1 post tagged “germany”

I have to admit that I'm a sucker for bears. Brown bears, black bears, polar bears, it doesn't matter, and this little guy is no exception. Born December 10 to Anton and Corinna, 13 pound Wilbär is slowly adjusting to life as a polar bear.

He's a German celebrity of sorts, despite efforts by the Wilhelma Zoo to downplay his birth. "We are not out for the big money," zoo director Dieter Jauch said. Interest in curtailing the media frenzy that normally occurs after such a high profile addition was prompted after the birth of Berlin zoo star Knut and Nuremberg celebrity Flocke.

What's great news for Wilbär is that unlike his fellow German cubs, Corinna, his mother, "is taking exemplary care of her offspring," Jauch said.

Jauch added that the zoo has had his name — a combination of the zoo's name, Wilhelma, and the German for bear, "Bär" — registered as a trademark.

The zoo notes that they plan to keep little Wilbär out of the public view until sometime in May. Too bad, as I"m planning a hiking trip in Iceland and Scottland very soon, and would have loved to make a pit stop in Germany to see this little guy!