Kulu has a new playmate – his Auntie Anana

28.6.2021 – Story and photos by Molly Merrow

Kulu, at 19 months, is now heavier than his mom Aurora, bigger than his Auntie Anana. He is going to grow up to be a very large bear.

Aurora and Kulu

The living arrangement at the Columbus Zoo is a little different. Father Lee has moved to the Louisville Zoo, which leaves Mother Aurora and her cub Kulu, and Aurora’s twin sister Anana. They make a nice little family. For the first year of Kulu’s life, Anana rotated in a different shift from her sister and nephew, in the spacious Columbus Zoo polar bear habitat. There is a good sized off-view area too for the bear or bears who are not in the public enclosure.

But now, all three bears are together. Anana, having raised her own cub Amelia Gray a few years ago, is an experienced mother and knows how to deal with a cub.

These days, Aurora can take a nap and let Kulu play by himself, which he often does, or wrestle with his Auntie Anana. Kulu weighs five pounds more than his aunt and 25 pounds more than his mother, so any games are a fair match. Aurora is still nursing Kulu, and thus gets extra rations of food.

During the keeper talk, everybody got some fish and vegetables. The lettuce is a real treat for the bears. And then came the toys. With snack time being over, Mother Aurora decided to go take another rest, but Kulu and Aunt Anana thought it was play time, and had some fabulous water battles, baring their teeth and splashing everywhere, before Anana decided she had had enough, and climbed back on land for a nap.

Anana and Kulu

Anana

With both his mom and auntie taking a rest, Kulu continued with his playtime, attacking his toys with a vengeance. He is working on his “pounce.”

It’s fun to see a family grouping like this. The three bears have a lot of fun together, and they all seem to like the arrangement. Cubs usually stay with their mothers until they are about two years old. Every day, Kulu becomes bigger and stronger. I wonder how long before they will have to separate the trio. But for now, its playtime.