Here is who had polar bear cubs this year!

The little girls in Rostock - photo courtesy of Zoo Rostock 

Happy International Polar Bear Day on February 27!

We have had news of eight cubs born in zoos in November and December. The cubs will make their public debuts sometime in the spring, but for now, they are still denned up with their mothers. We know the Rostock cubs are girls, and the twins in Skandinavisk Dyrepark are girls as well. Victoria's baby is a boy. No news on the others just yet.

Rostock, Germany

 In Rostock, Germany, there is currently a naming contest for the twin girls born to Sizzel and Akiak on November 14. Both are first time parents.

Sizzel in Rostock

Sizzel and her twin brother Todz were born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in 2014 to Olinka and Eric. Olinka's father Omaha was born to Olaf and Olga in the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha Nebraska, so Sizzel is closely related to a number of US bears. 

Akiak in Rostock

Akiak and his twin sister Sura were born in Ouwehands in the Netherlands in 2015, to Freedom and the late Victor (one of the "V" cubs from Rostock). Freedom's grandmother CW was born in Memphis, so these cubs are cousins of some US polar bears through Akiak as well.  

Orsa in Sweden

First time mother Hope gave birth to twins, fathered by Wilbär, in Orsa Predator Park in Sweden on November 20. This news came about the same time that the park announced it will be closing in October. 

Hope is the daughter of Flocke and Raspi, and was born in 2014 in Marineland in Antibes France.

Hope in 2017 in France

Wilbär was born in 2007 in the Wilhelma in Stuttgart, Germany, the son of the late Corinna and Anton. Wilbär is the father of Miki, born last year to mother Ewa at the park.

Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark

First time parents Nuno and Boris/Ivan had twin daughters in Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Kolind Denmark on December 12.

Nuno on right, playing with older brother Siku.

Nuno and her twin brother Nanu were born in Kolind in 2012 to the late Ilka and the late Nanook. These new cubs have cousins in the US, for Nuno's grandmother CW was born in the Memphis Zoo, and her grandmother Blanche is sister to Crystal of Toledo Ohio.

Boris / Ivan in Copenhagen

Boris/Ivan was born in 2005 in the Moscow Zoo to the late Murma and the late Untai, so he is brother to Raspi, Gota, and Kap, among others.  He is officially named Boris, but was given the name Ivan by the Danish zoos.

Asahikawa Japan 

Pirika and Hokuto (Ludvik) in Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa Japan had triplets on December 13, but as is so often the case, only one survived, but it is doing well. 

Pirika was born in 2005, the daughter of Lara and Denali. Pirika is first cousin of five US bears, as her father Denali was born in Salt Lake City and is the brother of the late Anana (mother of Luna) and the late Aurora (mother of Lee, Anana, Haley and Anoki).

Hokuto was born in Moscow in 2000, son of Amderma and Yukon, brother of Gogo. He has lived in Japan most of his life. 

HWP in Scotland 

Victoria and Arktos in Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland have had another cub. The birth was announced on December 16, but had taken place a few days before. They are parents of Wee Hamish, born in 2017 and now living in Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Victoria is also the mother of Milak, born in Aalborg Denmark in 2008 and now living in St. Felicien in Canada.

Victoria in Aalborg

Victoria was born in 1996 in Rostock, Germany, one of the "V" cubs born to Churchill and Vienna. She lived in Aalborg, Denmark, for many years before coming to Scotland in 2015.

Victoria with Wee Hamish in 2018 in Scotland

Arktos was born in 2007 in Vienna to Olinka and Eric. He lived in Hannover Germany for several years, then came to Highland Wildlife Park in 2012, where he lives most of the year with his best friend Walker.  Arktos' grandfather Omaha was born in the Henry Doorly Zoo to Olaf and Olga, so this cub has cousins in the US. 

Arktos (his friend Walker in background) in HWP

As we all know, polar bear cubs have a 50 percent chance of survival, for they are born so very fragile. So there were some losses, in addition to two of the triplets in Japan who did not make it. Raspi and Friida in Tallinn Estonia had cubs that did not survive. Lara and Bill in Gelsenkirchen Germany lost their twins too. 

No cubs were born in the US, unless Crystal in Toledo surprises us. Reports are that she is still denned up.

No cubs were born in Russia this year, but there have been some rescued cubs recently.

There is seldom any news about polar bears out of China.

Bear Conservation lists 310 polar bears in captivity, which includes at least some of the eight cubs in this story. 

Mother Ilka is no more

Ilka and one of her twins

Ilka has been gone for six months, and we didn't even know.

A friend of mine, a German polar bear blogger who had just visited Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Kolind, Denmark, relayed the information that beloved polar bear mother Ilka had passed away during the winter of 2019-20. She would have been 26 years old. Her death was not announced, but the park has since confirmed that Ilka died in December.

Ilka, cub and seaweed

 Ilka and her twin brother Nuuk were born December 2, 1993 in Kolmarden in Sweden. Their mother was American born bear C.W., daughter of Olga and Bruno, born in the Memphis Zoo in 1979. Nuuk/Nordman became the father of Freedom. Ilka and Nuuk's father was Imarek. Younger siblings were Manasse (father of Ranzo and Sisu), and twins Baffin and Yukihime, who went to Japan.

 

Ilka and her brother Nuuk

Ilka's brother Nuuk/Nordman, who died one year before

Ilka and her twins

Ilka and Nuuk came to Skandinavisk Dyrepark as it was just opening in at the end of 2006.

Ilka with Nanu and Nuno, waiting for feeding time

Nuuk/Nordman found a pal in the other young male bear, Nanook, who was mate to Ilka and father of her cubs. Nuuk died one year before Ilka, during the winter of 2018/19.

Ilka

Over the years, Ilka had given birth to cubs, but had trouble producing milk and no cubs survived. When Siku was born November 22, 2011, the park director stepped in and took over the care of the tiny cub, since Ilka again was not producing milk. Siku was raised by hand, with many photos and videos posted. You could watch him on webcam too, as he grew up. Danish Siku became an internet sensation. He still lives in the park.

Baby Siku, raised by hand, would suckle on pieces of wood

A new treatment for milk production was given to Ilka when she gave birth to Nuno and Nanu a year later, and she was able to raise the twins with no problem. When they were old enough and big enough, Siku (who was only a year older) was brought in as a playmate for the twins, and the family got along very well. 

In 2014 - Siku, Nuno and Nanu playing together

The beautiful Ilka

Feeding time. Ilka and the cubs would line up and wait.

Siku is still there, as well as Nuno, the girl, who remains at Skandinavisk Dyrepark. Her twin Nanu, who spent some time with older bear Felix in Leuwaarden, the Netherlands, is now in Parc Zoo du Reynou, France, with another young male bear.

Ilka and her daughter Nuno

Ilka and Nanu, waiting for food

Ilka and Nuno

Nuno, Ilka and Nanu at feeding time

Ilka was 26 years old. She was a lovely bear, a good mother.

Ilka and her twins in 2014

Mother Ilka with Nanu and Nuno

Family

Farewell to Nuuk - Nordman

Nuuk

 We have lost dear Nuuk, who was originally named Nordman when he was born in Sweden.

Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Kolind Denmark posted yesterday that Nuuk had died sometime this winter, possibly related to a flu-like illness. He was 25, a senior bear.

Nuuk

 He will be greatly missed by his dear friend and constant companion Nanok. Except during breeding season, when Nanok was with Nuuk's twin sister Ilka, the two male bears were almost always together.

The park had some wistful parting words on the loss of Nuuk, saying that "Nuuk always had his own opinion about the course of things. The rest of the polar bear residents had great respect for Nuuk, and it was not something he needed to enforce. They moved completely by themselves when he came walking. Nuuk will definitely be missed."

Nuuk

 Long before Nuuk was born, Kolmarden Zoo in Sweden had opened in 1965.  The polar bear habitat opened in 1968, at the time one of the largest in the world with six polar bears. 

Twins Nordman and Ilka were born December 2, 1993 in Kolmarden. Their father was Imarec, and their mother was C.W., an American-born bear.

Nuuk's brother, the late Manasse, who lived in Ranua Finland, was father of Ranzo and Sisu. Nuuk was also brother to the late Yukihime of Yokohama; and Baffin who lives with daughter Momo in Hamamatsu Zoo. Through his father Imarec, Nuuk was half brother to Marissa in Italy, and the famous actress polar bear Agee in Canada.

And of course through his sister Ilka, Nuuk was uncle to Siku, Nuno and Nanu.

Nanok left, Nuuk right

 Nuuk's mother C.W. and her twin brother Elvis were born in the Memphis Zoo  in Tennessee, USA, and were brought to Europe when they were just a year old. Since Elvis had a musical name, my guess is that the initials C.W. might mean Country Western. The late Elvis became the father of the Osnabruck hybrid bears Tips and Taps. Taps still survives and lives in that same German zoo.

In 1998, 5 year old wildborn cub Huggies came from Ouwehands Zoo, Rhenen, the Netherlands, to Kolmarden. Huggies became acquainted with handsome young Nordman, as he was called at the time. The result was a beautiful cub, Freedom, born December 1, 2001,  When baby Freedom was just three months old, Huggies and the cub returned to the brand new polar bear exhibit at Ouwehands.

Nuuk's daughter Freedom and her cubs in Ouwehands

In January of 2006, 12  year old twins Nordman and Ilka moved from Kolmarden, and at the same time, four year old Nanok, born in Belgium, came from Ouwehands to Skandinavisk Dyrepark. The three were the new park's first polar bear residents, finding themselves in a spacious and natural polar bear paradise.

The bridge over the lake at Skandinavisk Dyrepark

Skandinavisk Dyrepark is unlike any other zoo. The visitors can watch the bears romp and play in huge meadows and a magnificent meandering wooden footbridge provides a close but safe vantage point to view the big furry residents as they swim in the lake.

Nanok in water, Nuuk on land

In Denmark, Nordman was renamed Nuuk. It seems that someone decided Nuuk's breeding days were over so he was neutered, maybe so the boy bears would get along better. 

Young Nanok had been brought to the park from Ouwehands as a mate for Ilka, and as a friend for Nuuk. The boys really hit it off and the relationship continued right up until Nuuk's death.

Ilka in water, Nuuk on land

 Nanok and Ilka have had three cubs, Siku, and twins Nuno (girl) and Nanu (boy). Nanu has moved to the Netherlands, but Siku and Nuno are still in the park, along with Mother Ilka, and a Russian bear named Boris, sometimes called Ivan. With the loss of Nuuk, there are five polar bears in the park.

Through his daughter Freedom, Nuuk left quite a legacy as  grandfather to Sprinter (now in Hanover), Sesi (in Mulhouse France), Taiko (in France), Akiak (in Rostock) and Sura (still in Ouwehands), and great grandfather to Miss Nanuk in Mulhouse.

Nanok

Since Nuuk's mother C.W. was born in Memphis, Nuuk was related to some of our American bears. C.W.'s half sister, born in Memphis, was Chinook, later of Salt Lake City's Hogle Zoo.  Chinook was mother of the late Aurora of Rochester, Anana currently of Cincinnati, and Kiska and Koluk of Albuquerque. Nuuk's aunt Chinook is also grandmother to Luna (Buffalo), Anoki (Rochester), Lee (Columbus), Anana (North Carolina) and Hayley (Memphis).

Nuuk's aunt Chinook was also mother of Denali, born in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City, who now lives in Japan. Denali is quite the favorite at the Sapporo Zoo and the father of eight cubs.  

It's sad to say goodbye to such a lovely bear. He had a good long life in a beautiful place, and had the companionship of his best friend all those years. He will be missed by so many, especially his pal Nanok. 

Farewell, Nuuk.