Highland Wildlife Park soldiers on for a possible polar bear family
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There are hopes that the Highland Wildlife Park could become home to the first polar bear cubs to be born in the UK for more than two decades – and 60 military personnel will have given them a helping hand!
A female bear is due to arrive at the attraction by Kincraig next spring, and will hopefully mate with one of the resident males Walker or Arktos.
In the meantime, members of 71 Engineer Regiment and a contingent from the South Dakota National Guard have just about completed work on a one hectare polar bear enclosure being developed on the south west side of the park, and new 300 metre (984 feet) walkway.
The new additions were due to be handed over yesterday (Wednesday) as the ‘Strathy’ was going to press, with work having started on September 7.
Mr Douglas Richardson, Animals Collection Manager for the Highland Wildlife Park, said: “We are delighted to be welcoming a female polar bear to the wildlife park next spring.
“It is still to be agreed exactly which female will arrive in the Highlands, but we hope to have confirmation shortly. The female will remain separate from the males, as she would in the wild, and during the breeding season we will introduce her to one of our males – likely Arktos to start with as he is the older of our boys. The two will spend some time together and we hope nature will take its course.”
Mr Richardson added: “The last time polar bear cubs were born and reared in the UK was in 1992. Creating an environment that will allow such an event to happen again will be incredibly positive for the Highland Wildlife Park and confirm that our unique approach to this threatened species’ husbandry – which will mirror what happens in the wild – is correct.”
Building the new enclosure has been a massive undertaking for the engineers who are lodging at Rothiemurchus Estate.
As part of that they have had to dig in more than 200 posts by hand that range from three metres to six metres in height.
More on this story in this week’s “Strathy”.
