Lazy summer days for Aurora and Lee

 

Aurora on land, Lee in the water

24 year old Lee and 17 year old Aurora are enjoying the last days of summer in the Columbus Zoo by napping, lazing around in the sun, and taking an occasion dip in their deep salt water pool. 

Aurora napping in the late summer sun.

Aurora is sleeping more and more, and wanting to be inside as denning season approaches. She has gained 250 pounds over the summer, now weighing in at 800 pounds. Her guy Lee returned from his stay at the Louisville Zoo in February of 2023, but no cubs resulted last winter, but baby hopes are high for this year.

My U.S. polar bear cub forecast predicts good chances for both Aurora, and also for her younger sister Suka, who lives in the Detroit Zoo with Nuka. Aurora is the mother of five cubs already, and Suka has been pregnant three times, with one successful birth and raising of twins (with help from the keepers for Laerke).

Lee says hello

A friendly smile

Lee dragging around a blanket toy

Lee weighs in at 1100 pounds. He has been around the block a few times, born in Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY in 1999, and spending time in Lincoln Park in Chicago, Milwaukee, Detroit and Denver, but not fathering any cubs. He came to Columbus for the first time in November of 2018, where he got along just fine with twin sisters Aurora and Anana. The arrival of Aurora's son Kulu in 2019 meant that things were getting crowded in Columbus, so he was sent to the Louisville Zoo in 2020, coming back in 2023. By that time, Anana had passed away, so it was just Aurora waiting for him.

Aurora and Anana in 2011.
The keepers painted Aurora's paw so they could tell the girls apart.

I talked to a docent at the zoo about the loss of Anana. He said that she had had a cold, some sort of respiratory illness. It didn't seem too severe, but it quickly turned into encephalitis, and Anana's body just couldn't fight off the infection. It was suspected she had some sort of autoimmune condition.  In mid October of 2022, she died one month short of her 16th birthday.  

Young Kulu and his Auntie Anana in 2021. They were happy playmates.

Aurora and Lee's son Kulu now lives in the Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota with two elderly bears, Nan and Neil. Neil is brother of the late Icee, who was grandfather of Kulu's father Lee.

Elderly Neil and young Kulu in Como Zoo in 2022.

I visited the Columbus Zoo on the first day of September, and it promised to be a hot one. Lee and Aurora had been out earlier in the morning, but had gone inside for their breakfast. At about 11:15 each morning, the bear keepers present a morning snack to either the neighboring Alaskan Brown Bears Brutus and Buckeye, or to the polar bears. This day, it was the polar bears. Lee had been playing with an indestructible blue rug, but came over to the big pool when it was time. Aurora had been napping in the sun, and she was not interested in moving. 

Lee heads for snack time at the pool

Aurora would rather sleep than snack.

Lee had some snacks, and swam around for a bit, but was attracted to the window, possibly to a bag of strawberries that someone had left on the floor. Did Lee know that this was some delicious food on the other side of the glass? He did seem interested in that one spot.

Lee is curious.

Lee is just checking things out.

Ah, something yummy...

Sad. Lee can't get to the strawberries through the window.

Finally Aurora decided to wake up and come check things out.

Aurora thinks about coming into the pool
while Lee flirts with a little girl.

 She watched Lee play with the folks at the window, and then swam for a bit, playing with a plastic lid. 

The lid makes a great toy.

By this time, Lee was napping on a rock, half in the water and half out.

Good way for Lee to keep cool during his nap.

Aurora scratches her back on some rocks.

 After some water play, Aurora shook off the drops and headed for her den, where she would probably nap in air conditioned comfort for the afternoon. When I left, Lee was still sleeping in the shallow water.

Aurora heads for the den.

Aurora has always had her cubs in November, so we will wait and see. She is already mother to Nora, who lives in the Portland Zoo, twins Nuniq (now in Kansas City) and Neva (now in Salt Lake City), and young Kulu in Como Zoo. The father of Nora, Nuniq and Neva was the late Nanuq.

Aurora's cubs
 - a poster on the wall.

Family connections

Aurora and her twin sister were born in the Toledo Zoo in 2006, the offspring of Belgium born Crystal and the late Marty. Those parents went on to produce Siku, twins Suka and Sakari, Hope and Bo, and after Marty died, Crystal's new guy was Nuka from Detroit, and they had twins Kallik and Kallu almost two years ago.

Crystal's sister in Belgium, Blanche, was mother of Nanuk of Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark, where he fathered Danish Siku, twins Nanu and Nuno, and Nuno now has twin cubs, so Aurora has cousins in Denmark.

Lee is the son of the late Aurora and Yukon of Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY. His siblings are twin sister Anana of North Carolina, Haley of Memphis and Anoki, now back at home in Rochester. Aurora was sister of the late Denali, who went to Japan and fathered eight cubs there, so Lee is related to many Japanese bears.

Lee's mother Aurora (many bears have been named Aurora and Anana) was half sister Kiska of ABQ Biopark, and of  the late Anana, mother of Luna. Lee's great grandfather Bruno was father of CW, who went to Europe and was mother and grandmother of many cubs there, so Lee has European cousins. Lee's father Yukon and his twin sister Berlin were the only polar bear cubs born and raised in the Cincinnati Zoo. Yukon and Berlin's father Icee was brother to Neil, now living in the Como Zoo with his great nephew Kulu.

Farewell to Berlin

 

Berlin in the Como Zoo, shortly after she was rescued from the
Duluth Flood at the Lake Superior Zoo

Berlin in snow, winter of 2012-13 in Como Zoo.

She was a lovely bear, who could have told some incredible stories about her adventures if she could speak.

Berlin has left us, at the age of 33. She spent her last years at the Kansas City Zoo, where she was a well loved resident, known for her cheerful, fun-loving spirit.

                                             Berlin loved to play with balls

Along the way she lived with a longterm boyfriend, got to spend quality time with some relatives in Minnesota, and was companion to three different bears in the Kansas City Zoo. She even took up the hobby of gardening while in KC.

In a facebook post today, the Lake Superior Zoo posted about the loss of Berlin:

Director of Animal Management at the Lake Superior Zoo, Lizzy Larson said, “I was one of Berlin's caretakers for 3 years and the thing that I will remember most about Berlin was how incredibly smart she was. Everything Berlin did, had a purpose. She could solve every puzzle we gave her and I never found a toy she didn't like! I will fondly remember how enthusiastically she would jump into her pool to play. She has had the best care at all the facilities she's had the chance to live at and I know that she has touched countless hearts in her 33 years of life. We will all be mourning her loss."

In Lake Superior Zoo, Berlin liked to toss a ball back and forth with visitors. She is fondly remembered by many for her fun-loving ways.

Berlin and her twin brother Yukon were born December 11, 1989 in the Cincinnati Zoo. Berlin was named for current events in Germany, the fall of the Berlin Wall. The twins' parents were Connie (Amy), who was granddaughter of Olaf and Olga of the Omaha Zoo, and Icee, who was born in Louisville. Berlin and Yukon were the only cubs ever born and raised at the Cincinnati Zoo. Connie and Icee had no other cubs.

Yukon moved to Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester YN, and died in 2008, but did father four cubs with Aurora there: Anana now in North Carolina, Haley now in Memphis, Lee now in Louisville (and the father of Kulu), and Anoki now in her birthplace of Rochester again. Berlin never did have any cubs, but spent much of her earlier life with Bubba, who was Aurora's brother.

When she was just a year old, Berlin moved north from Cincinnati to the Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth Minnesota. She was soon joined by a male of the same age named Bubba, who was a charismatic, playful and entertaining bear.   

Bubba and his twin sister Aurora were born in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City in November of 1989, and their parents were mother Chinook and father Cheechacko.  When Bubba died of liver failure at the young age of 17 in August of 2007, the Lake Superior Zoo even had a "celebration of life" for this beloved icon. Berlin became even more active and playful without Bubba there.

Life was just about perfect for Berlin in Duluth, until the Great Flood of June 21, 2012. When nine inches of rain fell in Duluth in just a few hours, some low areas of the zoo, which was built along a river, were deluged. Two harbor seals, Feisty and Vivian, escaped into the city streets. A dozen animals drowned. Berlin's enclosure was flooded and broken. At 5 a.m., she was found sitting on a rock near her home, waiting to be rescued. She was darted and safely moved to a secure location, but her enclosure was destroyed. Berlin was homeless.

A few hours drive to the South, Berlin's uncles Neil and Buzz had some extra room in their newly rebuilt home at the Como Zoo in St. Paul, so Berlin was invited to move in. After a month's required quarantine, Berlin was introduced to Neil and Buzz, a couple of laid back twin brothers, somewhat younger than Berlin. Berlin's father Icee was older brother to Neil and Buzz.

                                              Berlin and her Uncle Buzz

                                       

The reunited family got along just great. Neil and Buzz allowed their niece Berlin to be the boss. Berlin again thought that she was in the perfect place. She had wonderful big pools in which to swim, piles of snow, lots of toys, and two other bears who let her be in charge. My daughter Corinna visited the bears and took some of the photos featured here. 

                 Berlin, right, with one of her uncles peeking out

Six months after the flood, Berlin was sent to Kansas City to be companion to an active, playful young male named Nikita, who was only 6 years old but had lived in Kansas City for a couple of years already, so it was his territory. He was the boss. Nikita was the star of the Kansas City Zoo.  Nikita wanted Berlin to play with him, but she would have none of it. Nikita, the son of Nan and Marty, was big and bold and young and full of energy and clearly dominant. Berlin mostly avoided him.

Berlin

For the next three years, the bears lived together, but Berlin would keep to the side, and let Nikita be the star, always with a wary eye watching out for him. I used to watch them on the bears' webcam, and noticed that we didn't see the two bears together. Then in January of 2016, the popular Nikita was moved out in the dark of night. He went to Asheboro, North Carolina to be with a young girl bear, Berlin's niece Anana (daughter of brother Yukon). Nikita's fans in Kansas City were crushed. They complained that now only the boring old lady bear was left, and she was no fun. (Nikita is now in Salt Lake City).

                                                       Berlin on patrol

For the next few weeks after Nikita's departure, Berlin keep looking around, thinking that her arch-nemesis might not really be gone. If she came across a toy that he had played with and still smelled like Nikita, she wanted nothing to do with it. Gradually, she realized that she was gloriously alone again, and she became more active, more playful, even at her advanced age of 27.

                                Berlin diving for a pear in KC

It was after Nikita left that Berlin took up gardening. She was given a melon to eat, and carefully planted a seed, which grew into a fine plant and produced a melon, which Berlin let grown until it reached the perfect state of ripeness, then she picked and ate her harvest.

                                                             Berlin the gardener

I visited her in 2017, and marveled at how active she was, even at her age. She was quite the swimmer too, retrieving various fruits and vegetables that the keepers threw into the pool. 

                                          Berlin waits for the keeper 

                            to throw some more goodies into the pool. 

                                          Berlin diving for snacks

In 2018, another senior lady bear of about the same age, Fanny (better known as Bam Bam), moved in from the Henry Doorly Zoo in nearby Omaha.  The old ladies' club lasted about a year, and then Berlin's new friend Bam Bam passed away.

In late 2020, four year old Nuniq, born in Columbus Ohio, moved in, and Berlin could play grandmother to the youngster.

Now with the loss of Berlin, Nuniq is alone in that roomy grassy habitat. 

Berlin was well loved by her keepers, and as a playful bear, she had many fans who visited her. Berlin, at age 33, was the second oldest polar bear in human care in the world, the oldest being the famous dwarf bear Antonia in Gelsenkirchen Germany, just two weeks older.

Berlin was a special bear, and will be greatly missed.

Thanks to my daughter Corinna Troth for the photos of Berlin at the Como Zoo. 

Berit has a very young admirer

 

The lovely Berit, on the right, has an admirer in young Borealis

It is interesting to observe the friendship between the two polar bears at the Henry Vilas Zoo in Madison Wisconsin. They are 20 years apart. 

Berit is the attractive older lady that young Bo follows around like a puppy dog. You can tell he admires her, and she doesn't discourage his attentions too much.  Bo is three years old, and Berit is 23.

For the past six years, Berit has been something of a babysitter or maybe a nanny, bringing up half grown cubs put into her care.

Berit has always had plenty of companionship. She and her twin brother Ulaq were born in 1998 in Denver and moved to the Cincinnati Zoo when they were about a year and a half.  Sadly, Ulaq died suddenly at the age of 4. But Berit was not alone, for her friend Rizzo, another female, was there.

Berit in back, Rizzo in front, in 2011, Cincinnati Zoo.

And then a few years later, along came a courteous male bear named Little One.  The three polar bears of the Cincinnati Zoo made for a happy threesome. Rizzo was Berit's best friend, and they often took naps together. Little One let the ladies be in charge. 

Rizzo left Cincinnati for Salt Lake City in 2012, and died five years later. So then it was just Berit and Little One in Cincinnati.

Little One eats an ice treat for Valentines Day 2015,
while Berit looks up at the keeper for more, 
at the Cincinnati Zoo.

Late in 2016, there was a three way zoo switch all at the same time. Anana left Buffalo to come to Cincinnati, Sakari left Henry Vilas to move to Buffalo, and Berit moved to Henry Vilas, where Sakari's twin sister Suka remained.

Berit on the left, and young Suka on the right,
at Henry Vilas in the summer of 2017.  

   

So now Berit had young Suka as a playmate. Berit and Suka got along famously. But Suka was growing up, and would be ready to have cubs. Suka moved to Detroit in 2018, where she is now mother of one year old Astra and Laerke.

Young Nuniq in Colubus, just before he moved to Henry Vilas.

Never fear, for a few months later, Suka's nephew Nuniq, not quite two years old, arrived from Columbus, and Berit was again the playmate of a young cub. Again, Berit had a very entertaining companion to keep her feeling young.

In late 2020, Nuniq moved to Kansas City to be companion to old lady Berlin, and Berit was again on her own, but not for long. Within a month, Suka's little brother two year old Borealis arrived from Toledo. Berit had another another bright eyed half grown cub to bring up. By now she is used to it.

Bo nuzzles his lady friend Berit.

Bo is bigger than Berit, but he still looks and acts like a cub. He looks to her for leadership and approval. 

Bo and Berit puzzle over the feeder

On the day I visited in April, the keepers had given the two polar bears a chained ladder puzzle feeder, with lettuce and maybe some other goodies inside. Berit and Bo played tug of war with the ladder, in between finding snacks. Such enrichment keeps the bears busy, and makes them work for their food, as they would in the wild.

Berit has found some snacks. Bo pulls on the chain.

Berit has again found some lettuce. Bo is still looking.

A bit of a tug of war.

Bo tries to figure this thing out.

It is a spacious habitat, and offers a sand pit for digging, right in front of the restaurant windows.

Bo chases Berit around the sand pit, in front of the restaurant windows.

Berit head toward the pit.

Bo heads toward Berit.

 

The view from the restaurant window.

There is plenty of grass in the meadow, and a good sized pool, and Berit has always enjoyed swimming her laps. But she didn't swim on the day I visited. 

It is good enrichment to give the polar bears
 a new environment occasionally. 

During the winter, when the grizzly bear sisters are denned up, the polar bears sometimes take over the neighboring habitat. 

Berit heads inside.

When Berit went inside, Bo would usually follow her, although he sometimes came out again and spent some time on his own.

With Berit inside, Bo is on his own.

Bo by the pool. He cries out to Berit, who is inside.

 At one point he was lounging by the pool, and calling to Berit to come out and join him. She finally did come out, and he got very affectionate with her, even attempting to mount her, but it was past breeding season and he is only three years old, after all. Maybe next year he will be more successful in wooing his older lady.

Bo attempts to get amorous with Berit. She says "what are you doing?"

Is Berit laughing at young Bo's attempts?

Let's kiss and make up. 

It is obvious that the two bears get along well. There probably won't be a pregnancy from this pairing, for Berit was on birth control early in her life, which has likely left her sterile. They do seem happy together.

Bo and Berit make a cute couple.

A little about Henry Vilas Zoo

The zoo was born of a family tragedy. Five year old Henry, son of William and Anna Vilas, died of diabetes complications and his parents donated a large tract of land for a park and zoo in their city of Madison, Wisconsin, in memory of their son in 1904, with the stipulation that the facility must remain free. Whenever I go to this zoo, I think of little Henry, and am grateful for his legacy.

The first bear exhibit was built in 1913. In 1988, two orphaned polar bear cubs, Nanuq and Norton, are were brought to the zoo. Nanuq grew up to become the father of Luna, Nora, Nuniq (who later came to live at Henry Vilas for a time), Neva and Amelia Gray. Norton became the father of Triton, who was the father of Talini. 

 Here are Bo's aunt and uncle, Suka and Sakari, as Arctic Passage celebrated its grand opening in May of 2015. 

Arctic Passage opened in 2015, with Suka and Sakari as the first polar bear residents.

The Henry Vilas Zoo is one of ten remaining free zoos in North America.