Polar Bears - California / San Diego Zoo

[Kinderchick]

Polar bears in Manitoba don't den until December I believe so it may be awhile until ya find out Elaine!  Maybe they need a countdown timer 

 

[The Peregrine Chick]

The zoo is still waiting to see if Chinook is going to be a mother.  Everyone is anxious to know, but Chinook is not talking.

Polar bears in Manitoba don't den until December I believe so it may be awhile until ya find out Elaine!  Maybe they need a countdown timer 

[Elaine L]

Well, I guess I was wrong about the polar bears not being interested in the reindeers next door.  They took more than a passing interest in little baby Boris, who had to be taken from the herd after birth because he was so weak, and is now being re-introduced to the herd slowly by means of a separate pen next to the polar bear enclosure.  The bears were apparently very interested in him, so the keepers had to put up a protective barrier, just to be on the safe side. 

The zoo is still waiting to see if Chinook is going to be a mother.  Everyone is anxious to know, but Chinook is not talking.

[Elaine L]

Both Kalluk and his sister, Tatqiq, seem to have a love affair with traffic cones.  The cones don't contain any treats, they don't have any softness, the bears don't wear them and they don't chew on them, yet there is Tatqiq with her paws wrapped around the cone, blissfully happy with this addition to her life.  Maybe it is the color or the smell, or maybe the bears consider these cones to be the bear version of bling.

[Kinderchick]

LOL, Elaine! Yes, I did see that big guy, Kalluk! Quite the big "show off" is right!

[Elaine L]

That Kalluk, what a big show-off he is!  Right now, he is right in front of the window, wowing the crowds as he thrashes around in the water.  It is all for effect, as he could easily grab the bone that is wedged in beside a rock, but polar bears have excellent hearing, and I am sure he can hear the oohs and ahs of the crowds on the other side of the window, and he loves to play to the crowd.  His legs were almost straight up in the air at one point, with his head balanced on the window.  When he came crashing down, I am sure they heard it on the other side of the zoo.

[Kinderchick]

...Right now, Kalluk is dragging his sister around the pool, but she is very quick, and can skate circles around him, so to speak.  He is very good at pouncing and making a huge splash, but she has his number when it comes to tactics.

Yes! I did see this, earlier this afternoon... you are right, Elaine, she certainly does have his number!

[Elaine L]

Just a few minutes ago, Kalluk's sister stole his carrot.  There are carrots scattered all around their compound, but no, she had to have his.  Just like my dogs, and people, for that matter.  We are more alike than we think.

The bears often wrestle and roughhouse right in front of the spectator window,  so all the people standing there get an excellent close-up, which must be thrilling. 

Right now, Kalluk is dragging his sister around the pool, but she is very quick, and can skate circles around him, so to speak.  He is very good at pouncing and making a huge splash, but she has his number when it comes to tactics.

[Kinderchick]

What an entertainer that Kalluk is.  Right now, he has bellied up to the bar and put his elbows on the counter, as he looks for a cold one.  Of course, his bar is a big rock in the water, but this is exactly what he looks like he is doing.

Ha! Now I know exactly what you mean, Elaine! I saw Kalluk "belly on up to the bar" to eat his carrots not long ago. Very funny to see, indeed!

[Elaine L]

What an entertainer that Kalluk is.  Right now, he has bellied up to the bar and put his elbows on the counter, as he looks for a cold one.  Of course, his bar is a big rock in the water, but this is exactly what he looks like he is doing.

[Kinderchick]

Yes, I did see that blog today on the website, Elaine. So I guess we just wait to see.

[Elaine L]

Here is the latest from the head keeper for our polar bears:

As soon as I arrived at the polar bear building at the San Diego Zoo, Chinook came out of her bed to say good morning, so I asked her, “Are you really going to have two?” She simply winked at me; if she does know, she’s keeping us all in suspense. Every week during her ultrasound exams we are so hopeful of finding just a little hint of what may be to come. We realize what an incredible task this is to find something so small in such a large belly!

Chinook’s behavior is still very consistent with a pregnant polar bear. A few weeks ago we stopped letting her out on exhibit with Kalluk and Tatqiq, since she seemed to be less tolerant of their presence. This week we stopped having Chinook on exhibit at all or letting Kalluk and Tatqiq into Chinook’s side of the bedroom area and yard. We will continue this for the next few months until we know for sure if our Chinook will be joined by one or two little ones. We are now in the expected due date range if Chinook is pregnant: October 9 to December 15. Believe me, we are all so hopeful and excited!

So date wise, I got it wrong:  if Chinook is pregnant, we may not know it until mid-December. 

Meanwhile, they added this report on our brother and sister team:

Our other two polar bears, Kalluk and Tatqiq, are having a great time being full-time ambassadors. With autumn arriving, it seems they spend more time in the pool. Every day the brother-and-sister pair are enjoying roughhousing together. They are great playmates and always play to each other’s level, never getting too rough. It is so nice to see that their bond has stayed so strong.

[Kinderchick]

My Kinderchicklets finally got to see Tatqiq munching on her healthy carrots this morning, right after their "healthy" snack time!

[Elaine L]

Tatqiq is front and center right now, munching on her carrots.  These polar bears must have really healthy teeth. 

You can always tell Tatqiq from her brother because she does not have a black blob on her back.  The blog site says that once Kalluk's fur grows back, the blob will disappear, but his back has been like this for months now, as the fur does not seem to be growing back.  I gather it is nothing more serious, as they would have checked it out by now if they suspected it was. 

The bears can see other wildlife, like elk/deer going by, from their enclosure, and they do not seem too interested; I guess if they saw a seal in the water, they would be more interested, as their hunting instincts would likely kick in, but there is no way of knowing this with any certainty.  For the most part, the way they play, observe their surroundings, and eat reminds me more of my dogs than polar bears in the wild.  It makes one wonder what wild polar bears would be like if they had the time to rest, relax, and have fun.

[Elaine L]

For those of you who were asking about the camera, apparently it just freezes and then goes abit crazy every now and then, according to the Polar Bear Blog site.  They don't seem to know why.  But, if you wait a few minutes, or close the screen then wait abit before re-opening, it goes back to normal.  Lately, it has also being timing out, and "No video available" pops up on the screen.

Still waiting to know if Chinook is pregnant, or not.  If nothing happens by the end of the month, I guess we will know she is not, and that would be a real disappointment.  She is still avoiding the other two, and takes her morning constitutional very early; she can see Kalluk and Tatqik over on the other side of their enclosure, and Kalluk looks at her very longingly, but she just gives him a passing glance.  Her belly is just dragging on the ground, so if this is a false pregnancy, it is a pretty dramatic one.