I agree. It's so crazy to think about how once practically every zoo used to have a polar bear, and now there might be a time where they are exceedingly rare. Historically, there were at least six zoos in New England to house polar bears, and yet now if I wanted to see a polar bear the closest ones are in Rochester or Baltimore, both over six hours away. In the future it may become even further I'd have to travel to see a polar bear.Another 5 years and the species may well be getting to be more of a specialty than the commonplace species they used to be. Too many old and single bears now...
North American Polar Bear Population 2021
- Thread starter Valentinoamor
- Start date
Polar bear fan
Well-Known Member
Yes, and it’s likely since Baltimore’s girls turn 5 this year it is likely that they will be moved out before next spring. Who knows how long the bears will last in the east of the country.
On a different note, has anyone heard anything about Oregon’s incoming female (please don’t let another breeding animal go there) or which pairs are actually likely to have Cubs this year?
So you think Baltimore will lose bears this year? I can see why they may want to move one (or both) into breeding situations, but that'd probably be through the shuffling of bears, not eliminating a holder.
If the Baltimore girls do end up being sent out for breeding, who knows where they would go. There are no unpaired intact adult males out there besides Kali who's wild born so no breeding from him. They could go to Columbus and ideally Lee would return to breed with the four girls, however it's highly unlikely theres enough space for that many individuals and cubs. Either way, Kulu will likely be seperated from his mom and aunt by the end of the year so he could be sent to Baltimore.
My money is on Marty and Crystal having a cub or two this winter, despite them being over-represented at this point, any and all cubs are extremely valuable and needed. They have consistently had a litter of cubs every 3 years since 2006. Brookfield, North Carolina, and Memphis all have new breeding pairs so I would say there's a reasonable chance we could expect cubs from them. Buffalo and Lincoln Park have had their pairs for several years with no sucess however they are all pretty young so fingers crossed they are more successful this year.
Very sad to hear of Snow Lilly's loss, she was an iconic and beloved animal 
The United States polar bear population has more than halved in the last 14 years (40 in 2021 vs 82 in 2007). At least the rate of loss has slowed down since 2018 but the decline remains evident and alarming.
The United States polar bear population has more than halved in the last 14 years (40 in 2021 vs 82 in 2007). At least the rate of loss has slowed down since 2018 but the decline remains evident and alarming.
Polar bear fan
Well-Known Member
I fully agree with you on the Kulu matter, it is one of the only ways Baltimore could keep polar bears. I have a feeling Detroit, San Diego, Louisville could all potentially hold one of the girls for breeding. Is it possible that Kolluk from San Diego could head to Columbus this breeding season for breeding with Aroura and Anana?
I totally forgot about Detroit, Nuka has been paired with two females in the past and so he could definitely be paired with one of the Baltimore sisters. I really wish Kalluk would be incorporated into the breeding program since he's a highly genetically valuable founder. However, he's been an option for breeding for several years and the SSP still hasn't utilized him so I doubt he ever will be. I find it so interesting that they would recommend Hope to breed with her own uncle when Kalluk is just sitting here without a mate. I'm fairly certain SDZ could hold another bear even if they didn't wanna send Kalluk away. Maybe SDZ just isn't cooperating, but who knows...
I thought it wasn't an option to breed wild-born bears, which all three San Diego bears are?
That regulation wasn't created till after the SDZ trio was imported so they are all allowed to breed. In fact, Kalluk and Chinook were bred for many years but sadly no cubs were ever produced.
Is this an accurate, updated list? I copied and pasted it from @MidwestFan's earlier work and then deleted both Cincinnati and Milwaukee County. If so, that leaves only 22 American zoos with Polar Bears. Unless there are some exports from Canada or Europe, the future looks incredibly bleak for the species in U.S. zoos.
Alaska Zoo - Anchorage, AK (0.1)
Cranbeary F (Kavek x Voda) b. 2001.11.21
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
Maryland Zoo - Baltimore, MD (0.2)
Amelia Gray F (Nanuq x Anana) b. 2016.11.08
Neva F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2016.11.14
Detroit Zoo - Royal Oak, MI (1.2.1)
Nuka M (Kavek x Voda) b. 2004.11.25
Suka F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2012.11.21
TBD F (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17
TBD U (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17
Como Park Zoo - Saint Paul, MN (1.1)
Neil M (Irsinak x Skeena) 1995.12.09 (sterile)
Nanuyaak (WILD x WILD) b. 1994
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 (1.2)
Kulu M (Lee x Aurora) b. 2019.11.28
Anana F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2006.11.25
Aurora F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2006.11.25
Toledo Zoo - Toledo, OH (1.1)
Marty M (Aussie x Arki) b. 1996.11.25
Crystal F (Orca x Saskia) b. 1998.11.10
Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR (0.1)
Nora F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2015.11.06
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 (1.0)
Nikita M (Marty x Nanuyaak) b. 2006.11.21
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium - Tacoma, WA (1.0)
Blizzard M (WILD x WILD) b. 1995
Henry Vilas Zoo - Madison, WI (1.1)
Berit F (Olaf x Ulu) b. 1998.12.28
Borealis M (Maty x Crystal) b. 2018.12.09
Alaska Zoo - Anchorage, AK (0.1)
Cranbeary F (Kavek x Voda) b. 2001.11.21
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
Maryland Zoo - Baltimore, MD (0.2)
Amelia Gray F (Nanuq x Anana) b. 2016.11.08
Neva F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2016.11.14
Detroit Zoo - Royal Oak, MI (1.2.1)
Nuka M (Kavek x Voda) b. 2004.11.25
Suka F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2012.11.21
TBD F (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17
TBD U (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17
Como Park Zoo - Saint Paul, MN (1.1)
Neil M (Irsinak x Skeena) 1995.12.09 (sterile)
Nanuyaak (WILD x WILD) b. 1994
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 (1.2)
Kulu M (Lee x Aurora) b. 2019.11.28
Anana F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2006.11.25
Aurora F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2006.11.25
Toledo Zoo - Toledo, OH (1.1)
Marty M (Aussie x Arki) b. 1996.11.25
Crystal F (Orca x Saskia) b. 1998.11.10
Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR (0.1)
Nora F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2015.11.06
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 (1.0)
Nikita M (Marty x Nanuyaak) b. 2006.11.21
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium - Tacoma, WA (1.0)
Blizzard M (WILD x WILD) b. 1995
Henry Vilas Zoo - Madison, WI (1.1)
Berit F (Olaf x Ulu) b. 1998.12.28
Borealis M (Maty x Crystal) b. 2018.12.09
Looking that over, 8 of the 22 zoos have bears that are all over the age of 20, which is getting up there. Alaska, San Diego, Como Park, Albuquerque, Seneca Park, Toledo, Pittsburgh, Point Defiance; all with bears that with any luck have a decade or so left but chances of any breeding getting lower. (Or impossible in a few cases; Albuquerque for one.)
The biggest concern I see is there are very few young males, which could be tricky to keep enough cubs produced. Only Borealis (Henry Vilas), Nikita (Hogle), Kulu (Columbus), Sakari (Buffalo), and Nuniq (Kansas City) are under 10 years old. There's also Kali at St Louis but he's unbreedable. Hopefully we will see a few cubs this winter to help bolster the population.
As I predicted, Kulu at Columbus is heading to another zoo in the Midwest this fall!
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Polar Bear, Kulu, to Move This Fall
Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Polar Bear, Kulu, to Move This Fall
Polar bear fan
Well-Known Member
Astute prediction! I guess Midwest rules out Baltimore . I find it very interesting how the article specifies “Moving the young bears to other AZA-accredited facilities also allows for the opportunity to potentially welcome a male polar bear in the future to continue the Columbus Zoo’s strong polar bear breeding program.” Which is very similar to what they said right before welcoming Lee last time. I wonder which male would be brought in. Kalluk or Lee again maybe?
I'm sure they will welcome a new male before next spring to breed with both their females. Like you said, the question is which male. My guess is that Lee will return since unless there is a sudden change in the regulation he cannot breed with the Louisville female Qannik since she’s wildborn.
I just realized that from the "clues" given about Kulu's new home, Cincinnati would be a logical contender. It's very close to Columbus, their last bear Little One just died but it's been a couple months so they would've had time to plan the move, and it's in the Midwest.
Polar bear fan
Well-Known Member
I thought about that too, but Cincinnati has a really old, concrete exhibit. They’ve got plans to renovate it, but as far as I know that hasn’t started yet and I don’t know if they would want a bear there during construction.
Oh i didnt know about that. Thanks for the info, that makes sense.
I don’t care where the Kulu goes as long as he doesn’t go to Milwaukee.
I was thinking something similar. I'm hoping it's just a coincidence this news came right after Milwaukee's bear died. I think swapping him with the Maryland girls makes a lot of sense, but since some people are saying he's staying in the Midwest, I guess that's not happening.