Aaron Sneddon Scottish Contract Press Photographer

FRIDAY IMAGES Mercedes The Polar Bear Meets Walker and joins him in Kincraig

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Walker the Male Polar Bear joins Mercedes the Canadian Polar Bear.

Images of Walker the Polar Bear meeting up with Mercedes the Polar Bear. Please email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it after downloading to arrange your standard freelance rate for images.

View and download to publish all images, from Walker the Polar Bear's first time outside his cage, to being let out into the main enclosure, to meeting and living with Mercedes the Polar Bear here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/aaron-sneddon/sets/72157625318002270/

Vital stats:

Walker the Polar Bear

  • Age: 23 Months
  • Origin: Walker was born in Rhenen Zoo (Netherlands) in 2008 and transported by sea and road to the HWLP Kincraig in November 2010
  • Facts: Walker had a brother called Swimmer, who tragically died during a swim in the Rhenen Zoo enclosure. Swimmer's mother was called Huggies. Walkers mother Huggies was just 5 months old when she was found floating alone on an Iceberg in 1994 on the siberian coast, it was from there she was transported to Holland. Walker has been kept separated from Mercedes until staff were happy that the two could live together happily.

Mercedes the Polar Bear

  • Age: Approx 29
  • Origin: Brought from Churchill, Manitoba (Canada) in 1984 to Edinburgh Zoo, Lothian, Mercedes was transferred to the HWLP in October 2009
  • Facts: Mercedes was a free roaming bear until 1984. Mercedes was beginning to be a common sight in Churchill, and a worry for inhabitants of the Canadian town, as she began to enter the town to sift for food in dustbins. Mercedes was marked with number 39, a count  began to the number of times Mercedes entered the town, if she entered too much she would have to be shot to protect the townsfolk. Mercedes continued to enter the town, and on her 3rd visit (Her last warning before she was due to be put down) she was rescued, and with the assistance of one of the worlds largest automobile manufacturers transported to Scotland's capital, Edinburgh. Mercedes was cared for at Edinburgh Zoo (Also owned by the RZSS) until a new 4 Acre enclosure was built to house her at the Highland Wildife Park Kincraig (Near Aviemore and Kingussie), this was completed in 2009.