Victoria, the UK’s oldest polar bear, sadly passed away at the age of 28, as announced by the Highland Wildlife Park. The beloved resident of the Kincraig park had been facing health issues related to her age for a few months. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) had shared in December that she was under geriatric care. Unfortunately, as Victoria’s quality of life started to decline, the charity’s vets recommended that she be put to sleep.
The Highland Wildlife Park, Victoria’s home for the past ten years, expressed that she leaves behind a remarkable legacy through her cubs. David Field, the chief executive of RZSS, mentioned, “Victoria was an excellent mother, and watching her raise two big, healthy boys has brought joy to our charity’s dedicated teams and the hundreds of thousands of visitors who came to see the family.” Born in Germany in 1996, Victoria surpassed the average lifespan of polar bears in the wild, which is around 18 years. RZSS attributed her longevity to the exceptional care provided by her keepers and the veterinary team.
Victoria’s first cub, Malik, was born in 2008 at Aalborg Zoo in Denmark. During her time at the Highland Wildlife Park, she became a mother to two sons, Hamish in 2017, and Brodie in 2021. Her cubs have played a crucial role in the breeding program, ensuring a healthy and diverse polar bear population. While three-year-old Brodie remains at the Highland park with older male polar bears, Walker and Arktos, Hamish was relocated to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in 2020 following a recommendation from the European Endangered Species Programme.
