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    Mercedes: a Polar Bear: in the Cairngorms?

    By Wilderness
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    The age old saying that fact can be stranger than fiction, certainly rings true with the latest inhabitant of the Highland Wildlife Park in Cairngorms… Mercedes the Polar Bear!

    Mercedes, Britain’s only Polar Bear was moved this week from Edinburgh Zoo to her new retirement home in Cairngorms.  She has come a long way since being rescued from a death sentence over 25 years ago in her native Canada. She had begun roaming into a nearby town in search of food and was scheduled to be shot, luckily she was brought to Scotland instead.

    Mercedes has apparently already settled in well to her new abode which offers a larger space to roam and a colder climate – the consensus being that the park is regarded to be a more typical natural habitat for her.  She has settled in well already and she is sure to be a wonderful addition to the Wildlife Park.

    Although it is strange to think of a Polar Bear living in Scotland, a polar bear’s skull was actually found in Assynt, in 1927, which is expected to be 18,000 years old. Scientists hope to unlock secrets contained in the DNA of what are believed to be the only polar bear remains to be found in Britain.

    For those of you who are interested in the idea of ‘seeing is believing’ and would like to visit Mercedes along with the opportunity to enjoy Scotland’s most popular walking area then check out our trips below:

    Self Guided Walking – Cairngorms National Park & Speyside

    Car-Free Itinerary – Strathspey & Cairngorms

    Meet the Author: Wilderness

    “We're lucky enough at Wilderness Scotland to have amazing guest writers that contribute a blog or two. Guest writers include past clients, local historians, poets and specialists, all sharing their passions and experiences.”

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