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Polar bear protection in focus: Rostock Zoo and ROSTOCK PORT strengthen partnership!
Rostock celebrates 20 years of partnership with the zoo for polar bear conservation during the International Polar Bear Week 2025.
Polar bear protection in focus: Rostock Zoo and ROSTOCK PORT strengthen partnership!
International Polar Bear Week will take place from November 2nd to 8th, 2025 and is all about protecting the majestic polar bears. Maike Grunwald from ROSTOCK PORT GmbH visited the polar bears at Rostock Zoo on the occasion of this event. The partnership between ROSTOCK PORT and the zoo has existed for almost 20 years. Together, the organizations have done a lot to protect species and preserve the arctic habitats of polar bears, as Rathaus Rostock reports.
The Rostock Zoo is home to three female polar bears: Sizzel, Noria and Lili, all aged 9 to 10 years. Lili has taken on the leadership role in the group, while Noria and she stay close. The zoo director Antje Angeli greatly appreciates ROSTOCK PORT's support in nature and species protection and thanks her for it. Particular attention is paid to the medical training of the polar bears, which enables stress-free examinations and regular weight checks.
Protection and research for polar bears
ROSTOCK PORT has been a premium partner and animal sponsor of the polar bears since 2006. 37 polar bear cubs have been raised in Rostock since 1956. A male polar bear will be coming to the zoo next year and is intended for targeted breeding. There are currently around 265 polar bears living in 111 zoos worldwide, according to the International Stud Book from March 2025. But the situation for polar bears in nature is worrying: According to Tagesschau, polar bears are considered endangered, which is primarily due to climate change, which is threatening their habitat.
In total, there are estimated to be between 22,000 and 31,000 polar bears, with the largest population found in Canada. Despite this, only a third of the polar bear population remains stable, while hunting and environmental changes severely impact their chances of survival. Polar bears rely on sea ice to hunt seals, and the retreat of pack ice is significantly shortening their hunting season. Zoo director Angeli emphasizes how important this sea ice is for the survival of polar bears and shows that almost 600 to 800 polar bears are killed by hunting every year.
The commitment of the Rostock Zoo and ROSTOCK PORT also flows into scientific projects that deal with the survival of polar bears in the Arctic. Visitor contributions support research projects such as the Bear Tracker Project, in which polar bears are equipped with GPS collars to study their migration movements and the influence of climate change on their living environment.
Given the challenges that climate change and human activities pose to polar bears, supporting conservation projects is more important than ever. The responsibility we bear for conserving our natural resources is great. Only together can we ensure that future generations will have the opportunity to experience the majestic polar bears in their natural habitat.