A rough time for Copenhagen's polar bears.
A rough time for Copenhagen’s polar bears. Lars K. Jensen/CC BY 2.0

The ice in the Copenhagen Zoo’s Arctic Ring is cold, but the gossip is hot: as the Local reports, one of Denmark’s sexiest polar bear couples is breaking up. Ivan and Noel, two of the exhibit’s main attractions, will soon be going their separate ways, the Zoo recently announced.

The two have made it work since 2007, when Ivan left the Moscow Zoo to move in with Noel. But in recent months, things have fallen apart. “They simply don’t like each other,” zoo spokesman Bengt Holst told a local broadcaster, who added that Noel “often swims back and forth in the enclosure because she is stressed.”

Ivan will soon pack his things and move to the Scandinavian Wildlife Park in Djursland. Among his welcoming party is a female named Nuno, who, insiders say, is single and ready to mingle. 

Every day, we track down a fleeting wonder—something amazing that’s only happening right now. Have a tip for us? Tell us about it! Send your temporary miracles to cara@atlasobscura.com.