Sonntag, 9. Mai 2010

Not neccessarily for Mother's Day...but why not?

I admit, most of these pics I found a while ago... I could have found them also yesterday or tomorrow, some of them are not even recent but I decided to post them anyway as I believe strongly that you will like them...(I missed to post them on Earth Day, now I think Mother's Day will do just fine ...)Dachshound Bessi guards a 5 day old tiger cub, abandoned by his mother, in northern Germany Zoo Stroehen (Fabian Blmmeln)
"A three-month old bear cub plays during a media session outside its cage at the zoo in Russia's southern city of Stavropol, April 21, 2010. The cub of six-year-old father Baloo and sixteen-year-old mother Margo does not have a name yet." (REUTERS/Eduard Korniyenko

"Melbourne zoo's new Asian elephant, which has been named Baby for the time being, receives a nudge from her mother after meeting the public for the first time, Feb. 10, 2010. Baby is the second elephant born in Australia, and the first one born through artificial insemination. After a 22-month pregnancy, she arrived Jan. 16, 2010. Three weeks later, Baby now weighs 300 pounds." (WILLIAM WEST/AFP/Getty Images)

"Buba, a baby bear born in January 2010, plays with her mother Ursina at the Juraparc of Mont-d'Orzieres near Vallorbe, Switzerland, Monday, April 5, 2010. "
It was taken by Dominic Favre, he took also this one last year...
A bar headed goose with chick in a Swiss Zoo near Lausanne...
"A baby antelope is fed milk at the Chester Zoo in northern England, Jan. 22, 2010. It is a Kirk's Dik-dik antelope, a rare type that is one of the world's smallest. The baby is being hand-reared at the zoo after its mother rejected it during recent cold weather there." (Phil Noble/Reuters)
"After welcoming its newest gorilla, the Toronto Zoo this week had the newborn's father choose the name. The zoo selected five potential names through a contest open to the public, and then set up piles of fruit at stations marked with the different name choices. The baby's name was determined by the fruit pile from which the father ate first. The winning name was Nassir, a Middle Eastern name that means protector. In this picture, Nassir is held by his mother Ngozi."(The Canadian Press, Nathan Denette/AP Photo)

And here, although no mother in sight..., a little fox on the run who somehow got into the lion enclosure of Zoo Wuppertal last year, but don't worry, either already smart or just faster, it got away before harm could be done...(Martin Meissner)

Last but not least, although not a kitten anymore, this cat managed to steal some fish...As mother of such a courageous cat, I would file this act proudly under "Mission accomplished..."!(P.Raveedran/AFP)

Photo & caption sources:
-
Do They Have Teddy Bears in Switzerland?/ABC Slideshow
- yahoo/Most E-Mailed Photos
-
The Frame- Animals in Captivity (not recent but awesome pics from last year in big format
...!)

Mittwoch, 5. Mai 2010

Auch Bären müssen mal....Soon: Bear loos in zoos!

Ein Bär muss mal, und zwar für große Jungs...Doch wer kannn schon, wenn man laufend gestört wird...?-

Big business is the order of the moment...But,who the heck can when being disturbed permanently...?
Haben Sie schon mal gekackt, wenn ein schönes Mädel angelaufen kommt....?-
Have you ever been able to poo when a beautyful girl was coming after you....?
Wenn selbst durch eindeutigste Signale und Zurufe, doch bitte mal kurz wegzugehen, diese Schönheit nicht abgehalten werden kann, Sie alleine zu lassen, da sie gerade entschieden hat... -

When even the clearest signals and appeals to leave you alone for a while or two don't make her go away as she has decided not to leave you alone as for her.....dass es genau dieser, ja dieser Moment sein muss, Sie mal eben kurz zu küssen...-
...it has to be exactly this very single moment and not a moment later to give you kiss...Was ja sonst ganz angenehm ist, Ihnen nun aber Krämpfe beschert...
Which is a rather nice thing but gives you the cramps... Wenn auch Umdisponieren und Ortswechsel nicht mehr helfen...
When even planned site changes end up in front of a closed door...Oder schlimmer, die Lady will als erste gehen....-
Or even worse, the lady wants to go first....
Dies alles muss bald nicht mehr sein...Keine Krämpfe und unerledigten Bärengeschäfte mehr...-
This all will be soon a scenario from the past...No more cramps, no more unfinished bear business...

Das dachte sich eine bekannte, auf Toilettenpapier spezialisierte Firma und kündigt für Mitte des Jahres ein Bärenklo an, das völlig unkompliziert auch in jedes Eisbärengehege eines Zoos installiert werden kann. Gedacht wurde bei diesem innovativen Konzept nicht nur an Sitzkomfort und Beinfreiheit, sondern vor allem an die Möglichkeit, Geschäfte in privater und ungestörter Atmosphäre zu ermöglichen. Der limitierte Platz in Zoos hat in den letzten Jahren zu immer mehr Verdauungsstörungen bei Bären geführt, verständlich, denn wer lässt sich schon gerne bei seinen Geschäften zusehen? Dabei spielt es auch keine Rolle, ob es sich dabei um die feste Partnerin handelt oder um neugierigen Nachwuchs.

This must have had a well-known company in mind, usually specialised on toilet paper they announced this week their newest product: the ultimative bear loo will be available by mid-year, and designed to be easily installed in every polar bear enclosure of a zoo. Main aspect of this innovative concept is not only to provide more sitting comfort and legroom, but to allow the bears doing business in a more private and undisturbed atmosphere. In recent years the limited space in zoos and the lack of intimacy has caused more and more indigestion disorders in bears, well understandable, as who does really like to be observed while being in the middle of big business? In this context it does not even matter whether the witness is a a long life companion or some curious offspring.
Wenn es um die Konsequenzen von fehlenden stillen Örtchen geht, sind Eisbären als Einzelgänger ganz besonders betroffen. Beobachtungseinheiten in verschiedenen Zoos wie Berlin, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Toledo und Moskau wiesen nach, dass Gefahr ebenfalls von der dramatischen Entwicklung des digitalen Zeitalters ausgeht. Heutzutage muss ein Bär damit rechnen, dass seine ureigenste natürliche Bedürfnisbewältigung nicht nur von Mitbewohnern und Zoobesuchern verfolgt wird, er findet sich womöglich mit seinen Ausscheidungen noch am selben Tag bei youtube wieder...Ob in Real Time oder Zeitlupe, das Wissen um das Zusehen Zehntausender ist Zoobären zunehmend auf den Magen geschlagen...Durchfall, Verstopfung, Krämpfe sind noch die harmlosesten Folgen, Zooveterinäre befürchten langfristig chronische Krankheiten wie Magengeschwüre und Krebserkrankungen des Magen-und Darmtrakts. Bärenklo-Firmensprecher Anders Rückzug ist überzeugt davon, dass das Bärenklo für Zoos die gelungene Antwort auf all diese Probleme ist. Und wie sieht das Bärenklo aus?

When it comes to the consequences of missing "quiet places", polar bears as solitary animals are particularly affected. Observation units in various zoos in Berlin, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Toledo and Moscow showed that risk emanates also from the dramatic development of the digital age. Today a bear has to deal with the fact that his very own natural need attracts not only curiosity of his direct environment on the spot, no, he might find himself with his excrements on the same day even on youtube again ... Whether in real time or slow motion, the knowledge of being in the lime-light of inspection by ten thousands has more or less beaten the bear on the stomach ... diarrhea, constipation, cramps are the least serious consequences. Zoo vets fear long-term chronic illnesses such as stomach ulcers and cancers of the stomach and intestinal tract. Bear loo-company spokesman Anders Rückzug is convinced that the bear loo is the successful response to these problems. And how does the bear loo look like, what will the bears have to expect?
"Ganz sicher wird er nicht so aussehen wie der Protoyp der ersten Stunde, den Knuts, Zeros und Antons hätte dies wohl gefallen, ist aber nicht wirklich optimal. Lange Sitzungen erfordern eine andere Architektur, im Zeitalter der Gleichbereichtigung muss das Bärenklo auch an die Bedürfnisse der Damen angepasst sein. Umweltschutzerwägungen und neueste Erkenntnisse über die Möglichkeit, Eisbärausscheidungen für die Gewinnung von Treibstoff nutzbar zu machen, sind in unser Modell ebenfalls mit eingeflossen. So wird der Eisbär als Botschafter und Symbolfigur gegen Klimaerwärmung in Zukunft mit jedem seiner Geschäfte mit dazu beitragen, dass Zoobehausungen in den kalten Wintermonaten, kosten-und energieeinsparend beheizt werden können. Unsere langjährige Erfahrung auf dem Sektor mobiler Potty Paloozas war genauso inspirierend für die Entwicklung des Bärenklos wie auch unsere Sit or Squat Kampagne. Bären mit iPhone oder Blueberries können nach jeder Sitzung eine Wertung abgeben, für uns hilfreiche Information für zukünftige Weiterentwicklungen. Lassen Sie sich einfach überraschen, im Juli wird es soweit sein"."Although this prototype of the first hour might please the Knuts, Zeros and Antons, the bear loo will look differently, long business meetings ask for a different architecture, furthermore, in the age of emancipation the bear loo has to meet as well the needs of the ladies. Environmental considersations and latest findings about bear excretions as one form of renewable energy have influenced our model significantly. With each business session the ambassador and symbol against climate change will make a difference in a very substantial way, an invaluable asset for cost- and convential fuel saving heating of zoo enclosures during winter months . Our long-standing experience in the sector of mobile Potty Paloozas and Sit or Squat campaigns have been likewise inspirational. Bears with iPhones or Blueberries will be able to vote after each business meeting, helpful data for further development of the model. Just wait and see, in July you will know..."
Natürlich wird aber auch an die Hygiene gedacht, unverwechselbares Klopapier wird in zwei Ausgaben hergestellt, wobei die extra strong Variante für Braunbären und Grizzlys sowie die soft und comfortable Variante für Eisbären bereits langjährig erprobt wurden. Wie übertragbar die Versuche am Menschen sind, bleibt abzuwarten, bislang gab es nämlich verglichen mit ihnen nur eine geringe Anzahl bäriger Probanden. Übrigens, auch an Panda - und Waschbären wird gedacht, hier ist jedoch das Stadium der Erprobung nicht ganz abgeschlossen, man wartet noch auf die Berichte aus Sezhuan...Of course, it is also about hygiene, unique toilet paper has been produced in two editions, the extra strong version for brown bears and grizzlies, and the soft and comfortable option for polar bears have already been tested over many years. How far the experiments on humans are transmittable, remains to be seen, so far there had been more tests on humans, whereas the bearish testers, in numbers more family like, became regulars in our outdoor labs. By the way, also Pandas and Coaties have not been ignored, but here the stage of testing has still to be completed in full, we are waiting for the last reports from Sezhuan ...

Bestellungen liegen bereits vor aus Bärlin, Wuppertal und Karlsruhe, Japanische Zoos liegen übrigens ganz vorne. Orsa hat abgewunken, bei ihnen können die Bären so unbeobachtet sein, wie sie es selbst mögen, Handlungsbedarf für Bärenklos gäbe es dort nicht.

Orders have already been made by Bärlin, Wuppertal, Karlsruhe, concerning the origin of orders, one can state that Japanese zoos are leading until now, Orsa has waived, no need for bear loos there as in Grönklitt the bears can be as unobserved as they like it themselves...
Note:
Bei der in Antibes/Frankreich aufgestellten Anlage handelt es sich nicht um unseren Prototypen aus der Versuchsreihe zum Recyclen von Bärenklopapier...-

Concerning the object which can be found in Antibes/France, you may want to know that it is not one of the prototypes of our BearLoo-Paper-Recycling research study...


Photo credits
:
Knut & Kein stilles Örtchen/ ChristinaM 31.03.2010
Alle anderen Fotos sind aus dem Internet...

Loo-related articles:
- The Charmin Bears:Leonard, Molly, Bill, Dylan, and Amy
- About Potty Paloozas, Charmin's Potty Palooza, About SitOrSquat& Potty Paloozas,
- Better bathroom Habits-Courtesy of Charmin (a nice article about the educational aspect of the Charmin Bears),
- Zur Übernahme von Charmin Deutschland durch Zewa:
Rettet den Charmin Bär, Ein Leben ohne Charmin?,

Don't miss the bear business related videos...
- Knut in Berlin/21.08.2008, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Toledo, Moscow and another one amounting to even more than 141000 views ...

Find here: Knut, the call of nature & all about bear business- A collection...

Again Russia: Polar Bear Cub Aion...Found by a Search Dog

WWF-Patrouille rettet Eisbärwaisen
Bärenjunge „Aion“ im Moskauer Zoo untergebracht.

Frankfurt - Einer WWF-Eisbärpatrouille ist es vor wenigen Wochen gelungen nahe des ostsibirischen Dorfes Aion, ein junges Eisbärbaby vor dem sicheren Tod zu bewahren. Ein Lastwagenfahrer hatte die Behörden informiert, er habe nahe einer Straße ein verlassenes Bärenjunges gesehen. Nur mit Hilfe eines Spürhundes gelang es der WWF-Schutzpatrouille den rund drei Monate alten, männlichen Bären aufzuspüren. Das Tier war geschwächt, ausgehungert und zitterte am ganzen Körper vor Angst. Erst als es der Dorfpolizist Aleksandr Predybailo, der eng mit den WWF-Team vor Ort zusammenarbeitet, auf den Arm nahm, beruhigte sich der Waise. Predybailo nahm das Tier mit zu sich nach Hause und päppelte es mit Babynahrung wieder auf.

Leider gelang es den Mitarbeitern des WWF nicht, die Mutter des kleinen Aion, der nach dem Dorf benannt wurde, in dessen Nähe er gefunden worden war, aufzuspüren. „Vermutlich wurde das Muttertier von Wilderern getötet oder es hat ihr Junges während eines Schneesturms, der wenige Tage zuvor auf der Insel gewütet hatte, verloren“, befürchtet WWF-Artenschutzexperte Stefan Ziegler. Nachdem Aion wieder zu Kräften gekommen war, brachte man ihn in ein Zentrum des Naturreservats auf Wrangel Island. Von dort aus wurde Aion jetzt in sein neues Zuhause, den Moskauer Zoo, überstellt. „Hat sich ein Bär erst einmal an den Menschen gewöhnt, kann man ihn leider nicht mehr auswildern, da er sonst zu einer Gefahr für die Menschen vor Ort werden würde“, erklärt Stefan Ziegler. Die Mitarbeiter des WWF Büros in der russischen Hauptstadt würden sich aber in regelmäßigen Abständen vom Wohlbefinden des kleinen Eisbären Aion überzeugen.

Wer solche Patrouillen unterstützen und die Eisbären retten möchte, der kann das unter anderem mit einer Spende tun. Schon 60 Euro reichen, um 60 Kilometer Küstenlinie zu überwachen. Mit den Patrouillen kann der WWF die Eisbären schützen und die Wilderei eindämmen.
Das WWF-Spendenkonto: 2000, BLZ 550 205 00 Bank für Sozialwirtschaft, Stichwort: Eisbär weitere Infos unter wwf.de (Quelle hier und Danke Uli!)Here I found the second photo & information in English...
http://www.care2.com/news/member/100041282/1458959

"Information about a lonely bear cub came to the village of Chukchi reindeer herding Aion on March 27. At 8 kilometers to the east of the island, not far from a winter camp for g.Pevek (?), a driver saw the cub close to the road. No mom to be seen in the vicinity. At the scene came chief of staff, Oleg Lobov and the local precinct police captain Alexander Predybaylo, who has participated in raids of the WWF Bear Patrol project.

"But the bear was not there, probably hiding somewhere in the hummocks", said the program coordinator of WWF Russia Viktor Nikiforov. - "I had to return to the Buran (bear?)with husky Aion, which found the cub about 200 meters from the road. The bear was frightened by the dog and hissed at her, it was evident that he was weakened. I had to pick him up. "

The bear was taken by village police officer Aleksandr Predybailo to his apartment and was fed concentrated infant formula. The next day one of the troopers - Boris Papylgin - went looking for the mother, traveled in a circle for more than 20 km, but found no one, probably a bear lost in a blizzard or died from a poacher's bullet.

The orphaned cub was reported to Moscow, and after a few days it was brought to Wrangel Island Reserve from where it was sent by plane to Moscow Zoo.

Members from WWF Moscow are checking now how the little bear is adjusting to his new environment. Without his mother he wouldn't have had any chance to stay in the wild."

WWF has been running a polar bear patrol project already for a while in the region of Chukchi which is prone to bear encounters close to settlements and to poaching. Who would like to support their work is welcome to do so. The German account details you find in the German passage above.

Little Aion, welcome to the club, we all hope you will make it even without your mom! And a special thank you to the search dog who found you!

Dienstag, 4. Mai 2010

The first one....Grolar Bear 2006...

Dieses Foto taucht immer wieder auf, wenn man bei google 'polar bear hunt' eingibt, hier nun die Geschichte , die dahinter steht, dies war nämlich der erste bekannte und DNS-nachgewiesene Hybridenfund, Kreuzung zwischen Eisbär und Grizzly, in der Arktis...-

This photo comes up frequently when googling 'polar bear hunt', here now the story behind, it had been the first DNA-confirmed grolar bear in the Arctic..."Unique 'grolar bear' to be shipped from N.W.T.

The first known offspring of a polar bear and a grizzly bear, killed by a sport hunter in the North in April, heads this week to its permanent home in Idaho.
The seven-foot "grolar bear" was shot by Jim Martell on a guided hunt near Sachs Harbour, located on the Northwest Territories' Banks Island.

Proud of his $50,000 trophy hunt, the veteran hunter paid another $9,000 to have a Yellowknife taxidermist stuff the bear. This week the bear, complete with its skull, is being shipped to Martell's Idaho home.

Initially, Martell was not sure whether he would be allowed to keep the animal. However, Canadian wildlife officials released the body after DNA testing confirmed it was a cross between a polar bear and a grizzly bear.

The one-of-a kind bear will join Martell's personal menagerie of stuffed game after a short stop at a Nevada sports hunting show. The seven-foot "grolar bear" was shot by Jim Martell on a guided hunt near Sachs Harbour, located on the Northwest Territories' Banks Island."

Auch wenn es wirklich aufschlussreich ist, mehr über die Paarungen zwischen Eisbären und Grizzlys zu erfahren, versteht es sich von selbst, dass ich vorgezogen hätte, wenn dieser Bär nicht erschossen worden wäre, das gleiche gilt für den Bären im letzten Monat...-

Although it is really instructive to get to know more about grizzlys and polar bears as breeding mates, it goes without saying, that I had preferred both bears not to be shot....

Source & photo credits:
- Unique Grolar Bear To Be Shipped from N.W.T./ CBC 04.12.2006
- Bear Shot In High Arctic Confirmed As Grizzly-Polar Cross/ Vancouver Sun 01.05.2010, incl. the 2 pics of Jim Martell

Sonntag, 2. Mai 2010

Shot for real...Second Generation Grolar Bear in the Northwest Territories

This bear was not aenesthesized, she is dead for real, a fact that did not raise any more questions in the article....

Bear shot in N.W.T. was grizzly-polar hybrid

Could be first 2nd generation hybrid found in wild

"Biologists in the Northwest Territories have confirmed that an unusual-looking bear shot earlier this month near Ulukhaktok, N.W.T., was a rare hybrid grizzly-polar bear.

The unusual-looking bear caught the attention of biologists after David Kuptana, an Inuvialuit hunter, shot and killed it on April 8 on the sea ice just west of the Arctic community, formerly known as Holman.

The bear had thick white fur like a polar bear, but it also had a wide head, brown legs and brown paws like a grizzly.

Kuptana said he shot the bear from a distance after it scavenged through five unoccupied cabins near Ulukhaktok, then tried running toward the community.

Wildlife DNA analysis shows the bear was a second-generation hybrid, officials with the N.W.T. Environment and Natural Resources Department said in a news release Friday.

The bear was the result of a female grizzly-polar hybrid mating with a male grizzly bear, according to the department.

"This confirms the existence of at least one female polar-grizzly hybrid near Banks Island," the release said.

"This may be the first recorded second-generation polar-grizzly bear hybrid found in the wild."

Kuptana told CBC News he is currently selling the bear pelt to the highest bidder and has received calls from across Canada for the unique pelt.

"Right now, we're already at $15,000, and we're going to see how far we can go," Kuptana said Friday. "If we can do better, we'll be happy."

Species interbreeding due to climate change: U.S. scientist

The N.W.T.'s first confirmed "grolar bear" was shot by a U.S. hunter in Sachs Harbour, N.W.T., located on Banks Island, in April 2006. More DNA tests are planned to determine whether the bear shot this month was related to the one from 2006.

Hybrid bears will likely become more common in the North, as the direct consequence of climate change, predicts Brendan Kelly, a marine biologist with the International Arctic Research Center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

In the absence of summer Arctic sea ice, polar bears are stranded on land and come into more contact with grizzly bears, he said.

"We're taking this continent-sized barrier to animal movement, and in a few generations, it's going to disappear, at least in summer months," Kelly said.

"That's going to give a lot of organisms — a lot of marine mammals in particular — who've been separated for at least 10,000 years the opportunity to interbreed again, and we're predicting we're going to see a lot more of that."

Kelly said he has seen reports of harp seals and hooded seals interbreeding, as well as beluga whales and narwhal. Interbreeding helps species adapt to major shifts in their environments, he said."

Samstag, 1. Mai 2010

"Operation Peilsender"...Putin in Franz-Josef Land

Und schon wieder Herr Putin, diesmal geht es um eine russische Premiere in Sachen Peilsender, ein tête à tête mit einem Eisbären sowie Fehlern in der Vergangenheit...Hier gleich 3 Artikel und ein Video zu Putins stark mediatisierter Aktion am letzten Donnerstag. Den Link zum dt. Artikel verdanke ich Uli von World of Animals, vielen Dank dafür!-

And again Mr. Putin, he seems to become a regular in the K-Files...This time it's about satellite trackers for polar bears and mistakes in the past...
Here 3 articles and a video concerning Putin's last arctic activities, the link to the German one I got from Uli/World of Animals which stresses also via slide show Putin's liking to present himself as nature guy ...(Thanks,Uli! )
Vladimir Putin shakes hands with polar bear and calls for clean-up of the Arctic
29/04/2010

"Vladimir Putin has visited the Franz Josef Land archipelago, where he was briefed on the work of a research expedition studying polar bears that was organized by the Severtsov Institute for Ecology and Evolution of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Assisted by the researchers, the prime minister put a satellite collar on a polar bear and shook the paw of the “master of the Arctic.”
Researchers told the prime minister that this was Russia’s first experiment on using satellite transmitters for observing polar bears.
The program is funded by the Russian Geographical Society and envisages preserving and restoring the polar bears’ population. Researchers will gather information on the animals’ habitat, their movements and population as well as on the factors that have an adverse impact on the bears.
Vladimir Putin emphasized that the Franz Josef Land alone had almost 60,000 tons of fuels and lubricants, some of which spill and pollute the environment. He called for a general clean-up of the Arctic. The prime minister added that other countries that have their interests in the region should also join the clean-up."

Putin tags polar bear for Russian Arctic research project

"Prime Minister Vladimir Putin gave Russian scientists a hand on Thursday, putting a satellite collar on a polar bear during a trip to Russia's Arctic.

Putin traveled to Alexandra Land, one of the islands of the Franz Josef Land archipelago in Russia's far north where scientists are studying the movements of endangered polar bears.

He was shown putting the device on a bear that researchers had caught in a special trap.

Satellite collars allow scientists to follow the migration of animals, observe their daily and seasonal movements and identify habitats.

"Habitation is getting more and more difficult because of the melting ice caps. It is important for us to know the movements of the polar bear, how it reproduces and how it rears its young," Putin said.

He said the Russian government has stepped up efforts to protect the endangered species.

"An international law banning the hunting of polar bears came into force in 1973-74. In the 1990s cases of poaching increased but now we have put things back in order."

Russian polar bear specialist Nikita Ovsyannikov said populations were under stress because of the changing habitat, melting ice and reduction in food sources.

"It's difficult to count the bears because they live on the ice, but we can record increased mortality," Ovsyannikov said.

He said the melting ice was forcing the animals to move to dry land, where there is less for them to eat and they become more vulnerable to poachers.

The deputy director of the Institute of Ecology and Evolution, Vyacheslav Rozhnov, said research into the redistribution of polar bears is being carried out in the United States, Europe and now, for the first time, Russia. He said it is essential to track the movements of the bear to increase understanding on how it may be helped to survive.

"The reduction of the ice sheets, caused by climate change and human activities, is bringing about a global redistribution of polar bears, but no one knows how it is happening," Rozhnov said.

Russia's research into conservation of polar bears is made possible by a 1 million ruble ($34,000) grant form the Russian Geographic Society.

Rozhnov says the findings of the studies should be an incentive to preserve conditions for the survival of polar bears. Currently there are an estimated 6,000 polar bears in the Russian part of the Arctic of a total of 25,000 worldwide."

MOSCOW April 29 (RIA Novosti)


Der Macho der Nation: Putin jagt Eisbären

"Der russische Ministerpräsident Wladimir Putin präsentiert sich bei ungewöhnlichen Ausflügen gern als kerniger Naturbursche. Diese Geschichte ist um ein Kapitel reicher.

Wladimir Putin hat eine neue Kostprobe seiner Berufung zum Abenteurer gegeben. Als Öko-Krieger half er Wissenschaftlern in der russischen Arktis dabei, vom Aussterben bedrohte Eisbären aufzuspüren und mit Peilsendern zu versehen. Angetan mit einem roten Mantel und roter Mütze kniete sich der 57-Jährige neben den Kopf eines betäubten Eisbären, dem ein Sender angesteckt wurde, und half dabei, das schwere Tier zu wiegen.

Putin schüttelte die Klaue des Ungetüms und sagte: «Lass es dir gut gehen». «Es ist wichtig, dass wir wissen, wie sich der Eisbär fortbewegt, sich fortpflanzt und seinen Nachwuchs grosszieht», sagte der Staatsmann. Während seines Besuchs auf Franz-Josef-Land rief er ausserdem dazu auf, die Tausenden von Spritfässern aus Sowjetzeiten, die die Region verschmutzen, zu entfernen.

Der russische Ministerpräsident präsentiert sich bei ungewöhnlichen Ausflügen gern als kerniger Naturbursche. Um auf den vom Aussterben bedrohten Schneeleoparden aufmerksam zu machen, liess sich Putin im vergangenen Jahr in der sibirischen Tundra in einer Astgabel ablichten. Im Baikalsee brachte er bei einem Tauchgang schon eigenhändig einen Peilsender an einem Beluga-Wal an. (bru/AFP)

Und hier auch noch das Video dazu...And here the video...



Source:
- Der Macho der Nation:Putin jagt Eisbären/Basler Zeitung 29.04.2010 (siehe auch Fotostecke zum Thema 'der kernige Putin')
-
Putin tags polar bear for Russian Arctic project/RIA Novosti 29.04.2010 incl.video
- Vladimir Potin shakes hands with polar bear.../RIAN 29.042010 Video on YouTube

Related postings:
- Eisbären in Russland...Putin und ein Arktischer Nationalpark/06.04.2010
- Eisbären mit Gebietsansprüchen...The Russian Arctic/06.04.2010

Mittwoch, 21. April 2010

Big-Enough Anna....The Little Sled Dog Who Braved the Arctic


Dies ist der Titel eines Kinderbuches, in dem es um die wahre Geschichte eines kleinen Hundezwergs geht, die zur Anführerin ihres Rudels wird.

Pam Flowers ist dabei, sich für eine sechs Monate lange Fahrt per Hundeschlitten vorzubereiten, 2500-Meilen von Barrow/Alaska nach Repulse Bay in Kanada, die sie zur ersten Frau macht, die die nordamerikanische Arktis allein überquert.

Anna und ihre Geschwister trainieren zusammen mit den älteren ausgebildeten und erfahreneren Hunden, die stärksten unter ihnen werden die Expedition begleiten. Bevor die Jungtiere versuchen, einen Schlitten zu ziehen, wird ihnen erst einmal beigebracht Sprachbefehlen zu folgen, ein Geschirr zu tragen, sowie Zweige, Reisig, und dann kleine Stämme hinter sich zu ziehen.

Obwohl die Kleinste, beweist Anna Mut und Liebe zum Laufen, sie wird für die Expedition ausgewählt. Als etwa in der Mitte des Trecks der erfahrene Leithund Douggie davonrennt; übernimmt Anna die Führung bis zum Abschluss der Reise, die fast doppelt so lange dauert wie geplant. ...
Editorial Review -

"A true story of how the runt of the litter became the leader of the pack. Flowers was preparing for a six-month, 2500-mile dogsled journey from Barrow, AK, to Repulse Bay, Canada, which would make her the first woman to cross the North American Arctic alone. Anna and her littermates trained with the older, more experienced dogs, with the intention that the strongest would accompany the expedition. Before attempting to pull a sled, the young canines were taught to follow voice commands; wear a harness; and drag twigs, sticks, and then small logs behind them. Though Anna was the smallest, she proved to have heart and a love of running; she was chosen for the trip. About halfway through the trek, the seasoned lead dog -Douggie- ran off; Anna took over and was instrumental in finishing the journey, which lasted almost twice as long as planned. ...-Maryann H. Owen, Racine Public Library, WI


Pam Flowers erzählt Annas beeindruckende Geschichte auch in Klassenräumen und Auditorien in ganz Nordamerika. Kinder lernen, dass selbst die Kleinsten, die die unter uns am wenigsten Macht haben, groß genug sind, um ihr Bestes zu geben. (Die aufregende Reise des 9 köpfigen Teams, eine Frau mit 8 Hunden, ist auch festgehalten in Wort, Bild und Tagebucheinträgen in dem preisgekrönten Buch "Alone across the Arctic:One Woman’s Epic Journey by Dog Team"

Arctic adventurer Pam Flowers shares Anna’s amazing story in classrooms and auditoriums all over North America. Children learn that even the smallest, seemingly the most powerless among us, are big enough to try their best. (The team’s exciting record-breaking journey is also chronicled in text, photographs, and journal entries in the award-winning book Alone across the Arctic: One Woman’s Epic Journey by Dog Team.)

Hier wird übrigens auch die Begegnung mit einer Eisbärin und ihrem Jungen geschildert, offenbar eine, die einiges Interesse bei den neugierigen Hunden auslöste...-

By the way, here you will find also the account of a polar bear encounter, a female with her single cub...

"As we came around a slight corner, I saw a polar bear about a hundred yards away, standing up in a ravine, nursing her cub. She looked so beautiful. She didn’t move, just stood there watching us as we went by. Because the bears were above eye level, I was praying that we would get by them without any of the dogs seeing them. But just as we came even with them, Robert looked over and saw them. Robert is very social and decided to go visiting. At first the other dogs didn’t see them. I told Douggie to “haw” to help keep us going straight. Then, suddenly, everyone saw them… (ALONE ACROSS THE ARCTIC)"

Was mich angeht, ich bin nun mindestens ebenso neugierig wie Robert geworden...Für Arktisinteressierte und Hundeliebhaber gehören diese beiden Bücher ganz sicher auf die Liste der Bücher, die unbedingt gelesen werden müssen...

As to me, I can only say that I have become curious too...Both books are certainly a must-read for everyone intrigued by the Arctic and loving dogs...

Anna died 2007 at age 15...

Thanks to Pam Flowers and her lovely book, she will always be remembered as what she was...
A brave and intrepid sled dog on an extraordinary journey!






Source & photo credits:

- Big-Enough Anna....The Little Sled Dog Who Braved the Arctic

By the way, I came across Anna while looking for background information about the Arctic village Dikson which was visited by Svetlana Bogdanovitch during her Icebreaker trip, instead I landed here probably because of Ann Dixon, Pamela Flower's co-author of 'Big-Enough Anna'...as so often I am again indebted to the Internet...:))

Please visit also Pam Flower's website, which is really interesting, apart from information of how to make a dog's life happy and healthy, you will find more about her educational school visits and other projects.

Interesting too an article about Pam Flowers by Molly Loomas, presenting her on a website featuring Arctic explorers and here is the link to a more recent article about Pam and the way she is training her dogs, that's where I found the photo with the polar bear...:))

Note:
Alle, die interessiert an Büchern von Pamela Flowers sind, bitte kauft über sie direkt, der Verlag, der ihre Bücher unter Vertrag hatte, ist pleite gegangen, was bedeutet, dass sie keinen Pfennig verdient, solange ihre Bücher woanders gekauft werden.

In case you are interested and you want to buy books of Pam Flower's please buy via her Store as her publisher went bankrupt which means she won't gain a cent if you buy elsewhere!

There will be a second part ...Ein zweiter Teil zu Pam und ihren Hunden ist in Vorbereitung!

Dienstag, 20. April 2010

A Peaceful Death at 36... RIP Waldo!


"A grizzly bear named Waldo, who entertained Winnipeg zoo visitors since 1974, has died.

Sonntag, 18. April 2010

"Der Bärenmann in Kamtschatka" - Charlie Russel -"The Bear Man of Kamchatka

Heute bekam ich von einer guten Freundin den enthusiastischen Tip, mir doch die 43 minütige NDR Videodokumentation über Charles Russell anzuschauen...-

Today was asked by a good friend to have a look at a 43 minutes long NDR video documentation featuring Charles Russell, she was very enthusiastic about it...
'Der Bärenmann in Kamtschatka' erzählt die unglaubliche Geschichte eines Mannes, der sein Leben den Grizzlys gewidmet hat. Wie eine echte Mutter zieht der kanadische Bärenexperte Charlie Russell verwaiste Jungtiere auf. In der Wildnis im Nordosten Russlands bringt er ihnen das Fischen bei, verteidigt sie gegen erwachsene Männchen und lehrt sie, wie sie sich in der Weite der Landschaft bewegen müssen, um zu überleben."-

'Der Bärenmann in Kamtschatka' tells the incredible story of a man who has dedicated his life to grizzly bears. Charlie Russell, the Canadian bear expert, raises orphaned cubs in the noth eastern wilderness of Russia, he teaches them how to fish, defends them against adult males and teaches them how to move in the vastness of the landscape in order to survive."Charlie Russell kennt sich mit Bären besser aus als jeder andere. Schon 1997 nahm er drei verwaiste Grizzly-Junge mit nach Kamtschatka, um sie dort auszuwildern. Schon bei diesem Projekt entstand zwischen ihm und den Bären eine Intimität, die man bisher noch nie so gesehen hatte." -

Charlie Russell knows bears better han everybody else. Already 1997 he took three orphaned grizzly cubs with him to Kamchatka to release them into the wilderness. During this project already a close bond of intimity between him and the bears developed which has been unseen before."Doch dann kam die Tragödie: 2001 erschoss die russische Mafia seine Schützlinge. Aber Charlie Russell lässt sich von seinem Vorhaben nicht abbringen. Er geht mit zwei neuen kleinen Bärenwaisen zurück und fängt wieder von vorne an."-

But then a tragedy happened: 2001 the Russian mafia shot his proteges. But Charlie Russell continued, he returned with two new orphaned cubs and restarts with his work.

Bald gesellen sich zwei weitere Jungbären dazu, welche Russell von früher kennt. In diesem mehrfach preisgekrönten Dokumentarfilm geht es um viel mehr als nur die Aufzucht von Jungbären. Charlie Russell beweist mit seiner Art zu leben, dass die Menschen ihre Angst vor Bären überwinden und so dazu beitragen können, dass diese grossartigen und spannenden Tiere zukünftigen Generationen erhalten bleiben. (Text source here)-

Soon two other cubs joined in, known by Russell from before. This award-winning documentary is about much more than just the raising of young bears. Charlie Russell proves with his way to live, that people can overcome their fear of bears and may contribute to the survival of these magnificent and fascinating animals for future generations.

Wegen unserer lokalen Inselschneckenverbindung war es mir leider nicht möglich, den Film selbst anzuschauen, also googelte ich ein wenig und fand stattdessen folgende Videos zu Charles Russel und den Kamschatka Bären auf YouTube, einen kleinen Einblick verschafft zumindest folgendes Video, zwar nur 5 Minten lang und sicher kein Ersatz für die Dokumentation, aber allemal sehenswert, sozusagen das Trostpflaster für alle, die das lange Video ebenfalls nicht sehen können.-

Due to our well-known local snail like Internet connection, I was not able to watch the documentary myself, bit with the help of Mr.Google I found at least two videos about Charles Russell's Kamchatka project, the longer one with lots of pics here...

Wer Lust auf mehr Infos zu Charles Russells Arbeit bekommen hat, dem sei seine Website Studying Grizzly Bears sehr ans Herz gelegt, folgende Artikel fand ich besonders interessant:-

And who has got some more interest in the work of Charles Russell might find following articles interesting which I found on his website :

- Bears and People Can Share the Same Land!
- Letters from Charlie- Timothy Treadwell-Grizzly Man

Timothy Treadwell was a bear enthusiast who dedicated the last 13 years of his life to grizzly bears too, he and his girl friend Amie Huguenard were killed and consumed by a bear in 2003, later chronicled in Werner Herzog's movie about Treadwell "The Grizzly Man" . Treadwell was either idolized or criticised for many reasons ; Russell's letter is a helpful contribution to understand these discussions, describing too the different approach concerning his and Treadwell's understanding of bears. -

And this is the book I would love to read one day....

Photo credits: Most of the photos I found on Charlie Russell's website but also here and here

Note: I didn't find anything specific about the Russian Mafia incident in 2001, if someone knows more about it, please share!