Britain’s only female polar bear pads into new home

The UK’s only female polar bear will enter her new enclosure for the first time today.

Polar bear Victoria, the UK’s only female polar bear, who arrives at her new home today, bringing hopes of a cub in the future. Image by Highland Wildlife Park/PA Wire

Victoria was introduced to the Highland Wildlife Park as a potential mate for Arktos, who lives there with fellow male Walker.

Her presence at the Kingussie park has sparked hopes it may see the birth of a polar bear cub in the future.

Today, she will step into her own custom-built enclosure, which features a pond and soft areas of ground, as well as space for her to explore.

Victoria’s enclosure is completely separate from that of the males, mimicking the behaviour of polar bears in the wild who only come together to mate.

The female bear arrived from Aalborg Zoo in Denmark on March 25. She was born in December 1996 at Rostock Zoo in Germany.

(Press Association)