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North American Polar Bear Population 2023

Discussion in 'North America - General' started by MidwestFan, 2 Jan 2023.

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  1. MidwestFan

    MidwestFan Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Alaska Zoo - Anchorage, AK (1.1)
    Cranbeary F (Kavek x Voda) b. 2001.11.21
    UNKNOWN M (WILD x WILD) b. 2021 (est)

    San Diego Zoo - San Diego, CA (1.2)
    Kalluk M (WILD x WILD) b. 2000
    Chinook F (WILD x WILD) b. 1995
    Tatqiq F (WILD x WILD) b. 2000

    Brookfield Zoo - Brookfield, IL (1.1)
    Hudson M (Aussie x Arki) b. 2006.12.14
    Hope F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2015.12.03

    Lincoln Park Zoo - Chicago, IL (1.1)
    Siku M (Marty x Crystal) b. 2009.12.03
    Talini F (Triton x Barle) b. 2004.11.22

    Louisville Zoo - Louisville, KY (1.1)
    Qannik F (WILD x WILD) b. 2011.01.10
    Lee M (Yukon x Aurora) b. 1999.11.27

    Detroit Zoo - Royal Oak, MI (0.3)
    Suka F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2012.11.21
    Astra F (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17
    Laerke F (Nuka x Suka) b. 2020.11.17

    Como Park Zoo - Saint Paul, MN (2.1)
    Neil M (Irsinak x Skeena) 1995.12.09 [sterile]
    Nanuyaak (WILD x WILD) b. 1994
    Kulu M (Lee x Aurora) b. 2019.11.28

    Kansas City Zoo - Kansas City, MO (1.1)
    Berlin F (Icee x Connie) b. 1989.12.11
    Nuniq M (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2016.11.14

    Saint Louis Zoo - St. Louis, MO (1.0)
    Kali M (WILD x WILD) b. 2013

    Albuquerque BioPark Zoo - Albuquerque, NM (2.0)
    Kiska M (Andy x Chinook) b. 1996.11.19 [sterile]
    Koluk M (Andy x Chinook) b. 1996.11.19 [sterile]

    Buffalo Zoo - Buffalo, NY (1.1)
    Sakari M (Marty x Crystal) b. 2012.11.21
    Luna F (Nanuq x Anana) b. 2012.11.27

    Seneca Park Zoo - Rochester, NY (0.1)
    Anoki F (Yukon x Aurora) b. 1996.11.20

    North Carolina Zoo - Asheboro, NC (1.1)
    Anana F (Yukon x Aurora) b. 1999.11.27
    Payton M (Aussie x Arki) b. 2003.11.08

    Columbus Zoo & Aquarium - Powell, OH (0.1)
    Aurora F (Marty x Crystal) b. 2006.11.25

    Toledo Zoo - Toledo, OH (1.1.2)
    Crystal F (Orca x Saskia) b. 1998.11.10
    Nuka M (Kavek x Voda) b. 2004.11.25
    Twin A U (Nuka x Crystal) b. 2022.11.11
    Twin B U (Nuka x Crystal) b. 2022.11.11

    Oregon Zoo - Portland, OR (0.2)
    Nora F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2015.11.06
    Amelia Gray F (Nanuq x Anana) b. 2016.11.08

    Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium - Pittsburgh, PA (0.1)
    Snowflake F (Herman II x Becky) b. 1995.11.28

    Memphis Zoo - Memphis, TN (1.1)
    Haley F (Yukon x Aurora) b. 2002.11.15
    Koda M (Kavek x Voda) b. 2004.11.25

    Hogle Zoo - Salt Lake City, UT (1.1)
    Nikita M (Marty x Nanuyaak) b. 2006.11.21
    Neva F (Nanuq x Aurora) b. 2016.11.14

    Henry Vilas Zoo - Madison, WI (1.1)
    Berit F (Olaf x Ulu) b. 1998.12.28
    Borealis M (Marty x Crystal) b. 2018.12.09

    Total US Population (41)
    17.22.2
     
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  2. Zoofan15

    Zoofan15 Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The AI procedure at Columbus Zoo and Aquarium was sadly unsuccessful:

    From socials:

    Our successful polar bear breeding program took an innovative new conservation step this spring when we artificially inseminated Aurora.

    While the procedure ultimately didn’t result in a cub, our care team continues to work diligently with other scientists to explore new ways to help protect the future of this vulnerable species. If successful, AI could mean reducing the need to move bears to ensure genetic diversity for breeding, and providing valuable data that can benefit polar bears in their native ranges.


    Zoo guests may see Aurora, who will have access to her outdoor Polar Frontier habitat beginning tomorrow, Jan. 4, after she emerges from her den.
     
  3. Neil chace

    Neil chace Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    A shame, although not unexpected. Now hopefully the zoos in question (Columbus and Louisville especially) will put AZA accreditation politicking behind them and send a male (ideally Lee) to the Columbus Zoo so that Aurora can breed the old-fashioned way.
     
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  4. Nile Hippo Expert

    Nile Hippo Expert Well-Known Member

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    I am very sad to hear that the AI was unsuccessful :(. At least Aurora didn't die from this procedure.
     
  5. Haley

    Haley Well-Known Member

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    IndianRhino was able to confirm that Lee would return to Columbus:
    .
     
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  6. Haley

    Haley Well-Known Member

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    It's highly unlikely that Anana died from the artificial insemination itself, but rather from other health complications.
     
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  7. Neil chace

    Neil chace Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    While that may have been the plan at one time (and may still be), I never count on transfers happening until they actually do. Way too often Zoo politicking gets involved, or something happens to one of the animals, or plans for an institution change and a transfer never ends up occurring. While this transfer very well may occur, I wouldn't say Lee will return to Columbus, just that he is likely to return.
     
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  8. Haley

    Haley Well-Known Member

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    I hope so. Lee is a genetically valuable male, and he's currently at a zoo where he cannot breed (as the other female, Qannik, is excluded from the breeding program), so he should definitely be returned to Columbus.
     
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  9. IndianRhino

    IndianRhino Well-Known Member

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    Berlin at Kansas City was euthanized yesterday morning :(

     
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  10. Neil chace

    Neil chace Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Sad, albeit not unexpected, news. It'll be interesting to see if Kansas City gets another bear, a female to pair with Nuniq would be ideal.
     
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  11. wild boar

    wild boar Well-Known Member

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    This is truly very sad. I remember watching Berlin during her brief time at the Como Park Zoo and before that, in Duluth. I could be wrong, but when I went to the Kansas City Zoo in 2018, I think it was her that I saw. Berlin's behavior around Buzz and Neil in St. Paul was really entertaining. I remember watching her having a pool party with them shortly before she left.
     
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  12. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    Hope at Brookfield is back out on exhibit as of today. No cubs.
     
  13. Jambo

    Jambo Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    She's been out for a while now; I think I saw on socials she was out on exhibit earlier this month.

    A big shame as Hudson comes from a rather unrepresented line, and Hope is now at the age where she should have her first litter.
     
  14. MeiLover

    MeiLover Well-Known Member 10+ year member

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    The zoo uses footage that was often recorded ahead of time. Yesterday was her first day out. One of the keepers was removing the signs mentioning that the exhibit was closed due to her being in her den.
     
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  15. Neil chace

    Neil chace Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Hudson does not come from an unrepresented line. In fact, most of the population is in some way descended from Aussie x Arki, Hudson's parents.
     
  16. Haley

    Haley Well-Known Member

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    Have there been any updates on Hogle & Memphis? Are Neva & Haley still denning, or are they on-exhibit still?
     
  17. Neil chace

    Neil chace Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    The birthing season has officially passed, so if the bears aren't back on exhibit, they should return soon. There is a slim chance there could be an unannounced birth, as some zoos don't announce births until after a critical period passes to reasonably ensure survivorship, but I wouldn't count on a birth out of either zoo. Now the main thing to watch out for is any transfers that occur (hopefully at a minimum males will return to Detroit and Columbus- although I wouldn't hold my breath on the latter), as any transfers tend to occur ASAP after the end of the denning season.
     
  18. Polar bear fan

    Polar bear fan Well-Known Member

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    Sadly Neva is back on exhibit again.
     
  19. IndianRhino

    IndianRhino Well-Known Member

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    Nikita and Neva at Hogle have been reintroduced for breeding! Hopefully they’ll be luckier the second time around.
     
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  20. Neil chace

    Neil chace Well-Known Member 5+ year member

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    Glad to see re-introductions have started. I'm hoping that Buffalo follows soon and re-introduces Sakari and Luna. As of yesterday, they were not yet re-introduced, but Sakari was repeatedly standing on his hind legs to look into Luna's habitat, so there's definitely some interest, at least on Sakari's part.
    Has their been any news on transfers yet, especially in regards to getting males back to Detroit and Columbus?
     
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