Everyone's beloved bear turned out to be the fruit of forbidden love (photo) | Germany Information and Travel Tips

Berlin • Shock at the Berlin Zoo Friedrichsfelde (Tierpark Berlin-Friedrichsfelde) – the parents of a polar bear named Gerta turned out to be brother and sister. Herta Tone’s mother, she was born in 2009 at the Moscow Zoo, was given the wrong documents at birth – she was confused with another bear cub. As a result, information has disappeared that Tonya and the bear Volodya are brother and sister. They were paired. Hertha was born two and a half years ago.

The director of the zoo Andreas Knirim has now announced this to everyone. (Andreas Knierim), clarifying that, despite this sad story, Gert and Tonya will remain in the Berlin zoo: they get along well with each other. Another specialist emphasized that there were no negative consequences for Hertha’s health. The bear Volodya moved to the Netherlands a couple of years ago.

Gert, Tonya and Volodya. Photos

Hertha and Tonya in January 2019

Hertha in April 2019

Hertha in November 2019

Hertha (left) and Tonya last winter

Volodya at the beginning of 2017

It’s also sad that one incest canceled out or at least temporarily stopped an ambitious polar bear breeding program in Europe. Tonya has already been excluded from it, experts are now checking previously issued mating permits and are not issuing new ones. However, Berliners are in no hurry to blame their Moscow colleagues: this is an individual human error, it happens.

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In the animal world – 2020

Carrier pigeons

Animals are constant heroes of our frame by frame column. Wild, domesticated, living in zoos and other places in Germany. We start our final review of such photographs for 2020 with this photograph taken in the Ruhr area, where the breeding of carrier pigeons is a very old tradition. You can view this and other publications by clicking on the “+” on the right above the text or on the links below the gallery.

In the animal world – 2020

Anteaters in Dortmund

This small … giant anteater was born at the beginning of the year at the zoo in the German city of Dortmund. The giant anteater breeding program began here in the mid-1970s. During this time, more than sixty of these babies were born in this zoo. The exact count is sixty-four, including this pretty guy.

In the animal world – 2020

Fridolin is back!

How, you do not know who Fridolin is ?! This feathered newsmaker gained wide popularity in Germany with the support of the NABU society. For many years, everyone has been able to observe the family life of this stork through a webcam installed by ecologists in the Lower Saxon commune of Leifferde. In 2020, Fridolin returned home after wintering 10 days earlier than usual – in mid-February.

In the animal world – 2020

“Mountain” goat

This white goat, who ran away from nowhere, at the end of February managed to climb an 80-meter high rock ledge near Bad Karlshafen! She spent several days there – she could not go down herself. While the authorities were figuring out who would save the animal, the roofers of a local company came to the rescue without any problems, they lowered the goat to the ground and released it on all four sides.

In the animal world – 2020

Ten rare piglets

If three pigs are a fairy tale, then ten pigs at once is fantastic! In this photo – not just some motley pigs, but the successors of a very rare Bentheim village breed. They were born in the middle of February at the Hanover Zoo involved in the restoration of this breed.

In the animal world – 2020

Orphaned bunnies

The population of European hares in Germany is not threatened, but very often babies are left orphans due to the fact that the hares fall under the wheels of cars or die as a result of the attack of dogs. This wildlife protection station in Schleswig-Holstein alone nurses 40 to 50 such orphaned pets every season.

In the animal world – 2020

Camel tenderness

Usually bactrian camels have a brown-sand color of various shades. White wool is very rare. This picture was taken in Cologne, where such a white camel was born in March. The very next day, she completely settled into the aviary under the supervision of a caring mother, Charlotte. The next picture will show another albino …

In the animal world – 2020

Snow white sensation

This little sensation took place in mid-June in Hamburg. Here, in the zoo, right in front of the visitors, a charming little girl, a South American albino cat, was born. Such genetic mutations occur very rarely, and in captivity among representatives of this species this happened for the first time in the world.

In the animal world – 2020

Eagle owl on the bell tower

Birds of prey and not only birds of prey love to nest on church towers, rooftops or in different niches on the facades. This photo was taken in the summer of 2020 on the site of one of the towers of Speyer Cathedral. The ancient temple became home for three such little owls at once – however, only one of the fledging trinity posed for the camera.

In the animal world – 2020

Ant metropolis

At first glance, it may seem that moles have worked hard in this place, but before us is a unique ant metropolis (German: Ameisenstadt), consisting of many thousands of anthills – families of yellow earth ants. The photo was taken in early summer in the Swabian Alb region in the Dellenhöule nature reserve. The age of the local ant metropolis is over 130 years.

In the animal world – 2020

Butterfly garden

Usually, about a thousand exotic butterflies live in this pavilion in the park of the Zain castle near Koblenz, but last summer it turned out to be three times more. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, a shipment of pupae from Costa Rica arrived here with a great delay. Most of these dolls from the German castle were supposed to be sent further across Europe, but it was already too late, so everyone stayed and hatched in this garden.

In the animal world – 2020

Shelter for disabled animals

The “Bunter Hof” clinic and animal shelter is located near Dessau. Veterinarian Martina Tetz not only treats the animals that are brought in or brought in by the owners, but also takes care of the permanent residents of the courtyard – seriously ill animals with disabilities or simply those for which it is very difficult or almost impossible for any reason to find new owners.

In the animal world – 2020

Bulls instead of tanks

These bulls live in the wasteland at a former military training ground near Koblenz. Such places, left by the military, often receive the status of nature conservation areas in Germany. So that the wastelands do not overgrow, so-called semi-wild pastures are arranged here, where they keep domestic animals of special breeds – unpretentious and hardy, well adapted to life in these places in any weather.

In the animal world – 2020

Young Al Capone

Al Capone, an old German shepherd puppy, when grown up and trained, will help therapists working with criminals in Stuttgart. He will attend the meetings of psychotherapists with convicted persons of especially serious crimes, as well as assist specialists in resocialization and reintegration of prisoners during the preparation for release and after prison.

In the animal world – 2020

Bergman fox

How many wild foxes live in Berlin is hard to say for sure. From several hundred to several thousand. One metropolitan fox even started an Instagram account at the beginning of last summer – @bergmannfuchs. Now I have already gained about 4.5 thousand subscribers and published more than sixty posts.

In the animal world – 2020

First birthday

These twin pandas were born on August 31, 2019 at Berlin Zoo and … for the first time in German history. As you can see in the pictures, the little giant pandas have grown up well and feel great. At birth, they weighed two hundred grams. During the year they gained thirty kilos. Officially, the pandas received Chinese names – Meng Xiang and Meng Yuan, but at the zoo they were given nicknames – Pete and Paula.

In the animal world – 2020

Thuringian cubs

We have already reported on several occasions that wolves are gradually returning to German forests. In October, another reason appeared – the pictures taken by automatic cameras in Thuringia were published. In May, cubs were born here near the town of Ohrdruf. According to ecologists, this was probably the first time in a century and a half in Thuringia. Not everyone is happy about the return of wolves …

In the animal world – 2020

Binet, Gunther and the Sheep

To protect livestock from wolves returning to Germany and regularly attacking sheep, goats or calves, breeders are increasingly adopting shepherd dogs. Until recently, such dogs in the meadows were a kind of tribute to tradition, rather than a necessity. These Pyrenean mountain dogs Binet and Gunther serve in the Eifel region of Rhineland-Palatinate.

In the animal world – 2020

Camel milk from Germany

These desert ships feel great in the Luneburg Heath. The Marquard family’s farm is home to sixty camels, which are still used mainly for walking with tourists. The farm has now received a European dairy producer number and has begun producing and selling bottled pasteurized camel milk – the only one in Germany.

In the animal world – 2020

Little rhino

This southern white rhino was born at the end of November at the zoo in the Thuringian capital, Erfurt. Mom Marsita and the still unnamed baby are doing great. Happy father Dino remained, so to speak, behind the scenes – in another aviary.

Author: Maxim Nelyubin