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The fence that kept Maggie separated from the other elephants at the Performing Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) sanctuary in California came down on Tuesday. Since moving to PAWS, Maggie has been kept in a separate yard.

According to Pat Derby, founder and director of PAWS, Maggie, “marched right up to them, got right in the middle of them, … she did a big rumble. They all got excited and started rumbling and trumpeting.”

Here are a couple of pictures of Maggie out for a walk at PAWS.

As you can see by the photos, her face has healed and she looks so much better! I am so thrilled to see her at PAWS. It was definitely the right thing to do — move her out of Alaska, where she lived on concrete much of the year and hadn’t seen another elephant in 10 years — to be surrounded by nature and space and other elephants.

If you are interested in getting more info on Maggie, more often, you can see the PAWS newsletter at PAWS newsletter.

Bear hugs, Frankie

P.S. To get this blog emailed to you, simply type in your email address and press ’subscribe’ in the box on the right side of this blog.

P.P.S. For teddy bears and other stuffed animals, click on the picture.

P.P.P.S. If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

As you know, Cute Knut, the polar bear cub born in the Berlin Zoo 14 months, has made the zoo millions of dollars. In fact, according to the director of the zoo, Knut helped the zoo bring in over $7.6 million in 2007 alone.

There are 29 companies who use Knut’s image to sell products worldwide and the zoo has 44 licensing contracts tied to Knut to sell everything from sweets to stuffed toys.

Knut - 1 Year Old

Now, it seems that the zoo that owns Knut’s father, Lars, wants some of that money. According to the Neumunster Zoo, Lars was lent to the Berlin Zoo in 1999 to breed with the understanding that the Neumunster Zoo would get the first born. Peter Drüwa, head of the Neumunster Zoo is looking into what claims can be filled. Of course, The Berlin Zoo claims that there was never any agreement about Knut or proceeds from any marketing deals.

Lars is still at the Berlin Zoo and according to the Zoo’s director, he will be there indefinitely. When asked why Neumunster Zoo was asking for money rather than for custody of Knut, Direct Druwa replied, “He’s only a teenager. At the moment, he just wouldn’t survive.” (That’s because at the zoo, he would have to share space with adult polar bears.)

This will get even more interesting, I’m sure. I’ll keep you posted.

Bear hugs, Frankie

P.S. To get this blog emailed to you, simply type in your email address and press ’subscribe’ in the box on the right side of this blog.

P.P.S. For teddy bears and other stuffed animals, click on the picture.

P.P.P.S. If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

Here’s a great video taken at the Saint Petersburg City, Russian Federation. It is wonderful to see these little cubs wandering - actually staggering - around and to see how their momma bear treat them. This is a must watch video.

Bear hugs, Frankie

P.S. To get this blog emailed to you, simply type in your email address and press ’subscribe’ in the box on the right side of this blog.

P.P.S. For teddy bears and other stuffed animals, click on the picture.

P.P.P.S. If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)

I found this great set of pictures and had to share them with you. The photos of polar bears in this collection are awesome.

For more of this wonderful work, click more polar bears

Bear hugs, Frankie

P.S. To get this blog emailed to you, simply type in your email address and press ’subscribe’ in the box on the right side of this blog.

P.P.S. For teddy bears and other stuffed animals, click on the picture.

P.P.P.S. If you want to know what you can do to protect polar bears and other endangered species, contact The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) at National Wildlife Federation (NWF)