Sadness at the Como Zoo - Buzz died

Buzz plays

Today the sad news came that one of the Como Zoo twin brothers had died. At only the age of 24, Buzz's health had deteriorated to the point that he had no quality of life. I had not been expecting this news.

Buzz and the bucket

Neil and Buzz were born in the Louisville Zoo December 9, 1995, named for the first men to walk on the moon. Their parents were Skeena and Irsinaki. Their brother Ulu became the father of Berit, longtime resident of the Cincinnati Zoo. Another brother Icee already was father of Berlin and Yukon born in the Cincinnati Zoo. 

The decision was made to neuter them, so the twins could stay together year round. At that time, there were a lot more polar bears in zoos, and everyone thought their genes were well represented. 

Buzz gets into a milk carton

Thus the twins have been together all their lives. They lived in the San Diego Zoo from 1997 to 2001, then came to the Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota, where they have enjoyed nice snowy winters. In order for their enclosures to be renovated and expanded, Neil and Buzz moved to the Detroit Zoo for two years, returning to Como in 2010. While in Detroit, they especially enjoyed playing with Talini, the young daughter of circus polar bear Bärle. 

Buzz was a silly boy

Their home in Como now has a center training area, a big area to the right with live trout to catch in the pool, and another big area to the left with a swimming pool, grass and trees, and a lots of dirt piles and a trench.

Buzz on land, Neil swimming. It seemed like it was that way a lot.

Buzz and the Blue Ball

Neil in back, Buzz in front

Buzz on land

Their niece Berlin came to stay for six months in the summer of 2012 when a flash flood wrecked her home in Duluth. Buzz got along very well with the bossy old lady. Berlin is the daughter of their late older brother Icee. Berlin moved on to the Kansas City Zoo. 

Buzz greets his niece Berlin, who came to live with them for awhile after she escaped from her flooded zoo enclosure in Duluth. She was older, the daughter of their brother, so Neil and Buzz were her uncles.
Photo by my daughter, Corinna Troth

The twins also had some grizzly bears take over their right hand enclosure for a couple of years, due to a flood in Minot ND, and polar bear cubs Suka and Sakari also took over that spot for awhile. So it seemed that someone was always coming or going, with lots to do.

Play Ball, or what is left of it.

 Buzz was always the brother in charge, and Neil went along with whatever Buzz said. Buzz also seemed to be more interested in doing things, playing with toys, digging in the trenches, while Neil mostly wanted to swim. 

Buzz with yet another toy

Both brothers were involved with a revolution in medical methods, having been the second and third polar bears to be trained to put their paws into a metal sleeve for blood draws. This eliminates the need to anesthetize the bear. 

More fun toys

It will be hard for Neil with his brother gone. He always looked up to Buzz to lead the way. I am afraid he will be a little bit lost.

Buzz loved to get dirty. And now it is time for a nap. Sleep well, beautiful boy.

Farewell to beautiful Aquila

Aquila at the Detroit Zoo

It has been a time of great loss in the polar bear world. In a period of two weeks, we have said goodbye to three well-loved and iconic polar bears. Aquila was one of these iconic bears.

Es war eine Zeit großer Verlust in der Eisbär Welt. In einem Zeitraum von zwei Wochen haben wir Abschied von drei gut geliebt und ikonischen Eisbären. Aquila war einer dieser legendären Bären.

Aquila in the Detroit Zoo

 We lost 21 year old Aquila on September 9, a sudden and unexpected tragedy. He had returned to his home in the North Carolina Zoo in May, after part of the enclosure renovations were completed. and his fans were so happy to have this playful bear back home. Well known photographer Valerie Abbott was his biggest fan, and was thrilled to have Aquila back. Aquila seemed to be fine and healthy on Monday, but was found dead Tuesday morning. He died from a ruptured stomach.

Verloren wir 21-jährige Aquila am 9. September, eine plötzliche und unerwartete Tragödie. Er hatte seine Heimat in der North Carolina Zoo im Mai zurück, nachdem ein Teil des Gehäuses Renovierungsarbeiten abgeschlossen wurden. und seine Fans waren so glücklich, diesen spielerischen Bär wieder nach Hause müssen. Namhafte Fotografen Valerie Abbott war sein größter Fan, und war begeistert, Aquila wieder zu haben. Aquila schien in Ordnung zu sein und gesund am Montag, sondern tot aufgefunden wurde Dienstag Morgen. Er starb an einem geplatzten Bauch.

Aquila in the shady cave at the Detroit Zoo

I saw Aquila in the Detroit Zoo two years ago, on a sleepy summer afternoon. It was time for his nap, so I did not get very many photos of this magnificent bear. He was lazing around in the sun, not far from his good friend Bärle.  They got along well. The zoo staff thought that Aquila would be a good mate for Bärle's young daughter Talini, but Talini found this older guy intimidating, so there were no cubs.

Ich sah Aquila im Detroit Zoo, an einem verschlafenen Sommernachmittag vor zwei Jahren. Es war Zeit für seine Nickerchen, so dass ich nicht sehr viele Fotos von diesem herrlichen Bären gemacht habe. Er lag faulenzend in der Sonne , nicht weit entfernt von seiner guten Freundin Bärle. Sie kamen gut miteinander aus. Das Zoo Personal hatte gehofft, dass Aquila würde ein guter Kumpel für die junge Tochter von  Bärle -Talini - werden, aber Talini fand diese älteren Mann einschüchternd, so gab es keinen Nachwuchs.

Aquila

Aquila was one of triplets born at the Louisville Zoo in November of 1992 to parents Irsinaki (1973-2000) and Skeena (1974-2002). He and his siblings, Aurora and Arkturus, went to live at the North Carolina Zoo in 1994. Aurora died in 1999 and Arkturus died in 2002. Aquila had also spent time in the Louisville Zoo again, and in the Cleveland Zoo.

Aquila war einer von Drillinge im November 1993 im Louisville Zoo geboren, Eltern Irsinaki ( 1973-2000) und Skeena ( 1974-2002 ). Er und seine Schwester Aurora und Bruder Arkturus gingen im Jahr 1994, um im North Carolina Zoo zu leben. Aurora starb im Jahr 1999 und Arkturus starb im Jahr 2002. Aquila hat auch Zeit im Louisville Zoo verbracht  und im Cleveland Zoo.

In 2011, when the North Carolina Zoo decided to make renovations in their enclosure, Wilhelm (Willy, Willie) was moved to the Milwaukee County Zoo, and Aquila spent two years in the Detroit Zoo with another rescued circus bear, Bärle. Aquila had returned to North Carolina in May, to great fanfare. His fans had missed him, and welcomed him back with cheers. He was to live only four more months in his newly renovated home.

Im Jahr 2011, als die North Carolina Zoo Renovierungsarbeiten in ihrem Gehege machen beschlossen wurde Wilhelm ( Willy , Willie ) an den Milwaukee County Zoo zu übersiedeln  und Aquila verbrachte zwei Jahre im Detroit Zoo mit einem anderen Zirkus geretteten Bären, Bärle. Aquila kam dann nach  North Carolina im Mai zurück , zu großem Tamtam. Seine Fans hatten ihn vermisst, und begrüßte hiim wieder mit Jubel . Er war nur vier Monate in seinem neu renovierten Hause.

Aquila

Valerie remembers her wonderful bear friend, saying "Aquila OWNED his exhibit, being one of the first inhabitants at the zoo, he had been there the longest.”


She recalls, “He loved to show off by diving off his rock, he must have really enjoyed the "oohs" and "aws" that always followed. Even though he left us a couple times he was always a favorite when he returned. One of my best memories of him was from years ago when he got a pumpkin as an enrichment treat. He carried it around while swimming with it, and just dared anyone to try and take it from him. He had a funny way of tilting his head and wriggling his nose as a new aroma invaded his exhibit. He just returned in May to thrill the crowds.”
“Though the exhibit had been empty for almost two years (expansion) it never seemed so empty as when I first returned after his death." NOTE, he was the first one I used my perfume trick with. I would put on a little of my favorite so he would smell me coming. He would always give me that little nose wiggle letting me know he knew I was there,” Valerie remembers. 

Valerie erinnert sich an ihren wunderbaren Bärenfreund und sagte: "Aquila war BESESSEN  von seinem Gehege, als einer der ersten Bewohner im Zoo, hat er  die Zeit dort am  längsten verbracht."

Sie erinnert sich: "Er liebte es, das Tauchen vor seinem Felsen  vorzuführen ,und er  muss  es wirklich genossen haben die"Ohs" und "aws" , die immer folgten. Auch wenn er uns ein paar Mal verlassen  musste, so war er immer der Favorit, wenn er zurückkam. Einer meiner besten Erinnerungen an ihn war vor Jahren, als er einen Kürbis als Bereicherung zur Unterhaltung  bekam. Er trug ihn herum beim Schwimmen mit ihm, und keiner hat gewagt ,zu versuchen ihm den Kürbis wegzunehmen.  Er hatte eine lustige Art und Weise zu ki den Kopf  zubewgen und  seine Nase zu kräuseln,wenn ein neues Aroma  in das Gehege eingedrungen  war. Er war gerade  im Mai zurückgekommen um die Massen zu begeistern."

"Obwohl die Anlage seit fast zwei Jahren (Expansion) leer  stand schien es nie so leer zu sein wie  nach seinem Tod." Hinweis, er war der erste, an  dem ich mein Parfüm Trick verwendet  habe . Ich habe nur wenig von meinem Lieblingsparfum benutzt, so konnte er es und mich riechen.Und mit dem leicheten Wackeln seiner Nase gab er mir zu verstehen daß er wußte,ich bin da!" erinnert sich Valerie .

Aquila

Irsinaki and Skeena were parents of seven cubs, but now, after the death of Aquila, only Neil and Buzz survive. Neil and Buzz live in the Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota, but also spent two years at the Detroit Zoo during renovations to their Minnesota home. The only other remaining members of the family are Berlin of the Kansas City Zoo, and Berit of the Cincinnati Zoo; Aquila was their uncle. Also the children of Berlin's late brother Yukon: Lee in the Denver Zoo, Haley in the Memphis Zoo and (Lincoln Park Zoo) Anana.

Irsinaki und Skeena waren Eltern von sieben Jungen, aber jetzt, nach dem Tod von Aquila, haben nur Neil und Buzz überlebt. Neil und Buzz leben im Como Zoo in St. Paul, Minnesota, davor  auch zwei Jahre lang im  Detroit Zoo  während  der Renovierungen ihrer Anlage in  Minnesota. Die einzigen anderen übrigen Mitglieder der Familie sind Berlin  im  Kansas City Zoo und Berit  im Cincinnati Zoo;  Aquila war ihr Onkel. Auch die Kinder des verstorbenen Bruders Berliner Yukon: Lee im Denver Zoo, Haley im Memphis Zoo und (Lincoln Park Zoo) Anana.

We have also been saddened by the news of two other polar bear deaths.

Wir haben auch durch die Nachricht von zwei weiteren Eisbären Todesfälle traurig.

Gus of the Bronx Zoo was euthanized on August 28 due to deteriorating health caused by a thyroid tumor. He was born in the Toledo zoo. Gus was 27 years old, and is said to have been visited by 20 million fans.

Gus der Bronx Zoo wurde am 28. August aufgrund der sich verschlechternden Gesundheit durch eine Schilddrüsen- Tumor verursacht eingeschläfert. Er wurde in der Toledo Zoo geboren. Gus war 27 Jahre alt, und soll von 20 Millionen Fans besucht wurden.

And now we have just learned that Aquila's nephew Klondike, age 18, was found dead in his enclosure at Sea World in Florida on September 13.

Und jetzt haben wir gerade gelernt, dass Aquila Neffe Klondike, Alter 18, wurde tot in seinem Gehege im Sea World in Florida am 13. September gefunden.

We will miss you, Aquila. We will miss all the wonderful bears we have lost this year.

Wir werden dich vermissen, Aquila. Wir werden sie vermissen all die wunderbaren Bären, die wir in diesem Jahr verloren haben.

Aquila takes a nap at the Detroit Zoo