Polar Bear Cub Watch

Sjenza went back to SeaWorld San Diego. Im curious to see what AZA does cause North Carolina & St Louis are planning to Open New Polar Bear Exhibits in the near future. Isnt there a rule that polar bears cant be imported from Canada anymore or am I wrong? and ya gulo gulo It seems like Toledo is the only zoo producing cubs in the last 3-4 years. Luna at Buffalo is going to be a special polar bear when she grows up.
 
jusko88 said:
Sjenza went back to SeaWorld San Diego. Im curious to see what AZA does cause North Carolina & St Louis are planning to
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Willy at Milwaukee was at N. C. before they decided to make that new yard for their exhibit. Henry Vilas is doing a new exhibit, as well. I'm not a fan of Saint Louis doing an exhibit. Too small. And that heat and humidity is no good for a mock rock tanning bed.
 
Wilhelm Milwaukee Country Zoo
Boris Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Conrad Oregon Zoo
Tundra New York Bronx
Neil St. Paul’s Como Zoo
Buzz St. Paul’s Como Zoo
Koluk Rio Grande Zooological Prac
Kiska Rio Grande Zooological Prac
Glacier Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium
Blizzard Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium

these bears are castrated male
 
There is some rule in place to stop Canadian bears from coming in. I believe it has to do with the US declaring the polar bears endangered or vulnerable. The AZA also maintains the populations seperately. They basically say Canadian zoos can do whatever they want with their bears knowing they have to stay in Canada. All of their recommendations are for American bears.

Here in Canada we are waiting on cub news for Toronto Zoo's bears. The focus this breeding season was on breeding Nikita with Inukshuk as shes never produced cubs but her sister Aurora could also be pregnant. Aurora hasnt been too successful rearing cubs though shes given birth the last 3 years and delivered 8 cubs. She killed the first litter of two in 2010. THen she killed 2 of 3 cubs in 2011, the earliest litter of polar bear cubs ever recorded. The third cub Hudson was saved and became the zoos rock star until he moved to Assiniboine Park and Zoo early this year. A third litter of 3 arrived in 2012 and for the first time she cared for the cubs but they didnt survive the first 3 days for reason the zoo never published. But her behaviour was more promising. So we could have two litters this year, likely one to none though since Inukshuk spent the majority of the breeding season with Nikita.
 
jusko88 said:
Sjenza went back to SeaWorld San Diego. Im curious to see what AZA does cause North Carolina & St Louis are planning to Open New Polar Bear Exhibits in the near future. Isnt there a rule that polar bears cant be imported from Canada anymore or am I wrong? and ya gulo gulo It seems like Toledo is the only zoo producing cubs in the last 3-4 years. Luna at Buffalo is going to be a special polar bear when she grows up.
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Hmm I wonder what the point was to have Sjenza come to Pittsburgh. Obviously on a breeding recommendation, but you would have thought they'd just send the male over there like they did in Toronto. I guess Pittsburgh won't benefit from cubs unless Koda and Kobe also mated.

Luna is one special bear to me as she is the offspring of my favorite polar bear couple. And now it has been decided that Nanuq will be staying in Columbus, she is the only connection between the two. And to think I wished against Anana getting pregnant in fear she'd be stuck in Buffalo raising a cub in a horrible exhibit. Looks like things worked out for everyone.
 
It's November! The start of birthing season for polar bears. Anyone want to predict which polar bear will have the first baby? Anana and Aurora at the Columbus Zoo have already started denning and I believe Aurora at the Seneca Park Zoo is in her den now too. Anyone else know of any female polar bears that are off exhibit in their dens now? Once again, here are the possible female polar bears that could have a baby this year/early next year:

Anana (Columbus Zoo)
Anana (Brookfield Zoo)
Aurora (Seneca Park Zoo)
Aurora (Columbus Zoo)
Berit (Cincinnati Zoo)
Berlin (Kansas City Zoo)
Chinock (San Diego Zoo) --> due to early breeding, they predicted she'd have a cub by now, but they also delayed implantation may have prolonged it.
Cranbeary (Denver Zoo)
Haley (Memphis Zoo)
Kobe (Pittsburgh Zoo)
Nan (Toledo Zoo)
Sjenza (Sea World San Diego)
Talini (Detroit Zoo)

Rare chance -- Anoki (Maryland Zoo)
 
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In Toronto there are 2 possiblities for litters from Nikita and Aurora. Nikita was the one they focused on breeding but I dont believe they tried to stop Aurora from breeding with Inkushuk.
 
And the award for first cubs of the season goes to Aurora and Inukshuk at Toronto Zoo. Aurora gave birth to 3 male cubs on the 9th and didnt try to eat them this year... good for her. Unfortunately despite showing proper care of this litter 2 died over the weekend and the third has been pulled for hand rearing. Hopefully he will make it. His in the best spot possible to survive. The zoo has recent experience raising male polar bear cubs as they successfully saved his big brother Hudson 2 years ago.

Toronto Zoo’s surviving polar bear cub in intensive care | Toronto Star
 
Oh I really was hoping for Berlin. I am hoping the Beagle is wrong! Nice to see though one zoo reported the dog's findings.
 
Perhaps the others havent because the news was good but they dont want to get peoples hopes up. Lots can happen before the birth, we all know how finicky their pregnancies can be. Plus look at Toronto in 4 years, 4 littlers, 11 cubs, only 2 survivors (the newest still in danger), polar bear cubs even if they arrive might not survive past the first few days. By keeping quiet they dont have to risk people getting excited for nothing. No news can be considered good news here. Elvis says Berlin isnt pregnant. Hope is down to 5% for them. Everyone else can stay optimistic and hopeful at the moment.
 
It seems the Pittsburgh Zoo is waiting on their results. An article I read on the side links mentioned the beagle has a 97% success rate. How is this accurate if it's the dog's first year doing this for zoos?
 
Well they had to train him. I assume that the success rate has to do with his training. But they could have tried it last year and just not have let the media in until they were sure he was accurate.
 
blospz said:
It seems the Pittsburgh Zoo is waiting on their results. An article I read on the side links mentioned the beagle has a 97% success rate. How is this accurate if it's the dog's first year doing this for zoos?
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Moebelle posted an article earlier explaining this.
 
Hopefully Kobe at the Pittsburgh Zoo will have the same result since she mated with Koda as well.
 
Elvis is the bearer of bad news for both Cincinnati and Columbus as well. Of the 14 zoos participating they expect similar results to last year based on Elvis. That would mean Sea World San Diego and one other zoo would have got good news but it doesnt say who the other zoo would be or if its 2 more zoos. Just similar results to last year.

Beagle's nose predicts few US polar bear cubs this year, no pregnancy at Cincinnati Zoo - News - Nanaimo Daily News

Up in Canada we picked up a second orphaned 11 month old female cub. Not a new cub but our population has grown by 4 bears in 3 months (a 3 year old wild male who tried to eat someone, 2 orphaned 11 month old females, and a newborn male in Toronto), which is huge to a population that sits at 13. We still could be waiting on 3 other litters but two have not reproduced before and the third while having bred before is with an unproven male.

Another polar bear cub heads to Winnipeg - Winnipeg | Globalnews.ca
 
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