Talk:Flocke/GA1

GA Review

I read through the article and made a few minor changes. At present, it meets most of the criteria: it is well-written, it is verifiable, it is neutal, it is stable, and there are no problems with the images.

I have two concerns:

1. Switching between the Berlin Zoo and the Nuremberg Zoo in the "Infancy and controversy" section is a little confusing. I'm not sure which zoo is being discussed in: "A couple days after the initial media backlash against the zoo". If this is the Berlin Zoo, it should be clarified, and it should also be clarified again in that paragraph that Vera and Flocke are at the Nuremberg Zoo. If the backlash was against the Nuremberg Zoo, I'm not sure what it was about, since there doesn't seem to be any mention of it. Done
2. My other question is about the breadth of coverage. There is a lot of discussion about the events that have taken place in Flocke's life, but there is little discussion of Flocke the bear. Could more of a description be added? I think there is a good start toward the end of the article (the foods Flocke enjoys, Flocke's weight), but more information would be nice. Of course, Flocke is less than a year old, so there might not be a lot of information available yet (other than "she's so cute"). I would appreciate it if you could look into this. I remember reading about her nose being crooked when she was younger, but that could be considered fairly trivial.

I will put the article on hold for seven days to allow these concerns to be addressed. If you are able to get some work done and then need more time, just let me know. The hold can be extended (if necessary) as long as there is work being done. Please see what can be done about these two issues and then contact me. Best wishes, GaryColemanFan (talk) 19:19, 8 July 2008 (UTC)

Hi, GaryColemanFan, thanks so much for the review and the helpful copy-editing. Both of your points are valid and I've tried to address them. I see the confusion regarding Berlin vs. Nuremberg; I think it's important to mention how Berlin's media circus influenced Nuremberg's initial rejection of handraising, but it wasn't worded very well. I hope it reads clearer now?

As for "Who is the Real Flocke", I was really trying to be less fawning and more encyclopedic, but of course I can add a few more personal details, thanks for asking. :) I added the scrunched-nose detail, which ties in nicely with the zoo's assertion that she needs less hands-on attention. I also added a little more detail about her early development and care. Other than that there isn't much info out there (like you said, she's barely seven months old), but hopefully in the future there will be more available regarding her quirky personality. I'll keep looking for more, however, and may add some further information regarding her early care (feeding, playing, etc) later on. If there's anything else that needs work in the meantime, just let me know. María (habla conmigo) 20:36, 8 July 2008 (UTC)

I agree that it's hard to balance the description of a young polar bear with the desire to remain an encyclopedic tone. I think you've done a good job of adding detail about Flocke to the article. In order to maintain the proper balance, I urge you to continue to add to the article as information becomes available. For now, I'm satisfied and I will have this listed as a Good Article shortly (within half an hour at the most). GaryColemanFan (talk) 23:22, 8 July 2008 (UTC)

Thanks so much! I'll definitely keep up with the news and continue to add pertinent information once I find it. :) María (habla conmigo) 23:28, 8 July 2008 (UTC)