A polar bear and her cub — the first to be born in the UK in 25 years - are seen emerging from their maternity den at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig,
Add to Lightbox DownloadA polar bear and her four-month-old cub are seen here leaving the maternity den and venturing into the outdoors in an impossibly cute video. The cub is the first polar bear to be born in the UK for 25 years and is now starting to explore the outdoor enclosure at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park. In the video the mother Victoria is seen walking out of the maternity den first, before her precious little cub emerges behind her keeping close to his mother. The pair are then seen foraging around in the grassy outdoor enclosure, which was witnesses by visitors at the park for the first time this week [21 March, 2018]. Previously the polar bear enclosure had been closed to the public to allow the bears the privacy required in the early weeks after birth. Una Richardson, head keeper at the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig near Kingussie, said, “Having spent four months in her maternity den, Victoria quickly took the chance to go outside. “Understandably, her cub has been more cautious and is still getting used to new sights, smells and sounds.” Douglas Richardson, the park’s head of living collections, said, “Our pioneering captive polar bear management programme closely mirrors what happens in the wild and this birth shows our approach is working. “This is vital because a healthy and robust captive population may one day be needed to augment numbers in the wild, such are the threats to the species from climate change and human pressures. “The reintroduction of polar bears would be an enormous task but we need to have the option. While our cub will never be in the wild, there is a chance its offspring may be in decades to come.” The birth of the cub and journey so far is also being filmed for a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary. 23 Mar 2018 Pictured: A polar bear and her cub — the first to be born in the UK in 25 years - are seen emerging from their maternity den at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s High
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polar bear maternity den Highland Wildlife Park polar bear enclosure precious little cub outdoor enclosure pioneering captive polar impossibly cute video grassy outdoor enclosure Royal Zoological Society bear cub four-month-old cub RZSS Highland Wildlife robust captive population bear management programme polar bears Una Richardson video shows mother Victoria new sights head keeper Douglas Richardson human pressures enormous task forthcoming Channel climate change birth chance Kincraig Kingussie reintroduction pair UK Scotland outdoors steps offspring witnesses decades visitors time public collections approach privacy threats RZSS Highland Wildlife Park Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Victoria four months four-month 25 years one day
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- Polar Bear & Cub venture outside - 24 March 2018
![A polar bear and her four-month-old cub are seen here leaving the maternity den and venturing into the outdoors in an impossibly cute video. The cub is the first polar bear to be born in the UK for 25 years and is now starting to explore the outdoor enclosure at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s Highland Wildlife Park. In the video the mother Victoria is seen walking out of the maternity den first, before her precious little cub emerges behind her keeping close to his mother. The pair are then seen foraging around in the grassy outdoor enclosure, which was witnesses by visitors at the park for the first time this week [21 March, 2018]. Previously the polar bear enclosure had been closed to the public to allow the bears the privacy required in the early weeks after birth. Una Richardson, head keeper at the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig near Kingussie, said, “Having spent four months in her maternity den, Victoria quickly took the chance to go outside. “Understandably, her cub has been more cautious and is still getting used to new sights, smells and sounds.” Douglas Richardson, the park’s head of living collections, said, “Our pioneering captive polar bear management programme closely mirrors what happens in the wild and this birth shows our approach is working. “This is vital because a healthy and robust captive population may one day be needed to augment numbers in the wild, such are the threats to the species from climate change and human pressures. “The reintroduction of polar bears would be an enormous task but we need to have the option. While our cub will never be in the wild, there is a chance its offspring may be in decades to come.” The birth of the cub and journey so far is also being filmed for a forthcoming Channel 4 documentary. 23 Mar 2018 Pictured: A polar bear and her cub — the first to be born in the UK in 25 years - are seen emerging from their maternity den at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s High](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000k1KMAX3M4so/fit=1000x750/MEGA188198-001.jpg)
