Leider gibt es bislang kein Guinessbuch der Rekorde für spezielle Eisbärwettbewerbe...Dieser junge chinesische Eisbär (dessen Geschlecht wir natürlich nicht kennen) hätte es ansonsten ganz sicher im Juli in der Disziplin Melonenschlucken zu einem Rekord gebracht....
Unfortunately there is no Guinessbook for special polar bear competitions so far....Otherwise this guy (might be as well a girl- as so often we can only guess) from China would have certainly made it in July into the book with a new record in the discipline melon swallowing....
Gerade mal 20 Sekunden brauchte Bei Bei um einer 15 kg Melone bye-bye zu sagen...nicht mitgerechnet die verbleibende Lebenszeit als Magensaft in einem Eisbärenbauch...Just 20 seconds ...it took Bei Bei to say bye-bye to a 15 kg melon.... not counting its remaining life span as gastric juice in a polar bear stomach...
For our Dutch friends today the original source here in Dutch, I am not so sure as the author, who claims that Knut might be by far more known but can't compete with the tempo of Bei Bei, we will have an eye on him when the next water melon enters Knut's enclosure! !
"IJsbeer Beibei heeft zijn eigen persoonlijke record verbroken. Het drie jaar oude dier verorberde een watermeloen van maar liefst 15 kilogram in 20 seconden tijd.
Beibei is een inwoner van het Nanjing Underwater World-park in de Chinese provincie Jiangsu. Qua bekendheid kan hij dan wel niet tippen aan de Duitse ijsbeer Knut, qua snelheid heeft hij alvast een voorsprong."
Here a photo 2 years ago, water melons then still arranged as little appetizers..., unfortunately we don't see Bei Bei who had already arrived by then...
"On June 25, polar bear "Xiaobai" was eating watermelons in Nanjing Underwater World. In order to ensure polar animals to spend the summer with a whole skin in Nanjing, staffs created the comfort environment for them."
Hier Xiao Bai und Bei Bei auf einem Foto anlässlich der Goldenen Mai-Einführungswoche von Bei Bei, der zu diesem Zeitpunkt Ende April 2007 ein Jahr alt war...."Yesterday (26 April 2007), polar bear "Xiao Bai" and its new friend "Bei Bei" with one year old were at play after one month in Nanjing Underwater World. According to the introduction by staffs, during "May 1" golden week, tourists will see these two friends."
Und hier noch ein Artikel über die Anfänge des Projekts...-
How it started with the polar bears in Nanjing...
Xiao BaiNanjing rolls out the white carpet for polar animals /26 January 2007
They're coming from the North Pole, and it has nothing to do with Christmas or who's been naughty and nice.
With six months of construction completed, the polar aquarium is ready to open next Thursday at Nanjing Underwater World, giving visitors a chance to meet new animal friends.
Most of the new residents are from the northern polar region polar bears, northern sea lions, northern fur seals, Arctic reindeer, Arctic foxes, Arctic hares and ferrets. But there will also be southern sea lions and emperor penguins from the frigid south, as well.
"We have built the polar aquarium to add variety to the existing sea aquarium and dolphin aquarium, which will assist in popular science education for school kids and provide more fun for visitors," said a manager of Nanjing Underwater World, who declined to give his name.
Since the attraction opened in 2000, it has received tens of thousands of visitors each year, many of them are groups of eager elementary and middle school students.
It is now one of the three most popular science education sites in China.
Nanjing Underwater World began building the 80 million yuan ($10.3 million) polar aquarium in June.
When asked about the price tag, the manager explained that creating the right environment for the animals is costly because it must be the same in detail as that in the extreme latitudes.
"To make Nanjing seem like the North Pole, both in temperature and environment, we need high technology to install facilities such as a water circulation system, a temperature control system and a ventilation system," said the manager.
The color scheme is easy enough. To be authentic, there are only two white and blue.
And the animals themselves aren't cheap, either. Most of them were imported from Russia, with some from South America, and others are being brought in on short-term loan from other polar aquariums in the country.
"I am very glad we'll finally have a polar bear in our aquarium because I've never personally seen a polar bear," said Zhen Yurong, Nanjing Underwater World's polar bear keeper.
He added that although they weigh 500 kilograms, polar bears are such lovely animals that all the keepers wanted to care for the new resident.
Zhen knew he would have to work long hours at the outset to cater to the bear's needs and to get to know its temperament as quickly as possible.
At 1.2 meters tall, the emperor penguins of Antarctica aren't as big as polar bears, but those at Nanjing Underworld World will be special in their own way.
"We are extremely happy and proud," said Wu Xuandong, another keeper, "because we will have all six of the emperor penguins in China here."
In a country where emperors ruled for centuries, that's a status close to royal.
Sources and related articles: - Introduction Bei Bei in 2007, note: you'll find there some critical hints about size of the enclosure and conditions in general, not only for polar bears - Xiao Bai eats water melon/ June 2007 - About the polar aquarium in Nanjing before inauguration in 2007/China Daily - Bei Bei eats watermelon/(in dutch)...or here
-About Xiao Bai
Info: Andover Underwater Parks in China
Dear Birgit, I think that Bei Bei can sleep on both his ears. This record will not be broken and certainly not by Knut. As we all know Knuti doesn't like melons. I once saw him dealing with a water melon and the most important action for him was jumping on it and carrying it around. Na ja, the crows were happy.
AntwortenLöschenThis is funny! You are right, melons have not been Knut's favourite dessert, especially honey melons if I am not mistaken, but now knowing that a record has to be broken...he might consider changing taste...When I was a little kid, I almost played around with all my food, but when it came to competitions in my family, I nearly made it every time, regardless what kind of food it was...So I am confident.
AntwortenLöschenSo,go Knut, go - you will make it!