Brodie, Scotland’s youngest polar bear, is packing his bags for a winter break as Highland Wildlife Park prepares for major improvements to his home.
The three year old will travel to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in early December where he will stay while work is carried out on his enclosure at the park near Kingussie.
Keepers at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland are already helping him prepare for the journey with careful crate training and calm daily routines to ensure the move is as smooth as possible.
Brodie is well known to visitors as the playful youngster who has spent his life exploring the Highlands, and his temporary move south marks the next step in a long term plan to upgrade and expand his habitat.
Darren McGarry, head of living collections at RZSS, said the team will miss him but know the move is the right decision.
He said the extra space and focus created by Brodie’s absence will allow the charity to finish essential work that will benefit him for years to come.
“While we will miss Brodie while he is on his holidays, it is great to be able to fully concentrate on the work needed in his habitat,” he said.
He said Brodie will be in excellent hands during his stay in Yorkshire.
“His brother Hamish has been amazingly cared for by the team down at Yorkshire and we know they will look after Brodie with the same expertise,” he said.
“We cannot wait to see how they interact with each other when they are introduced in the future.”
Once Brodie settles into his temporary home he will meet Hamish, his older brother, who left Highland Wildlife Park five years ago and has since become a favourite at Yorkshire Wildlife Park’s Project Polar.
The reunion of the two brothers is expected to be a highlight for keepers on both sides of the border, as well as for visitors who have followed their stories since they were cubs.
Dr Charlotte MacDonald, animal director at Yorkshire Wildlife Park, said the team is excited to welcome the young bear and see how he reacts to his new surroundings.
“We are so looking forward to welcoming Brodie and seeing what he makes of his big brother Hamish and his other new friends here at Project Polar,” she said.
“It will be quite an experience for him.”
She said the move is personal for her too.
“Personally, I am particularly excited as I used to work at RZSS and knew Brodie and Hamish’s mother, Victoria,” she said.
“She was a great mum to both boys.”
Back at Highland Wildlife Park, visitors will still be able to see Arktos and Walker, the park’s two other male polar bears, who remain in their own upgraded habitat throughout the winter.
The park is encouraging visitors to come and say goodbye to Brodie before he heads off to Doncaster, with his last day in the Highlands expected to be 30 November.
The team say this temporary move will not only benefit Brodie but will help support the wider conservation and welfare work carried out across the site.
Tickets can be booked online for those who want to visit him before his journey south.
