Polar bear family captured fleeing for their lives in dramatic photographs after young cubs caught the eye of a hungry male

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Danger on the horizon: The huge male polar bear (circled) pokes his head out from behind a chunk of ice as he watches the mother and her two cubs

A polar bear family swims for their lives after the cubs caught the eye of a hungry male bear.
Tourists travelling aboard a Russian sightseeing icebreaker got a front row seat as the dramatic, and deadly, chase unfolded.
The images were captured by British tour guide and photographer Paul Goldstein at Spitsbergen in Norway.
They begin with a first sighting of the mother and two youngsters swimming in formation towards the boat.

Let's get out of here: The three bears plunge into the water to escape the hungry male

Paul, from Wimbledon, explains: 'A mother and cubs, about 18 months old, swam right under the bow.
'We did not know at the time that they were being pursued by an old male, a very dangerous situation for the family.

Swim for it: The dramatic chase was witnessed by tourists on a sightseeing expedition Spitsbergen in Norway

Can't keep up: The old male polar bear was not fast enough to catch the family

Quick snack: Despite their flight from the male polar bear, the family still managed to make their way to eat another bear's kill

'They continued their swim right under the ship. It was then we saw a huge old battle-scarred male appear wanting to make breakfast out of the yearling cubs.
'When he showed its battered old head above the turquoise parapet all hell broke loose.
'Despite their flight from the male polar bear, the bear family did stop to eat another bear's kill.
'However dangerous, the bear is continuously thinking of winter hibernation and will rarely, if ever, ignore the chance of a feed whatever the circumstances.

source: dailymail

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Saturday Night Fur-ver: The disco dancing polar bear who thinks he's John Travolta

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Shake your groove thing: This one year old polar bear was captured swinging its hips and striking poses uncannily reminiscent of John Travolta in the 1977 disco classic Saturday Night Fever

He's wearing white, hangs out in a very cool location and has all the funkiest moves... could this polar bear cub be the Arctic Circle’s answer to John Travolta?
In a series of astonishing photographs, the one-year-old was captured swinging his hips and striking poses uncannily reminiscent of Travolta in the classic 1977 disco film Saturday Night Fever.
With paws dripping in meltwater the bear started his routine on one leg, before swinging his hips and arms to his own beat. And he even captured Travolta’s iconic pose from the movie poster, one arm aloft, the other by his side.

Yes Fur, I can boogie: The bear cub seems to be jiving as he struggles to stand upright

But rather than showing off his excellent dancing skills, the cub was actually making his first tentative steps towards standing upright.
Wildlife photographer Steven Kazlowski, who caught the moment from a nearby boat, said: ‘The bear was trying very hard to stand up and keep its balance.

‘Young bears are always trying to stand and get a better look at what’s around them, as their mothers do, but they are incredibly unbalanced.
‘This curious and overexcited cub was trying to get a better look at us as we passed a few yards away on the skiff.’
Kazlowski, who specialises in images of polar bears, took the amazing pictures from Bernard Spit, a narrow strip of land extending from Northern Alaska.

source: dailymail

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Now there's something you don't see every day! Lost polar bear meets Household Calvary in London after straying a long way from home

By EMMA REYNOLDS

Chilled out: The bear meets the Household Calvary in central London in an effective Greenpeace stunt to publicise their Arctic Rising campaign

This is the surprising moment a lost polar bear met a soldier standing guard outside Whitehall in central London.
The Arctic animal shocked tourists and passers-by as well as the Household Calvary by lingering between the capital's iconic red phone boxes and strolling casually past the Houses of Parliament.
But this was not simply a stray who had wandered too far from home - it was a puppet commissioned as part of a global Greenpeace campaign to protect the freezing North.

Phoning home: The lonely bear pauses between several of the capital's iconic red telephone boxes

A worker for the environmental charity donned the suit in a typically attention-grabbing stunt backed by stars including Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Richard Branson.
Similar bears have been popping up in major cities around the world to raise awareness about the threats to the Arctic.

Photo op: Tourists snap away excitedly as the enormous bear puppet passes the Houses of Parliament

Sir Paul McCartney, Penelope Cruz and Robert Redford are among the stars backing the Arctic Rising campaign to protect the area from oil drilling and unsustainable fishing.
Greenpeace is calling for a UN resolution demanding a sanctuary around the North Pole and a ban on oil exploration and unsustainable fishing in the wider Arctic.
The campaign comes as rising temperatures and melting ice are opening the frozen north up to human activity.

Frozen out: The campaign aims to highlight threats to the Arctic and to ban drilling for oil and unsustainable fishing in its waters

Greenpeace said the Arctic belonged to the whole world because it was defined in international law as the high seas.
But the Arctic states, Russia, Canada, the US, Norway and Denmark are making territorial claims on the seabed to allow in oil companies, the environmental campaigners warned.
The campaign to protect the Arctic, which was launched at the Rio+20 global conference on sustainable development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is backed by dozens of famous names from TV, film, music and sport.
Virgin boss Sir Richard Branson is backing the bid along with singer Annie Lennox, TV's Cilla Black, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, musician Jarvis Cocker and Hollywood actors Woody Harrelson, Edward Norton and Hugh Grant.
Their names are being written on an 'Arctic scroll', a petition which Greenpeace hopes to get signed by one million people. It will then be planted on the seabed, 2.5 miles (4km) below the ice and marked by a 'flag for the future'.

Which way is North? The bear-suited campaigner appears to ask a policeman for directions in front of Big Ben

Move along now: The realistic puppet meets a policewoman and a passer-by in just one of many identical stunts taking place across the world

Sir Paul said: 'The Arctic is one of the most beautiful and last untouched regions on our planet, but now it's under threat.
'Some countries and companies want to open it up to oil drilling and industrial fishing and do to the Arctic what they've done to the rest of our fragile planet.
'It seems madness that we are willing to go to the ends of the Earth to find the last drops of oil when our best scientific minds are telling us we need to get off fossil fuels to give our children a future.
'At some time, in some place, we need to take a stand. I believe that time is now and that place is the Arctic.'
Greenpeace International executive director Kumi Naidoo said: 'The Arctic is coming under assault and needs people from around the world to stand up and demand action to protect it.

Day trip: The polar bear made a real splash after a hard day's work on unfamiliar territory

'A ban on offshore oil drilling and unsustainable fishing would be a huge victory against the forces ranged against this precious region and the four million people who live there.
'And a sanctuary in the uninhabited area around the pole would in a stroke stop the polluters colonising the top of the world without infringing on the rights of Indigenous communities.'
Greenpeace is concerned that drilling in the Arctic could damage the region's fragile ecosystem and access more fossil fuels which are already driving the world towards dangerous climate change.
Native people have also warned their traditional way of life and survival are under threat from large scale oil exploration developments, with global oil companies beginning to drill at offshore sites in the Arctic.

source: dailymail

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It's yoga bear! The polar cub who can't resist showing off her stretches

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER

Bearing up: The five-month-old cub shows off her stretches as she enjoys the morning air at Moscow Zoo

She's the polar cub whose bear necessities stretch to a spot of yoga in the morning.
Caught in this set of endearing pictures, the five-month-old is seen stretching her legs and balancing on her paws in what could easily be part of a gym routine.
She then turns on her back and stretches the same leg as if she is preparing for a big burnout or a chilled yoga session.
However, she soon wears herself out and slumps against her gigantic mother Simka for a short nap.
The unnamed cub, one of a set of triplets born late last year, was photographed by Olga Gladysheva at Moscow Zoo last month.
She said: 'I caught the moment when the cub started to do aerobics and everybody who saw it laughed.

Perfect pose: The cub is one of a set of triplets born late last year. She has only ventured outside in recent weeks

'The kids were born at the end of last year and when they grow up they do the most amusing things.
'I have seen them do this a few times and with this girl cub it's always the same stretch, she seems to love it.
'I took the shots around 10 metres away. The mother and her three kids were in some really interesting poses in just the half an hour while they were out in the sun.
'Right now the cubs are starting to swim and it's very funny to watch them. I hope I'll see even more interesting poses as the months go on this year and they head towards adulthood.

Cautious: The bear totters delicately towards the water after completing her exercise routine

'The aerobics always seem to happen after sleeping, often during the day. Afterwards the kids start to play and then sometimes the aerobics start. It's fascinating to watch.
'Simka does very interesting aerobics for her neck every day but the cubs aren't repeating it just yet.
'I guess they'll do it when it becomes a bit more instinctive for them.'
The cubs are the offspring of Simka and male bear Vrangel.


And then it's time for a sleep: She curls up tight to mother Simka after her exertions

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You can bear-ly tell them apart: The animal trainer who's best friend is a polar bear

By MATT BLAKE

Inseparable: Grizzly man Mark Dumas, right, and Agee the polar bear, left, do everything together

Grizzly man Mark Dumas and Agee the polar bear do everything together.
They swim together, wrestle together, roll in the grass together... even nap together. They have been polar pals since Agee was six weeks old and the colossal mammal even lived in Mark's home as a cub where she played with the family dogs and was bottle fed. Mark, 60, said: 'If anyone else tried this they would end up as Agee's dinner.
‘The only people in the whole world she likes are me and my wife.
‘I have worked with bears in this way for over 40 years, so I can read Agee's body language and know how to behave safely around her.'
And as this incredible video shows the fearless bear handler from Abbotsford, British Columbia, is inseparable from his polar pal.

Polar pals: Mark and Agee love nothing more than a good roll in the grass together


Life-long friendship: Mark and wife Dawn have owned Agee since she was six weeks old and the colossal mammal even lived in their home as a cub where she played with the family dogs and was bottle fed

Dream life: Mark nestles up to Agee and takes a nap

Mark and wife Dawn, 60, train the 60-stone (800lb) friendly beast - the world's largest land predator - to star in high-budget TV adverts.
She has even performed in movies like 'Alaska' in 1995 when she was just a few weeks old.
With his incredibly intimate bond Mark wrestles on the grass with Agee, kisses her, puts his head in her huge jaws, and even bear hugs her as she rears up on her hind legs to over seven feet.
Mark and Dawn have owned Agee since she was six weeks old and the colossal mammal even lived in their home as a cub where she played with the family dogs and was bottle fed.

Run around: And as these incredible pictures show the fearless bear handler from Abbotsford, British Columbia, is inseparable from his polar pal

Safety first: Mark says he can read Agee's body language and knows how to behave safely around her

Star: Mark and wife Dawn, 60, train the 60-stone (800lb) friendly beast - the world's largest land predator - to star in high-budget TV adverts


Mouthy: Agee clamps her jaws around Mark's neck in an amazing demonstration of just how much he trusts the huge bear



source: dailymail

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Meet the new Knut: Zoo crowds wowed by tragic polar bear’s sister who (whisper it) could be even cuter

By ALLAN HALL


Cute as a button: Polar bear cub Anori explores her open-air enclosure at Wuppertal Zoo in Germany

The half-sister of late celebrity polar bear Knut made her debut in Germany this week - and she may have even more star quality than him.
Anori has the same father but a different mother to the troubled Knut who collapsed and died from a brain tumour aged just four a year ago.
Unlike Knut, she was not abandoned at birth by her mother but appeared in public with her at Wuppertal Zoo.

Little adventurer: Anori is dwarfed by a log as she struggles to clamber over it

Anori was born on January 4 to Knut's dad Lars and his new mate Vilma. She ventured forth to the adoration of the camera clicking crowds on Thursday.
She frolicked, she tumbled, she made spectators gasp with delight and zoo director Ulrich Schürer said; 'It all went really well.'
But he aims to protect Anori from the kind of frenzy that consumed Knut and turned him into a publicity addict who was only happy when he was performing.
According to zoo officials, Anori opened her eyes one month after the birth, and took her first steps after two months.

Playtime: Anori frolics with her mother. The little bear was born January 4 and left the birth cave for the first time today

Relentless energy: Vilma looks like she's having difficulty keeping up with her lively young cub

Eskimo kiss! Anori gives Vilma a peck on the snout


Where you going? Vilma casts a protective eye over her daughter as the little one uses her mother's body as an infant assault course

Sleepy time: Anori cuddles up to Vilma - who looks as exhausted as any new mum

On Thursday she could already be seen clambering carefully over small logs, of course always under the watchful eyes of her mother.
Anori was one of two cubs born in the litter, but the second one died a week later.
But while the crowds enjoyed the bear's confident show, Mr Schürer warned that the threats to the species must not be forgotten.

Sniffing her way: Little Anori inspects a rock

Peek-a-boo! Little Anori plays on a log as her mother looks on

Learning about the world: Anori reaches out and touches a tree branch. Right, she sits beneath her mother's powerful frame


Rest in peace: Anoria's late half-brother Knut, pictured left as a cub in 2007 and, right, aged three in 2010. Rejected by his mother at birth, Knut was raised by a handler at Berlin Zoo, Germany, and thanks to his super-cute looks became a worldwide sensation. He sadly passed away from a brain tumour last year, aged just four

'I hope that the people who will see it, will also remember that polar bears are an endangered species,' he said.
'If global warming continues, then there soon won't be any more polar bears because their livelihood will be destroyed.'
Anori won't be markted like Knut - he brought in six million pounds for Berlin Zoo - and her exposure to the public will be limited during her formative months.

source: dailymail

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Play time for young and old! Polar bears caught mucking about in the snow after a long hibernation

By LYLE BRENNAN

All aboard: A female polar bear and her cubs play in the snow in Canada after a long winter's rest in the den

Playfully clambering over their doting mother these polar bear cubs spring into action for the most sociable time of the year.
Across the polar regions from Norway to Canada these images show the intimate relationship between polar bear mothers and their young as they emerge from their winter hibernation.
Each winter females dig dens, where they give birth to their cubs - usually two, but sometimes as many as four.

Peekaboo: A cub takes shelter as it ventures out in Churchill, Canada

The timing of the birth is sometime during early winter, between December and January.
The snow den, the mother's body heat and her milk, which is high in fat content, enable the cubs to keep warm and grow rapidly before leaving the den in March or April. Short trips are made to and from the den for several days as the cubs get used to the outside temperatures. Then the family leaves and makes its way to the sea ice, where the mother teaches, hunts for and protects her cubs.

Gone fishing: Meanwhile in Norway a polar bear takes the plunge into icy waters in the hope of finding a bite to eat

After two years together, the family disperses and the cycle begins again.
But not before a bit of light play in the snow.
Photographer Steve Bloom has spent hundreds of hours in the Arctic regions, photographing the amazing interactions from lounging around in the snow to diving head first into the icy waters looking for food.

Taking the weight off its paws: A polar bear stretches out on the snow in Churchill, Canada

'The polar bear's presence is entirely transitory, with photography dependent on accurate timing, the right weather and exceptional luck,' said Steve.
'Imagine a world without polar bears.
'It seems unthinkable, yet as climate change gathers pace, the Arctic ice floes upon which the polar bear depends are beginning to break up.

Come here, you: Two polar bears nuzzle with each other in Churchill, Canada

'In the years ahead, this could be catastrophic for this truly charismatic bear which, when it stands up, is taller than the largest elephant.
'The irony is that the polar bear represents one of conservation's greatest successes: thanks to an international convention controlling the hunting of the species.'

Little attention-seeker: A bear and her cub in a snow-covered forest in Canada


Bear hug: A show of affection in Churchill, Canada

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It's playtime: Cute polar bear twins take their first tiny steps into the outside world

Thirsty work: Polar bear Huggies licks her twin cubs while breastfeeding them during their first public appearance at the Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands

Twin polar bears took their first steps outdoors much to the delight of photographers who captured the cute moment.
The endangered animals never strayed far from their mother Huggies, who featured in David Attenborough's BBC show Frozen Planet, and got her name from the nappy company who sponsor her.

Too cute: The twin polar bears have some playtime as they venture in front of the camera for the first time

And in a real heart-warming moment, the proud mother was on hand to let her cubs suckle as they kept up their energy for their public appearance.
The bears are being housed at Ouwehands Zoo in the Netherlands, which is participating in a breeding program for the rare mammals.
But it hasn't all been about the happy times for Huggies as after giving birth to three cubs in December 2011, one didn't survive.

Come to mummy: Huggies brings her cubs in for some nourishment, whilst keeping a close eye on them


Capture that: The three-month-old polar bear twins walk with their mother Huggies in the open air for the first time

Writing on New York-based Chinese television Channel NTD's website, Dirk Jan van der Kolk, Zoo Manager said: 'We are very proud and also happy that we are breeding so well with polar bears, I think we are a lucky zoo that Huggies and her daughter are very relaxed mothers, I think that's one of the main reasons why our cubs are doing so well.
'And we are still hoping for future, there are so, so many cubs are born here.'

source: dailymail

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How much fun can you have with a hard hat? Just ask the lonely polar bear

By SUZANNAH HILLS

Taking the plunge: Walker dives in after his favourite toy - a hard hat

You'd be amazed how much entertainment a polar bear can get out of a simple hard hat.
And Walker the polar bear proved there was no end to the games he could play with a workman's safety helmet when he managed to get his paws on one for an hour after his weigh in today at the Highland Wildlife Park.
His keepers spotted three-year-old Walker throwing the hat into the water before diving in to retrieve it and then practised balancing it on his paw and his nose.

Nearly got it: Walker sets his sights on grabbing the workman's safety hat

Missed it: Walker plunges into the pond, narrowly missing his beloved hat, which drifts off along the water at the Highland Wildlife Park

Walker's playtime was well-deserved after his weigh-in today - which showed he has grown considerably since first arriving at the park.
But Walker, the only polar bear on public display in the UK, had to first be lured on to the scales with his favourite fishy treats to allow keepers to weigh him.

Making a splash: Walker throws the hat up into the air before chasing after it again

Walker was given a trail of sardines to follow to tempt him on to a large wooden platform attached to a set of scales which revealed he has gained around 330lb in just over a year.
The three-year-old bear weighed in at 63 stone - when he arrived at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kingussie, Inverness-shire in December 2010 he was around 39 stone.

Got it: Walker finally catches the pesky hat that kept giving him the slip

On the nose: Walker prepares to practice balancing his hard hat with varying degrees of success

It will be another two or three years before he is fully grown and by the age of six he will weigh an estimated 80-110 stone.
Una Richardson, the centre's head keeper, said: 'The weigh-in this morning with Walker went extremely well. We managed to tempt him on to the scales with a few of his favourites - sardines.
'We are really pleased with Walker’s weight. He’s a big boy at 403kg, which is around 63 stone. It’s slightly higher than what we had expected. We guessed he could be around 62 stone, which is around 395kg.
'It’s a good, healthy weight for a polar bear of his age and size and is close to the weight we had expected.

Dinner time: Keepers had to use sardines to lure Walker on to the scales to get weighed

Walker is weighed by Senior Keeper David Barclay at the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig, Inverness-shire

Tongue rub: Walker gets a tongue rub after being weighed by Head Keeper Una Richardson

source: dailymail

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