Polar bear twins Aleut and Gregory made their debut at Nuremberg Zoo yesterday, March 23rd, and it wasn't long before they were swimming happily with Mom for the first time. The cubs were born December 2nd and were left for many weeks undisturbed and in the care of experienced Mom Vera in a secluded den. A week ago, keepers noticed mother Vera's increasing interest in the door to the outside enclosure. With the cubs having been given their vaccinations and the outdoor enclosure checked for safety, there was nothing in the way of a grand debut. Aleut and Gregory are siblings of Flocke, the famous Nuremberg Polar Bear.

Photo credits: Nuremberg Zoo

It's baby prairie dog season at the Nuremberg Zoo in Germany and, lucky for us, photographer dark-ness spent two days there capturing prarie dogs doing what they do best: eating and greeting one another. As we mentioned in a previous post, prairie dogs live in "towns" of tens of thousands or more and touch noses to say hello.

Open wide!

More pics below the fold.