Fears for UK's polar bear cubs

Published on 22/08/2009 20:28

IN HER article on The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland plan to move polar bear Mercedes from Edinburgh Zoo to the Highland Wildlife Park (News, 16 August), Hilary Duncanson stated that Mercedes had produced two cubs.

I think this is an error and Mercedes actually gave birth to several more cubs. Many readers will remember the media frenzy which surrounded Minty, the cute cub which was hired out to promote a certain brand of confectionery. When Minty outgrew the cute and cuddly image, the Zoo shipped him off to an antiquated enclosure in Antwerp Zoo where I filmed him exhibiting the stereotypical behaviour displayed by most captive polar bears. Minty died not long after.

I believe other cubs were sent from Edinburgh to other foreign zoos including Japanese bear parks.

Edinburgh Zoo is to be congratulated for providing Mercedes with good retirement quarters at the Highland Wildlife Park. I hope she will be the last polar bear in Britain to be used to produce cubs which face a very uncertain future after their few months of cute commercial viability are over.

John F Robins, Secretary, Animal Concern Advice Line