She would be following hot on the heels of Sasha and Yuri, two of the world's biggest and rarest cats, which have recently relocated from the capital.

There is also a proposal that could see the popular Amur tigers joined at the attraction by a pair of snow leopards.

The news that Mercedes – the only polar bear currently in a zoo in the UK – might be coming to the wildlife park came to light at the official opening of the tigers' enclosure on Friday.

Mr David Windmill, chief executive of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which runs both the wildlife park and Edinburgh Zoo, let it slip that the idea is being considered.

And he later confirmed that they are looking at ways of relocating Mercedes and the two leopards.

Mr Windmill said: "The arrival of a breeding pair of Amur tigers has already had a significant impact on visitor numbers, and has raised the profile of Highland Wildlife Park throughout Scotland and beyond.

"The Amur tigers followed the arrival of the snow monkeys and red pandas earlier in the year, and we will continue to introduce more threatened species from mountain and tundra habitats from around the world, giving Highland Wildlife Park an even more exciting and dynamic animal collection.

"One of the species that may be added to the park's animal collection is the Amur leopard.

"We already have a breeding pair of Amur leopards in the RZSS animal collection, and we would look to move these from Edinburgh Zoo to the Highland Wildlife Park.

"Another move from within the RZSS animal collection may be our polar bear.

"The environment at Highland Wildlife Park is ideal for her, and we are looking at what needs to be done and how much it would cost to set up her new home in the Highlands."

The bear was taken into the zoo in 1984 after being rescued from Canada, and was named in honour of the car company which helped pay for her journey across the Atlantic.

Mercedes had been in danger of being shot for foraging for food in gardens in the town of Churchill.

Maxine Finlay of the RZSS said: "Bears are given three chances over successive winters. The first year they are darted and, when they are sleeping, a number is painted on their side so they can be identified. They are then taken back to their own territory, away from humans.

Mercedes the polar bear... may be heading for the strath. Alan Thomson, RZSS

"If they return the next year, they are darted again and returned to the wilderness, with a note made on their record. Then if, like Mercedes, they come back a third year, they are shot.

"Fortunately for Mercedes, a family had become very fond of her, and asked us to take her instead of her alternative fate if she stayed in Churchill."

Mercedes was introduced to Barney, a male polar bear at the zoo, and the happy couple had two cubs before he died in 1996.

Visitor numbers at Highland Wildlife Park have soared since Sasha and Yuri moved in last month.

It has been so busy at the attraction that management and administrative staff have had to help out in the shop and vacate spaces in the car park to make room for the extra vehicles.

Although the tigers have been on public view for several weeks, their 7,000-square-metre enclosure, which was built with the help of Royal Engineers, was opened officially on Friday.

The ribbon was cut by Abhishek Behl of the tiger conservation and education group, the TOFT India Wildlife Association in New Delhi.

He was assisted by Iona Jackson, grand-daughter of Alan and Marjory McPherson-Fletcher of Balavil, land-owning neighbours of the wildlife park.

Daska Mackintosh, visitor services manager at the park, said: "The tigers are a great hit, and seem to be having a great time. They have been out playing like kittens."

Amur tigers were known as Siberian tigers until they died out in that area, and it is estimated that there are only around 450 remaining in the wild, mostly in the far east of Russia and on China's north-eastern border.

The population is under increasing threat from habitat loss and poaching to meet the demands of the traditional Chinese medicine market.

Sasha and Yuri have already produced two litters of cubs, which were sent to zoos in Europe as part of a conservation breeding programme.

There are hopes that the pitter-patter of tiny paws might also soon be heard at Kincraig.

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