Polar bear twins Anna and Elsa load pet life – farewell in Bremerhaven!

Polar bear twins Anna and Elsa load pet life – farewell in Bremerhaven!

On July 10, 2025 the time has come: the polar bear twins Anna and Elsa are leaving their previous residence at the Zoo by the Sea in Bremerhaven. After almost five harmonious years with her mother Valeska, there were recently difficulties in living together. The decision that the two have to break up has been made because another attempt to reunite has failed. The twins will move to the zoo in Brno, Czech Republic, where they will be integrated into a new facility.

The mother Valeska and the twins were no longer able to become friends after a brief separation. Normally, polar bear offspring in the wild stay with their mother for 1.5 to 2 years. But under the special conditions of the zoo, the three of them's search for harmony became a challenge. But there was more to consider in the background, as a breeding ban was issued for Valeska as well as Anna and Elsa. This is a measure of the European Endangered Species Program (EEP), which works with the aim of avoiding inbreeding and securing the polar bear population.

Visitor opportunity to say goodbye

The decision to move brings both joy and sadness. The Zoo by the Sea not only strives to breed these rare animals, but also focuses on the preservation and protection of polar bears in their natural habitat. The issue of keeping polar bears is not only of local interest. There are different opinions about how appropriately these animals can live in zoos. As far as the pros and cons are concerned, an article from Deutscher Blog stated that while zoos play an important role in species conservation and research, at the same time the living conditions of animals in captivity are often not optimal.

A new future for Anna and Elsa

In Brno the twins will have the opportunity to adapt to the new circumstances. The move could be a chance for renewal for them, even if it is a sad farewell hour for the people of Bremerhaven. The zoo and its visitors can look back on an exciting time in which they were able to experience the development of Anna and Elsa up close. The timing of the move is still unclear, but preparations are already underway.

For the polar bears at the zoo, intensive efforts are made to provide them with the best possible care and understanding of their needs. It will be exciting to see how the two twins will fare in their new surroundings and what significance their move will have for the breeding of polar bears in Europe.