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.

Happy Birthday! Ilka's Twins are one year old!

Ilka swims with her twins

The park may be closed for the winter, but you can still watch Ilka and her unnamed Twins play at the Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Kolind, Denmark.

Der Park ist für den Winter geschlossen, aber man kann immer noch sehen wie Ilka und ihre namenlosen Zwillinge im Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Kolind, Dänemark spielen.

Ilka's cubs

The two cubs were born November 21, 2012, so they are now one year old. We don't know for sure, but I think they are a girl and a boy.

Die beiden jungen Eisbären wurden am 21. November 2012 geboren, so dass sie jetzt ein Jahr alt sind. Wir wissen es nicht noch genau, aber ich denke, sie sind ein Mädchen und ein Junge.

Two year old Siku roams around his home.

The cubs are the younger brother and sister of 2 year old Siku, who was taken away from mother Ilka when the mother failed to produce milk. This time, Ilka was given hormones to help her produce milk, and it worked! Ilka has been able to be a mother to these two.

Die Jungen sind der jüngere Bruder und Schwester von 2 Jahre alten Siku, der von der Mutter Ilka weggenommen werden mußte, da die Mutter nicht fähig war, Milch zu produzieren. Diesmal wurden Ilka Hormone verabreicht um ihr zu helfen Milch zu produzieren, und es funktionierte! Ilka konnte die beiden Eisbärjungen wie eine Mutter versorgen.

You can watch teenager Siku and his friend Smilla on the webcam daily here.

Sie können Teenager Siku und seine Freundin Smilla auf das Webcam täglich hier anschauen.

Siku webcam

Lady Smilla rests by the pond.

Siku lives at the park with an older lady bear, Smilla, and they make nice companions.

Siku lebt im Park mit einer älteren Dame Bär, Smilla, und sie kommen gut miteinander aus.

Nuuk and Nanook swimming last year in the big Glacier Lake area

Currently there are nine bears at the Skandinavisk Dyrepark, including two visitors, Milak and Malik from Aalborg Zoo. The visiting ladies are returning to Aalborg Zoo in December, when the repairs to their enclosure are complete. The other bears are the cubs' father Nanook, and Ilka's brother Nuuk.

Derzeit gibt es neun Bären im Skandinavisk Dyrepark, darunter zwei Besucher, Milak und Malik aus Aalborg Zoo. Die Damen sind zu Besuch, zurück in den Aalborg Zoo geht es wieder im Dezember, wenn die Reparaturen an ihrem Gehege vollständig sind. Die anderen Bären sind die Zwillinge's Vater Nanook und Ilka Bruder Nuuk.

Ilka swims with her children

The park is spacious, with many ponds, grassy fields, and a river. These bears have only natural toys, like sticks, to play with.

Der Park ist geräumig, mit vielen Teichen, Rasenflächen und einem Fluss. Diese Bären haben nur natürlich Spielzeug, wie Stöcke, um damit zu spielen.

Ilka with her boy cub, while the little girl stays on the log.

Cubbie finds a green apple in the water

Ilka and her cub

Cute as can be 

 During tourist season, the visitors enjoy watching feeding time. Ilka and the twins line up and sit politely while waiting for their snacks. They also enjoy apples and other food items thrown into the water.

In der touristischen Saison genießen die Besucher beobachten die moderierten Fütterung. Ilka und die Zwillinge sitzen dann nebeneinander und sind höflich beim Warten auf ihre Snacks. Sie genießen auch Äpfel und andere Lebensmittel, die ins Wasser geworfen werden.

Lining up for feeding time..

The bears have invented this ritual of lining up for their food.

The park is all grass and woodlands.

The grass is great for rolling in.

Water play with Ilka and one of her cubs.

The cubs love to wrestle

Taking a break

And more playing

Swimming with Mom

My theory - the boy cub in back, the girl cub in front

Diving for apples

The cubs are happy little ones

The park is also home to four devilish Brown Bear cubs and their mom.

The Brown Bear cubs are not always well behaved

Park Director Frank Vigh-Larsen, who raised Siku and supervises the park, has been named Everyday Hero in the animal lover category for the Animal Protection League in Denmark. Congratulations! Here he is in his little cart, seeing to the needs of the animals. 

Park-Direktor Frank Vigh-Larsen, der Siku von Hand aufzog und den Park leitet und überwacht, wurde in der Tierfreund Kategorie für die Tierschutzliga in Dänemark zum "Helden des Tages" ernannt. Herzlichen Glückwunsch! Hier ist er in seinem kleinen Wagen, auf die Bedürfnisse der Tiere im Park zu achten.

Frank, who is in charge of the park and raised Siku, tends to the animals

You can watch Ilka and the twins on the webcam daily here.

Sie könnnen Ilka und die Zwillinge auf der Webcam täglich hier ansehen.

Ilka and twins webcam

The end