Chinook?
It has been a really busy beginning to 2011. Chinook let us know in December that cubs were not on the way (see post Polar Bears: What December Brings), and she was ready to join her buddies Kalluk and Tatqiq in life at Polar Bear Plunge. As keepers this is sometimes a worrisome time: not sure if the relationships from the past will still be there. Of course, after some initial greeting time, the famous three were up to their old antics. It is also the time of the year that the girls seem to be best friends, and Kalluk spends more time practicing his basketball skills!
Is that really you?
We used some of this time to do annual maintenance on the front pool: steam cleaning, replacement of lights, fresh mulch, etc. This meant that all three bears would be inside the bedrooms and yard—all together! With great affection, you must know that these three are beyond messy! Besides providing them with loads of boxes, burlap, and hay, they also felt it necessary to bring in fresh mulch from the yard into the bedrooms and the indoor pool—every day! Once back out to the main exhibit, Chinook definitely showed off that she truly is the queen of the mulch roll! Good thing Kalluk has a good sense of smell, as it appeared he was wondering where the brown bear came from!
Recently, Kalluk and Chinook have begun their great flirtation we see around breeding time. It seems a bit early this year, but they seem to be greatly enjoying each other’s company more than past years. Could this be a good sign? Tatqiq is now a bit of a loner and just stays away when the three are together. She has learned that this, too, will pass, and soon her silly, amorous buddies will be interested in playing again.
We are still collecting fecal samples from Chinook in hopes of being able to get a hormonal assay to determine pregnancy; we are now also collecting urine samples. Any information we can achieve will help us better understand polar bear reproduction.
We have also placed on the Wish List a request to give the polar bears snow. Take a look! If we reach our amount, we’ll be sure to give you notice to watch the fun on Polar Cam. Until then, keep doing your part to conserve and help the polar bears in the Arctic. Unfortunately, for all our cold weather down here it has been a very warm winter for our ice bears of the north!
JoAnne Simerson is a senior keeper at the San Diego Zoo.
Yes indead Miss Chinook truely looks like a brown bear Great pics Im so happy our three bears are doing so well and are so very playful today was crazy I could not tell who the little bear in the water was today. I felt bad for Tatqiq last time I saw her she looked a little sad now I understand it is the season for polar bear love thank you all Barbara.
OMG There are two rolling in dirt now, this is fantastic! I wish you’d turn the camera around!
I’m in IL – there is plenty of snow here; they are welcome to stay with me
Chinook is too funny. She does look like a brown bear. Hopefully Kalluk and Chinook will start a family soon. I was so looking forward to following a new cub on the webcam last year. Maybe this year. Thank you so much for the blogs on the polar bears. They are my favorite.
Chinook please take a bath so you can smell nice for Kalluk. After all Valentines day is almost here. Hopefully this year we will see little polar cubs.
Thanks for the update on the wonderful trio!
I haven’t seen them playing in a few weeks for it seems every time I check, they’re passed out. I checked the wish list and do not see snow on it. I hope that means people contributed and they bears will get to play in it shortly. Otherwise, I have plenty here in Montreal, QC that I can send you! 
Moderator’s note: I’ll find out about the snow on the Wish List. It was there yesterday
I guess I was not mistaken in my message on the previous blog. Kalluk and Chinook are being extra friendly with each other – maybe it is because of Valentine’s day.
Let’s hope that something comes of all this.
I looked at the wish list but I think I missed the snow part for the polar bears please advise how to send donations for snow!
thank you
P.S. it’s sad that Tatqiq is a loner…..hope that changes quickly!
thanks for the update!
I was just looking at the Wish List for February and there is the notation on snow for the bears at $10.00 each for a total of $3,000.00
Moderator’s note: Yes, it mysteriously disappeared but has been reposted. Think snow!
Thanks mod. I will contribute because they do deserve to have a fun snow day! Wish I could send you the piles of it we have here.
I watched a TV show a while back explaining that brown bears evolved into polar bears during the ice age. I guess Miss Chinook saw the same show and decided to evolve back to a brown bear…. Silly bear….
Thank you for the update! Chinook is hilarious. She really covers every inch of herself, but she makes a very pretty cocoa bear! It must be tough on Tatqiq to go through this every year. She must miss her friends and be confused as to what is going on, especially with brother Kalluk. We have about 4 feet of snow on the ground in our large yard. We and a lot of other people in New England would be happy to give the bears snow for an entire winter! Come take it away! It is yours and theirs to play with!
Moderator’s note: It’s ironic that we have to pay for snow and others pay to get rid of it!
I should be working but it is so beautiful watching Kalluk and Chinook together. They are constantly together. Chinook lays down and Kalluk is not far keeping an eye on her and when she starts walking he shadows her. I hope this is a sign of things to come – polar cubs – WOW
Is Taqiq of breeding age? Do the bears naturally know NOT to breed with siblings?
Moderator’s note: Tatqiq has a contraceptive implant, so her body is not sending out any breeding signals.
Thank you so much for all the updates. I didn’t know Polar bears could turn so brown. Amazing. I enjoy watching them by web cam. It is so nice to be able to see their daily antics. Once again, Thank you!
Gail
I have a few questions for our moderator…Has any of the staff noticed whether or not Kalluk and Chinook has actually mated or just attempts made on Kalluk’s behalf this season? And second, has the zoo considered artificial insemination for Chinook or has that been attempted also. Third question if you will, what is the possibility that you can have a fourth male bear brought in for Tatqiq to also better the chances for future Polar Bear babies? Polar Bear fans are inquiring!
Moderator’s note: Your questions have been forwarded to our polar bear team.
Thank you moderator for a quick response, standing by for a reply from the Polar Bear Team…..
So far this season (at least as of this exact second ;>) there has been no actual mating, it’s still early, although we know of one pair in the U.S. that has. Last year the actual breeding occurred middle of March, so potentially we have a bit of time to wait. We aren’t considering AI as we don’t yet know enough about polar bear reproduction to even attempt it! At this point we will keep Tatqiq out of the breeding population. As far as long-term planning, it is best for her and the overall population we currently have. . .however, that can always change.
will there ever be a cam to show the happenings in that beautifully green polar bear park?
Keepers currently have the ability to view the yard under closed-circuit cameras, and it is possible that in the future the system might be able to accommodate more views, but it would require a big overhaul and upgrade!
Love Chinook’s new brown “makeover”. You know what they say…when a girl changes her look…look out. Hope Kalluk will pick up on her clue.
I love the polar bears! Why does one of the bears (Kalluk) sometimes keep walking back and forth? Is it to impress Chinook? I was wondering…
Jackie
Moderator’s note: It has to do with his frustration at not being able to breed her day and night.
Well, Kalluk certainly is in the mood for mating, but Chinook looks like she is playing hard to get. Maybe a few palm leaves to spice things up? I know that seems to make the bears silly, like catnip does to a cat! Perhaps it will add a bit of romance to the event!
Give Tatqiq a kiss for me. She is always my dear princess and the first bear I saw on camera, playing with her pink balls and peeking under the shelf!
One of the bears is walking 3 footsteps ahead and 3 back swinging the head, why?
Kalluk is doing his dance the three steps forward and three steps back shaking his head from side to side must be his special valentine dance for our beloved chinook its very cute looks to me like she not paying him any attention I figure this must have something to do with the mateing season they are the most lovable bears in the whole wide world! How close are we to snow for our bears Barbara from Phoenix
Moderator’s note: Not very close yet. We’ve just sold 12 $10 increments so far.
Oh I get it… Chinook was having a “spa mulch bath” to be beautiful for Kalluck for their early spring salsa dance!! You go Chinook!!
what a dirty, brown bear. I do wish we could send you the snow we had here in KC– 2- 10″ so far and a 9″ before that. We do see signs of melting this week. hmmmm.
I sure thought we were closer to some snow days for the bears on the wish list it said 295 out of 300 needed for snow days I think every body who watches the plunge should give the ten dollars we all know how special they are and how much pleasure they bring us.Just think how much fun we would have watching them slide down the hills of snow! Hopefully I will be at work when the snow falls!thanks again to all the keepers of the plunge and to all the all the nice people who donate there time on the cameras what and nice job that must be Barbara
Moderator’s note: I’ve just learned that a generous donor purchased the remaining snow “units”! We’ll let everyone know when snow is scheduled for the bears. Thank you all!
Hi! If and when you all are able to get some snow for the 3 polar bears, make sure that you can get as much snow from up north as you can get! They have so much snow piled up from the record snowfalls this winter that they will GLADLY give it up just to get it out of their towns! These towns and cities are running out of room to put all of that extra snow in!
Loved the pics of Chinook looking like a North American Brown Bear! how she managed to get that brown from nose to tail is amazing! Was Chinook able to get all of that dirt washed off of her in the pool? Hoping that Chinook and Kalluk will get back together, do their thing, and Chinook can get pregnant & have a cub or two. Keep us updated about Chinook, ok?
Gonna go for now. Will be back later on!
Chari Mercier
St. Pete, FL
I am trying to make a donation for snow for the Polar Bears; but when I go in under wish list there is nothing listed there for the Polars Bears. Should I be looking somewhere else?
Moderator’s note: Thanks to a generous donor last night, all of the remaining snow has been purchased! We’ll let everyone know when snow is scheduled for our polar bears. Thank you!
hey – i was there on the 9th and chinook was definitely not a brown bear – did she do that overnight? so funny. love those bears and love the pandas too!
I had no idea there actually were brown polar bears, I thought they are only white as climatic peculiarities usually dictate. Thanks for posting!
I hope the probes and analyses didn’t disappoint you btw!
I just recently found your cams on line right before the baby panda was born, and I love the polar bears. I can watch them day and night, but I never see the 3 of them together. Its usually tatqiq and kalluk. I know its them because they play in the water all the time, but i have not seen chinook since I started watching. Why is she not on exhibit?
Moderator’s note: She is on exhibit from 9 a.m to 1 p.m., but is often resting out of sight of our camera.