15.05.2009 – Updated 11.00

Stuttgart – Der Eisbärknabe Wilbär hat Stuttgart verlassen. Er sei wie geplant auf dem Weg in einen Bärenpark bei Orsa in Schweden, teilte der Zoologisch-Botanische Garten Wilhelma am Freitag mit. In Orsa wartet Eisbärin Ewa auf Wilbär. Für den Transport ist der weiße Wilhelma-Star betäubt worden. Das genaue Datum des Umzugs war geheim gehalten worden, um eine möglichst ruhige Abreise zu ermöglichen. Die Trennung von Mutter Corinna ist laut Wilhelma nötig, da Eisbärenmütter ihre erwachsenen Kinder mit Beißattacken vertreiben.

In den vergangenen Wochen sei der 200 Kilogramm schwere Eisbär unabhängiger geworden. Corinna habe immer weniger Interesse daran gezeigt, mit ihm zu spielen, sagte die Wilhelma-Zoologin Ulrike Rademacher. “In wenigen Tagen werden sich Corinna und Wilbär an die Trennung und die neue Situation gewöhnt haben.” Die Eisbärin werde ihr Interesse dann wieder verstärkt ihrem Männchen Anton zuwenden.

Information in English (translated by Patricia Roberts)

Wilbär, the young polar bear has left Stuttgart. As planned, he is now on his way to a bear enclosure near Orsa in Sweden, as communicated by the Zoologisch-Botanische Garten Wilhelma on last Friday. Ewa, the female polar bear, is waiting for Wilbär in Orsa. In view of the transportation, the white Wilhelma-star has been stunned. The exact date of the removal has been kept secret to enable a possible calm departure. According to the Wilhelma, the separation with mother Corinna is required, since polar bear mothers expel the adult children with bite attacks. During the last weeks, the 200 kg weighting polar bear became independent. Corinna has shown less and less interest to play with him, as said Ulrike Rademacher, Wilhelma-Zoologist.

Within a few days, Corinna and Wilbär will get used to the separation and the new situation. The female bear will then again devote all of her interest in her male, Anton. ——- And now he is gone – the meanwhile grown-up little polar bear of the Wilhelma in Stuttgart. Yesterday, Wilbär left secretly and is now on his way to Sweden to the Orsa Bear Park, as communicated by the Wilhelma. During the last weeks and days, Wilbär became bigger, stronger and more independent. As a consequence, his mother Corinna has shown less and less interest to play with her son. And at the end, according to Zoo-informations, it also came to militant arguments, at the occasion of which Wilbär has injured his mother in the paw. To avoid more serious arguments between mother and son, the Wilhelma has sent Wilbär to his new home in Sweden.

Wilbär has celebrated his first birthday on December 10, 2008 and weighted now 200 kilograms. Wilbär is now traveling with a transport agency, specialized in the transport of animals. On his trip to the North, he will spend about 24 hours in an aluminum box, accompanied by his care-takers. Polar bear lady is already waiting. Ewa, the polar bear girl from Rotterdam, is already waiting in Orsa Bärenpark for the newcomer from Stuttgart. This park is specialized in the keeping of artic carnivore species like lynx, brown bear, wolf and wolverine. A new enclosure has been built for the polar bears.

We wish you all good luck, Wilbär.

Links:

http://www.stuttgarter-nachrichten.de/stn/page/detail.php/2026401

http://www.swr.de/nachrichten/bw/-/id=1622/nid=1622/did=4851742/1vtfd68/

http://www.stuttgarter-zeitung.de/stz/page/detail.php/2026366

Photos