Not really very good at putting my thoughts into words here.
The idea that "we" are building a enclosure for polar bears. Where mother nature looks like she has the perfect one already. We are just putting a fence around it. Then calling it a enclosure.Also is the snow going to get high enough so that the polar bear can just walk out.
The idea that "we" are building a enclosure for polar bears. Where mother nature looks like she has the perfect one already. We are just putting a fence around it. Then calling it a enclosure.
To snowleopard: There was actually some construction work beeing done during my visit. If they would wait until the snow start to disappear (sometime in April), they would be very busy the last month since the exhibit is scheduled to open on 18th May.
Orsa Bearpark has today written some interesting things about the Polar World on their website, about the bears which will arrive as rillekolmard wrote. Polar World
Only in swedish. But I've made a amateur translation of the text, hope you understand it.
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On the 3rd May 2008 started the construction of the biggest polar bear facility in the world. The roughly 40.000 square meter big polar bear enclosure will for example include big deep bath opportunities, a snow cannon, place for fishing, buildings with dens, exhibition areas, amphitheatre, information spots etc.
The idea is that Polar World would be a European breeding facility for polar bears. The polar bears is now considered to be threatened due to decreasing ice masses around the polar zone, poorer possibilities for seal hunting etc. Because of that there is a breeding program for polar bears ran by the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA). The enclosure in Orsa has been developed in consultation with polar bear experts from all over Europe to be an optimal enclosure for breeding.
Within the exhibit big efforts are made for the information educational aspect. There will be information about the polar areas, polar bears and climate effects in consultation with the world leading experts in those subjects, both outdoors and in special adapted indoor environments.
For example is the company Kosta Boda/Orrefors participating in those efforts to create credible ice environments.
The big opening on 18th May 2009 will be covered by media from the whole world (we have contact with TV-stations from all continents).
The polar bears which moves to Orsa
The polar bears which are confirmed to move to Orsa Bearpark and PolarWorld until the summer 2009 are “Ewa” and “Wilbär”.
“Ewa” is a polar bear female which comes from Rotterdam Zoo and is born 26th November 2006 (currently 3 years old). She is currently around 180 kg heavy. Ewa was born in Rhenen and her mother “Huggies” is born 1994 on Wrangels Island and her father “Viktor” is born 1998 in Rostock Zoo. Her current zookeepers describe her as a little bit dominant and she have probably got this personality from her childhood with two bigger brothers which still lives together with her in Dierenrijk. She is curious and very active.
“Wilbär” (the male) was born 10th December 2007 (currently 1 year old) in Stuttgart. His mother “Corinna” was born 1989 in Copenhagen and his father “Anton” was also born 1989, in Karlsruhe (Germany). Wilbär weights today around 60 kg and is growing fast. He is described by his current keepers as playful and independent.
Polar bears are naturally found in four countries on the northern hemisphere close to the North Pole. They are adapted to a life with big influence by water, ice and cold temperatures during the winter. A polar bear can live up 20 years in the wild (older in zoos) with a weight up to 1000 kg and a length in extreme cases up to 4 meters.
Those bears which now move to Orsa come to a colder climate with a long winter and lots of snow.
As the construction moves on, the staff now learning how to take care of polar bears. A part of the education can be done by studying all existing documentation about the bears. Another part has been located to Skandinavisk Dyreparks (Scandinavian Wildlife Park) polar bear enclosure in Denmark.
