dailypetfwd

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER


It’s fun playing in the snow. But it’s even more fun when you have something big and warm to snuggle up to.

For these two boisterous polar bear cubs, that big warm something came in the form of mum.

Not only did she give them a ride on her back but she also let them use her as a blanket as they settled down in the snow.

Cuddles: This polar bear cub enjoyed snuggling up to its mum after playing in the snow

Protection: Not only did the mother give the cubs a ride on her back but she also let them use her as a blanket as they settled down in the snow

One lucky cub even got to shelter between her forearms as she gazed out across the white wastes of the Waspusk National Park in Canada in temperatures of -20C, captured in these images by photographer Keren Su.

But like any mother, she also found that when she fancied a rest herself, the little ones were determined to keep her awake to play.

Photographer, Keren Su, captured the scene during an expedition.

Mr Su, from Redmond, Washington, endured temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius in a bid to get the delightful shots but admitted sightings of polar bear cubs was never guaranteed.

He said: 'It is a paradise for the polar bears but not for human beings. We had been taking our chances for days and found nothing.

'I was there on a very clear mission to get photos of the polar bear cubs. I believe that the beauty of nature is always hidden in the remote areas difficult to access.

Rare: Photographer Keren Su captured the heart-warming scene just outside Waspusk National Park in Canada during an expedition

Taken for a ride: This picture shows the cubs riding on their mother's back as she finds a safe place for them to relax.

Relaxing: The two cubs and their mother rest during their playful afternoon

'The young cubs need rest after walking for a certain amount of time, so the mother bear had to find a place safe enough for them to relax.

'The mother nursed the young cubs one by one. Then she licked their bodies, especially the stomach to help with their digestion.

'When the mother bear got tired, she needed rest but by that time the cubs seemed to get more energy.

'In one photo, it is as if one cub was telling the other to be quiet because mum needed a bit of sleep.

'The cubs never left their mum very far. They always wanted to snuggle with her.

'This was one of my most enjoyable moments during all of my trips to this area.'

Dedicated: Mr Su endured temperatures of -20 degrees Celsius in a bid to get the delightful shots

Close: The photographer says the expedition team had been taking their chances for days and found nothing. This image shows the mother licking her cubs

Mr Su said when the team came across the cubs, they were not afraid of their human companions.

'Mothers are very protective of their cubs and taking a picture is totally different from just seeing a bear.

'When we found them resting, we had to let the bears accept us approaching them. Gradually they would allow us to watch them from a distance.

Cute: The photographer got the opportunity to photograph the cubs when they felt they were not a threat to them

On guard: The cubs look to make an escape from their mother

'When they felt we were not a threat to them, we got the opportunity to photograph them.

'I love winter, it’s my favourite season because it’s a very romantic and poetic time to photograph animals.

'I love to take pictures in the snow just for the thrill of it.'


source:dailymail

By Leon Watson


A family of polar bears swim for their lives after the ice sheet they were hunting on melted before their eyes.

The mother and her two six-month-old cubs got marooned 60 miles out to sea in Svalbard, Norway, in the Arctic Circle.

The cubs were seen clambering on to the floating ice sheet, while their mother planned their next move.

A polar bear and her two six month old cubs swim 60 miles back to shore after global warming caused an ice sheet to melt in Svalbard, Arctic
The blocks of ice sprawled hundreds of miles into the Greenland Sea.

Rising temperatures caused by global warming has seen the polar bear's natural habitat fall apart.

Photographer Dennis Bromage, 37, from Stockton-on-Tees said: 'It's tragic. The baffled bears just stared into the water as if to say, "where did all the ice go?"

'The family were on the ice when it was one big sheet, but then it just broke up around them and they were left stranded.'


These polar bears were marooned on a tiny iceberg as the ice sheets melt before their eyes


Hungry: The two six month old polar bear cubs huddle with their mother as the ice sheet melts around them in Svalbard, Arctic

The cubs follow their mother over the remaining ice sheet in a desperate bid for survival

Dennis, who was only 10ft away from the bears on a boat, said: 'Their main sources of food are out to sea. If forced ashore, they will starve for the summer because there is just nothing for them to eat.

'The ice is breaking up earlier and earlier every year. But the bears will cling on to the ice for as long as they can.'

Last year scientists at the University of Colorado in Boulder revealed water flowing from the North Atlantic into the Arctic is at its warmest level for more than 2,000 years.


Marooned: The bear cubs look around perplexed as they are left stranded 60 miles out to sea

Many polar bears face starvation during the summer months - and are forced to forage for food inland

According to their research, the sea in the Gulf Stream between Greenland and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard reached an average of 6C (42F) in recent summers, warmer than at natural peaks during Roman or Medieval times.

Scientists fear the temperature spikes could lead to an ice-free Arctic in years to come and could endanger polar bears, who need the ice in order to survive.

Studies show between 1979 and 2009 an area larger than the state of Alaska disappeared.


source:dailymail

By Richard Hartley-parkinson


The close bond between a mother polar bear and her cub is captured in this picture of the pair as they cuddle up for a snooze in their enclosure at Moscow Zoo.

The five-month-old lies across his mother, Simka's chest aver emerging from a cave and was captured by photographer Sergey Gladyshev when he visited the zoo.

The man-made cave is similar to what the animals try and find to live in during the coldest parts of winter in their native Arctic Circle. But Mr Gladyshev said despite the warmer conditions in Russia, the bears are just as wary of humans when they stare at their offspring.

Feeling sleepy? The polar bear cub cuddles up to his mother in an intimate moment at Moscow Zoo

A second image captures the moment that the cub emerges from their cave, staring warily into the camera's lens.

Speaking about the second image, Mr Gladyshev said: 'Simka is very protective of her cubs. She is always watching me when I take photos of them.

'I really like this picture, it's like Simka is waiting to pounce on me if I get any closer to the cub.

'The light in the cave makes the picture. Her face looks scary but she is actually quite calm.

'She just wants to know her cub is not in any danger. She always makes sure they behave.

'If they start to play very hard and fight with each other she growls for them to stop.'

The cub, which has not yet been named, was born at the zoo at the end of last year and often pose and stretch in amusing ways.

Mr Gladyshevsaid: 'I have seen them do this a few times and the female cub is always looking like she is posing. I wonder if she thinks she is a model.

'Simka is always there though. She is always watching. She is a very loving mother. Maybe because she feels food is always there for them and does not feel threatened.

'I took the shot when I was around 10 metres away. The mother and her three kids were in some really interesting poses in just the half an hour while they were out in the sun.

'I hope I'll see even more interesting poses as the months go on this year and they head towards adulthood.'
Simka and the cub's father, Vrangel, look after their
three cubs in the safety of the zoo as nearly half of the world's polar bear sub-populations decline.

But they may again be helping their community thrive and expecting further cubs as the courtship and mating season finished at the end of May.


source:dailymail

Move over, LeBron James - basketball's newest superstar has risen.

Willie the polar bear looks destined for the court as he spins a ball on his giant paw and tosses it in the air as part of his daily workout.

The 60-stone beast - pictured at North Carolina Zoo, in the U.S. - keeps himself match fit by playing for hours on end in his 115,000 gallon pool.

Showman: Willie wows the visitors by spinning the ball on his gigantic paw (left) at North Carolina Zoo, Asheboro, U.S. before forcing it under the surface (right)

Willie, who is 8ft6in tall, was rescued in in 2002 from a travelling circus, where he was kept in a cramped cage and fed only vegetables.

Resident zoo photographer Valerie Abbott, 54, said: 'Willie is certainly tall enough to be a basketball player.

'He has lots of inflatable toys and floats but he loves the ball.'

Willie recently celebrated his 27th birthday. In the wild, the average polar bear lives to 18 but in captivity some live into their mid thirties.


Three-pointer: 8ft6in Willie launches the ball high into the air as he treads water in his 115,000-gallon pool

Good hustle: The 60-stone predator chases after his favourite toy

He is currently staying at Milwaukee County Zoo while the polar bear exhibit in North Carolina is being extended.

He should be able to return in Spring 2013.

Valerie recently travelled the 1,000 miles to see Willie in his temporary home.

She said: 'He's doing well and has his ball to play with, but the staff at the North Carolina Zoo all miss him.

'He is our star attraction and such a show off, so a lot of visitors have been asking "where's Willie?"'


Hogging the ball: He may be the only one playing but Willie looks no less determined to keep possession


Main attraction: Visitors to the zoo can't wait for Willie to return from Milwaukee, where is staying during refurbishments to his enclosure


Safe hands: The 27-year-old polar bear demonstrates his impressive ball control skills


Stretch it out: Willie shows off his enormous height, which could well come in handy against the NBA's finest



source:dailymail

By Daily Mail Reporter


Polar bears have been spotted with sores and missing patches of fur, causing concern among wildlife experts that a mystery disease had become widespread in the species.

Nine bears were being studied by biologists carrying out work along the Arctic coast to see if the condition was related to similar symptoms in seals and walruses.

The bears were among 33 seen near Barrow, Alaska and according to the U.S. Geological Survey, the polar bears had 'alopecia, or loss of fur, and other skin lesions'.

Mystery illness: Nine polar bears have been discovered with evidence of alopecia and skin lesions near Barrow, Alaska

Tony DeGange, the chief biologist for the USGS in Alaska, told Reuters: 'There's a lot we don't know yet whether we're dealing with something that's different or something that's the same.'

Last summer, an unusually high number of 60 ring seals and several walruses were found dead in the same area with hair loss and sores.

No dead polar bears have yet been found by scientists.

USGS stated: 'Despite extensive testing for a wide variety of well known infectious agents, the cause(s) of the observed condition in walruses and ice seals remains unknown.


Into the wild: A polar bear and cub walking along the edge of the pack ice, at the eastern Chukchi Sea, Alaska

Studies: Biologists were studying the bears after they were observed with alopecia, loss of fur and other skin lesions

'Advanced testing techniques for unidentified infectious agents is continuing as well as further testing for potential causes including man-made and natural biotoxins, radiation, contaminants, auto-immune diseases, nutritional, hormonal and environmental factors.'

There had been suggestions that the mystery condition in the polar bears may be related to the Fukushima nuclear plant in Japan which was badly damaged by last year's tsunami - however early tests do not support that theory.



source:dailymail

By Allan Hall


Cute as a button: Polar bear cub Anori explores her open-air enclosure at Wuppertal Zoo in Germany

The half-sister of late celebrity polar bear Knut made her debut in Germany this week - and she may have even more star quality than him.

Anori has the same father but a different mother to the troubled Knut who collapsed and died from a brain tumour aged just four a year ago.

Unlike Knut, she was not abandoned at birth by her mother but appeared in public with her at Wuppertal Zoo.

SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO

Little adventurer: Anori is dwarfed by a log as she struggles to clamber over it

Anori was born on January 4 to Knut's dad Lars and his new mate Vilma. She ventured forth to the adoration of the camera clicking crowds on Thursday.

She frolicked, she tumbled, she made spectators gasp with delight and zoo director Ulrich Schürer said; 'It all went really well.'

But he aims to protect Anori from the kind of frenzy that consumed Knut and turned him into a publicity addict who was only happy when he was performing.

According to zoo officials, Anori opened her eyes one month after the birth, and took her first steps after two months.


Playtime: Anori frolics with her mother. The little bear was born January 4 and left the birth cave for the first time today


Relentless energy: Vilma looks like she's having difficulty keeping up with her lively young cub


Eskimo kiss! Anori gives Vilma a peck on the snout


Where you going? Vilma casts a protective eye over her daughter as the little one uses her mother's body as an infant assault course

Sleepy time: Anori cuddles up to Vilma - who looks as exhausted as any new mum

On Thursday she could already be seen clambering carefully over small logs, of course always under the watchful eyes of her mother.

Anori was one of two cubs born in the litter, but the second one died a week later.

But while the crowds enjoyed the bear's confident show, Mr Schürer warned that the threats to the species must not be forgotten.


Sniffing her way: Little Anori inspects a rock


Peek-a-boo! Little Anori plays on a log as her mother looks on


Learning about the world: Anori reaches out and touches a tree branch. Right, she sits beneath her mother's powerful frame


Rest in peace: Anoria's late half-brother Knut, pictured left as a cub in 2007 and, right, aged three in 2010. Rejected by his mother at birth, Knut was raised by a handler at Berlin Zoo, Germany, and thanks to his super-cute looks became a worldwide sensation. He sadly passed away from a brain tumour last year, aged just four

'I hope that the people who will see it, will also remember that polar bears are an endangered species,' he said.

'If global warming continues, then there soon won't be any more polar bears because their livelihood will be destroyed.'

Anori won't be markted like Knut - he brought in six million pounds for Berlin Zoo - and her exposure to the public will be limited during her formative months.




source:dailymail

By Anthony Bond


Stunning: Although this looks like it is a polar bear which has somehow found itself in a forest, it is actually an extremely rare 'white' black bear


With its bright white coat and enormous features, you'd be forgiven for thinking that this is a polar bear which has somehow found itself in a forest.

But actually, these incredible pictures show an extremely rare 'white' black bear.

Neither a polar bear nor an albino, this beautifully unique creature is known as the spirit bear, a white variant of the North American black bear.


Extremely rare: The animal, also known as the Kermode bear, lives amongst the dense green forests of British Columbia

Just hanging around: The bear is able to climb into the trees to look for food

The animal, also known as the Kermode bear, lives among the dense green forests of British Columbia.

Once thought to be a myth, these legendary creatures are now so precious to the people of British Columbia, the Government has made it an offence to shoot one - with a fine of up to $100,000 CAD.

Wildlife photographers now travel from across the globe for the chance to capture the white bear on camera, which are virtually impossible to photograph, due to their scarcity.

But one lucky photographer who captured this series of images of the spirit bear in it's natural habitat is Paul Nicklen.

The 43-year-old from Vancouver, Canada, said: 'This little bear is amazing its pure white, it's not a polar bear and there are only 200 left in the world - it's more rare than a panda.


Popular: Wildlife photographers now travel from across the globe for the chance to capture the white bear on camera, which are virtually impossible to photograph, due to their scarcity


Catch of the day: These legendary creatures are now so precious to the people of British Columbia, the Government has made it an offence to shoot one. The bear is pictured here with a large fish for its lunch


Big feed: The bear carries its snack while keeping a watchful eye out

Tasty: The bear tucks into its large catch

'I sat in this forest for two months without ever seeing one and I felt sure I was going to leave empty handed.

'But then after two months of wondering what I was going to do, this incredible big white male came right beside me about three feet away, he grabbed a fish and ate it.

'I then spent my entire day living my childhood dream walking around with this bear through the forest.

'I actually got to sleep within three feet of this bear and photograph him, it was a truly amazing experience.'


Chilling out: Paul Nicklen managed to capture the amazing images of the rare bear, including this one of it relaxing in the forest with a meal


Standing its ground: The spirit bear comes into contact with another forest bear, leading to this fight



source:dailymail

By Suzannah Hills


Taking the plunge: Walker dives in after his favourite toy - a hard hat


You'd be amazed how much entertainment a polar bear can get out of a simple hard hat.

And Walker the polar bear proved there was no end to the games he could play with a workman's safety helmet when he managed to get his paws on one for an hour after his weigh in today at the Highland Wildlife Park.

His keepers spotted three-year-old Walker throwing the hat into the water before diving in to retrieve it and then practised balancing it on his paw and his nose.


Nearly got it: Walker sets his sights on grabbing the workman's safety hat

Missed it: Walker plunges into the pond, narrowly missing his beloved hat, which drifts off along the water at the Highland Wildlife Park

Walker's playtime was well-deserved after his weigh-in today - which showed he has grown considerably since first arriving at the park.

But Walker, the only polar bear on public display in the UK, had to first be lured on to the scales with his favourite fishy treats to allow keepers to weigh him.

Walker was given a trail of sardines to follow to tempt him on to a large wooden platform attached to a set of scales which revealed he has gained around 330lb in just over a year.

The three-year-old bear weighed in at 63 stone - when he arrived at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie, Inverness-shire in December 2010 he was around 39 stone.


Making a splash: Walker throws the hat up into the air before chasing after it again


Got it: Walker finally catches the pesky hat that kept giving him the slip

On the nose: Walker prepares to practice balancing his hard hat with varying degrees of success

It will be another two or three years before he is fully grown and by the age of six he will weigh an estimated 80-110 stone.

Una Richardson, the centre's head keeper, said: 'The weigh-in this morning with Walker went extremely well. We managed to tempt him on to the scales with a few of his favourites - sardines.

'We are really pleased with Walker’s weight. He’s a big boy at 403kg, which is around 63 stone. It’s slightly higher than what we had expected. We guessed he could be around 62 stone, which is around 395kg.

'It’s a good, healthy weight for a polar bear of his age and size and is close to the weight we had expected.


Dinner time: Keepers had to use sardines to lure Walker on to the scales to get weighed


Walker is weighed by Senior Keeper David Barclay at the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, Inverness-shire

Tongue rub: Walker gets a tongue rub after being weighed by Head Keeper Una Richardson

'After we took his weight reading he was off to play with his favourite toy - a hard hat - and enjoy the rest of his morning.

'Knowing precisely what he weighs gives us a very good indication of how well he is doing and, should we need to anaesthetise him for any reason or give him any medication, knowing what he weighs allows us to give him a more accurate and therefore a more effective dose.

'Weighing Walker is a two-person job. One of us has to be ready to take the weight reading and the other has to get Walker on to the scales.'

Una said Walker has become a favourite with visitors at the park, which is owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, because of his playful antics.

And she added that the UK could have a second polar bear on display by the end of this year.

Una continued: 'We have hopes of getting Walker a mate sometime this year but at the moment he is enjoying his bachelor lifestyle.'



source:dailymail