Let the Games begin!....Venus and Pentu just having fun!

Photo: Zoo Ranua

Die Olympischen Spiele nahen und wie man sieht, sind auch finnische Eisbären voll im Fieber, Venus und Pentu aus Ranua hatten ganz offensichtlich viel Spaß...-

With the Olympics just two days away, here some great pics of Venus and Pentu from Zoo Ranua in Finland, obviously enjoying their special enrichment program due to the upcoming event..

A polar bear cub at Ranua Zoo in Lapland has been captivated by a Finnish flag and a set of tyres painted to look like Olympic rings. The cub’s curiosity doesn’t stem from a love of sports -- for Pentu it's all about having fun.

Photo: Zoo Ranua

"The polar bears at the Ranua zoo have caught a fever -- Olympic fever. Zoo keepers have ensured that the bears have not been left out of the Olympic excitement in Finland.

The ursine mammals are observing the event in their own way – with a set of used tyres painted in the colours of the Olympic rings. While the tyres are a reminder of the upcoming games, they also double as a handy set of toys for the junior member of the family.

“The idea for the Olympic rings came from the pup itself. Pentu (the cub) has doubled the number visitors we get daily in July. Normally we have one thousand visitors a day, but now we have a few thousand,” explained zookeeper Pertti Saarijärvi.

The novelty of the rings caught the fancy of the young cub immediately, and according to Saarijärvi, the young bear even puts them around his neck.

Photo: Zoo Ranua

Pentu was equally fascinated by the replica of a Finnish flag, often carrying it on his head as he prowls along the enclosure and occasionally chewing on the fabric.

“Pentu really represents Finland here in Ranua. He has received a great deal of international visibility and is therefore a representative of Finland,” Saarijärvi declared."

 

Pentu and the Finnish flag

Photo: Zoo Ranua

Pentu ist der Sohn von Venus (7) und Manasse (22) und das erste Eisbärjungtier, das in Finnland in einem Zoo geboren wurde und die kritischen ersten Tage überlebt hat.Bereits 2009 und 2010 hatte Venus Jungtiere zur Welt gebracht, die aber nicht überlebten.-

Pentu is the son of Venus (7) and Manasse (22) and the first polar bear cub born in a Finnish zoo and having survived the critical first days. In 2009 and 2010, Venus had already given birth to cubs but they did not survive.

Here Pentu as tiny little cub

Photo: Zoo Ranua

Pentu wurde am 18.November 2011 geboren, zusammen mit noch einem weiteren Jungtier, das jedoch nicht überlebte. Mehr über Pentu und seine Eltern Venus und Manasse kann man bei Ulli J finden, zusammen mit Videos und Fotos.-

Pentu was born on 18 November 2011. His twin did not survive. More about Pentu, Venus and Manasse you can find here, including photos and videos.

Source:

- Ranua zoo polar bear cub gets into Olympic spirit/uutiset 23.07.2012

- Erster Eisbärennachwuchs in Finnland wird in Ranua großgezogen/ Ulli J

Related:

- Good news and bad news/05.01.2010