The Three Bears of the Como Zoo

Kulu in front, Nan in the center, and Neil in the back,
having a lettuce snack.

Just like in the story of Goldilocks, there's a family of three bears living at the Como Zoo in St. Paul Minnesota. In this family, however, there are a Grandpa bear and a Grandma bear, living with a two year old cub, and they are all just right.

Kulu

Neil on the left, munching on lettuce. Nan is on the right.

26 year old Neil lost his twin brother and lifelong companion Buzz in August of 2020. 27 year old Nan arrived from the Brookfield Zoo the following February, so this pair has been together for over a year. Wildborn Nan lived for many years in the Toledo Zoo and is the mother of Nikita, who lives in the Hogle Zoo in Salt Lake City now, so she is familiar with the needs of a cub. 

Old lady Nan, on the left, watches as young Kulu passes by.
 She is a good babysitter.

Young Kulu arrived at the Como Zoo last October, just before his second birthday. He was born in the Columbus Zoo, the son of Aurora and Lee, on November 28, 2019.

Neil on the left engages in some friend horseplay with young Kulu.

The older bears at Como enjoy playing with this cub. Kulu is as big as they are but still thinks he's a baby. Neil especially likes to play fight with Kulu in the water.

Nan watches over Kulu playing in the water.

Nan is always keeping a watchful eye. 

Neil has experience playing with an older cub, from the time he and Buzz spent in the Detroit Zoo while Como Zoo was updating the polar bear enclosure. In Detroit, Neil and Buzz were playmates of young Talini, and they had a great time.

The Como Zoo has two wonderful outdoor areas for the bears, with an interior section as a pass through between areas and as access to the bedrooms. The visitor building is a nice cozy place to view the bears in the central area, as well as the two outside habitats.

I was lucky enough to visit Como for three days in early April, and it was cold and rainy, so the bear visitor building was the best place to be. Spring comes late to Minnesota. Only the right hand area was available to the bears during my visit. 

In the center training area, Kulu is standing up on the left,
Nan is center, Neil is on the right.

From left, Kulu, Nan and Neil, in the training area.

There were some fun interactions between the three bears in the central area. During past visits, this is where the keeper talks are given, along with training demonstrations. But not now, probably because of Covid.

Kulu had fun with the giant pickle.

Como Zoo is still requiring online reservations to limit the number of visitors. 

Kulu plays with a visitor.

We could observe Kulu swimming in the deep pool, and he had a good time with the many toys provided, as well as tussling with Neil. 

Neil (in front) and Kulu splash it up.

The two older bears, the "grandpa and grandma," get along well. Neil has adjusted to the loss of Buzz, and I am sure that having Nan and Kulu there is a big help, for Neil has always had a companion.

Nan is happy with her lettuce snack.

26 year old Neil (along with wildborn Blizzard of the Point Defiance Zoo in Tacoma Washington, whose birthday is uncertain) is the oldest male polar bear in the U.S.

Neil is looking rugged these days.

Nan and Neil in the training area.

At  27, Nan is up there in age too, and is the second oldest polar bear in the U.S., behind Berlin (32 years old) of the Kansas City Zoo.  Berlin, by the way, lived at Como Zoo with Neil and Buzz for a time after her enclosure in the Duluth Zoo was destroyed in a flash flood back in 2012. Neil is uncle to Berlin, even though he is younger.

Neil thinks about having some more lettuce.

Kulu has lots of toys.

Kulu is a very big cub. He was always big for his age.

So while the older bears like to play with Kulu, they do get tired and need to rest, so then Kulu is on his own. He is fine with playing by himself. 

I visited Kulu many times as he was growing up in the Columbus Zoo. I am happy to see how well he has settled into a comfortable routine at the Como Zoo.

The glass is wet from the rain, as Neil and Kulu battle it out.

Kulu seems very happy in St. Paul with his  adoptive "grandparents." 

Kulu with a sunken "iceberg"

Kulu

Kulu the champion swimmer

For visitors who would like a taste of spring, a visit to the Sunken Garden at to Como Zoo is a delight as well. 

Como Zoo is a free zoo, and also offers many botanical delights such as a rainforest room, a fern room, and the Sunken Garden. 

Here is who had polar bear cubs this year!

The little girls in Rostock - photo courtesy of Zoo Rostock 

Happy International Polar Bear Day on February 27!

We have had news of eight cubs born in zoos in November and December. The cubs will make their public debuts sometime in the spring, but for now, they are still denned up with their mothers. We know the Rostock cubs are girls, and the twins in Skandinavisk Dyrepark are girls as well. Victoria's baby is a boy. No news on the others just yet.

Rostock, Germany

 In Rostock, Germany, there is currently a naming contest for the twin girls born to Sizzel and Akiak on November 14. Both are first time parents.

Sizzel in Rostock

Sizzel and her twin brother Todz were born in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, in 2014 to Olinka and Eric. Olinka's father Omaha was born to Olaf and Olga in the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha Nebraska, so Sizzel is closely related to a number of US bears. 

Akiak in Rostock

Akiak and his twin sister Sura were born in Ouwehands in the Netherlands in 2015, to Freedom and the late Victor (one of the "V" cubs from Rostock). Freedom's grandmother CW was born in Memphis, so these cubs are cousins of some US polar bears through Akiak as well.  

Orsa in Sweden

First time mother Hope gave birth to twins, fathered by Wilbär, in Orsa Predator Park in Sweden on November 20. This news came about the same time that the park announced it will be closing in October. 

Hope is the daughter of Flocke and Raspi, and was born in 2014 in Marineland in Antibes France.

Hope in 2017 in France

Wilbär was born in 2007 in the Wilhelma in Stuttgart, Germany, the son of the late Corinna and Anton. Wilbär is the father of Miki, born last year to mother Ewa at the park.

Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Denmark

First time parents Nuno and Boris/Ivan had twin daughters in Skandinavisk Dyrepark in Kolind Denmark on December 12.

Nuno on right, playing with older brother Siku.

Nuno and her twin brother Nanu were born in Kolind in 2012 to the late Ilka and the late Nanook. These new cubs have cousins in the US, for Nuno's grandmother CW was born in the Memphis Zoo, and her grandmother Blanche is sister to Crystal of Toledo Ohio.

Boris / Ivan in Copenhagen

Boris/Ivan was born in 2005 in the Moscow Zoo to the late Murma and the late Untai, so he is brother to Raspi, Gota, and Kap, among others.  He is officially named Boris, but was given the name Ivan by the Danish zoos.

Asahikawa Japan 

Pirika and Hokuto (Ludvik) in Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa Japan had triplets on December 13, but as is so often the case, only one survived, but it is doing well. 

Pirika was born in 2005, the daughter of Lara and Denali. Pirika is first cousin of five US bears, as her father Denali was born in Salt Lake City and is the brother of the late Anana (mother of Luna) and the late Aurora (mother of Lee, Anana, Haley and Anoki).

Hokuto was born in Moscow in 2000, son of Amderma and Yukon, brother of Gogo. He has lived in Japan most of his life. 

HWP in Scotland 

Victoria and Arktos in Highland Wildlife Park in Scotland have had another cub. The birth was announced on December 16, but had taken place a few days before. They are parents of Wee Hamish, born in 2017 and now living in Yorkshire Wildlife Park. Victoria is also the mother of Milak, born in Aalborg Denmark in 2008 and now living in St. Felicien in Canada.

Victoria in Aalborg

Victoria was born in 1996 in Rostock, Germany, one of the "V" cubs born to Churchill and Vienna. She lived in Aalborg, Denmark, for many years before coming to Scotland in 2015.

Victoria with Wee Hamish in 2018 in Scotland

Arktos was born in 2007 in Vienna to Olinka and Eric. He lived in Hannover Germany for several years, then came to Highland Wildlife Park in 2012, where he lives most of the year with his best friend Walker.  Arktos' grandfather Omaha was born in the Henry Doorly Zoo to Olaf and Olga, so this cub has cousins in the US. 

Arktos (his friend Walker in background) in HWP

As we all know, polar bear cubs have a 50 percent chance of survival, for they are born so very fragile. So there were some losses, in addition to two of the triplets in Japan who did not make it. Raspi and Friida in Tallinn Estonia had cubs that did not survive. Lara and Bill in Gelsenkirchen Germany lost their twins too. 

No cubs were born in the US, unless Crystal in Toledo surprises us. Reports are that she is still denned up.

No cubs were born in Russia this year, but there have been some rescued cubs recently.

There is seldom any news about polar bears out of China.

Bear Conservation lists 310 polar bears in captivity, which includes at least some of the eight cubs in this story. 

Blizzard gone too soon

 

Blizzard's signature smile

Zoo Karlsruhe in Germany has announced the death of Blizzard, their 15 year old male polar bear. He was discovered dead in the indoor facility yesterday.

Viktoria and Blizzard

It was recently discovered that Blizzard's kidney values were very poor. He had been examined for a minor leg injury, and routine blood tests revealed Blizzard's kidney failure. Animals can be very good at hiding health problems.

Blizzard and his reflection

Blizzard was born December 16, 2006, in Pistoia Italy, in a zoo that no longer keeps polar bears. His father was the late Yoghi, and his mother was Yoghi's mother Bimba. The family tree is rather twisted, as Yoghi's father Romeo was also Bimba's father. Romeo was an American bear, born in Colorado Springs.

Blizzard top, finding treats smeared on the walls by the keepers

Blizzard lived in Pistoia until he was four years old, then moved to Rostock for several years, where he had a lovely time hanging out with old Mother Vienna. In 2012, he moved to Hagenbeck Zoo in Hamburg, where he lived with Fanny's daughter Viktoria until May of 2020, when he moved to Karlsruhe, where he lived with young Charlotte, Flocke's sister.

Blizzard chasing Viktoria

Blizzard, like his father Yoghi, was a laid back, friendly and gentle bear. He seemed to like to stick his tongue out, more than the average polar bear, and was sometimes a bit silly. He always got along well with his lady companions.

Blizzard was a happy bear

Blizzard's father Yoghi also died fairly young of kidney failure. 

Blizzard never had any cubs, but he did have siblings fathered by Yoghi. He was half brother to twins Nela and Nobby, and also to Quintana. Nela now lives in Emmen in the Netherlands, Nobby lives in Yorkshire Wildlife Park in the UK, and Quintana lives in Zoo La Fleche in France. 

Viktoria in front, and here comes Blizzard

I visited Blizzard several times in Hagenbeck, where he lived a lazy, content and life with Viktoria. 

It is sad to lose him at such a young age. I will miss him. 

Blizzard up top in Hagenbeck

Farewell Blizzard.

 

Qannik celebrates her 11th birthday!

 

 Qannik munches on some pumpkin ice at her party

Ever since Qannik's arrival as a tiny cub back in 2011, the Louisville Zoo has celebrated her birthday on a selected Saturday in January with a gathering of fans and some treats for the Ice Princess. Her actual birthday is unknown, but is January 10 has been designated as her day.

This year, the party to celebrate her 11th birthday was held on January 22, under a bright clear blue sky. Yes, it was cold, but of course Qannik didn't mind a bit.

One of the keepers arranges the "11" for Qannik's 11'th birthday.
Qannik has always liked pink.

The keepers opened the big gate to wheel in the birthday treats and gifts, while Qannik paced in the bridge overhead, impatiently watching the preparations.

Across the way, Lee yawns lazily, not invited to the party.

Lee with his Christmas tree, knocked over, of course.

Across the way, older male bear Lee relaxed in the alley room, mostly napping. He was still celebrating Christmas, with a tree there for him to play with.

Lee thinks: "She gets a giant pickle, and all I got was this stick of wood."

Photography was difficult, what with harsh shadows, reflections, glare from smudges on the glass made by Qannik earlier that morning, the crowds, and fogged up glasses and viewfinder.

Qannik enters the party scene.

Still, it was a great day. Everyone looked up towards Qannik on the bridge and sang Happy Birthday. When the gate was  open, Qannik rushed down the ramp to see the party favors. 

Little cardboard Qannik

A cute cardboard polar bear was quickly inspected and knocked over.

She knocks it over, of course.

Of greatest interest were the orange and green ice treats, made with pumpkin (her favorite) and colored with koolaid. She would throw them up in the air, so they would break apart when they crashed down. She's very smart.

Qannik tackles one of the ice treats.

Meat chunks were laid down in front of her birthday sign, but the birds got there first, while Qannik was occupied with the pumpkin flavored ice chunks.

A grand party scene.

Her main gift was a new giant pickle. Her old pickle was worn out, destroyed by the grizzlies. 

Qannik paid attention to the pickle for about five seconds,
then knocked it into the water.

The crowd drifted away, and Qannik was left alone to enjoy the pumpkin ice. She knocked her new pickle into the water, then went back to her snacking.

Qannik climbs the ramp to the bridge.

Then she decided to go visiting, climbing the ramp to take the bridge over to where Lee was spending the day. A door separates them, but they are still friends. Lee was at the top of the stairs, sniffing at the girl on the other side.

Polar Bear Alley neighbors:
Qannik on the bridge, to the left,
Lee on the stairs, to the right.

Lee on the stairway in Polar Bear Alley.

This little lost bear cub, found wandering alone in the oilfields of Alaska in late April of 2011and weighing just 15 pounds, has come a long way. After a couple of months in the Alaska Zoo, Qannik was flown by UPS to the Louisville Zoo, where she was given everything she needed to grow up happy and healthy.

Visitors can still see Qannik's transport box on display,
used back in 2011 during "Operation Snowflake"
 as the rescue mission was named.

 

Qannik is doing just fine, now weighing about 550 pounds.

Qannik