15.8.2025 – Photos by Pat Waldron
Hello, dear readers of this Magazine! It’s your Luka writing again.
I’ve been thinking. Oh yes, I do a lot of thinking! Because I can’t see my fellow polars here I have time to share some of my thoughts with you.
Many two legged creatures say it’s not good to keep polar bears in zoos or wildlife parks.
Let me tell you that I have a different opinion.
When polar bears in the wild are desperately looking for food our keepers make sure we get all the nourishment we need.
We have our big Lake Polar Bear where we can swim some laps when ever we want.
Guess who!
Polar bears are loners in the wild but here we can choose to have company or to be on our own.
…. and our feathered friends are keeping us company – no matter if we want it or not. 🙂
If we get sick there are vets to take care of us.
We have nice ‘bedrooms’ for naps during the day and a good sleep at night.
Here in Yorkshire Wildlife Park we polar bears really have Everything we need – lots of space, enough food, good medical care, loving keepers and lots of fans!
I have nothing to complain! I’m a happy privileged polar bear guy!
🥰💓
Dear Pat!
Thank you for the pictures of Luka. He is a huge bear now.
Hugs
Ludmila
Hello Luka,
It’s great to hear that you and your friends are doing well.
And every now and then, it’s good to reflect on things. You’ve found a wonderful home in Jimmy’s Park, and once your hormones have calmed down a bit, you can chill out with your mates again. Until then, you’ll just have to put up with the unwanted company of the ravens and seagulls.
Pat, thank you very much for the great photos and best regards!
Dear Pat and Mervi,
Thank you for the lovely photos of Luka. His thoughts may be something like this. When hormones are in control of male bears, it is best not to take any risks. Fortunately, this state does not last forever, and afterwards the boys can be friends again.
Luka has grown into a large and strong bear with a strong character. I hope he can be reunited with his friends soon.
Hugs
Anke
Ja,Luka hat wirklich das große Los gezogen und den bestmöglichen Platz bekommen. So leid es mir auch getan hat, dass Luka und Anori getrennt wurden, so sehr freut es mich heute für Luka, dass es ihm im YWP so gut geht und ich hoffe sehr, dass es noch lange so sein wird!! 👍🐻❄️💝😊
Dear Pat and Mervi
Luka is very special because he has had a female companion unlike the other males at YWP who have only known their mothers. He also spent most of his life on the easy to clean concrete at Wuppertal Zoo.
In an ideal world all animals would live free and with plenty of food and territory but only in Zoos are the ends of life care able to let them die with dignity. Few wildlife documentaries show what it is like to be an old or ill animal of any kind.