Chinook enjoys snow day July 2011.
For most of this year we have been monitoring and analyzing Chinook’s behavior and hormones, and these studies have provided great insight into her reproductive cycle. But our research effort really shifts into high gear during the postpartum period. If Chinook has cubs, we will be monitoring the behavior of mother and offspring and closely studying their acoustic communication. As part of a broader study of maternal-care patterns in polar bears (supported in part by Polar Bears International), every move that Chinook makes will be recorded on our den camera, and every squawk, moan, and hum emitted by her cubs will also be recorded, analyzed spectrographically, and correlated with both the cubs’ and Chinook’s behavior.
But what’s most important to the success of this research, and to the successful rearing and care of mother and cubs, is that all of our work is done without disturbing the bears. This requires thoughtful planning and making sure everything is in place BEFORE Chinook decides to go into her den to prepare for a birth. Every piece of equipment must be tested beforehand, because we can’t go back in and fix anything once Chinook has settled in. At this point, we are almost ready, and yes, we are very, very hopeful!
Megan Owen is a conservation program specialist at the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Read her previous post, Panda Su Lin: Cub.
Yippy ! Please do keep us posted every step of the way ! Oh, and I have to ask again. In your blog post Megan, you mentioned the “Den Cam”… does this mean that we also get to view the den cam as well ?? Please say yes !! =)
Thanks again for an update Megan.
We are hoping that that will be the case
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank You for this posting! I am Hoping as I know all Polar -Fans are! Make certain the den cameras are focused
How many months does a Polar Momma remain in the den with her little one(s)?
In the wild, polar bear moms stay in the den until mid-March or April (weather dependent). For the bears on the western Hudson Bay, this means that pregnant females are in the den for 6-7 months. Here at the San Diego Zoo, it will no doubt be considerably shorter, and we’ll let Chinook decide what’s best for her!
I know I’m being very greedy, but I do hope that Chinook has two cubs. I saw one cub grow up last year (Siku), but two cubs would be even better. Is there a way to train polar bears (like pandas) to cooperate with ultrasound tests?
Moderator’s note: Chinook is trained for ultrasound sessions.
Is it possible that there will be video we will be able to see of the ultrasound session? The idea that a polar bear is “trained” for ultrasound sessions is truly remarkable!!
From a huge SDZ polar bear fan… thanks so much to you all!
Moderator’s note: We made a video of one of last year’s ultrasound procedures. View here…
What an amazing video! Chinook is so huge and yet so docile. She’s also so fluffy and adorable. How can the staff resist the urge to play with her???
Have ultrasounds been done on Chinook this year? And if so, what have been the findings?
Thank you for the post. When ultrasound will be done? I hope Chinook will be a good mother, it is more probable than the opposite, isn’t it? The first days will be too exciting, mostly for you keepers. Then I think you have to pay more attention to Kalluk papa and Tatqiq aunty too, for preventing them to feel overshadowed, but may be I am wrong and polar bears don’t feel jelaousy?
I think my heart just fluttered 10 times faster than usual! This is so exciting! I would love to see her have some cubs! I think she would make an amazing Mommy and she will have something very dear to herself for a while, after the loss of her sister a few years back. I am super excited!
This is such great news – how is the old girl – have not seen her too much lately but I really have not had a chance to check in on the web cam in the last week, too many trials and tribulations in my life at the moment. Happy to hear that all is proceeding as well as can be.
Thanks for the update and have a great day.
Yay!!!!! What a wonderful and hopeful post on my Birthday! I got my present a little early this month when I finally got to travel to CA and Polar Bear Plunge to visit Miss Chinook, Kalluk and Tatqiq
Thanks to everyone there who takes such great care of them. 
Such good news — thanks Megan! Here’s hoping for new polar bear cubs at SDZ before long. What an exciting time it will be for all you fortunate people down there! Wishing you all the best as things unfold…
Oh I do so hope Chinook will have some cubs this year. Everything still crossed.
Good news! I will keep my fingers crossed and praying that she is with cub(s). As I plan on heading to the zoo next September, visiting baby polars would make my trip much more exciting!
My co-workers and I have the cam on a couple computers all day so we can watch periodically throughout the work day. We love this inside look at their lives and we love how they seem so well taken care of and have such a great home. Can’t wait to hear if Chinook is preggers! Isn’t there a urine testing stick developed for polar bear hormone yet? LOL
Thank you so much Megan for keeping us updated! It will be wonderful to be able to put that den cam to use. Hoping, hoping for the pitter patter of little polar feets!!
Again my heart skipped a big beep Wow do we dare hope????
Just wondering how old would the cubs be to be put on exibit My hopeing guess would be six months I know it would be mommie and babies only would Titqiq be kept away from babie also after all she is a girl just wondering
Megan, Thank you for the update. I am so excited to see what is to come. How rewarding this may be for you. It makes me smile inside. I would love to have such a job and oppertunity to interact with these amazing animals.
Megan, I was wondering. Is there going to be anymore ultrasounds on Chinook?
It’s mentioned that nothing is seen thus far on previous ultrasounds, but was wondering when it gets closer to possible due date, are her keepers going to try for another ultrasound just to verify that there may be a cub(s), or is the SDZ going to just wait and see what Chinooks actions are, and if a cub(s) is produced? Thanks.
Megan responds: Our keepers are working closely with the veterinary staff to make ultrasounds a regular part of Chinooks pre-partum routine. Ultrasounds remain the best way to confirm a pregnancy; however, there is still much to be learned in regards to this process. We will keep you all posted!
Well now, I wonder who on earth that can be with the dirty face and paws??!!!!
I think it was Kalluk the huge half mole, and Tatqiq was very nice to bring him palm leaf for cleaning but he did not use it.
The sight of Kalluk and Tatqiq sleeping on the sand pile near the Experience Wall is so endearing to my heart. Kalluk was the first one to move there and lay down; Tatqiq joined her brother later, first after taking up her spot near the reindeer fence. They make such wonderful pair and companion for each other and for the visitors. I saw quite a few gathered at the glass wall taking photos of them sleeping peacefully.
I totally believe Chinook is going to have twins, let the magic begin. Not “if” but “when”. :>)
Since polar bear cubs stay with their mother for two to three years, will the cubs ever be allowed to interact with the Taquiq before they become part of the breeding program for other zoos?
I caught Chinook just now lying “in bed” with her blankie (gunny sack) and eating carrots. Very appropriate for an expectant lady. She is so round and beautiful now. Expectant or not, I just admire how bodacious she is. Or is that beardacious?
I just saw all three bears on Polar Cam. They include one VERY brown bear (Tatqiq, I think), Kalluk, and Chinook who just headed back indoor. I wonder what Tatqiq did to physically transformed her appearance into another species. =) Love that princess’ antics!
I’ve been watching the elephant cam since getting laid off from work. I look at it inbetween job hunting and it helps ease my stress. The newest baby does not look like he is growing at all. He does not seem to be getting bigger. Also, do the elephants sleep outside or in the barns? I know their eyesight is not good so do they ever fall after it gets dark out? They sure do love their pool but who is the elephant that likes the pool to himself/herself? She goes in after everybody gets out which I find weird but fun to watch. Also, is the upper yard where the pool is? How many people man the webcam. Some dont move it around enough:)
Moderator’s note: All of our elephants calves are thriving. The elephants have access to the barn at night, but they prefer staying outside. The pool is located at the opposite end of the upper yard. We have volunteers that operate our Cams.
Looked in on the bears for the first time in quite a while… Kalluk doing his ‘brown’ bear impersonation as usual.
Hope people arent getting up their hopes too prematurely about Chinook again… hate to see a lot of disappointed people.
On an off topic note someone mentioned the reindeer fence and I cant help wondering how that unexpected star Boris is doing I may have missed some news but we dont seem to hear about him now.
Moderator’s note: Boris’ keeper is preparing a blog post, so stay tuned!
I would like to know what the difference is with bears in the wild and bears in zoos they do not hibernate so ours dont have to go into a den and have cubs would Chinook be in her den give birth and stay in her den? Shes feeds evey day is she not every thing is so different for the bears in the wild! They hunt to gain enought weight so they can feed the cubs through the harsh winter our bears are feed every day right so how does all this come together for our fab three. Barbara in Phoenix
Hibernation in bears is generally driven by seasonal variation in food availability. This factor, coupled with the demands of giving birth to and caring for very small and fully dependent cubs, means that bears “den-up” for as long as is needed. In zoos, bears don’t have the nutritional constraints of bears in the wild, and so these bears typically den for a much shorter period. For polar bears in zoos in places like San Diego, the more temperate conditions also minimize the need for denning up.
Does Chinook get to eat anything else but carrots? Carrots can get pretty boring for anyone and sometimes she looks like she’d like to throw them out of her yard. What else do you feed her? I also wonder why she likes to get all that dirt on her – does it keep the bugs or critters away or ?
Moderator’s note: Polar bears at the San Diego Zoo get a special ground-meat diet made for zoo carnivores, dog kibble, trout and other fish, as well as root vegetables and lettuce as treats. Cow femur bones and thawed rabbits are added once or twice per week. Polar bears get very little nutrition or calories from vegetables, so these items are offered as treats, and the whole carrots keep their teeth clean. They don’t keep her fur clean, though
I noticed that Im not seeing Chinook out on exhibit lately. Is this because she prefers to stay in doors right now, due to her possible pregnancy, or are her keepers keeping her of exhibit for a reason ? If she is on exhibit is she usually out alone at this point ? Thanks Megan !
Polar Team responds: Chinook is out on exhibit on her schedule. She lets us know if she’d like to go out and when she’d like to come in. Depending on the day, she can be out with Kalluk and Tatqiq or by herself. We watch her behavior to see what she is comfortable with. In the past week she has even let us know she’d rather stay inside. Often when she is on exhibit she is hard to find as she is sleeping up by the waterfall. Pretty much every day by 1:00 p.m. she is inside sleeping in the enormous hay bed she is building.
Is there any way you could post some pictures of what the bears’ inner night house looks like, and some of the hay bed Chinook is building??
How big is a polar bear newborn? I know a panda newborn is about the size of a stick of butter. What about the polar bear?
Moderator’s note: Polar bear cubs average 1.3 pounds (0.6 kilograms) at birth.
Well I have high hopes for a cub or two from Chinook. The hay bed is a good sign also. Expectant mothers should always get their way. Keepernannies are wonderful people. Umngani just had her third little elly baby so I’m taking that as a good sign of more babies to come.
This is such good news!!!! Dare we hope for twins? All fingers and toes are crossed.
We do have a den cam, right? We won’t miss a beat, right? We will the birth, yes? Oh, please, say yes, say yes
Yes, SDZ has already installed a den cam in preparation for births. I can’t remember which blog post mentions this to provide you with a link, but I am 100% certain. =)
Moderator’s note: Yes, we will have the capability of showing den happenings, should there be something to show.
Does this mean that we wont get full round the clock viewing as we did with Bai Yun ?
(Sorry to burst in on your post Grace) =)
Moderator’s note: I just meant “if there are any cubs.” Remember, we still don’t have a confirmed pregnancy.
AAaaaaaaww .. Crossing all my fingers so she can get pregnant, please let all her fans here know what happens.!
At this age… it looks like they are still playing with each other ! Is this possible ??
Moderator’s note: Absolutely!
Enormous hay bed, afternoon naps, all the snackies she wants…. yep, sounds like someone’s having a cubby or two!! Now I need to come up with a system for getting my work done — on my computer — and watching the polar/den cam 24/7. Thinking I may need to invest in a small netbook… come on Chinook… we’re counting on you. No pressure though…
Other than eating and sleeping, what is Chinook now doing with her days?
You can add long, lovely soaks in the pool to her to do list!
Decisions, decisions! I am watching a bear trying to decide where to nap. Mulch bed or top of stone shelf with palms! Hmm…..
Any signs????
I’m so excited, it’s October 3rd and I don’t think I was this excited bout my pregnancy!!
Awww. One of the bears is at a bedroom door. Is that Chinook wanting in?
I’m with you Debi every day I look to see any news on our dear Ms, Chinook Or should I Mrs. Chinook Barbara from Phoenix!!!!!!!
Oh my, this is just as “engrossing” as watching the elephants for that birth! Come on Chinook!!!! We want the baby!!!!
What a wonderful camera shot! Kalluk sitting in the water by the glass taking a bath while a bunch of little kids watch on. I love that he seems just as interested in them as they are of him! I am curious. How do the bears react to the crowds? I assume they are very used to them, but do they show curiosity or interest even when they know a treat is not involved? Do they just come up to the windows and play or peek in out of curiosity? Does anything item or thing interest them, like the colours they love? Wouldn’t you love to crawl into their minds and see what they are thinking? lol I love these bears. Such treasures!
Each day they find something or someone new they will find interesting. They do love hats and bright colors!