15 minutes before the animal Park on Saturday morning opens, there are already about 20 people in front of the entrance. All loyal Fans, all with year card. Today is the day come that you have been waiting so long. Polar bear Tonja shows her three months in a young animal of the Public. The first Berlin polar bears, a Junior, could follow in the footsteps of the legendary Knut. As the door opens, storm the visitors directly to the polar bear enclosure, without the other animals look to the right and to the left on the way. In half an hour there, the animals should be let out.
Monika Kochhan looking for a good place. The Pensioner from Charlottenburg since Knuts birth in 2006, regularly in the animal Park and the Zoo. Knut was then housed in the Zoo, which belongs to the same company, such as the animal Park. In the section visited Kochhan Knut once per week. Sometimes for a few hours, sometimes all day. “You forget everything else. Only the bears and has hearts in the eyes.“
Hype surrounding Knut was great
Because of the Hype surrounding Knut was so great, was Kochhan not alone there. With the other permanent guests glad they became fast friends, so a huge group of friends was formed. Connected via the visits to the animal Park and the Zoo and through the Internet. The 6. December, the day Knut was born, the group still every year. They go together in the animal Park, then something to eat. Of about 80 friends in the beginning of time to the 20 to come to the Meeting. In the process, but also polar bear Fans from Sweden, Switzerland, France and Finland.
Also this Saturday Kochhan there is not alone. On the way, in the subway, she met a polar bear-girlfriend Gudrun graves, from Steglitz, which is also since 2006, in the group. Unlike Knut, who was raised by a nurse large, because the mother had him in the breach, is Tonjas young with her mother growing up. “Now, it’s so nice to see how the mother draws her child,” says Kochhan. And: “I hope today is baden.”
children watch a polar bear cub to be fascinated
Kochhan lucky. Officially, the polar bears should be on display from 9:30 am, but today it’s happening earlier. Shortly after nine, more than 50 people to the polar bear enclosure to stand around, most of them pensioners. It is quiet, you can hear the birds chirping, a little Boy presses his face to the glass of the enclosure. Suddenly, Tonya’s coming out of your cave and look at the little daughter between her legs to go through. The visitors hold a camera or a cell phone in Hand and take pictures. Exception: Children. Children watching fascinated at the small polar bear cubs Play.
At the official opening a short time later, about 300 people there already. An elderly visitor, a brown hat, wearing always, as today, to Eisbärentag, it is a white. Steffen and Annemarie lunch from Friedrichshain have tightened their five-month-old daughter, Nina, today, extra, again, your polar bear plush outfit. A Security staff keeps order, and encourages parents to put their children on the parapet and to throw no food in the enclosure.
animal Park store is good
Also the animal Park prepared-the Shop is well equipped. Two new polar bear statues showing mother and child. Numerous other Fan-made article, of puzzle play snow-balls, to stuffed animals, there was before. Thanks to the animal Park-the flagship of Tonya, the polar bears were always the most popular. But on this Saturday, an hour have already been sold to the polar bears-opening of five small Plush polar bear. This could also go in the future, because animal Park-friends can watch from now on, every day from about 9:30 p.m. the polar bears.
the First exploring the small polar bear at the animal Park for more images 1 of 23Foto: Paul Zinken/dpa15 ads.03.2019 13:40Eisbärmutter Tonya always remained close to her daughter.Back Next
The still unnamed baby polar bear makes on the day of the premiere soon on the way to the shore, struggling with the steep slope and splashing in the water. A child calls out: “It can swim already!” When mom dives Tonya, is climbing the young animal on its mother, until it slips back down. As the two have had enough, the Boy down the steep slope again to climb up.
pretty difficult for a three-month-old animal, which at the last measurement in February, only 61 inches tall and 8.5 pounds. Every Time, when the Boy slips, catches mother Tonya with her snout, and pushes it up. Never let their offspring out of sight, never more than half a Meter alone. The relationship of a mother to her child is presented here in a fracture.
polar bears and climate change
However, the picture-book idyll is destroyed by the poster, which is directly in front of the polar bear enclosure. Title: “What is the polar bear has to do with climate change?” In addition, a small, blonde girl: “Papa asks, why no ice?” The father, Thomas Hinsch from Friedrichshain, declared the nine-year-old Emilia that it is much too warm in Germany, and that polar bears actually live somewhere else. With his two daughters, Emilia (9) and Annika (7) Hinsch already discussed several times about climate change and what that means for the polar bears. Emilia explains: “When the air changes and it becomes warmer, ice sheets melt. Then you can not hunt seals and must starve to death.“
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offspring in the animal Park, the stage for Berlin’s youngest polar bear
Annette Kögel
what’s for climate protection, dispensed family passing away in a car, instead take the train or bike. And make trips like this in the animal Park. “I think it is good that the polar bears are here and my daughters you can get to know,” explains the 52-Year-old. “For what it loves and knows the one is protect also ready.” For the name of the little polar bear babies, his daughters also have an idea of: “Katharina” would fit in well.
