Queen Nan is the oldest polar bear in the USA

Nan (and friend) in the Toledo Zoo, 2014

 Nanuyaak is her official name, but we all just call her Nan. At age 30, Nan is the oldest polar bear in the US zoo system. She started off life in the wilds of Alaska, and was rescued as an orphan on May 1, 1995, spending a few days in the Alaska Zoo.

Nan in Como Zoo - just weeks ago.

The little orphan girl Nan lived and grew up for six years in the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington. In 1996 two more orphans, from Churchill in Canada, arrived in Tacoma. The boys Blizzard and Glacier were a year younger than Nan. I imagine that Nan, Blizzard and Glacier were playmates, since they were close in age.

Nan, Neil and young Kulu at Como Zoo

Point Defiance has been home to a good number of polar bears over the years. Blizzard and Glacier remained at Point Defiance until they died, Glacier in 2015, and Blizzard in 2023. 

Nan moved in 2001 to Toledo to join young Crystal at the brand new Arctic Encounter. Crystal had arrived from Belgium the year before. A young male named Marty had arrived in Toledo from Brookfield Zoo in 1999. Marty was two years younger than Nan. This trio of young bears started a tradition of having polar bear cubs in Toledo. 

Marty and Nan in Toledo 2014

In the fall of 2006, both lady bears gave birth to Marty's cubs. Nan had a son Nikita born November 21, and Crystal gave birth to twin daughters, Aurora and Anana, on November 25. 

Nan and Marty in Toledo 2014

Things were fine while the moms were in their maternity dens, but when the cubs were old enough to make their debuts, things got crowded, with rotating the two young families, and also Marty, through the one public enclosure. They do have separate enclosures in the back, but it was thought best that Marty should leave for awhile, moving to Pittsburgh for over a year. Then in a swap at the end of 2008 Marty returned to Toledo, and twins Aurora and Anana moved to Pittsburgh, where they stayed for a year until their brand new home in Columbus was ready. 

Nikita stayed in Toledo until he was a little over three years old, then moved to the Kansas City Zoo. Later he moved to the North Carolina Zoo, and is now in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City with Crystal's granddaughter Neva.

While Marty and Crystal went on to have more cubs, Nikita was Nan's only offspring.

Nan on rock, and her friend Crystal, in Toledo - 2015. 

Nan stayed in Toledo until 2017, when she moved to Brookfield Zoo in Chicago, to be companion to Marty's brother Hudson. In 2021, Nan moved to Como Zoo in St. Paul, where old Neil was alone after the death of his twin brother Buzz in August of 2020.

Kulu, Nan and Neil in the center area at Como Zoo 2022.

Nan has settled in well at Como, and it has done Neil a world of good to have her as a companion. 

Neil and Nan enjoy lettuce and snacks - 2022 at Como Zoo.

Nan on the left, and Neil - July 2025

Neil, Nan and Kulu at Como Zoo in 2022.

In 2022, young Kulu arrived from Columbus. Kulu was two years old, the son of Crystal's daughter Aurora. It was likw the story of "The Three Bears," and everything was just right for Grandpa Neil, Grandma Nan and young Kulu. 

Nan and Kulu in 2022 at Como Zoo

Nan watches as Kulu and Neil play in the water in 2022

In those days, Neil played with Kulu quite a bit then, but has slowed down in the past couple of years, and now Nan is the primary playmate for Kulu.

Kulu tries to boss Nan. It doesn't work. Nan is in charge.

This year the Como Zoo planted a field of wildflowers in one of the enclosures, to make a gorgeous natural habitat for the polar bears, and they love it. 

Again, Kulu tries to challenge Nan, in the wildflowers.
 She doesn't back down and Kulu runs away.

The happy bear family in the wildflowers at Como. 

Currently, the oldest polar bear in a zoo worldwide is Antonia, who is a dwarf polar bear, something unique in all the world. Antonia is 35 years old and lives in Gelsenkirchen ZOOM in Germany. She was born in Karlsruhe of normal sized parents. 

Antonia of Gelsenkirchen ZOOM is 35 years of age.

Nan is quite active, and has no problem climbing up the polar bear shaped Pride Rock, chasing young Kulu when he gets out of line, and roaming in the meadow. Sometimes she swims with Kulu too.

Kulu and Nan have a swim.

And swim some more.

30 year old Nan on Pride Rock at Como Zoo.

As for the other older bears in the US, Nan's companion Neil is the oldest male in the US and actually in the world, born December 9, 1995, in Louisville, and at 29 years old, is the same age as wildborn female Chinook in San Diego (birthday unknown). Female Snowflake of the Pittsburgh Zoo is a few weeks older than Neil at 29. Snowflake was born November 28, 1995, in Buffalo.

Male Kiska of ABQ Biopark, is 28 years old. He and his late twin brother Koluk were born November 19, 1996, in Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City.  Anoki of the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY was born November 20, 1996 so is 28 years old, one day younger than Kiska.

Nan and Neil

Neil and Nan, happy in their senior citizens home at Como,

Adieu to Snow Lilly

 

Snow Lilly in her element.

Snow Lilly's many friends and fans are in mourning the loss of this very special older bear. She was known for her basketball skills, juggling a bright ball above water, and dribbling a ball on the floor of her pool. She was quite  advanced in years, the oldest polar bear in North America, second in age only to Katjuscha of the Berlin Zoo by just a few weeks, but she had kept up her activities, and seemed to be living her best life, right up to the end.  

Snow Lily goes for the win.

Snow Lilly has finished her last ball game. She died on Friday, September 24. 

Snow Lilly

Snow Lilly was born December 5, 1984 in the Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester, to Penny and Nicklee. She lived in the New York Bronx Zoo from 1985 to 2005. Her older sister Coldilocks died in 2019 at the age of 37.

Snow Lilly watching the sea lions get their fish. She wanted some too.

Her mate was the late Blizzard, brother of the late Little One of the Cincinnati Zoo. In 1991 Snow Lilly gave birth to a boy cub, Tundra, in the Bronx Zoo. Tundra died in 2017, after living his whole life in the Bronx Zoo.

Lots of ball action when Snow Lilly was around.

Snow Lilly moved from New York to the Milwaukee County Zoo in 2005, where she lived with Zero, who had been born there in 1989, and then with rescued circus bear Wilhelm. I visited in 2013, and first saw Snow Lilly on her own during the morning.  She went in, and Wilhelm appeared for the afternoon shift. Snow Lilly wanted to have her own space, so the bears took turns.

Snow Lilly

Snow Lilly was a bear who knew how to have fun, especially with a ball. Her keepers gave her lavish birthday parties with special treats, her favorite was crab legs, and she delighted in opening her presents. 

Snow Lilly at her 36th birthday party, opening gifts.
 Photo courtesy of Michelle Rippey

Snow Lilly loved her balls.

Snow Lilly had many fans, and will be greatly missed. There are now no polar bears in the Milwaukee County Zoo. The end of an era. 

Snow Lilly surveying her kingdom back in 2013.

Farewell, lovely lady.

A fond farewell to Fanny

Ein Lebewohl an Fanny

Fanny at Gelsenkirchen Zoom in 2011. She died September 13, 2014

The world's oldest polar bear, Fanny, died just a little more than two weeks week after I visited her at Gelsenkirchen Zoom in Germany. She would have been 36 years old this November.

Der weltweit älteste Eisbär, Fanny, starb nur ein wenig mehr als  zwei Wochen, nachdem ich besuchte sie im Gelsenkirchen Zoom in Deutschland. Sie wäre 36 Jahre altin diesem November 2014 geworden. 

Fanny naps in the little enclosure built for Antonia

She had been moved to the small enclosure built for the dwarf polar bear Antonia, and Antonia was given the spacious lakeside enclosure. The keepers wanted to be able to monitor Fanny closely, and because her teeth were worn out, they fed her polar bear soup.

Sie war zu dem kleinen Gehege verlegt,welches für die Zwergenüchsige Eisbärin Antonia gebaut wurde, und Antonia wurde das geräumige Gehege am See gegeben. Die Pfleger wollten in der Lage sein, Fanny genau zu beobachten, und weil ihre Zähne so abgenutzt waren, gab man der Eisbärin Suppe um sie zu füttern.

Fanny in 2011

While I was there, Fanny mostly napped. She did lift her head a couple of times, and yawned once, then back to sleep. I knew she would not be with us much longer.

Während ich dort war, hat Fanny meistens geruht. Sie tat den Kopf anheben, ein paar Mal, und gähnte einmal, um dann wieder zu schlafen. Ich vermutete schon, siewürde nicht mehr viel länger bei uns sein.

Fanny in 2014. She woke up for a few minutes, yawned and went back to sleep

Fanny in 2011

I visited her in 2011, when she was still living with the legendary American polar bear Elvis, and she was somewhat more active, but still seemed to be slowing down. They made a nice elderly couple.

Ich besuchte sie im Jahr 2011, als sie noch mit dem legendären amerikanischen Eisbär Elvis lebte, und sie etwas aktiver war, aber auch dann schien sie sich langsamer zu bewegen. Sie waren wie ein nettes, älteres Ehepaar. 

Elvis in 2011

 When Elvis died in June of 2013, Fanny continued on and didn't seem to mind that she was alone.

Als Elvis starb im Juni 2013, machte Fanny weiter und es schien sie nicht zu stören, dass sie nun allein war.

Fanny in 2011

She was born November 22, 1978, in the Cologne Zoo. Her parents were brother and sister. Theo II and Helga.

Sie wurde am 22. November 1978 geboren, im Kölner Zoo. Ihre Eltern waren Bruder und Schwester. Theo II und Helga.  

She lived in Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg from 1981 to 2008, where she lived with Theo III, who was the brother of her father.

Sie lebte in Hagenbecks Tierpark in Hamburg von 1981 bis 2008, wo sie mit Theo III, welcher der Bruder von ihrem Vater war lebte. 

Fanny in 2014, a few weeks before her death

This pair had two cubs. Charly was born in 1995, and went to live in America in Seaworld San Diego. He died two years ago.

Dieses Paar hatte zwei Jungen. Charly wurde im Jahr 1995 geboren und ging nach Amerika, um in der Seaworld San Diego zu leben. Er verstarb vor zwei Jahren.

Fanny's daughter Victoria, with Blizzard in background

Victoria was born in 2002, and stayed in Hamburg zoo until she was 6 years old, with her mother.

Victoria wurde 2002 geboren und ist in Hamburg Hagenbecks Tierpark mit ihrer Mutter verblieben bis sie 6 Jahre alt war.

Victoria went to Bremerhaven Zoo am Mer, while the polar bear enclosure in Hamburg was being renovated. She returned to Hagenbeck Zoo in 2011. Blizzard arrived in 2012. So far the pair has no cubs, but there is still plenty of time.

Victoria ging nach Bremerhaven Zoo am Mer, während die Eisbärenanlage in Hamburg gerade renoviert wurde. Sie kam dann in den Tierpark Hagenbeck im Jahr 2011 zurück. Blizzard ist im Jahr 2012 ebenso angekommen. Bisher hat das Paar keine Jungen, aber es ist noch viel Zeit. 

Fanny scratches to keep the flies away, as she dreams

In 2008, Fanny retired to Gelsenkirchen to live with Elvis in a spacious grassy enclosure with a lake to swim in.

Im Jahr 2008 zog Fanny nach Gelsenkirchen, um mit Elvis zusammen zu leben, in einem See zu schwimmen in einem geräumigen, grasbewachsenen Gehege.

The oldest polar bear now is probably a bear named Ootec in Hungary, who is about the same age, but his birthday is not known.

Der älteste Eisbär ist jetzt wohl ein Bär in Ungarn benannt Ootec, die etwa im gleichen Alter ist, aber sein Geburtstag ist nicht bekannt.

Rest in Peace, Fanny. You have achieved a great age for a polar bear.

Rest in Peace, Fanny. Sie haben ein hohes Alter für einen Eisbären erreicht.

Fanny in 2014. RIP