North American Polar Bear Population 2023

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MidwestFan

MidwestFan

Well-Known Member
10+ year member
Alaska Zoo - Anchorage, AK (1.1)
Cranbeary F (Kavek x Voda) b. 2001.11.21
UNKNOWN M (WILD x WILD) b. 2021 (est)

San Diego Zoo - San Diego, CA (1.2)
Kalluk M (WILD x WILD) b. 2000
Chinook F (WILD x WILD) b. 1995
Tatqiq F (WILD x WILD) b. 2000

Brookfield Zoo - Brookfield, IL (1.1)
Hudson M (Aussie x Arki) b. 2006.12.14
Hope F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2015.12.03

Lincoln Park Zoo - Chicago, IL (1.1)
Siku M (Marty x Crystal) b. 2009.12.03
Talini F (Triton x Barle) b. 2004.11.22

Louisville Zoo - Louisville, KY (1.1)
Qannik F (WILD x WILD) b. 2011.01.10
Lee M (Yukon x Aurora) b. 1999.11.27

Detroit Zoo - Royal Oak, MI (0.3)
Suka F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2012.11.21
Astra F (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17
Laerke F (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17

Como Park Zoo - Saint Paul, MN (2.1)
Neil M (Irsinak x Skeena) 1995.12.09 [sterile]
Nanuyaak (WILD x WILD) b. 1994
Kulu M (Lee x Aurora) b. 2019.11.28

Kansas City Zoo - Kansas City, MO (1.1)
Berlin F (Icee x Connie) b. 1989.12.11
Nuniq M (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2016.11.14

Saint Louis Zoo - St. Louis, MO (1.0)
Kali M (WILD x WILD) b. 2013

Albuquerque BioPark Zoo - Albuquerque, NM (2.0)
Kiska M (Andy x Chinook) b. 1996.11.19 [sterile]
Koluk M (Andy x Chinook) b. 1996.11.19 [sterile]

Buffalo Zoo - Buffalo, NY (1.1)
Sakari M (Marty x Crystal) b. 2012.11.21
Luna F (Nanuq x Anana) b. 2012.11.27

Seneca Park Zoo - Rochester, NY (0.1)
Anoki F (Yukon x Aurora) b. 1996.11.20

North Carolina Zoo - Asheboro, NC (1.1)
Anana F (Yukon x Aurora) b. 1999.11.27
Payton M (Aussie x Arki) b. 2003.11.08

Columbus Zoo & Aquarium - Powell, OH (0.1)
Aurora F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2006.11.25

Toledo Zoo - Toledo, OH (1.1.2)
Crystal F (Orca x Saskia) b. 1998.11.10
Nuka M (Kavek x Voda) b. 2004.11.25
Twin A U (Nuka x Crystal) b. 2022.11.11
Twin B U (Nuka x Crystal) b. 2022.11.11

Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR (0.2)
Nora F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2015.11.06
Amelia Gray F (Nanuq x Anana) b. 2016.11.08

Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium - Pittsburgh, PA (0.1)
Snowflake F (Herman II x Becky) b. 1995.11.28

Memphis Zoo - Memphis, TN (1.1)
Haley F (Yukon x Aurora) b. 2002.11.15
Koda M (Kavek x Voda) b. 2004.11.25

Hogle Zoo - Salt Lake City, UT (1.1)
Nikita M (Marty x Nanuyaak) b. 2006.11.21
Neva F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2016.11.14

Henry Vilas Zoo - Madison, WI (1.1)
Berit F (Olaf x Ulu) b. 1998.12.28
Borealis M (Marty x Crystal) b. 2018.12.09

Total US Population (41)
17.22.2
 
The AI procedure at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sadly unsuccessful:

From socials:

Our successful polar bear breeding program took an innovative new conservation step this spring when we artificially inseminated Aurora.

While the procedure ultimately didn’t result in a cub, our care team continues to work diligently with other scientists to explore new ways to help protect the future of this vulnerable species. If successful, AI could mean reducing the need to move bears to ensure genetic diversity for breeding, and providing valuable data that can benefit polar bears in their native ranges.

Zoo guests may see Aurora, who will have access to her outdoor Polar Frontier habitat beginning tomorrow, Jan. 4, after she emerges from her den.
 
Zoofan15 said:
The AI procedure at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sadly unsuccessful:

From socials:

Our successful polar bear breeding program took an innovative new conservation step this spring when we artificially inseminated Aurora.

While the procedure ultimately didn’t result in a cub, our care team continues to work diligently with other scientists to explore new ways to help protect the future of this vulnerable species. If successful, AI could mean reducing the need to move bears to ensure genetic diversity for breeding, and providing valuable data that can benefit polar bears in their native ranges.

Zoo guests may see Aurora, who will have access to her outdoor Polar Frontier habitat beginning tomorrow, Jan. 4, after she emerges from her den.
Click to expand...
A shame, although not unexpected. Now hopefully the zoos in question (Columbus and Louisville especially) will put AZA accreditation politicking behind them and send a male (ideally Lee) to the Columbus Zoo so that Aurora can breed the old-fashioned way.
 
Zoofan15 said:
The AI procedure at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sadly unsuccessful:

From socials:

Our successful polar bear breeding program took an innovative new conservation step this spring when we artificially inseminated Aurora.

While the procedure ultimately didn’t result in a cub, our care team continues to work diligently with other scientists to explore new ways to help protect the future of this vulnerable species. If successful, AI could mean reducing the need to move bears to ensure genetic diversity for breeding, and providing valuable data that can benefit polar bears in their native ranges.

Zoo guests may see Aurora, who will have access to her outdoor Polar Frontier habitat beginning tomorrow, Jan. 4, after she emerges from her den.
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I am very sad to hear that the AI was unsuccessful :(. At least Aurora didn't die from this procedure.
 
Neil chace said:
A shame, although not unexpected. Now hopefully the zoos in question (Columbus and Louisville especially) will put AZA accreditation politicking behind them and send a male (ideally Lee) to the Columbus Zoo so that Aurora can breed the old-fashioned way.
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IndianRhino was able to confirm that Lee would return to Columbus:
IndianRhino said:
I can confirm that Nuka is supposed to head back to Detroit for the next breeding season (at least as of earlier this year) and as we've all suspected Lee is to head back to Columbus if Aurora has no cubs this denning season. I will also say there are a few more planned transfers for the next breeding season if no cubs are produced from the current pairs, in order to mix things up for hopefully better breeding results. I'm looking forward to seeing what ends up happening to Astra and Laerke though!
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.
 
Haley said:
IndianRhino was able to confirm that Lee would return to Columbus:
.
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While that may have been the plan at one time (and may still be), I never count on transfers happening until they actually do. Way too often Zoo politicking gets involved, or something happens to one of the animals, or plans for an institution change and a transfer never ends up occurring. While this transfer very well may occur, I wouldn't say Lee will return to Columbus, just that he is likely to return.
 
Neil chace said:
While that may have been the plan at one time (and may still be), I never count on transfers happening until they actually do. Way too often Zoo politicking gets involved, or something happens to one of the animals, or plans for an institution change and a transfer never ends up occurring. While this transfer very well may occur, I wouldn't say Lee will return to Columbus, just that he is likely to return.
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I hope so. Lee is a genetically valuable male, and he's currently at a zoo where he cannot breed (as the other female, Qannik, is excluded from the breeding program), so he should definitely be returned to Columbus.
 
Berlin at Kansas City was euthanized yesterday morning :(

Kansas City Zoo on Instagram: "The Kansas City Zoo is mourning the loss of 33-year-old polar bear Berlin, who resided here for a decade. Berlin was the oldest polar bear in human care in the United States, and perhaps in North America, which is a testament to the extraordinary care she received from her animal care and veterinary health teams. Berlin had been experiencing hypertension and renal failure, and treatment options had been exhausted so the difficult decision to euthanize her was made yesterday morning. Berlin was born at the Cincinnati Zoo on December 11, 1989, just a little over a month after the Berlin Wall fell, so she was given her unique name honoring the event. In 2012, Berlin was residing at Lake Superior Zoo in Duluth when it flooded, and famously swam to the perimeter wall of her habitat where she waited until staff arrived and discovered her. She was temporarily housed at Como Zoo in Saint Paul and arrived in Kansas City from there in December 2012. Berlin was a beloved ambassador for her species and helped contribute to research that has benefited the wild polar bear population. Her animal care specialists commended her big personality and described her as “smart and sassy” and say she gave all of her caregivers “a run for their money!” Berlin will be dearly missed by her Zoo family, including staff, volunteers, and guests. The Kansas City Zoo will make its annual contribution from the Zoo’s Conservation Fund to Polar Bears International in memory of Berlin this year to aid in conserving this amazing, vulnerable species and their habitat in the wild."
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This is truly very sad. I remember watching Berlin during her brief time at the Como Park Zoo and before that, in Duluth. I could be wrong, but when I went to the Kansas City Zoo in 2018, I think it was her that I saw. Berlin's behavior around Buzz and Neil in St. Paul was really entertaining. I remember watching her having a pool party with them shortly before she left.
 
MeiLover said:
Hope at Brookfield is back out on exhibit as of today. No cubs.
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She's been out for a while now; I think I saw on socials she was out on exhibit earlier this month.

A big shame as Hudson comes from a rather unrepresented line, and Hope is now at the age where she should have her first litter.
 
Jambo said:
She's been out for a while now; I think I saw on socials she was out on exhibit earlier this month.
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The zoo uses footage that was often recorded ahead of time. Yesterday was her first day out. One of the keepers was removing the signs mentioning that the exhibit was closed due to her being in her den.
 
Have there been any updates on Hogle & Memphis? Are Neva & Haley still denning, or are they on-exhibit still?
 
Haley said:
Have there been any updates on Hogle & Memphis? Are Neva & Haley still denning, or are they on-exhibit still?
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The birthing season has officially passed, so if the bears aren't back on exhibit, they should return soon. There is a slim chance there could be an unannounced birth, as some zoos don't announce births until after a critical period passes to reasonably ensure survivorship, but I wouldn't count on a birth out of either zoo. Now the main thing to watch out for is any transfers that occur (hopefully at a minimum males will return to Detroit and Columbus- although I wouldn't hold my breath on the latter), as any transfers tend to occur ASAP after the end of the denning season.
 
IndianRhino said:
Nikita and Neva at Hogle have been reintroduced for breeding! Hopefully they’ll be luckier the second time around.
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Glad to see re-introductions have started. I'm hoping that Buffalo follows soon and re-introduces Sakari and Luna. As of yesterday, they were not yet re-introduced, but Sakari was repeatedly standing on his hind legs to look into Luna's habitat, so there's definitely some interest, at least on Sakari's part.
Has their been any news on transfers yet, especially in regards to getting males back to Detroit and Columbus?
 
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