New polar bear cubs of 20/21

The Russian twins - photo by Gelendzhik Safari Park

Today, February 27, 2021, is International Polar Bear Day. It's a great time to take a look at the cubs born this past winter in zoos, since they most likely have all been announced by now. We are celebrating the arrival of nine little ones, including two sets of twins. Three of the new cubs are being raised by keepers.

Almost all the births are to first time mothers. Sesi has successfully raised one cub before, and Suka had given birth several times, but the cubs died within days. The other new moms,  Shilka, Yuki, Ewa and Kometa, now each have their first cub to raise. Seryozhka in Russia is letting the keepers do the mothering job for her twins. 

In Russia, there are three polar bear cubs, including the twins being raised by keepers. One of the fathers, Aion was born in the wilderness. The mother of the twins, Seryozhka, was also a wild orphan, so these are especially welcome fresh genes.

In Japan, two zoos each welcome a cub. This is the first time in a several years since Japan has had cubs, maybe since Lira was born in 2014. 

In Europe, we have one cub in Sweden and another in France.

The only cubs born in the U.S. this year are in Detroit, twins with one being raised by keepers.

Two of the new mothers are rather senior to be having a first cub. Ewa in Sweden has just turned 15 years old. And Yuki in Japan has just turned 21 years old.  

Detroit - November 17

It's twins for 8 year old Suka and 16 year old Nuka in the Arctic Ring of Life in the Detroit Zoo, born November 17, 2020.

Suka is taking good care of one cub, and the other, a girl, is being raised by keepers. When the cubs were a few days old, the keepers, who were watching by den-cam, noticed that one of the cubs was weaker and having trouble, so they separated the family, and swooped in to rescue the little girl. She is doing well, according to reports and photos. The gender of the other cub, still with Mother Suka, is not known. 

Suka and her twin brother Sakari are offspring of Marty and Belgium-born Crystal of the Toledo Zoo. Suka is from the dominant polar bear family in U.S. zoos.

Nuka and his twin brother Koda were born in the Denver Zoo. Their parents were Voda and Kavek. Nuka's genes are rare. He is one of only three male bears alive who have produced cubs in the U.S. zoos, the other two being Suka's father Marty, and Lee.

Suka had given birth the past two years, but the cubs did not live more than a few days. This time, both cubs are doing great. 

Here's Suka's daughter, who is being raised by keepers. Photo by Detroit Zoological Society

Mulhouse, France - November 22

A daughter was born November 22, 2020, to 10 year old Sesi and  10 year old Vicks in Mulhouse France. It was announced this week that her name is Kara.

Vicks and Sesi are already parents of a 4 year old daughter Nanuq, who now lives in Munich. Sesi's great grandmother CW was born in Memphis Tennessee. Vick's grandfather Omaha was born at the Henry Doorly Zoo in Nebraska.

Baby Kara and her mother Sesi in Mulhouse, France,
on Kara's first outing this week. Photo published by Mulhouse Zoo.

Osaka, Japan - November 25

November 25, Tennoji Zoo in Osaka, twins were born, with one surviving. Parents are 16 year old Gogo and 7 year old Shilka (Icchan). This is Shilka's first cub. Gogo is the father of six year old Momo (Peach), now in Hamamatsu, Japan.

Shilka was born in Novosibirsk, Russia, the daughter of Gerda and Krassin. Gerda is the daughter of famous Moscow couple Simona and Vrangel. Their other children include Flocke's mother Vera, as well as Milana, Zefirka, Wolodja, and Nord. 

Gogo was born in Perm, to parents Anderma and Yukon. 

Gelendzhik Russia - late November

In late November, twins were born in Gelendzhik Safari Park in Russia, and are being raised by four keepers, all women. The father is 18 year old Commander Sedov, son of Uslada and Menshikov of St. Petersburg. These are his first cubs. The mother is 7 year old Seryozhka (Seleska), who was an orphaned cub herself.

Seleska gave birth outside the den, then went back inside, abandoning the newborns and showing no interest in taking care of them. The keepers took over, and cared for the twins, a girl and a boy. The twins were introduced to the public this week, as the keepers supervised their play inside a glass enclosure, with the cubs' parents looking in from one direction, and the adoring public from the other side.  

The twins in a holiday pose - photo by Gelendzhik Safari Park

Orsa Sweden - December 13

A long awaited birth in Orsa Bear Park in Sweden came on December 3, when 15 year old Ewa brought forth her first cub, fathered by 13 year old Wilbär.

Ewa is one of Huggies and Victor's triplets, born in 2005 in Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands. The other two triplets are Henk, who has fathered three sets of twins in Nuenen, the Netherlands, and Jelle, who is the father of two cubs in St. Felicien in Canada, with two different mothers.   

Wilbär is the only cub from the union of the famous couple from Stuttgart, Germany: Anton and Corinna. 

Akita Japan - December 26

On December 26,  21 year old Yuki and 17 year old Gota produced a cub in Oga Aquarium, Akita Japan. This is a first cub for Yuki. Gota is the father of Milk, born in 2012.

Yuki was born in Palic, Serbia, to father Bjorn-Heinrich and Mother Simba. Bjorn-Heinrich's parents were Aika and Gorki of Tierpark Berlin, which makes Yuki's father the brother of Eric (father of all of Olinka's cubs, and also Felix, father of Flocke, Gregor and Aleut, Charlotte, and Milak). 

Gota is the son of famous Moscow polar bear parents Murma and Untai, which makes him the brother of Rasputin, Kap, Boris/Ivan, Tonja and others. 

Rostov-on-Don Russia - December 27

8 year old Kometa and 11 year old Aion became parents on December 27, 2020 at Rostov-on-Don in Russia. It is a first cub for both of them.

Aion was born in the wilderness on the Chukchi Sea, found as a young cub near the village of Aion and taken to the Moscow Zoo.

Kometa and her twin brother Nanuq were born in Zoo Brno in the Czech Republic to parents Cora and Umka. Nanuq is in  Ukraine and has a daughter. Kometa's mother Cora is daughter of Uslada and Menshikov of St. Petersburg.

We have lost Anton much too soon

Anton

The cuddly white giant Anton is gone from us. He was a friendly, playful and very popular bear at Wilhelma Zoo in Stuttgart, Germany. He leaves behind a grieving widow, Corinna, who will miss him so much.

Der kuschelige weiße Riese Anton ist von uns gegangen. Er war ein freundlicher, verspielter und sehr beliebte Bär im Zoo Wilhelma in Stuttgart, Deutschland. Er hinterlässt eine trauernde Witwe, Corrina, der ihn so sehr vermissen wird.

Anton was a large magestic bear

One of the great polar bear love stories of all time has just ended with Anton's death over the weekend. Anton and Corinna have been together at Stuttgart since 1990, practically their whole lives.

Einer der großen Eisbären Liebesgeschichten aller Zeiten hat gerade mit dem Tod von Anton über das Wochenende geendet. Anton und Corinna haben zusammen in Stuttgart seit 1990, praktisch ihr ganzes Leben.

Anton

Anton was the father of Wilbär, who now lives in Orsa Bear Park in Sweden.

Anton war der Vater von Wilbär, dieser lebt heute im Orsa Bärenpark in Schweden.

Anton

Anton, only 25 years old, didn't have to die, but someone was careless or intentionally threw a bag or backpack into the enclosure. Although Anton was usually not one to eat things thrown into the enclosure, this time Anton ate whatever it was. He had been acting unwell for several days,  and died on Sunday of internal inflammation, in spite of the great efforts of his caretakers to save him.

Anton, nur 25 Jahre alt, sollte so nicht sterben, aber jemand war unvorsichtig oder warf absichtlich eine Tasche oder Rucksack in das Gehege. Obwohl Anton war in der Regel kein Bär, der Dinge, die ins Gehege geworfen wurden dann fraß, diesmal aber fraß Anton, was auch immer es war. Er war auffällig mehrere Tage krank und starb am Sonntag an internen Entzündung, trotz der großen Bemühungen seiner Tierpfleger, um ihn zu retten.

Anton

Such carelessness by visitors has caused the deaths of other polar bears. 14 year old Andy died in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City in 2003 when he ate a glove that had an elastic cuff. Andy was the father of Anana of the Brookfield Zoo, and grandfather of cub Luna of the Buffalo Zoo. Andy was also the father of Kiska and Koluk, now in Albuquerque.

Solche Fahrlässigkeit von Besuchern hat den Tod von anderen Eisbären verursacht.Der 14-jährige Andy starb im Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City im Jahr 2003, als er einen Handschuh, der eine elastische Manschette hatte fraß. Andy war der Vater von Anana aus dem Brookfield- Zoo, und Großvater von Baby Luna vom Buffalo Zoo. Andy war auch der Vater von Kiska und Koluk, jetzt in Albuquerque.

Andy's mother Becky died in 2007 at the Buffalo Zoo from eating something thrown into the enclosure. This was only a few months after polar bear Kelly died, also in Buffalo, from eating foreign objects. Later in 2007, seven year old Kinepak, also died at the Buffalo Zoo, and it was suspected he died from eating a garbage bag. Kinepak was the offspring of Aussie and Arki. The barriers in the old Buffalo enclosure were low.

Andys Mutter Becky starb 2007 im Zoo von Buffalo nach dem Fressen von etwas,das ins Gehege geworfen wurde. Dies war nur ein paar Monate nachdem Eisbär Kelly starb, auch in Buffalo, vom Fressen unbekannter Fremdkörper. Später im Jahr 2007, der sieben Jahre alten Kinepak, starb auch im Buffalo Zoo, und es wurde vermutet, er vom Fressen eines Müllsack starb. Kinepak war der Nachkommen von Aussie und Arki. Die Barrieren in der alten Buffalo-Gehäuse waren niedrig.

And how many other bears have died because of items carelessly thrown into the enclosure?

Und wie viele andere Bären, von Gegenständenl achtlos in das Gehege geworfen sind noch verstorben?

The glass walls are topped
 with electrical wires at Wilhelma

The glass barrier at Wilhelma is very high, and things could not be accidentally dropped. And yet the keepers have taken many pairs of shoes and other objects out over the years.

Die Glasbarrierein der Wilhelma ist sehr hoch, und es kann nicht versehentlich geschehen sein. Und doch haben die Pfleger viele Paar Schuhe und andere Gegenstände im Laufe der Jahre gefunden.

The glass barriers are very high

Is the only solution to have a barrier so high that people can't reach the top? To have the enclosure totally blocked off?

Ist die einzige Lösung, eine Barriere so hoch zu machen, dass die Menschen da oben nichts mehr rüber werfen können? Um das Gehege komplett abzusperren?

At the top of the left hand enclosure, the glass walls are also very high.

Anton, as a little cub, got off to a rocky start. He was born at nearby Karlsruhe Zoo in 1989, during a time of intense polar bear breeding. Many cubs were born every year at Karlsruhe, and the cubs were taken away from their mothers so the zoo could have cubs the next year. Anton was sickly, while his half-sister Antonio was very bold and healthy. As time went by, Anton recovered, and grew into a huge bear. Antonio was a dwarf bear, and she did not grow. She now lives in Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in her own enclosure.

Anton, als ein kleines Junges, hatte einen schwierigen Start. Er wurde in der Nähe im Karlsruhe Zoo im Jahr 1989 in einer Zeit der intensiven Eisbärenzucht geboren. Viele Jungtiere wurden jedes Jahr geboren in Karlsruhe, und die Jungen wurden von ihren Müttern getrennt, so konnte der Zoo wieder Jungtiere haben im nächsten Jahr. Anton war kränklich, während seine Halbschwester Antonio war gut genährt und gesund. Im Laufe der Zeit, Anton erholte sich und wuchs zu einem riesigen Bären. Antonio war ein Zwerg Bär, und sie wollte auch nicht mehr wachsen. Sie lebt jetzt in Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in ihrem eigenen Gehege.

Anton's half sister Antonia

I have visited Anton twice, and was always impressed with what a handsome bear he was. Corinna adored her husband, and in the afternoon, she would settle down next to him and wash his ear. Anton and Corinna were famous for this ritual. They were absolutely devoted to each other.

Ich habe Anton zweimal besucht, und war immer beeindruckt, was er für ein schöner Bär war. Corinna verehrt ihren Mann, und am Nachmittag lag sie neben ihm und putzte ihm sein Ohr. Anton und Corinna waren für dieses Ritual berühmt. Sie waren eng miteinander verbunden.

The afternoon ear-licking

When cub Wilbär was born in December 2007, Anton and Corinna had to be separated. Anton pined away for his love, so close and yet so far. The keepers had to whitewash the window between the enclosures so he couldn't see her, but still he pined away. Finally, Wilbär was sent to Sweden, and the parents were reunited.

Als Baby Wilbär im Dezember 2007 geboren war, mußten Anton und Corinna getrennt werden. Anton schmachtete nach seiner Liebe, so nah und doch so fern. Die Pfleger hatten das Fenster zwischen den Gehegen übertüncht und so konnte er sie nicht sehen, aber dennoch sehnte er sich nach ihr. Schließlich wurde Wilbär nach Schweden geschickt, und die Eltern waren wieder vereint.

Anton enjoyed the loving ritual

People would come to the zoo just to see Corinna lick Anton's ears

The popular blue barrel toy

Corinna and Anton

Relaxing around the house

More ear licking

I have never seen a more devoted bear couple. It will be hard for Corinna to move on with her life, now that Anton is gone. 

Ich habe noch nie eine hingebungsvolle Bären Paar gesehen. Es wird schwer sein für Corinna mit ihrem Leben weiter zu machen, jetzt, wo Anton für immer fort ist. 

  

Naptime for lovers