Talini - the Ice Princess of Detroit

Talini – die Eis-Prinzessin aus Detroit

Talini has found a prize, and is enjoying it

Talini is a princess, and she doesn't like to share.

Talini ist eine Prinzessin, und sie mag es nicht zu teilen.

Talini, above, and Nuka, below. Nuka is much larger than tiny Talini, but she is the boss

Since there are only two polar bears at the Detroit Zoo since Talini's mother Bärle died, Talini and Nuka have had the run of the place. They have had over four acres in which to nap, stroll, dig, run, and nap some more in the Arctic Ring of Life. The largest polar bear exhibit in North America, it was built with two large areas for the polar bears: grassy tundra and frozen pack ice.

Nun gibt es nur noch zwei Eisbären im Detroit Zoo seit Talinis Mutter Bärle starb. Somit haben Talini und Nuka das ganze Gehege für sich allein. Sie haben über vier Hektar, in denen sie schlafen, spazieren gehen, graben, laufen können, und einige Nickerchen machen im Arktis Ring, es gibt Grasbewachsenen Tundra und gefrorenes Packeis. Es ist die größte Eisbären Anlage in Nordamerika, sie wurde mit zwei großen Bereichen nur für die Eisbären gebaut.

Nuka wants a drink of water

When the Detroit Zoo decided to do repairs to the Grizzly Bear habitats earlier this summer, the three young rascal bears moved to an older stone exhibit, but the two elderly Grizzly bears were relocated to the grassy tundra of the Arctic Ring of Life, and the polar bears had to stay in the frozen pack ice and pool area.

Als der Detroit Zoo beschlossen, Reparaturen an den Grizzly Bear Anlagen auszuführen - früher in diesem Sommer, zogen die drei jungen wildenBären zu einer älteren Anlage mit Steinen, aber die beiden älteren Grizzly Bären wurden in den grasbewachsenen Tundra der Arktis Ring des Lebensverlagert, und die Eisbären mussten im Packeis und Pool-Bereich verbleiben.

A sign explains why there are temporarily Grizzly Bears in the Arctic Ring

The Grizzly bears, Kintla and Lakota, thought they were in heaven. They loved the grassy slopes filled with wildflowers, and roamed to their hearts' content.

Die Grizzly Bären, Kintla und Lakota, dachten sie sindim Himmel. Sie liebten die Grashänge mit Wildblumen, und durchstreiften die Gegend nach Herzenslust.

The Grizzly Bears loved being in the Grassy area

One of the Grizzly Bears patrols the perimeter.
Lakota and Kintla were rescued as orphaned cubs, and have spent most of their lives at the Detroit Zoo . The Detroit Zoo has young triplet Grizzly Bears, also rescued, and now just one elderly Grizzly, since Lakota died in July.

Talini, on the other hand, did not like the new neighbors. She did not like having intruders in right next door. She could smell them, and she could see them when she walked the dividing line. She did not care that they were only temporary. The princess was upset.

Talini, auf der anderen Seite der Anlage konnte die neuen Nachbarn nicht leiden. Sie mochte es nicht, die Eindringlinge gleich nebenan zu haben. Sie konnte sie riechen, und sie sehen, wenn sie an die Trennlinie gingen. Es kümmerte sie nicht, dass sie nur vorübergehend dort bleiben würden. Die Prinzessin war außer sich.

Talini pacing the edge of her half of the Arctic Ring.

The late Barle's favorite spot in the grassy area

Talini is the daughter of the retired circus bear Bärle, who was rescued in 2002, along with six other bears, from a horrible life in a Mexican circus. Bärle enjoyed 10 years of a much happier life at the Detroit Zoo. She even gave birth to a beautiful cub, Talini, in 2002, and was a good mother. Bärle died in July of 2012. Talini's father Triton died very young at the Indianapolis Zoo.

Talini ist die Tochter der verstorbenen Zirkusbärin Bärle, die im Jahr 2002 aus einem mexikanischenZirkus gerettet wurde, zusammen mit sechs anderen Bären, von einem schrecklichen Leben dort endlich befreit. Bärle genossen 10 Jahren ein sehr glücklicheres Leben im Detroit Zoo. Siebekam auch Nachwuchs, ein schönes Jungtier namens Talini, das war im Jahr 2002 und Bärle war eine gute Mutter. Bärle starb im Juli 2012. Talini's Vater Triton verstarb sehr jung im Zoo von Indianapolis.

Talini kept a close watch on the new neighbors

Talini has had some older male bears in her life. She really did like Neil and Buzz, twin brothers visiting from the Como Zoo in St. Paul, but they are not breeding bears. She liked them as playmates very much.

Talini hat einige ältere männliche Bären in ihrem Leben kennen gelernt. Sie sehr gut mit Neil und Buzz zurecht, Zwillingsbrüder zu Besuch aus dem Como Zoo in St. Paul, aber sie sind nicht die Zuchtbären. Sie mochte sie als Spielkameraden zu haben.

Talini

Talini was matched with two other older male bears, but she did not like them. Lee moved to the Denver Zoo, where he is lives with Nuka's older sister Cranbeary. Then the late Aquila, who was visiting Detroit while his home at the North Carolina Zoo was being renovated, was too domineering for Talini, and she wanted nothing to do with him.

Talini wurde mit zwei anderen älteren männlichen Bären zusammen gebracht, aber sie nicht mochte sie. Lee zog um in den Zoo von Denver, wo er lebt mit Nuka lebt, die ältere Schwester von Cranbeary. Dann kam der nun verstorbene Aquila, der zu Besuch war in Detroit, während seine Anlage im North Carolina Zoo renoviert wurde, er war zu dominant für Talini, und sie wollte nichts mit ihm zu tun haben.

Talini finds a piece of meat hidden by the keepers

Hidden food is part of the enrichment for the animals

Talini is not going to share

Talini now has a companion, Nuka, who is the same age. Nuka is the son of Voda and Kavek, and he is the twin brother of Koda of the Pittsburgh Zoo. Talini and Nuka get along very well. Nuka understands that Talini is the boss.

Talini hat jetzt einen Begleiter, Nuka, der im gleichen Alter ist. Nuka ist der Sohn von Voda und Kavek, und er ist der Zwillingsbruder von Koda aus dem Pittsburgh Zoo. Talini und Nuka verstehen sich sehr gut. Nuka versteht, dass Talini der Chef ist.

Nuka

Whatever am I going to do with her? Nuka seems to say

The keepers had been concerned that Talini not be too stressed because they hope she will have cubs this winter. Talini and Nuka were mating this past spring, so it is a possibility.

Die Pfleger hatten auch dafür gesorgt, dass Talini keine Aufregung und wenig Stress bekommt, weil sie hofften, dass sie Jungtiere haben würde in diesem Winter. Bei Talini und Nuka wurden Paarung im vergangenen Frühjahr beobachtet, so ist es eine Möglichkeitgibt.

Nuka

Nuka

Lakota, the 28 year old Grizzly bear, died shortly after my visit in July. He broke his ankle and had to be put to sleep. There is just 29 year old Kintla now. Kintla moved back to her old habitat in mid July and left the Arctic Ring to Talini and Nuka.

Lakota, der 28-jährige Grizzly Bär, starb kurz nach meinem Besuch im Juli. Er brach sich den Knöchel und musste eingeschläfert werden. Es ist nur 29 Jahre alt. Kintla ist nun allein und zog zurück zu ihrem alten Gehege Mitte Juli und verließ den Arctic Ring von Talini und Nuka.

An overhead view of The Arctic Ring at the Detroit Zoo.
 The polar bears share the area with seals and Arctic Foxes

Now the Princess Talini has her entire kingdom back. She must be happy about that.

Nun ist die Prinzessin Talini froh, sie hat ihr ganzes Reich zurück. Sie muss glücklich darüber sein.

Talini was taught to swim and "hunt" seals by her mother

The Arctic Ring has a wonderful viewing tunnel

Talini cools off on a hot July day

Talini

Talini

You can read more about Talini's remarkable mother Bärle in Elsie Paulsen's new book, “Bärle's Story: One Polar Bear's Amazing Recovery from Life as a Circus Act.”

Sie können mehr über Talinis bemerkenswerte Mutter Bärle in Elsie Paulsen neues Buch zu lesen, “Bärle die Story: Ein Eisbär ist erstaunlich, Erholung von Leben als Zirkusnummer.”

The late Bärle in one of her favorite spots in the Grassy Tundra

Farewell, gentle Bärle

Bärle 

Circus bear Bärle did get her fairytale ending. And now she is at peace.

 After 17 years of being confined to a tiny dirty cage and being forced to perform tricks in a traveling Puerto Rican circus, she was rescued ten years ago and given the gift of spending happier days in a beautiful setting in the Detroit Zoo's Arctic Ring of Life area. She enjoyed the company of other bears, was given proper food, and ventured out onto real green green grass. Even more miraculously, she experienced the joys of motherhood with her darling cub Talini, now age 7. She enjoyed the affection of her many fans, zoo docents and caretakers.

Bärle enjoyed her final years in the Detroit Zoo

The former circus star's story came to an end yesterday, July 18, 2012, when Detroit Zoo vets found that Bärle had terminal cancer, and they made the decision to end her suffering. She had been acting poorly for about five days, even refusing to eat her favorite meal of sweet potatoes and chicken.

Bärle in July 2009, roaming around the lush vegetation in the green area of the Arctic Ring of Life,
 which is North America's largest polar bear exhibit

Bärle had been captured in Manitoba as a cub, and grew up in a small cage in the Suarez Brothers Circus. She and a number of other polar bears were rescued in November of 2002, including the famous Willie, now living at the Milwaukee County Zoo while his home in Asheboro NC is being upgraded and expanded. Willie is also an older bear, in his late 20s. With the loss of Bärle, Willie is the last of the rescued circus bears still alive.

When she arrived in Detroit back in 2002, Bärle was small and her muscles were not well developed, due to lack of exercise and poor diet. The Detroit Zookeepers had to teach her to swim at age 17. She was pear shaped from inactivity, so she had to get used to having room to move around. She gained weight quickly, and learned to be a polar bear. On November 22, 2004, Bärle gave birth to Talini, fathered by Triton, who died in 2008. Zoo staffers were hoping that she would have another cub with Lee, but that did not come to pass.

Bärle playing in the wildflowers in August, 2011

Bärle enjoys a summer afternoon in nature

Bärle

My last vision of Bärle was a happy one, as she napped among the wildflowers on a lovely summer afternoon last August. She was a gentle spirit among bears, and she will be greatly missed.

Sweet Dreams,  Bärle

Tundra - still young at age 25

Tundra, the 25 year old lady polar bear at the Indianapolis Zoo, may be alone, but she is not lonely. This gorgeous bear looks a lot younger than her years, and is popular with the photographers in the crowds who gather around her lovely home.

Tundra and her pretty smile

Her fur is thick and fluffy, and she certainly doesn't look like a senior citizen. She is also quite playful and active, much to the delight of all her visitors. She likes to sit on the rock ledge in the water, put her mouth just under the surface of the water, and blow bubbles.

Tundra likes to blow bubbles

Tundra was born at the San Diego Zoo on November 15, 1986, the daughter of longtime San Diego Zoo residents, the very popular couple Bonnie and Caspar. I can't find any record of Bonnie having more cubs after Tundra, even though Bonnie lived until 2001. Caspar died in 1996. In fact the San Diego Zoo hasn't had a cub born since the late 80s.

Tundra came to the Indianapolis Zoo on May 9, 1988, at the age of 17 months.

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Tundra charms her young visitors with a shake

Tundra makes some faces

I don't know about Tundra's companions at the zoo during those early years, but there were two bears with her in recent years.

Young Triton, son of Norton and Trixie, was born at the Roger Williams Zoo in Providence RI, and came from the Detroit Zoo in 2004, but sadly died of a twisted colon on April 11, 2008 at the age of 11. Incidentally, Triton was the father of Talini, born in 2005 in the Detroit Zoo. Talini's mother is Barle, who was rescued from a Mexican circus.

Tahtsa, a petite little old lady polar bear, came to the Indianapolis Zoo in October of 2006. Tahtsa was born in the Denver Zoo November 20, 1974, but spent most of her life in the Louisville Zoo. When Tahtsa died on August 12, 2009, she was said to be the oldest polar bear in captivity or in the wild, just a few months short of her 35^th birthday. The two lady bears were always kept separate, however, and were never out at the same time.

Tundra strolls by the waterfall in her home

The underwater viewing area is on the right.

Tundra has the whole place to herself these days

The habitat has a lovely waterfall, and a nice swimming area with an underwater viewing window so everyone can enjoy watching Tundra swim and dive and blow bubbles.

Tundra entertains

So Tundra is now the only polar bear in Indianapolis, but she seems happy enough, and she looks fabulous.

Friendly Tundra

Beautiful Tundra

Happy Tundra!