The famous Mercedes has an exhibit that is a million times better than any of the truly dreadful polar bear enclosures in many countries around the world. Japan has some downright shocking bear exhibits that are all concrete, steel bars and tiny pools.
Can't remember where I heard this, but there was a story that Mercedes was incredibly laid-back & happy after her somewhat pushy mate died, because she had a panoramic view across Edinburgh -- Polar Bears in the wild can see for long distances, one of the reasons they stereotype badly in pits.
Can't remember where I heard this, but there was a story that Mercedes was incredibly laid-back & happy after her somewhat pushy mate died, because she had a panoramic view across Edinburgh -- Polar Bears in the wild can see for long distances, one of the reasons they stereotype badly in pits.
Possibly coupled with the fact she may have been happier alone anyway- mature male and female Polar Bears don't associate together in the wild outside of mating times, yet in Zoos they are usually forced to do so.
It was refurbished and expanded and now houses Malayan Sun Bears.
(in point of pedantic accuracy, the enclosure was vacated not by Mercedes' death but by her move to Edinburgh's 'country home' Highland Wildlife Park, where she later died)
