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To celebrate International Polar Bear Day, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park has shared new footage of two-year-old Hamish and mum Victoria enjoying icy treats.
The wildlife conservation charity’s polar bears are part of the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which is working to safeguard the vulnerable species from extinction and highlight the plight of polar bears in the wild.
Keith Gilchrist, animal collection manager at Highland Wildlife Park said, “A critical part of our role as a wildlife conservation charity is education. Hamish, and the rest of our bears, have made a tremendous impression on our visitors.
“They help to highlight the threats many species face in the wild and the changes we can undertake to really make a difference.
“Changes in the Arctic climate mean the sea ice that wild polar bears, and other animals, depend on for survival is shrinking and it is predicted this will significantly decrease the population over the next 40 years.
“As well as being vital ambassadors for their relatives in the wild, our polar bears are part of the EEP. This helps ensure we have a genetically and behaviourally robust captive population, which may be needed in the future to help support and restore a markedly reduced and fragmented wild population.”
Those who visit Highland Wildlife Park today (Thursday 27) are invited to take part in some International Polar Bear Day activities, including a polar bear talk, feed and enrichment, café specials and an appearance by Walker the polar bear mascot.