Ewa’s first attempt to have polar bear cubs?
Feb 23rd, 2011 | By mervi | Category: Lead articles23.2.2011 – Source: Press release from Orsa Polar World, Photos by Pernilla Thalin
Orsa Polar World was completed and inaugurated in May 2009 when two young and curious polar bears – Ewa and Wilbär – moved into the facility.They have now reached the age of five and three years in November and December.
In mid-December Ewa (probably pregnant) crept into the snow den in the snow mountain made partly with help of a snow gun.
The entry to the den
Perfectly camouflaged
The excitement among the keepers and the researchers rose for every day - weeks and months passed. Female polar bears go into hibernation only when they are either pregnant or have too little access to food, which was unlikely since the animals in the park always are fed with nourishing food.
The fact that Ewa chose to dig her own den (despite our specially-designed ‘nursery’) is an unique phenomenon and a sign that our polar bears have an environment where they are able to maintain much of their natural behavior. After 8 weeks Ewa came out of her snow den which was several feet deep in the snow piles. The den was thoroughly examined and but there were no traces of a possible birthgiving to be found.
It was a false alarm this time but nevertheless – this was a most important experience for Ewa. It also means that she should be well prepared and the chanses are good that she will be succesful when she gets pregnant ‘for real’. It is very rare that females become pregnant at such a young age and manage to raise their cubs on the first trial – even in the wilderness.
In captivity only 25 av the total of 176 females all over the world give birth to 20-30 cubs and only about a dozen of these cubs grow up to adulthood. The main reason for these low figures is probably that many females live in suboptimal zoos/animal parks together with too many bears. This leads to high stress levels and many females can’t get pregnant or if the can they are not able to take care of their cubs in a natural way.
In Orsa we have made efforts to design the polar world in such a manner that these stress factors are eliminated. We are looking forward to succesful polar bear years with many cubs in the future. We hope our facilility will be an example of how polar bear enclosures/facilities should be build and how the daily managing of the bears should be carried out.
Facts Polar Bear Reproduction:
Mating season: March-April-May
Pregnancy: 7-8 months, but with delayed implantation.
‘Hibernation’: October-November
Birth: November-December
Out of hibernation: March-April-May
Lactation: Over a year early with 32% fat in milk
Weaning: 1.5 years
Separation: 2-2.5 years
Greetings from
Pernilla Thalin and Torbjörn Wallin
Some winter photos from the cold but beautiful Orsa with two gorgeous polar bears:
Aaah, can you feel the cool, fresh air?
What a perfect day for playing games in the snow!
The snow keeps our furs white and shiny…
Shall we taste it? It doesn’t taste so much – maybe we should add some spices?
Let me take a closer look at you….
Herr Wilbär – the smiling polar bear – always ready for a little flirt with the visitors
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Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
What thrilling news! Even if it was a false alarm this time Ewa’s behaviour clearly shows you’ve managed to create a fantastic environment for the polar bears.
I have seen what a nice ‘nursery’ you have but maybe you have to have a plan B now since Ewa seems to prefer a snow den
Of course, both Ewa and Wilbär are very still very young but ‘these things’ sometimes happen in a very early age.
I wish you and the bears a fantastic winter season!
Hugs from Mervi
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
this is really interesting news about Ewa. What can one wish more for a female plar bear than she is digging her own den. This is definitely proof that everything possible has been done for the wellbeing of Ewa (and Wilbär).
may I mention your quotation:
a sign that our polar bears have an environment where they are able to maintain much of their natural behavior.
I would dare say that Ewa and Wilbär have an environment in Orsa where they are able to maintain MOST of their natural behaior.
You can be very proud of your fantastic work and of two wonderful bears who really feel “at home” in Orsa.
I would like to thank you very much for this “breaking” news. All information from Orsa is very much appreciated.
Dear Mervi,
let me thank you too, for giving this wonderful report the appropriate platform in KWM. I am really always very happy to hear from Ewa and especially Wilbär (who I know personally).
You can be very proud that KWM is THE Magazine reporting regularly from the polar bear paradise ORSA
Kind Regards and Hugs
caren
Liebe Pernilla
Vielen Dank für ihre Informationen zu Ewas Höhlenbauaktivitäten.
Ich bin sicher, es wird nächsten Winter klappen!
Und danke für die wunderbaren Fotos von Wilbär und Ewa!
Hallo Mervi
Ich hatte wohl eine Eingebung, als ich dich gestern fragte, ob es Neuigkeiten aus Orsa gibt.
Danke fürs Posten dieses hochinteressanten Artikels!
Liebe Grüsse
Crissi
Thank you PERNILLA and MERVI for informing us about the behaviour of the beautiful bears in ORSA during the winter season. What amazing news that Ewa has spent 8 weeks in a self-digged den! The photos are gorgeous, and I am overwhelmed by the pic with the caption “Let me take a closer look at you!”. Is it Ewa we see? Beautiful and clear eyes! Looking already forward to your further reports, dear Pernilla Thalin!
Dear Pernilla, Thorbjörn und Mervi!
How nice, these teenage love. Perhaps next winter.
Thtat´s some special.
Thank you so much.
Kära hälsningar från Finnland
TBM
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
Thank you very much for your interesting and beautiful report on Wilbar and Ewa. It is wonderful to see the bears so contented and showing true polar bear behavior. It looks like Ewa dug an impressive den! They are very lucky bears to be living at Orsa.
Dear Mervi,
If it had not been for you contacting Orsa, we would not have the privilege of following Wilbar and Ewa–thank you again for making it possible for us to enjoy their lives.
Hugs, Sarsam
Nevertheless, wonderful news.
I keep my fingers crossed for Wilbär and Ewa for the comming springtime.
agi
Ich kann nur sagen: “Traumhaft schön”
Zwei glückliche, zufriedene Bären in einem herrlichen Eisbärgehege. Sieht fast aus wie in der Freiheit.
Hello Pernilla, hello Mervi,
since we were in Orsa in March 2010 and saw Eva digging holes in the snow mountain, we talked about the possibility that Eva will dig her own den instead of using the own the humans have prepared for her. We observed two bears that behave totally different from bears in a normal zoo. Perhaps in the end of the year it will indeed happen and Eva will chose a selfmade birth-den to give birth.
Thank you for your report.
Dear Pernilla, thank you so much for this update. Well, if I could make a wish, I would wish all polar bears kept in capitivity wherever on earth to have a place like Orsa. Again, we got another sign that these two lucky bears can live a life close to “beary reality”. Although I also would wish that Ewa takes a few (two or three) years more to wait before having cubs (but, it goes without saying that this wish is my personal one). And then of course, she can dig her own den (we all know in advance that you and your team will be around to keep an eye on her).
Dear Mervi, thank you for giving it a place here where we all can participate in the news about Orsa.
Liebe(r) Pernilla, Thorbjörn und Mervi,
zwei glückliche Eisbären in einem wunderschönen Zuhause – es könnte nirgendwo besser sein.
Danke für die eindrucksvollen Fotos und den aufschlussreichen Bericht.
Bear Hugs
Alex
Simply fantastic!!!!
Gitta
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
There are really two gorgeous polar bears in a wonderful Polar world. Thank you very much for your lovely report.
Mervi, Dir auch ein dickes Dankeschön!
Annemarie
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn!
Thank you for the interesting report about Ewa’s digging a den. The pictures of the bears in snow are wonderful.
Hugs
Ludmila
Dear Pernilla, Torbjörn & Mervi,
Thank you so much for bringing us this news!
What a dear, sweet bear couple they are…Let’s
hope next year will be the real thing!
xo k-j
Dear Pernilla & Thorbjörn
thank you so much for these good and most interesting news. I never have the tiniest doubt that all is at it’s best with these special polar bears, it’s always wonderful to hear of my “Schatzele” and his “Schatzele” *smile*.
When I saw the pics of digging Ewa last spring like UliJ I also thought that Ewa probably has her own ideas where to raise cubs. Ewa’s natural behaviou proves that Orsa’s concept of keeping the animals as ‘natural’ as possible is working – congratulation! Most of all I’m so happy for Ewa because her ‘teenager years’ haven’t been the best. And who if not Wilbär has all reasons to walk around every day with a big broad smile in his face?
Big hugs to the bears and many Grüssles to you from Stuttgart
Velvet
Dear Mervi,
once again thank you so much for “keeping in touch” and publishing the news.
Not only Wilbär has a broad smile on his face…
*hugs* Velvet
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
those are incredibly nice and very interesting news from Orsa.
That Ewa dig her own den, clearly shows how comfortable they feel in this area.
The next time – I’m sure – it works with cute litte polar bear cubs … Thanks also for the latest beautiful pictures of two beautiful polar bears in the snow.
Dear Mervi,
thanks for setting and share with us.
Lot of bear hugs
Conny from Hamburg
Liebe Mervi,
auf Neuigkeiten aus Orsa habe ich schon so gespannt gewartet.
Recht herzlichen Dank für die guten Neuigkeiten, den interessanten Bericht und die tollen fantastischen Fotos. Ich bin glücklich und froh, dass es unserem Liebespaar Wilbär und Ewa gut geht.
Liebe eisbärige Grüße
Heidi aus Konstanz
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
Thank you for these updates. Both bears look very healthy and happy at Orsa. I wish all bears could have a home at Orsa with caring keepers. I have kept track of Wilbar since he was born and it brings me so much joy to see him thriving in such a wholesome environment that is so close to his natural habitat. I didn’t realize he was old to become a father – growing up quickly isn’t he? Given the beauty of both his parents, I am sure he and Ewa will have stunning cubs when the time is right.
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
thank you very much for your lovely report and pictures from Ewa and Wilbär!
Bearhugs Angela
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn,
Sooo fantastic to hear news of our Ewa and Wilbär at Orsa, thank you very much to the parties providing, as also to our Mervi on enquiring.
What comes to mind for me is that if Ewa entered a ‘self-made’ snow den for 8 weeks, in essence disappearing for that length of time, what did Wilbär do by himself those weeks? Did he keep watch near the den? Did he go near the den at all? He must have been ‘aware’ that Ewa was not around. My question is: Did he seem to be pining for her? Or did he instinctively know she would return when she did return?
This business of instinct is very intriguing and puzzling to me. I appreciate to hear as much as their keepers have to share about these 2 special bear-kins.
Bear Hugs,
Tish
Dear Pernilla and Torbjörn
Wonderful winterpictures of the bears. thank you.
All the best wishes from Copenhagen
Inge
Dear Pernilla , dear Torbjörn
Thank you for the great picrues from Wilbär and Ewa. They live in a polar bear pardise.
Many Hugs
Bea
Das sind gute Nachrichten, vielleicht vergrößert sich die Eisbärfamilie im nächstes Jahr .
Thank you Pernilla, Torbjörn and Mervi…
Everything important has already been written…
Orsa is a paradise for every polar bear.:-) .-) .-)
BH Manuela