Aussenposten Regenbogenland....Rainbowland News...

Dies ist die kleine Déesse, auf Deutsch Göttin, ein kleiner Schäferhundmischling, den ich heute eigentlich hier vorstellen wollte als einer unserer tierischen Nachbarn des Aussenpostens. Doch leider wurde der quirligen Kleinen, die mich in den letzten Wochen so sehr erfreut hatte, ihre Neugier zum Verhängnis. Noch straßenuntüchtig, wurde sie heute morgen von einem Auto überfahren. Farewell, kleine Maus, du wirst mir fehlen!

Little Déesse, a young German shepherd with island ingredients who I wanted to present today to you as one of the Outpost's pets in the neighbourhood.But unfortunately this lively little one, so curious but not yet used to traffic, was killed early this morning by a car.
Farewell, little one, I will miss you, I won't forget the fun we had when playing together in the afternoons...

This is Hope, the last polar bear from St.Louis Zoo . Hope, 23 and a half year old, had to be euthanized on Monday, March 30 because of a tumor in the liver which is not uncommon in polar bears (remember Olaf...). She had been living alone in the enclosure after her sister Penny died 3 years ago because of an uterine infection.The sisters were picked up from Cleveland Zoo in 1986, when Hope was just one year old, the staff named he sisters after 2 locations in the arctic circle near Greenland where polar bears are found in the wild:Penny Island and Point Hope.Hope was a playful polar bear who enjoyed all kind of enrichment toys, her red ball was her favourite one.

Here a photo I found today, Hope saying good-bye to visitors...

"It was feeding time for the bears at the St. Louis Zoo and this bear had just come out of the water (in full size you can see the waterdrops from the bear). The keeper told the bear to wave bye to the crowd. It did!"Although belated, now it's our turn to wave good-bye...R.I.P. Hope!

Photo credits: Michael Abbene/St.Louis Zoo, Sharon (3)