20.8.2018 by Ralph, Photos by Jeanette Johnsen

I am grateful to Jeanette Johnsen for allowing Mervi and me to use her photographs here. They should not be re-published elsewhere without her permission.

Like all Polar Bears, Nuka and Qilaq are always interested in what is going on in their neighbourhood. Aalborg Zoo is fortunate to have large numbers of plate glass windows where the bears can meet you, both in the water, underwater and on land. Mother Milak will take a cursory look at visitors, though she still likes to rush up to the glass and jump up if there is a large or noisy dog present.

Nuka and Qilaq will also jump up, but there is one place at the bottom of the enclosure in the water where they are more relaxed and like to examine their visitors more carefully, although sometimes they will still show their teeth.

This brave little dog seemed to benefit from the crowd of people around and was greeted with interest.

One of the Interns working as a keeper demonstrated to me that the cubs would come up behind him in the water, if he sat in a particular place. They enjoyed silent stalking and then jumping up at the window to surprise their “prey”. I found that they liked to do this with me as well.

I remembered during a visit to Zoo am Meer Bremerhaven, Thomas Grunert, the expert on talking to Polar Bears there, explaining the importance of keeping a certain eye level and greeting the bears formally. In his case, he tried to ensure that the big male, Lloyd, did not rise above him. I wondered if a variant of the method would work with the cubs. In their case, I would always try to be below them and open and shut my eyes and mouth.

After a while this seemed to work with both Nuka and Qilaq, though Jeanette and I think that these photos show Qilaq. Although she looks sweet in these photos, she did show her large teeth as well, and I would only try this with plate glass between us, rather than bars where a large paw could reach through!

Here Qilaq has come to the glass and I have turned around to show I am submitting and friendly.

Her brown eyes really blaze with intelligence and curiosity.

By moving up and down we matched our looks and established trust. Quite a crowd had come together at this point.

It is a wonderful sensation to be able to be so close to the eyes and face of a young bear. Older Polar Bears lose this degree of curiosity, although Katjuscha in Berlin sometimes stops to look at visitors through the glass.

Qilaq soon learnt that she could lower her head further than I could and would often do so.

She then would come up and look at me straight in the eyes.

My hat was of great interest, but she also enjoyed putting noses together at the glass.

Just to show that “me too” applies to girl Polar Bears I was left in no doubt that Qilaq expected respect and the paws would often slap the glass to remind me.

Once she was sure that I did respect her, she showed me a great display of trust by rubbing her head against the glass.

Being able to nuzzle a polar bear, albeit through several inches of glass, is a special moment.

Qilaq enjoyed watching me show her submission and respect. Something all older men should learn!

These shots show how expressive of intelligence and curiosity a young polar bear’s eyes are.

At under 2 years, Nuka and Qilaq still have plenty of growing up to do, but Malik can be proud of how self-confident and fearless they are.