I love Silly Willy
Mar 7th, 2010 | By mervi | Category: What's up in the Berlin Zoo7.3.2010 – Photos by ucumari
Willy is silly; and he has a lot to be silly about these days. This wasn’t always the case. Willy spent his cubhood in a circus. There wasn’t anything silly about those days. Working in 100+ degree heat well-beyond a polar bear’s endurance; not enough water; and a too small cage…
Willy is a survivor. U.S. Authorities rescued Willy and his friends when the traveling Mexican Suarez Brothers Circus reached Puerto Rico in 2002. That’s when Willy’s life made a complete turn around. Willy has been at the North Carolina Zoo since then and has been well cared for and well loved ever since.
Willy is 24 and very special. People come from miles around to see him. He is friendly, funny and loves to put on a show! Willy’s favorite tricks are playing hide and seek; blowing bubbles right up against the glass wall; high-fiving visitors; and sticking his head in a bucket.
Willy is Wilhelm; he is 800 lbs.; and Willy likes ice! Back in November, 2009 a local ice company donated 2 tons of ice cubes for Willy’s enjoyment. The ice was covered in maple syrup! The frozen treat was thoroughly enjoyed by Willy. He laid on the ice, dug into the ice, rooted in the ice, napped on the ice and best of all, his beautiful tongue slurped up that delicious maple coating. Then Willy took a “n-ice” nap in it!
Willy’s other bear pals: Masha (who died 2 yrs. ago) joined him at N.C. Zoo. The other bears went to zoos in Detroit and Washington state. Remember the poignant story of Barle and her cub Talini at Detroit Zoo? Barle was another survivor of the circus. Barle became a first time mama and had to teach her baby to swim. Barle had to learn to swim herself in order to teach her cub. The triumphant pictures of them swimming will fill your heart with joy.
Willy is grateful, full of life, and one funny polar bear dude. Did I tell you that Willy is famous? He’s on the cover of The Dave Mathews Band album. Ain’t he something? I love Willy.
Dear Knuti-Judi,
I fell in love with Willy at first sight! I’m so glad this lovely bear can live a decent life and have fun. Thank you for telling us the story!
Hugs from Mervi
Hi Knuti-Judi
Your Willy really seems to be a most lovable guy. I am happy that he could flee his former cruel living circumstances! I love him already from your introduction, which you made with a lot of affection, which spread immediately to the reader – at least to me. Thank you! Also the pictures are great, funny, nice ….. Where did you get them from? My favourite is the first one with the ball. It’s near to a painting with those special colours. / Hope you can spend a most pleasant Sunday (which turns already to evening at our end). KnuGio hug from Dumba
Hello Knuti-Judi,
what a touching story about funny Willi. He really is a womanizer! I’m very glad that the story of these mal-treated polar bears finally endend up in zoos, where they are loved and have keepers who care about them.
Thanks for telling the story!
Heidi from Erlangen
K-J…oh my, this one really gets me right in the heart. Thank goodness for the happy “ending” to his story. May all polar bears be so well loved and cared for! I didn’t know he was on the cover of a DMB album, they are from my hometown in VA and I remember when they were just a fledgling band! Go DMB and go Willy!
Thanks K-J!!
BH
Betsy
Dear Knuti-Judy!
I just love this – at least in the end – wonderful story of silly Willy. Specially the part with the ice and the maple syrup. Mmmmh lovely.
Thanks for sharing the story of Willy the silly polar bear with us.
Bear Hugs
Josefine
Knuti – Judy thank you for te wonderfull story
Willy is a very nice bear.
Many hugs
Bea
Knuti- Judi – What a poignant, well-told tale about Wilheim. I didn’t know he was so famous and I like the Dave Matthews band. It makes me so mad to know circuses involving live animals are stlll doing business in some parts of the world today – i magine that, in this digital age. Thank heavens the US authorities intercepted that circus and was able to rescue Willy and the others from that hell.
Thank you for sharing. This story made my day. I really love this fella.
Dear Knuti-Judi, it is already some time ago when I first read about the sad story of these polar bear group. It was soo good that they were rescued, but the saddest thing was that one of them died before having had a chance to enjoy a new life. This Willy is indeed very jolly and also very pretty. One of my favorite pics is the one with his blue mobile phone. May I suppose that he is calling you regularly???? Well, in all honesty, I love them all and if ever you find some more of him or the other ones, there is somebody in Leuven very interested in seeing them.
Dear Knuti-Judi
this is a very touching story of Willy. I am very glad that he found his home in North Carolina Zoo where he is loved and cared for. Thanks to the local ice company he could enjoy this ice-bed covered with syrup. What a nice gift for this wonderful and charming bear.
The pics are adorable, thank you so much for sharing them with us.
Hugs from caren
Dear K-J,
Thank you so much for telling us Willie’s story and with such affection! He is a remarkable bear in that he was able to overcome his lousy start in life (caused by humans) and still interact with humans in a positive manner. He is a wonderful bear both in looks and personality.
PATRICIA — The book “Smiling Bears” is written by the keeper who cared for Barle, mentioned above by K-J as being one of the rescued group.
Hugs from Sarsam
Dear Knuti-Judy!
Thank you so much. Willys story is so nice. I really enjoy that will can now live nice icebearlife.
Hugs
TBM
Hello Knuti-Judy,
What a lovely story. One has to love Willy, he is so funny! I am very glad he has such a good life now.
Thank you!
oh knuti-judy,
eine wunderbare geschichte.
möge es willy in zukunft immer gutgehen, er hat es verdient.
liebe grüsse
anne
Knuti-Judy, thank you again for the heart-warming story about Silly Willy and the other rescued bears. I sincerely hope that they will be able to enjoy their new life for a long time. It cannot make up for what man did to them but the love and care they receive now, may push the torture way back in their minds.
Doris
Thank you all for your lovely comments…Willy makes it so easy to love him! xo k-j
Knuti-Judi – thank you so much for the heart-warming story about Willy.
I love Willy too – he is a wonderful bear. Is the last pic from the cover
of the album? It’s fantastic – all pics of Willy are fantastic!!
Alex
Dear Knuti-judi!
Thank you for the story and the pictures of Willy. It is fantastic, that he is rescued from circus and has a good life now.
Hugs
Ludmila