ZOOKEEPERS have announced the UK’s youngest polar bear, born in a Scottish wildlife park last year, is a boy.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s vets at the Highland Wildlife Park confirmed the three-month-old cub is male during his first routine health check on Wednesday. He was born in December to mother Victoria and father Arktos at the wildlife park, near Aviemore.
Keith Gilchrist, animal collection manager at the park, said: “He is already becoming more confident every day and it is incredible to see him grow and develop.”
During his first check-up the cub was also chipped, vaccinated and confirmed to be in good health.
The three-month-old does not yet have a name, and staff from the wildlife park are soon set to ask the public for help in what their newest arrival should be called.
Public viewing is still closed to give Victoria and her newborn peace and quiet, but the cub will soon be introduced to his large outdoor enclosure.
Gilchrist added: “Like all the animals in our care, our polar bears play an important role in attracting and engaging thousands of visitors each year so they can learn about the threats animals face in the wild and the action they can take to help.
Victoria and Arktos previously had cub Hamish in 2017, who was at the time the first polar bear cub born in the UK for 25 years. As part of the breeding programme for the species, Hamish moved to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in 2020.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel