Talk:Wojtek (bear)

Syrian vs. Iranian vs. Persian Brown Bear

It looks like there's a minor edit issue going on with the species of bear with reversions from Syrian Brown Bear to Iranian Brown Bear to Persian Brown Bear. This hints at a typical Wikipedia culture war in the offing. In the interest of furthering the article, I am going to revert the article to what appears to be the last canonical version of the popular name of the species to Syrian Brown Bear. I suspect changing the contested name to "Iranian" or "Persian" is a misunderstanding between the popular name of the species in English, and the nationality of the bear (if bears, indeed, can said to have a "nationality."). The article on Syrian Brown Bear does mention Wojtek as being FROM Iran, but the popular name of the species isn't affected. For example, a Canadian Goose doesn't have to be actually from Canada (I speak from experience as we have several native non-migrating flocks of Canadian Geese near where I live in the US). So one wouldn't change the species of Canadian Goose to Mexican Goose if that bird happened to be born, and live, in Mexico.

I recommend that any future changes of Wojtek's species be discussed here so that we can come up with a consensus. Also, any experts on popular species names (in English - this is the English language Wikipedia) can also weigh in here. --Quartermaster (talk) 17:52, 5 December 2010 (UTC)

Just noticed the addition of the bear's "nationality" in the opening sentence. I still hold that an animal probably can't have a "nationality" but can easily accept the adjective "Iranian" as indicating "from Iran." The article currently (and previously) does mention that Wojtek was found in Iran. Does that make this initial use of "Iranian" redundant, or should the "found in Iran" somehow be incorporated into the opening sentence? --Quartermaster (talk) 14:37, 6 December 2010 (UTC)

What sources say it was Syrian Brown Bear (U. arctos Syriacus) though? As opposed to a Eurasian Brown bear (U.arctos arctos). Kenosha Forever (talk) 18:58, 16 March 2021 (UTC)

Ok, no response, I am taking it out.Kenosha Forever (talk) 01:02, 24 March 2021 (UTC) blocked by Bradv as a sock of NoCal100

• "From Warsaw to Rome: General Anders' Exiled Polish Army in the Second World War, Martin Williams" "One of the most popular recollections of the Polish Army in the East is that of Wojtek, the Syrian Brown Bear who became the .."

• "Monte Cassino January-May 1944: The Legend of the Green Devils, Angelos Mansolas · 2017" "The most unusual soldier of the Battle of Monte Cassino, or any other battle for that matter, was a bear named 'Wojtek'. He was a Syrian brown bear found in Iran in April 1942 by the troops of the newly formed Polish II Corps" --Supreme Deliciousness (talk) 06:11, 24 March 2021 (UTC)

Thanks! Kenosha Forever (talk) 14:23, 24 March 2021 (UTC) blocked by Bradv as a sock of NoCal100

How did Wojtek manage to carry ammo?

I'm perplexed about this, and the article fails to address it.--Remurmur (talk) 18:04, 29 September 2011 (UTC)

Bears can walk on their hind legs to some degree or another and can be trained to clasp things. I'm quite sure carrying artillery shells is an exaggeration, but it's entirely possible the bear could have carried SOMETHING. Jersey John (talk) 22:55, 22 December 2011 (UTC)

Some kind of saddle-bag style arrangement is more likely - bears don't walk very well on two legs and especially not over rough terrain or for any great distance. Anyone got any information one way or the other? 62.196.17.197 (talk) 16:28, 29 October 2012 (UTC)

"Standing upright, he held out his front paws into which the men loaded the heavy boxes of shells" from Orr, p45.

Gravuritas (talk) 09:45, 13 July 2014 (UTC)

Bears walking on two legs only isn't limited to fictional bears, there have been actual bipedal bears: there's Pedals the black bear of New Jersey, who was first sighted in 2014, having adopted his form of travel because his front-paws were crippled.184.186.4.209 (talk) 22:55, 16 April 2019 (UTC)

Weight at death

At the end of the post war section it says gives his weight when he died in stones and doesn't cite any sources. Why is it measured in stones and do we really need that info if it's not cited? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 173.235.141.219 (talk) 20:00, 21 February 2021 (UTC)

I agree, not really needed, especially if not cited. Kenosha Forever (talk) 19:12, 16 March 2021 (UTC) blocked by Bradv as a sock of NoCal100

Isn't Cigarette Harmful For Bears?

He Ate The Cigarettes? That's Sounds Weird Vibhuwastaken (talk) 08:42, 23 September 2021 (UTC)

Triple parenthesis on name

May I know the reasoning behind giving the name triple brackets, when it's already in bold. 122.11.212.42 (talk) 02:11, 30 November 2021 (UTC)