Und Rosie sang doch....And yet, Rosie sang...

Ich war vorgestern so kühn zu behaupten, dass Rosie zumindest nicht selbst sang. Wie man sehen kann, lag ich komplett daneben. Rosie war ein Hollywoodstar. Viktor hat über Google Books noch ein paar Informationen gefunden, die aus der Zeitschrift "Life" vom 19.8.1946 stammen.

Rosie wog damals 250 Pfund.Geboren offenbar 1936 in Brooklyn als Nachkomme einer russischen "histrionic" (schauspielerisch affinen) Bärenfamilie, lebte sie in New York bei ihrem Manager Stanley Beebe. Neben Radioauftritten gab sie auch Roller Skating Vorstellungen fürs Fernsehen und spielte in einem Hollywood-Film namens "Road to Utopia" (Der Weg nach Utopia) mit, zusammen mit Bing Crosby und Bob Hope.Der Film kann hier online gesehen werden.-

When I posted the photos of Rosie the Trained Bear I was so bold as to assert that Rosie at least did not sing. As you can see, I was completely wrong. Rosie was a Hollywood star. Viktor found some more information on Google Books which was published in the 19 August 1946 edition of "Life" magazine.

Rosie then weighed about 125 KG. Apparently she was born in 1936 in Brooklyn as a descendant of a Russian "histrionic" (acting affine) bear family, she lived in New York with her manager Stanley Beebe. Besides radio appearances, she did also roller skating performances for television and starred in a Hollywood movie called "Road to Utopia" with (Road to Utopia), along with Bing Crosby and Bob Hope.The movie can be seen online.

"Rosie, the star of the Stanley Beebe Russian Bear troupe which will be part of the entertainment at the Albany Sportsmen's and Boat Show Mar. 1 through 9, walks abroad arm in arm with Helen Paris, television star. Rosie, whose accomplishments include singing of a sort, appeared with Miss Paris on television broadcast."

"A trio of Russian Brown Bears including Rosie whose career includes several movie appearances and singing acts for television, are scheduled to go through their paces at the Albany Sportsmen's and Boat Show in the Wahington Ave., Armory, Mar. 1 through on. Stanley Beebe of Brooklyn is the trainer of the trio, which currently is performing at the National Sportmen's Show in New York.Beebe has seven bears, including two cubs born just before the opening of the New York show, but only three will be used in Albany.

Rosie, a 10-year-old, is star of the troupe, and accompanies Beebe in song, giving out with a coughing high C in true bruin fashion.Beebe's bears will be one of the12 acts which will make up a two hour program for the Albany show which is being sponsored by the Albany County Conservation Alliance and directed by the Campbell-Fairbanks Expositions, which stages the New York and Boston shows each year."

 Ebenfalls von Viktor gefunden hier noch ein Artikel aus der Pittsburgh Post Gazette vom 18.10.1946. Rosies Auftritte für Radio und Fernsehen werden dort sehr anschaulich beschrieben. Mit $ 75-100 Gage pro Auftritt ist sie eine Großverdienerin. Sie hatte zwei Brüder, Bobby und Tuffy, und ihre Eltern hießen Bill und Min. Offenbar waren alle künstlerisch unterwegs:

Here another article found by Viktor about Rosie in the Pittsburgh Gazette from 18 October 1946 with descriptions of. Rosie's appearances in radio and TV shows. She earns up to 100 $ per performance.She had tw brothers, Bobby and Tuffy, and her parents were Bill and Min, obviously the whole family was in acting.

"The family does ice skating, roller skating, mock love affair, and comedy-drunk skits."

"They live happily in a converted bus, usually parked in the back yard of a frame residence in Brooklyn belonging to their owner, Stanley Beebe."

" The Beebe bears made a great impression, especially with the very small spectators who naturally knew all about bears.These are very fine bears, happy, active and beautifully groomed", mentions another source reporting on a circus performance with animal acts featuring two (unnamed) Beebe bears.

But one can also find an article about an escape of two Beebe bears in 1940.

 Sources:

 The Knickerbocker News, Albany, If. Y., Friday February 21, 1947
- Life Article about Rosie
- Animal Acts/The Montreal Gazette 24.05.1943 
- Trained Bears Slap 'Em Down/ The Spokesman Review 29.02.1940

- Pittsburgh Post Gazette Article 18.10.1946

See also:

- 1944:One day in the busy life of Rosie the Trained Bear/ 03.02.2013

Thank you, Viktor!

1944:One day in the busy life of Rosie the Trained Bear

Her name was Rosie, she was a trained bear and she must have led a busy life back then 1944...

Here she is playing on the beach

source

This was the first pic I found accidentally, and sure, I got intrigued...

source

 source

Getting into the taxi looked like that
 source

source

Rosie rehearsing for a radio program

source

 source

It seems that at least she had not to sing herself... 
source

Rosie eating water melon

source

The photos were taken on 01 August 1944 by Photo by Tony Linck
(Time Life Pictures/Getty Images)

Unfortunately I could not find out more about Rosie and her background...

Polar Bear Treatment in Kingussie

 Arktos' root canal treatment in 2012

Wer die K-Files kennt, weiß dass Zahnarztbesuche bei Eisbären öfter vorkommen als man gemeinhin annimmt, Gesundheitsvorsorge und medizinische Check-Ups gehören zum regelmäßigen Ablauf von Einrichtungen mit Bären und sie sind umso wichtiger, da Bären nicht unbedingt zeigen, wenn ihnen etwas fehlt. Doch wie arbeitet man mit ihnen, sodass sie untersucht und behandelt werden können? Ein BBC Artikel hat sich bei Arktos und Walker in Kingussie umgeschaut, hier kommt der Artikel in Englisch, bei Ulli J findet sich die deutsche Übersetzung.

The only polar bears on public display in the UK are at the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore. Looking after them is a massive job and they need regular medical check-ups. How do you give polar bears a health check? And why does it require speaking German?

Walker is four, tips the scales at 463kg (72st 12lb) and has been at the park since November 2010, after being introduced from a Dutch zoo.

Arktos is five-years-old, weighs 474kg (74st 12lb) and arrived in April last year from a zoo in Hannover, Germany.

Potentially, the bears could each weigh more than 800kg (125st 12lb) when they become adults.

Since arriving in the Scottish Highlands, both males have required treatment for problems with teeth that, in the wild, could have been fatal. The dental issues were picked up during regular check-ups. 

Head keeper Una Richardson is responsible for keeping track of the health of these huge animals.
In a kitchen area at the wildlife keepers' base, she is spiking hotdogs and pate with big purple pills.
The medication is for Arktos, who has the skin complaint contact dermatitis on a few scratches picked up in play fights with Walker.

It took staff a few experiments before coming up with a combination of food and pills Arktos would eat without turning his nose up at it. Another member of staff pops in to collect some chunks of meat for a family of lynx. Opening the door to a walk-in freezer, she jokes that it is a chance to warm up from the cold outside. In a sink of boiling water, a bottle of washing-up liquid is thawing out after the contents froze overnight in a gritty, green slush. Outside under the morning's clear blue sky, there is snow on the ground and the temperature is -8C. 

Arktos' medication is hidden in treats to make sure he takes it

Una puts her tray of treats in a red plastic sledge and does the rounds.When she gets to the polar bears, Walker is at the fence with his nose in the air trying to catch a whiff of what is in the sledge.

"We've noticed quite a big difference in the bears' appetite between summer and winter-time," Una says. "Through the autumn they are packing on a lot of fat for winter and can carry an extra 11.5cm (4.5ins) of fat around their abdomen. Coming into winter, their appetite cuts right down."

The bears share a large open space with a pond. In one corner is a covered area which doubles as a shelter and a safe area for the keepers to examine the pair up close. Arktos is hand-fed his medication-filled treats and he munches them up. Una next lobs in their breakfast. Arktos makes a beeline for some big salmon, but Walker spies a prized slab of fat, snatches it from under Arktos's nose and runs off.

Una says: "They have very different personalities. "We got Walker at a younger age and he's more used to us and very calm and relaxed around us. "Arktos is a little bit more wary at times and nervous of doors and things like that, but the two of them get on brilliantly. We couldn't have hoped for better."

 

After her morning break, Una returns to the enclosure with another keeper, Robbie. It is now time for the bears' check-up. Plastic bottles of smelly, yellow cod liver oil and tinned mackerel entice the bears down to the covered area.

Una starts talking to Arktos in German. The polar bears respond to words, hand gestures and "targets". "They are not tricks we are asking them to do. The training that we do with the bears is basically for a simple amount of behaviour that allow us to look at them close up and lets us know if there are any problems with them."

Walker responds to "targets" which are made from lengths of wood and blue plastic.He opens his mouth as if yawning and, when instructed to stand, he rears up to more than three metres (11ft) on his back legs.

The training to open their mouths was key to staff spotting a rotting upper left canine bothering Arktos last year and a damaged tooth that troubled Walker in 2011. Arktos required root canal work and Walker an extraction.At the time of his dental work, Walker was still small and light enough to be operated on an improvised table made from planks of wood laid on straw bales. For Arktos, however, much thicker planks and builders' scaffolding were needed to take his weight. 

More photos of Arktos' root canal treatment can be found here

Standing, sitting and lying down allows keepers to examine the bears' bodies. After completing the tasks, the bears lap up the cod liver oil.

Robbie also hefts two big blue empty plastic barrels next to the enclosure's pond. Arktos and Walker run to their new toys and handle them like a couple of competitors in the World's Strongest Man contest.

Walker rolls his barrel on to the frozen pond and without a moment's hesitation launches himself after it. His body crashes through the ice into the cold water below. "They love the winter weather," says Una. She adds: "The other day they were sliding down the snow on their stomachs."

Sources:

- How do you give a polar bear a 'medical'?/BBC 31.01.2013

- Kingussie:Warim muss eine Tierpflegerin in den Highlands Deutsch sprechen?/Ulli J's Eisbärblog 31.01.2013

Related:

- One tooth less....Walker beim Zahnarzt..../16.08.2011

- 'Say Raaarrr': Polar bear Arktos' dental work/BBC 16.11.2012

Bärenzauber im Winterschlaf....Bear Powers during Hibernation

The den of Lily the Black Bear in 2010

source 

It is hibernation time for lots of bears at this moment, in this context please find here an older article about self-healing in Black Bears during hibernation.

Wundersame Heilung im Schlaf

Während sich Bären im Winterschlaf befinden, zapft ihr Körper offenbar den molekularen Jungbrunnen an. Verletzungen verheilen ohne Infektionen oder Narben. Wie die Tiere das bewerkstelligen, ist unbekannt.

Zoologen aus Minnesota und Wyoming verfolgen das Verhalten der ansässigen Schwarzbären seit 25 Jahren. Erst kürzlich fiel ihnen die außerordentliche Regenerationsfähigkeit der Tiere auf: Wie die US-Forscher im "Journal of Integrative Zoology" schreiben, hätten die Tiere vor dem Winterschlaf oft tiefe, entzündete Wunden, verursacht durch Schüsse von Jägern oder durch Kämpfe mit Artgenossen.

Doch ein paar Monate später seien diese regelmäßig verschwunden. Kaum Narben, keine auffälligen Spuren, nichts. Bemerkenswerter Weise nicht nur dann, wenn die Forscher die Wunde gesäubert und mit Antibiotika behandelt hatten. Die Heilung scheint von der medizinischen Versorgung gänzlich unabhängig gewesen zu sein. Experimente bestätigen das: David L. Garshelis von der University of Minnesota fügte 14 Bären zu Beginn ihres Winterschlafes kleine Hautschnitte zu. Im März, kurz vor dem Erwachen, waren sie verschwunden. "Das ist überraschend, denn während des Winterschlafes ist der Metabolismus verlangsamt", so Garshelis gegenüber der BBC.

Aus der Humanmedizin sei bekannt, dass mangelnde Energieversorgung und niedrige Körpertemperatur die Wundheilung hemmen, nicht fördern. Doch den Bären scheint der Sparflammenmodus nichts auszumachen. Garshelis: "Die Bären dämmern sechs Monate dahin und verlieren keine Muskel- oder Knochenmasse. Ich vermute, dass auch das eine spezielle Anpassung an den Winterschlaf ist." Sie gilt es nun zu analysieren. Die, wie es so schön heißt, "medizinischen Implikationen" sind naheliegend.

(source)

June's cub in den Autumn 2011 

source

Bears use hibernation to regenerate their wounds without a hint of scarring

When bears go to sleep for months at a time, their heart rate, metabolism, and body temperature drop to almost nothing. Despite this, their bodies apparently go into overdrive in other areas, healing wounds so that they're good as new.

This really should be impossible, considering most mammals pretty much lose the ability to heal wound effectively the moment their body temperatures start to drop. And yet somehow American black bears use hibernation as the time to heal all wounds, unleashing a supercharged immune response that erases all hints of infection and injuries. In their new paper, researchers from the Universities of Wyoming and Minnesota explain how they made this remarkable discovery:

"We identified a few animals each year with injuries resulting from gunshots or arrows from hunters; bite marks from other bears or predators. These wounds were considered to have been incurred some time before the bears denned, and were often infected or inflamed...in early winter. Yet typically, when we revisited bears in their dens a few months later, most wounds had completely resolved whether or not we [cleaned them], sutured the areas or administered antibiotics."

The researchers were then able to confirm these results experimentally by tracking cuts on a small group of bears over a few months. The bears all entered hibernation with the wounds still in evidence, but by the time they awoke the wounds were gone, there was no sign of infection, and generally there was only the slightest wisp of scar tissue, if anything. Otherwise, it was as though the cuts had never happened - even hair had started to regrow over the wound. Exactly how bears pull off this healing trick is still an open question, but the researchers hope that their secret might be adapted to help humans better heal from their wounds as well, although hopefully without having to sleep for six months, of course.

Lily's den in January 2013
source 

Auf diesem Foto kann man eine kleine Feldmaus in Lily's Höhle erkennen, ob Mansfield, wie sie von Freunden der Lily Updates genannt wurde, ähnliche Selbstheilungserfahrungen kennt, ist (noch) nicht bekannt...))-

On this pic one can see a little field mouse in Lily's den, if  Mansfield as she was named by fans of the Lily Updates, knows similar self-healing experiences is (not) yet known..))

Sources:

- Bears use hibernation to regenerate their wounds without a hint of scarring/BBC 19.03.2012

Abstract

- Integrative Zoology: Wound healing during hibernation by black bears (Ursus americanus) in the wild: elicitation of reduced scar formation

Photo source & related:

- Schwarzbär-Höhlenfotos aus den Northwoods inkl. dt. übersetzte Updates zu "Lily the Black Bear" von Lynn Rogers und Susie Mansfield im Storchenhof Papendorf

Seltene Zwerg-Elefanten vergiftet ....Rare Elephants in Borneo probably poisoned

Ein 10 Monate altes Baby-Zwergelefäntchen trauert neben seiner toten Mutter. 
Das Tier ist eines von zehn, das seit dem 29. Dezember 2012 auf der Insel Borneo gestorben ist.

Der erste tote Borneo-Zwergelefant wurde am 29. Dezember 2012 gefunden, bis am 24. Januar waren es bereits zehn der seltenen Exemplare. Malayische Wildhüter vermuten, dass die Tiere vergiftet wurden.

Here the English article

Ten endangered pygmy elephants believed poisoned in the Malaysian jungle 

The adult carcasses have been found over a three-week period in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve

This was the heart-wrenching scene as a baby pygmy elephant tried to wake its dead mother believed poisoned in the Malaysian jungle.The three-month-old calf was found next to the adult carcass in the Gunung Rara Forest Reserve.Ten endangered elephants - seven female and three male - have died from suspected poisoning in the past three weeks.
Wildlife officials have been unable to determine if the endangered animals were deliberately killed.

Ein Wildhüter versucht, dem Baby Wasser einzuflössen. Das Kleine harrte neben seiner toten Mutter aus.
Bild: AFP/Sabah Wildlife Department

Some elephants have been killed for their tusks on Sabah in past years, but there was no sign that these animals had been poached.
Environmental minister Masidi Manjun said: "This is a very sad day for conservation and Sabah. The death of these majestic and severely endangered Bornean elephants is a great loss to the state.
"If indeed these poor elephants were maliciously poisoned, I would personally make sure that the culprits would be brought to justice and pay for their crime."

Der WWF schätzt, dass es von den Borneo-Zwergelefanten nur noch 1000 bis 1500 Exemplare gibt. Sie gelten als äusserst zahm und sanftmütig.

Bild: AFP/Sabah Wildlife Department

The WWF wildlife group estimates that fewer than 1,500 Borneo pygmy elephants exist.

They live mainly in Sabah and grow to about 8ft tall, a foot or two shorter than mainland Asian elephants.Known for their babyish faces, large ears and long tails, pygmy elephants were found to be a distinct subspecies only in 2003, after DNA testing.Their numbers have stabilised in recent years amid conservation efforts to protect their jungle habitats from being torn down for plantations and development projects.

 

 Wildhüter gehen davon aus, dass die Tiere vergiftet wurden. 
Bild: AFP/Sabah Wildlife Department

The elephants found dead this month were believed to be from the same family group and ranged in age from 4 to 20 years.Post-mortem examinations showed that they had suffered severe haemorrhages and ulcers in their gastrointestinal tracts. None had gunshot injuries.

Sources:

- 10 endangered pygmy elephants believed poisoned in Borneo/Mirror 29.01.2013

- Bildstrecke/ 20 Minuten Online

Bees need our help - Urgent Petition!

 

EU-Minister beraten Verbot von Neonikotinoiden
Was tun gegen das große Bienensterben?

Schon seit langem beklagen Imker ein Bienensterben. Unter Verdacht sind bestimmte Pestizide, die den Tieren laut einer Studie die Orientierung nehmen. Nun befassen sich die EU-Agrarminister mit diesen Neonikotinoiden. In diesem Zusammenhang erhielt ich heute eine Aufforderung zu deiner dringenden Petition, die ich hiermit weitergebe.

 

Quietly, globally, billions of bees are dying, threatening our crops and food. But in 48 hours the European Union could move to ban the most poisonous pesticides, and pave the way to a global ban that would save bees from extinction.

Four EU countries have begun banning these poisons, and some bee populations are already recovering. Days ago the official European food safety watchdog stated for the first time that certain pesticides are fatally harming bees. Now legal experts and European politicians are calling for an immediate ban. But Bayer and other giant pesticide producers are lobbying hard to keep them on the market.

We know our voices count! Last year, our 1.2 million strong petition forced US authorities to open a formal consultation on pesticides -- now if we reach 2 million, we can persuade the EU to get rid of these crazy poisons and pave the way for a ban worldwide. Sign the urgent petition and send this to everyone - the message will be delivered ahead of this week's key meeting in Brussels:

Bees don't just make honey, they are vital to life on earth, every year pollinating 90% of plants and crops -- with an estimated $40bn value and over one-third of the food supply in many countries. Without immediate action to save bees, many of our favourite fruits, vegetables, and nuts could vanish from our shelves.

Recent years have seen a steep and disturbing global decline in bee populations -- some bee species are already extinct and some US species are at just 4% of their previous numbers. Scientists have been scrambling for answers and now the European Food Safety Authority is saying that toxic chemicals called neonicotinoid pesticides could be responsible for the bee deaths. France, Italy, Slovenia and even Germany, where the main manufacturer Bayer is based, have banned one of these bee-killing pesticides. But Bayer continues to export its poison across the world.

Now the issue is coming to a boil. EU parliamentarians are stepping up their pressure on the European Commission and key governments to push new legislation to ban the deadly pesticides, and we can offer them the public support they need to counter the powerful pesticide lobby. Sign the urgent petition to Europe’s leaders and spread the word.

Our world is beset with threats to what makes it habitable, and to what fills it with wonder, bees belong to that wonder.

Please sign the petition - now. 

Sources:
- Pesticides pose danger to bees/ European Voice
- Crop pesticides are 'killing our bees' - says MEP/ Public Service Europe
- Death knell for nerve agent pesticides in move to save bees/The Independent
- Give Bees a Chance!/The Greens European Free Alliance
- Studies fault Bayer in bee die-off / Christian Science Monitor

Related:

- Was tun gegen das große Bienensterben?/Tagesschau 28.01.2013

- Bienendokumentation "More Than Honey"/ Spiegel Online Oktober 2012

Sort of Box Office....

Das ist Inukshuk, 10, der Vater von Ganuk. Während sein Sohn sich künstlerisch betätigt, arbeitet er sich durch Kisten mit Ernussbutter, Gelee und Ketchup. Der Aussenposten ist begeistert!-

This is Inukshuk, 10, the father of Ganuk. While his son indulges in art, he works his way through walls of boxes containing peanut butter, jam and ketchup surprises.The Outpost is thrilled!

More about the enrichment activities in Cochrane :

- Eine Mauer aus Kartons für Inukshuk/Ulli J's Eisbärblog 14.01.2013

- Keepers'Blog

Waschtag in der Arktis....Eco Bubble

Much more fun than the ad clip we get to see here on local TV...!

News of the Day: Keine Zwangsräumung für 104 Bären in Vietnam...Eviction Stopped!

Yeah...!!!

Vietnam bear sanctuary saved from eviction

Animals Asia’s Vietnam bear rescue centre has been saved from the eviction threat that has been hanging over it since 5 October 2012. A communiqué issued by the Vietnamese government confirms that Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung has concluded that the rescue centre’s operation should be maintained, and that construction on the project’s second phase should continue.

This decision ensures that the 104 bears living at the centre that have been rescued from the bile industry will stay, 77 local Vietnamese staff keep their jobs, and Animals Asia who fund and operate the centre will not suffer the financial losses of US $2 million as previously feared.

Animals Asia is a charity that is devoted to ending the barbaric practice of bear bile farming and improving the welfare of animals in China and Vietnam. The Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, located in Tam Dao National Park, is dedicated solely to the rescue of previously farmed bears in Vietnam.

Tuan Bendixsen, Vietnam Director, Animals Asia commented:
“We are very grateful to the Prime Minister for his commitment to the bear rescue centre. We look forward to working with the government to end bear bile farming and help conserve the bear species..”

Jill Robinson MBE, Founder and CEO, Animals Asia commented:
“Our priority has been to rehabilitate these bears after their years of trauma from being locked up in small cages and milked for their bile. If we had been forced to relocate it would have had a terrible impact on their wellbeing. We want to sincerely thank the tens of thousands of supporters from around the world who wrote letters, sent e-mails and signed petitions calling for the eviction to be stopped.”

The rescue centre was established based on the Vietnam government’s 2005 agreement with Animals Asia to fund and develop a facility on 12 hectares of the park that would permanently rehabilitate and house 200 endangered bears rescued from the illegal bear bile industry. Based on this agreement, Animals Asia has invested more than US$2 million in building and infrastructure. 

Source:

Animals Asia

Pic of the Day: Künstler in Aktion...Ganuk the Artist

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"Thank goodness Ganuk loves to paint!! And just to show you how much ... we hope you enjoy this shot of him in action."

 Polar Bear Habitat

"And how do you get a polar bear to paint?
The keepers at the Cochrane Polar Bear Habitat in northern Ontario say very carefully — and with a lot of peanut butter....

The keepers spread Ganuk’s favourite treat on walls in his holding pen and place various colours of edible, non-toxic paints near the entrance and paper on the floor. Once Ganuk has circled the pen a few times, he’s coaxed out of the pen so his artwork can be retrieved.

Ganuk’s original art is priced between $50 for an unframed piece to $130 for one that’s large and framed.Zoos have long used painting as an activity for primates and elephants, but the Cochrane facility believes it’s the only one currently painting with polar bears.

“On the day he painted with red I had to post what we were doing with him on Facebook and tell guests so people wouldn’t think he had an accident,” said Karen Cummings, manager of the polar bear habitat."

By the way, former known polar bear artists are Kavec from Tulsa Zoo, who died in May 2009, and Aurora from Rochester Seneca Zoo.

Related & more:

- Cochrane: Der Nachwuchskünstler Ganuk/ Ulli J's Eisbärblog 06.01.2013

- Peanut butter prompts polar bear paintings/Herald News 14.01.2013

- Keepersblog

- Aurora paints-Video

- Untamed Art in Tulsa