My stay in Berlin 4 to 7 June 2016

19.6.2016 by Ralph, Photos by Monika aus Berlin

Mini-Kati has introduced herself and explained how we got to Berlin. Our hotel was booked through a local travel agent in Kidlington. They are always very good and so I was not at all surprised to find that the hotel was very good and close to the Zoo.

After getting myself a new Berlin Zoo Jahreskarte (My last one expired in 2011!), which was quick and easy, I go straight to Kati’s enclosure. I was amused to find that my annual card has a picture of two hippos on it (me and my father of course).

I must say at once that apart from links, I am again relying on the kindness of others for the photos. Monika aus Berlin has agreed to me using her shots from Berlin over the few days I was there.

I learnt from the signs and also from talking to Herr Roebke that the Zoo were no longer feeding Kati in front of the public as she was finding it too stressful. However, she was being looked after behind the scenes and also had things scattered around her enclosure to interest her.

Despite the heat, Kati emerged from her favourite place in the doorway to sun herself on the rocks. I only saw her swim at midday on the last day, which seems to be her favourite time to go in the water.

Kati is in excellent shape, and it is hard to fault the attention that has been paid to keeping her in good health. She is very popular with the public, although, as Mini-Kati has already said, it would be helpful to see more information about her and Knut, in the way in which Rostock, Bremerhaven and Doncaster do with their bears. This is especially sad, as the Zoo has improved its notices a lot elsewhere.

At Five PM, after a pleasant walk through bits of Berlin I know well, I find myself joining the team of Knut friends from Knutitis. They have already posted their pictures on Knutitis in the Waldschaenke, so I will limit myself to a few photos from Monika.

Monika tells me that the menu has specialities from Berlin the form of Tapas. As I enjoy fish I go for the Trout Mousse and the Mackerel Salad, but with Koenigsberger Klopse, a meatballs with capers dish that I remember from my childhood (as does Monika).

Mini-Kati emerges to have a look at the food, and brings with her Valeska and Lili in tiny format. They enjoy the food as much as I do.

On Sunday I went to the Tierpark to visit Aika and Tonja. As you saw in Mini-Kati’s report we get a lot of rain and thunder. However, I do manage to see Aika swim for a while and both of them are very relaxed. It is only when they think that the keeper may be around, that both bears go to their entrances to see if they can be let in. This does not happen until Five O clock. I am able to speak to the keeper and ask about the routine for the bears. She explains that Aika and Tonja are able to be out during the day, but Wolodja has to be kept separate, as he is very keen to mate with both bears, and they are not at all keen to mate with him. He is out in the evenings.

Wolodja appears and immediately goes round his enclosure looking for the small items of food scattered by the keeper. He then goes for a swim. At this moment a group of children appear at the glass window next to me. Wolodja glides towards us and jumps at the glass. He is already a big bear, and one day will be as big as Lloyd or Troll. I would love to have been able to photograph this magical moment, but it all was over so quickly.

After a while Wolodja curled up in the special mulch bed where Aika had been a few moments before. He looked happy and ready to snooze. I know that Monika has done some pictures of the Tiger family that I also saw. Sadly I could not photograph my own two favourite characters in the Tierpark: Anatol the Honey Badger and the BundMarder Oleg.

This has been a rather short and disorganised report but I hope that with Monika’s pictures, you will get a feel for the enthusiasm I felt. This picture of Kati says it more than I can.

The other bear is of course Knut. I always make sure that I go to him and make a fuss of him, both stroking his ears and nose. Every time I see the photos of his statue I know that soon I will be doing this again.

On the way back to the hotel, Mini-Kati insisted on me taking this picture of the Baeriga that is in the arcade behind the Kranzler Ecke.