Ice-cream for Daisy...

Sehen Sie,was ich sehe? Ich fass es nicht...
Do you see what I see? I can't believe it....!
Daisy kriegt ein ganzes Eis !!!
Ice-cream for Daisy!!!Hey, Sie, wo sind Sie? Hatten Sie mir nicht vorhin ein Eis versprochen?-
Hey, where is the guy,who promised me to buy an ice-cream?
Was wolltest du nochmal? Schokolade oder Vanille?-
What did you want? Chocolate or vanilla?No, dear, make it Vanilla Honey Bee for me and Peanut Butter Brittle for Knut...Aber schnell, bitte!

Wer mehr über Daisy's 64 Kollegen und Kolleginnen erfahren möchte, sollte unbedingt in Jason's Blog hereinschauen, hier erfährt man, dass es eine alte Sitte ist, den Canadian Inuit dogs speziell nach harten und langen Expeditionen, ein Eis zu spendieren...-

Just for the record, in Jason Zabokrtsky's blog you can learn that it is an old habit to treat the hard working sled dogs of Wintergreen in Ely with ice-cream only after special and longer expeditions, so maybe once or twice a year. Check the links to learn more about the amazing Canadian Inuit dogs, more dogs in the photo gallery .

Photo credits: Idefix (1,3), Jason Zabokrtsky (2), Hupsi (4), Hartmuth (5)

Grüße an Simba....( 8 months missing...)

A hush of a rainbow this morning in Rodrigues ...

And beautiful grey timber wolves in Montana...
Diese Wölfe habe ich bei Steve entdeckt, sie hätten auch Simba gut gefallen, ein kleiner Gruß ins Land hinter dem Regenbogen...-

These wolves I discovered in Steve's photostream, Simba would have loved them!!! So, just a little hello to her from the other side of the rainbow...

Photo credits: Steve Tracy...Thank you!

Hail & Thunder in Bearlin...And Greetings from the Land behind the Rainbow..

Auweia, Donner...!
Hear...? Thunder...! Und jetzt auch noch Schnee im Mai, aber komischer Schnee...!
See...! Strange snow coming down in May...Und es ist auch kein Pappelpollenschnee diesmal...
And this time it is not cottonwood pollen...Aber ich bin nicht allein...! -
But I'm not alone...!

Photo credits: DorisW (1), Monika (2), ChristinaM (3), SylviaMicky (4)

Meet Rara & Her Twins in Sapporo....

Zum Klauen süß....!!!

Auf der Suche nach ihren Namen gestern , fand ich zwar keine Namen, aber diese Fotos von Steve Tracy, der in Japan lebt und der die beiden und ihre Mutter zweimal besucht hat...Namen gibt es noch keine, da das Zoopersonal offensichtlich zögert, in die Innigkeit zwischen den Kleinen und ihrer absolut bezaubernden Mutter Rara einzugreifen...Mit dem Wissen, dass es in der Vergangenheit bereits peinliche Fehldiagnosen gegeben hat, nur zu verständlich...

Sweet, aren't they??? By the way, I am Denali, the father...and you won't steal them!

Searching yesterday for name news on the Japanese twins , I didn't find any names but I found the lovely photos of Steve Tracy, an Aussie (and Knut friend!!!) living in Japan who has visited the cubs and their Mom 2 times. Until now these little ones haven't got any names as the gender could not yet be determined, the staff seems to be hesitant to intrude into the closeness between mom Rara and her cubs and as to gender issues, we all know that in the past there had been some mis-identification causing worldwide headlines last year...


-An older post about the Japanese cubs, you find here (dt., engl, japan.).
-And here more heartwarming photos of Steve Tracy , his other wildlife photos are worthwhile too!!
-The Marayuma Zoo site, where I found Denali, shows also some lovely pics...it's all in Japanese but you can click yourself through the photos...
- And here again, the first video, and something about their first swim in April, also with video...

"Alaska - Land of the Individual and other Endangered Species..."

Das ist Charlie Vandergaw, ein pensionierter Lehrer, der seit 20 Jahren ein besonderes Verhältnis zu den Bären in seiner Umgebung hat, was lange Zeit toleriert wurde. Auf seinem Grundstück in Susitna Valley füttert er die Bären, lebt in enger Nachbarschaft zu ihnen. Das Grundstück befindet sich weitab, Übergriffe der Bären durch Nahrungssuche bei Menschen ist nicht zu befürchten. Nun wird ihm in 20 Fällen illegalen Fütterns von Wild der Prozess gemacht...Alaska mit einer Frau Palin hat ganz sicher nicht mehr viel mit dem obigen Spruch zu tun, der noch in den 70er Jahren gang und gäbe war...
This undated photo above released by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game shows Charlie Vandergaw with a brown bear at his property near Alexander Creek, Alaska. The 70-year-old retired science teacher who has been feeding bears at his property in the Susitna River valley about fifty miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska, for 20 years was charged with 20 counts of illegally feeding game in May, 2009.

(AP Photo/Alaska Department of Fish and Game)

[We get it... Feeding wild bears makes them associate all houses and humans with food, thus posing a danger to the neighborhood. But this guy lives miles away from anyone. Can't they cut him some slack?]

Related longer story here, English comment of Dostoy

Milak & Victoria in Aalborg....

Huuiii, that's me, Milak,.. not yet water-skiing but enjoying the water....
Find more gorgeous pics of me on Facebook ... This one was posted here and belongs to a set where you can see me on May 9 with my Mom Victoria in my new water paradise...
And here you see me with my sweet Mom ....Sussi made the photos.... Me & Mom on May 17....
Me just 2 days ago, I love my red ball and my tyre and the water...Hi,hi, and who is that...?

Sussi Kober works as a photographer/graphic designer for Aalborg Zoo and she has taken a lot of more photos of Milak and Victoria , so please visit her on facebook....In the right column you find a permanent link in our Kids Corner...I hope it works for non-members of Facebook too...

Photo credits: Scanpix (1), Sussi Kober (2,3,4,5- link leads to her albums on Facebook)
More about Aalborg Zoo and their polar bears here , their video/webcam site you'll find here

Famous Animals- Twiggy

Hier kommt Twiggy, das wasserskifahrende Eichhörnchen....-
Meet Twiggy, the water-skiing squirrel... Twiggy, das wasserskifahrende Eichhörnchen ist schon eine ganze Weile eine Berühmtheit. Alles begann 1978 als die Best's in Florida nach dem Hurricane David ein verwaistes kleines Etwas fanden und es fortan aufzogen und überall hin mitnahmen, auch in den Pool...Ein Jahr später bekam die Tochter ein ferngesteuertes Motorboot und was damals als Joke begann, als Papa Best die Fernbedienung nicht wirklich aus der Hand geben wollte und es damit rechtfertigte , er hätte Twiggy nun Waserskifahren beizubringen, entwickelte sich danach in über 30 Jahren zu einer Erfolgsstory, Bootsmessen, Werbe-und Filmverträge mit eingeschlossen. Wer weiß, dass Eichhörnchen an sich nur 12 Jahre alt werden, wird nun mit der Stirn runzeln...Twiggy No.1 segnete tatsächlich bereits das Zeitliche als sie mit ihrer Pfote Toast aus einem Toaster hieven wollte, auf Foto unten sieht man bereits Twiggy No.5....
Twiggy the Water-Skiing Squirrel is a world-famous animal novelty act, featuring as squirrel who water-skis around a heated pool. Twiggy was found 1978 after Hurricane David as an orphan, it was raised as a family pet by Chuck Best and his wife Lou Ann Best in Deltona, Florida. Twiggy would ride on their shoulders even when they dipped in the pool. Having purchased a remote-controlled boat for their daughter, Chuck demurred handing over the controls, joking that he had to teach Twiggy to water-ski; the joke was soon taken seriously, albeit with no initial intent of publicity.

Twiggy is actually several grey squirrels who have been trained in succession (the first was killed after trying to paw bread from a toaster). The retired squirrels live out their lives as family pets. The squirrels are trained to ride on buoyant foam blocks, which are then towed behind a remote-controlled boat. No question, Twiggy has become a major celebrity in the world of sports, films and commercials(Dunkin' Donut). In Times edition of December 2007 Twiggy scored 34 in a ranking of 50 famous animals in sports history. More details on Twiggys website...Photo above shows already Twiggy No.5...and for all who still think it is a fake story, check out the video...

Text sources & photo credits:wikipedia, Twiggy's website, Twiggy No.5, video

Zwischen Pappelpollen und Weihnachtsbaum im Mai...- Knut is not always amused...

Heute soll es mal wieder mehr um mich gehen...-
Today it's more about me...
Ja genau, der mit dem Walnuss-Fisch Eis, das bin ich...-
Yes, me, the guy with that walnut-fish ice-cake...Wenn man es sich genau überlegt, ließ der Mai sich gar nicht so schlecht an soweit...-
If one thinks about it, May has not been such a bad month so far ...Kleine Geschenke von meinen Fans sogar nach meinem Monatsgeburtstag...-
Special treats of my fans even after my month's birthday... Überraschende Entdeckungen aus der Tiefe meines Wassergrabens und in der Luft..:-
Surprising unseasonal discoveries from the bottom of my moat and in the air...:Pappelpollenschnee...-
Cottonwood pollen-snow...Und wer mich kennt, weiß, so schnell haut's mich nicht aus den Socken...- And who knows me, will know too that usually nothing can knock my socks off easily...
Aber diese Woche haute es mich doch mal glatt um...-
But this week it happened...Und dabei hatte ich völlig harmlos nur nach Knutnews auf meinem Knuputer im Internet gesurft...-
Checking for news on my Knuputer, I was just not prepared...
Aber sehen Sie doch selbst, dann wissen Sie,warum ich so gucke...
See yourself, I am sure you won't be amused neither...



Related stories:
19.05.2009-Gerichtssache Knut/dt., Court case Knut/engl., ZDF Video

Photo credits:
Monika (1,4,5), Hartmuth (2,3), ChristnaM (6), SylviaMicky(7), SimoneF (8), Jessie (9), DorisW (10)

Vatertag....8 months missing...

Vor zwei Jahren...- two years ago in May...

We'll never forget all these special moments, you are missed, Thomas Dörflein, already 8 months...

Photo credits: Frau Schnatterliese

Get a glimpse of Orsa Park and Ewa....

Video credits: Orsa Park in Grönklitt/Sweden

Koda & Nuka - Kavec's Offspring...

Ich weiß, ich weiß, alle warten irgendwie auf Neuigkeiten von Wilbär und Ewa in Orsa oder über Knut in Bärlin, doch ich hänge noch immer an Koda und Nuka, den beiden Söhnen von Kavec, die in Pittsburgh leben. Hier ein paar Fotos aus frühen Kindertagen in Denver, eins im Wasser mit Mama Voda, der langjährigen Lebensgefährtin von Kavec...-I know, I know, everybody is waiting for news from Wilbär and Ewa in Orsa or Knut in Bearlin, but I still stick with Koda and Nuka, the offspring of Kavec, living in Pittsburgh...Here some early pics from Denver, one in the water with Mom Voda, the longtime companion of Kavec ...

Aber mittlerweile sind die beiden schon groß und seit Februar 2009 gibt es weiblichen Zuwachs im Zoo, 2 Schwestern aus Toledo, die zwar 2 Jahre jünger, aber auch an einem 25.November geboren sind. Auf die Geburtstagstorte darf man gespannt sein... Koda & Nuka
But meanwhile these little ones have grown and got company, this year in February Pittsburgh Zoo welcomed Anana and Aurora from Toledo, 2 sisters, born as Koda and Nuka on November 25, just 2 years later in 2006. Already looking forward to that birthday cake this year.... Aurora & Anana
Besuch für die beiden gab es schon einmal, im November 2007, der war jedoch vollkommen unerwartet, nicht nur für die beiden Brüder...

A visit of another kind and completely unexpected, not only for the 2 brothers came in November 2007...


Related stories & photo credits:
- Album of Koda & Nuka with Mom Voda as cubs in Denver
- find more photos of Koda & Nuka on patty926's photostream (here/6)
- Article about Anana&Aurora arriving in Pittsburgh here & here
- See photos of Anana&Aurora as cubs in Toledo with Mom Crystal here
- Unexpected visitor in November 2009-article & video

Piraten in Denver....Pirates in Denver....

Eine lustige Fundsache, als ich etwas über Kavecs Leben herauszufinden versuchte...
Nicht Kavec, aber seine Frau Voda aus Denver-Tagen, hier mit Frosty, dem Eisbären aus Tulsa mit dem er 2006 zwecks Zuchtprogramms ausgetauscht wurde.-

Found while looking for more details of Kavec's life:
Not Kavec but his former Denver wife Voda, together with Frosty from Tulsa with whom he had to swap the zoo for breeding reasons.-

The Denver Zoo introduced their polar bears last May to the shipwreck added to their habitat as heavy flakes swirled around the snow-loving pair Frosty and Voda.The curious bears were all over the new addition to their home, the zoo said in a news release, looking for hidden food, climbing on it and playing with the attached balls and ropes.

"The shipwreck is a great way to stimulate natural behaviors in the bears," said Emily Insalaco, the Denver Zoo's manager of behavior programs. "We have seen more of some behaviors, such as foraging for food, digging and manipulating objects, but we have also seen more variety of behaviors, including vocalizing and a bouncing behavior that we usually only see them do on ice or with favorite toys."

One of the behaviors zookeepers were hoping to see is an ice-breaking behavior: In the wild, polar bears must push up and down with their front paws to break through ice and get to the food underneath. The zoo bears have shown this behavior several times on the shipwreck.

The male, Frosty, and female, Voda, have been joined on the shipwreck by Olaf *, a male, and Soosha, a female.

The zoo said the $23,000 ship was assembled over days in the polar-bear habitat. It is made of steel and all-natural woods and finishes.

Related stories, source & photo credits: Shipwreck, Shipwreck project

*That must have been shortly before Olaf died last year