Wilbär

Wilbär in the Wilhelma Zoo.

Wilbär is a polar bear who was born in captivity at the Wilhelma Zoo in Stuttgart, Germany on December 10, 2007.[1] Wilbär made his first public appearance on April 16, 2008, swimming alongside his mother. His name comes from combining the name of the zoo with the German word for bear (Bär).[1][2] Zoo officials have registered the name as a trademark.[1]

Sweden

In May 2009, Wilbär left Wilhelma Zoo and was shipped to Orsa Grönklitt wildlife park in Sweden.[3][4] There he is paired with Ewa, from the Rotterdam Zoo, and received many gifts from Germany on his birthday.[5] In spring of 2011, zoo officials thought Ewa might be pregnant.[6] Wilbär's first female cub, Miki, was born in December of 2013. Two twin cubs, Noori and Nanook, were born in November of 2021.[7]

Netherlands

On March 12, 2022, Wilbär was transferred to the Dierenrijk Zoo in Nuenen, Netherlands.[7]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c "Wilbaer, the latest polar bear cub to charm German public". The Guardian. 16 April 2008. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  2. ^ Patrick McGroarty, "Stuttgart Zoo Loses a Bird, Gains a Polar Bear", Der Spiegel 29 February 2008.
  3. ^ "Stuttgart polar bear Wilbär headed to Sweden" The Local 15 May 2009.
  4. ^ "Wilbär ist jetzt Schwede". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). 15 May 2009. Archived from the original on 24 July 2011. Retrieved 21 March 2011.
  5. ^ Deutsche Presse-Agentur, "Wilbär ein Jahr in Schweden - Kein Interesse an Sex", Reutlinger General-Anzeiger 7 May 2010 (in German)
  6. ^ Michael Gerster, "Wilbär wird vielleicht Vater", Stuttgarter Nachrichten, updated 22 March 2011 (in German)
  7. ^ a b "Captive polar bears: Wilbär". Bear Conservation Working for Bears. July 28, 2022. Retrieved September 7, 2022.