First Giant Panda born in US in 2008

frankie — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 17:51:00 +0000

Lun Lun, a giant panda at the Atlanta Zoo gave birth on August 31 to a single cub which is the 1st giant panda born in the US this year. It is Lun Lun’s second cub since the US zoo started a panda breeding program in 1999.

No photos are available of the new cub as it is in seclusion with Lun Lun. However, below is a picture of Lun Lun with her first cub, Mei Lan, who was born at the zoo in Sept 2006.

Lun Lun with Mei Lan

For more of the story, click Lun Lun

To see the panda cam at the Atlanta zoo, click cam picture below:

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Canada wants more studies of Polar Bears

frankie — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 20:10:32 +0000

Canada, where 2/3 of the polar bears of the world live, wants to have more studies before committing to the same protection for polar bears as the United States. The concern stems from claims that polar bears are not as threatened as the previous studies have shown. It’s interesting to note that the people who are claiming this are the people who make money acting as guides for trophy hunters. (More on story here)

Taken at St-Felicien Wildlife Zoo in Quebec, March 6, 2008. REUTERS/Mathieu Belanger

Designating polar bear as threatened would require bans on hunting and habitat destruction. The people who act as guides to trophy hunters would lose income. With the writing on the wall, I think it’s time these people moved into the 21st century and learned a new skill. Eco-tourism is a big opportunity. Instead of guiding people to kill polar bears, they could instead take people on photo-shoots — trips involving cameras and film and not guns and bullets.

Everyone wins in this scenario. The trophy hunters could still decorate their homes, but instead of with live body parts, they’d have photos of live polar bears. What do you think?

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Polar bears get names

frankie — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 16:57:04 +0000

There a statue of polar bears with 2 cubs at the Memorial Hall Library in Andover, MA who until recently had no names. The Library held a contest naming the 4 polar bears. The sculpture of the bears is pretty cool so I’ve included photos taken by Carl Russo, Staff photo, Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, MA below.

Klondike.

Snowflake is on the left and Grace on the right.

The mother polar bear was named Aurora.

For complete story, click, Nameless no more

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

9 Polar Bears Treading Water

frankie — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 18:15:11 +0000

The polar bear/global warming debate has stirred up again after 9 polar bears were seen out in the open ocean in Alaska.

The Associated Press reports:

“Summer sea ice last year shrunk to a record low, about 1.65 million square miles in September, nearly 40% less than the long-term average between 1979 and 2000 and most climate modelers predict a continued downward spiral, possibly with an Arctic Ocean that’s ice free during summer months by 2030 or sooner.”

The above is a picture of one of the bears seen treading water. Looks like he’s trying to get his bearings on the nearest land or catching his breath. Pretty chilling to realize that he the other 8 polar bears just might not make it to land. For more information on this article, click Polar Bears Spotted

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Polar Bear Cubs — Germany Has Another one!

frankie — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 22:59:52 +0000

Yes, that’s right. Germany’s Stutgartt’s Zoo has another beautiful polar bear cub named Wilhelma. Here’s a wonderful picture of her playing in the water.

For videos of this young cub, click Wilhelma videos

For more pictures, click Wilhelma pictures

ENJOY!

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

High-Tech Bear Den–Watch Bear On Video

frankie — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 22:52:53 +0000

A young bear was released by Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks in Swan Valley into an artificial den with 4 video cameras.

The den is located in a cottonwood grove along Rumble Creek. The young cub was orphaned and the videos will allow a first-hand look at his progress. To see the live video feed, click live video feed And for the full story, click Missoulian bear story.

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Playing Tag With Polar Bears Video

frankie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 16:18:12 +0000

Now, here’s a funny video of a polar bear playing tag with a human.

Enjoy!

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Debbie-Oldest Polar Bear Dying

frankie — Mon, 04 Aug 2008 14:52:01 +0000

Debbie, who this year was entered into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world’s oldest bear, is in ill health. Officials at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg say she is showing signs of “advanced aging” and don’t expect her to live much longer.

Debbie, who is 41 years and 8 months old, came to the zoo in 1967 as a cub. She has since become the most popular animal at the zoo with over 18 million visitors recorded.

Here are a couple of pictures of Debbie:

Due to the conditions of the polar bear enclosure at the zoo, no replacement for Debbie is foreseen in the near future. Polar Bears International (PBI) who has wanted to build an interactive polar-bear facility at Assiniboine Park Zoo, wants to help raise the millions of dollars needed to build the facility. It could become a major tourist attraction as well as a teaching center for people to learn about polar bears.

I for one will miss reading about Debbie. I never got a chance to see her. If any of you did and would like to share your experience through a blog post or photos, please leave me a comment.

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Knut All Grown Up Yet Still A Cub

frankie — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:16:52 +0000

Knut, the famous polar bear cub in Germany, is now a pretty big fellow. And, since he’s not a cute little cub, he’s not drawing the crowd the way he used to. Let’s face it, people are fickle. They like baby animals, but big ones just don’t grab them. What’s up with that?

I find cubs cute and adorable, but the adult animals are very special in their own right. Since they don’t draw the crowds the babies do. That’s really a problem too. Many zoos in the world will keep baby animals to draw the crowds to increase their revenue, then when the baby grows up, they dump them.

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Polar Bear Photo Exhibit at Burke Museum

frankie — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 18:10:28 +0000

The Burke Museum is hosting a wildlife photography exhibit until December 31, 2008. The exhibit, which launched in Seattle, will be a national tour. It includes 40 large-scale images by acclaimed Seattle-based photographer Steven Kazlowski which documents the life cycle of the polar bear and visual representations of the Arctic’s shrinking ice pack.

Here’s one of the wonderful photos in the exhibit.

The exhibit will also premiere Alaskan filmmaker Arthur C. Smith’s Ice Bears of the Beaufort, a short documentary providing a portrait of wild polar bear behavior.

The Burke Museum is located on the University of Washington campus, at the corner of NE 45th St and 17th Ave NE. Hours are 10 am to 5 pm daily, and until 8 pm on first Thursdays. Admission: $8 general, $6.50 senior, $5 student/ youth. Admission is free to children 4 and under, Burke members, UW students, faculty, and staff. Admission is free to the public on the first Thursday of each month. Prorated parking fees are $11 and partially refundable upon exit if paid in cash. Call 206-543-5590 or visit www.burkemuseum.org.

On a personal note: I’m sorry to have been out of touch for a couple of weeks. Somebody broke into my source code on this blog and on my cat blog and website. They changed affiliate links and I had to move to another host, change passwords and all sorts of problems ensued. Hopefully that’s all behind me now!

Bear hugs, Frankie

Are You Polar Bear Aware?

Polar bear Cartoons

If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)