Berlin the Polar Bear
by Pamela Williams
Title
Berlin the Polar Bear
Artist
Pamela Williams
Medium
Photograph - Photography
Description
She is a water ballerina who has a dainty stroke and makes few waves as she floats along. She likes to make bubbles with her head just below the surface. Originally photographed summer 2016 at the Kansas City Zoo. Her swimming abilities saved her life the night of June 20, 2012, when a flash flood inundated the Duluth zoo.
Water rose up 14 feet and Berlin was able to swim out of her exhibit. She was dangerously close to the rushing floodwaters of a nearby creek when a zoo employee was successfully able to tranquilize her.
She was immediately shipped south to the Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in St. Paul, where her uncles, Buzz and Neil, lived. That winter, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the zoos involved made the decision to send Berlin to the Kansas City Zoo where Nikita, the zoo's rock star animal, needed a sidekick. Even though Berlin had been on birth control at one time, the hope was Nikita and Berlin would mate and have cubs. The two met in February 2012, but their relationship was rocky at times. She quickly let him know there was a new sheriff in town by the name of Berlin. During breeding season, they would get affectionate with each other and mated that initial year and again in 2013 and 2014. While Nikita wanted to play with Berlin, she preferred to keep her distance from him during the rest of the year.
The two bears did not mate in 2015, and the decision was made that Berlin was now too old to have cubs. Nikita was sent to the North Carolina Zoo on Jan. 6, 2016, leaving Berlin behind and alone. Nikita's replacement mate, Anana, is one of Yukon's daughters, which makes her Berlin's niece. Yukon with his mate had three girls and one boy, but none have ever had any cubs. Anana has only been with her twin, Lee, so the hope is she will have cubs from Nikita.
Just like after Bubba's death, Berlin seemed more confident and relaxed after Nikita left.
Berlin spent three hours swimming and exploring the exhibit the day that Nikita left. She is a spunky polar bear queen who is her own boss with a definite stubborn streak. She is also a sweetheart of a bear who loves her keepers and is quite curious.
She can be extremely stubborn, a Duluth zoo director said. She reminded me a little bit of a cat or tiger. If she didn't want to do something, she didn't do it.
Female polar bears in captivity can leave to their mid-30s so the zoo plans to have Berlin for some time.
Her weight fluctuates seasonally from about 500 pounds to 700 pounds. She is in good health, but does take medicine for arthritis. Berlin has toys and enrichment items to play with including barrels.
Having spent so much of her life near the Canadian border, Berlin knows snow and loves it. When it snows in Kansas City, she rolls around in it like a puppy.
Thank you for visiting and taking a peek at my work. Please feel free to share with your friends and family on social media........your kindness will be forever appreciated!
Copyright Notice: All images on this web site are protected by the U.S. and international copyright laws, all rights reserved. The images may not be copied, reproduced, manipulated or used in any way, without written permission of Pamela Williams, Artist. Any unauthorized usage will be prosecuted to the full extent of U.S. Copyright Law.
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Uploaded
September 7th, 2016
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