22.2.2025 – Sources: Yokohama Zoo and Shendai Zoo and Molly Merrow
More baby news from the zoos with polar bears! In Yokohama Zoo (‘Zoorasia’) polar bear Shilka gave birth to a healthy cub. Both the mother and the baby are doing well.
On her mother’s side, Shilka is daughter of Gerda in Novosibirsk Russia, granddaughter of Simona, and great granddaughter of Uslada and Menshikov. On her father’s side, Shilka is daughter of Kai, who is son of Uslada. Shilka is also mother of Hochan, born in 2020. The cub’s father is Gogo, a silly fun bear born in 2004, the offspring of Amderma and Yukon. Amderma was also mother of Menshikov, the mate of Uslada and father of many bears.
In Sendai’s Yagiyama Zoo polar bear female Paula gave birth to twin cubs at night on 2024 Friday, December 20.
Mama Paula
Papa bear Kai
Sendai’s Yagiyama Zoo has now released new photos of polar bear cubs. According to the zoo staff’s blog, health check was done today, and the sex of the cubs will be determined after the results of DNA-test come out accordingly.
As for Paula’s twins, Paula is closely related to many bears we know in Europe. Paula was born in 2004 in Palic, the daughter of Simba, and Bjorn Heinrich. Bjorn Heinrich was born in Tierpark Berlin in 1986, the son of the famous Aika and Gorki, and thus was the brother of Eric, a bear we are all familiar with as father of Olinka’s children and a few others. So Paula is first cousin of Lloyd, Nika, Nord, Felix, Lara, Arctos, Nanuq, Vicks, Todz and Sizzel. The father is another bear also named Kai, also son of Uslada and Menshikov. He was born in 2004 in St. Petersburg.
Dear Molly! Thank you so much for all information! I really appreciate it!
Dear Mervi
What a wonderful story that Uslada and Menshikov have grandcubs. I am sure they will grow up to be nice and big.
I wonder if the twins will inherit their great grandma Aika’s big round ears. The twins are related to our Flocke, their mother Paula is first cousin of Felix, and their father Kai is uncle to Vera.
On her mother’s side, Shilka is daughter of Gerda in Novosibirsk Russia, granddaughter of Simona, and great granddaughter of Uslada and Menshikov. On her father’s side, Shilka is daughter of Kai, who is son of Uslada. Shilka is also mother of Hochan, born in 2020. The cub’s father is Gogo, a silly fun bear born in 2004, the offspring of Amderma and Yukon. Amderma was also mother of Menshikov, the mate of Uslada and father of many bears.
As for Paula’s twins, Paula is closely related to many bears we know in Europe. Paula was born in 2004 in Palic, the daughter of Simba, and Bjorn Heinrich. Bjorn Heinrich was born in Tierpark Berlin in 1986, the son of the famous Aika and Gorki, and thus was the brother of Eric, a bear we are all familiar with as father of Olinka’s children and a few others. So Paula is first cousin of Lloyd, Nika, Nord, Felix, Lara, Arctos, Nanuq, Vicks, Todz and Sizzel. The father is another bear also named Kai, also son of Uslada and Menshikov. He was born in 2004 in St. Petersburg.
Dear Molly!
Thank you so much for the information! I will insert it in the article, too!
Hugs from Mervi
Thank you very much dear Mervi.
Best wishes to Shilka, Poral and their babies.
Dear Mervi!
They are all very sweet and I wish all the newborn polar bear babies all the best for their lives!
The pedigree of all these bears is a bit overwhelming now…
Hugs
Anke
Dear Mervi!
Thank you for the good news from Japan.
Hugs
Ludmila
Das sind sehr schöne Nachrichten !
Ich hatte jetzt zwei Tage Probleme,
hier überhaupt reinzukommen… 🙂
Dear Molly,
Thank you very much for your detailed information about the ancestry and relationships of the bear parents. That requires meticulous reading of the family tree.
Congratulations to Japan on the cubs, although from the few videos I’ve seen of them I get the impression that their enclosure design is unfortunately still very old-fashioned. Just concrete and lots of white walls as an ‘arctic backdrop’.
Kind regards and best wishes
Britta-Gudrun
Das ist ja ein weltweiter Boom an Nachwuchs bei den Eisbären und eine ebenso weitreichende Familiengeschichte…. Hoffentlich finden alle diese Eisbärenkinder später einen guten Platz…🐻❄️🐻❄️🐻❄️💝
🥰🥰🥰