Polar Bears in UK here's to Better times

[Strathmorezoo]

I remember a time when polar bears in captivity was very emotive, a conversation about the subject could suddenly become become very heated. Some of the younger members would not remember these times, so I will give an example of such .
About 2001 I attended a lecture at the University of Birmingham, it was about stereotypic behaviour in zoo animals The lecturer was from Oxford University and she used the polar bears at Dublin zoo as the example At the end of the lecture there was a question and answer period, having visited Dublin a week before I pointed out that I never observed a lot of her observations (I wasn't disagreeing with her),my goodness, you would have thought I had committed a crime ,I was even being shouted at by some of the students . Needles to say I was glad to leave, quite quickly !.Due to pressure the bears left Dublin in 2003 to a zoo in Hungary. Thank goodness the housing in the UK now meets all of the conditions that these bears need .

 

[Fallax]

It's certainly interesting how things have changed. Imagine telling someone even just ten years ago there would be four zoos in the UK with polar bears in a decades time!

 

[Lafone]

When I look at pictures of polar bears in the old enclosure at Dudley, for example, I think a lot of the criticism of zoo enclosures for large species like polar bears was valid.

I imagine people at the time vigorously defended that enclosure. But I think times have changed for the better for a lot of zoo animals.

The contrast is huge between the polar bear enclosures from 1980's Dudley's to now at, say, Peak or YWP.

I don't think it was cruel per se etc or the zoos set out to be mean to the bears, times have just changed as you say. Understanding of the needs and methods of keeping animals has evolved. Sometimes criticism of zoos is emotive / nonsensical, but other times it can be both factual and practical.

 

[Willem123]

With three holders of polar bears now, ywp, peak, and jimmy’s. I’ve heard rumours manor wildlife park is next, however i would really like to see longleat get them next

 

[Fallax]

With three holders of polar bears now, ywp, peak, and jimmy’s. I’ve heard rumours manor wildlife park is next, however i would really like to see longleat get them next

Four holders, you somehow missed Highland Wildlife Park... That has bad them for longer than all three of the others!

 

[Willem123]

Four holders, you somehow missed Highland Wildlife Park... That has bad them for longer than all three of the others!

I was only listing england holders

 

[Alwaysevergreen]

With three holders of polar bears now, ywp, peak, and jimmy’s. I’ve heard rumours manor wildlife park is next, however i would really like to see longleat get them next

Where would Longleat put them ??

 

[cerperal]

Where would Longleat put them ??

I don't think they'll ever get them - certainly not before the brown bears they've wanted for years. But Longleat has so much land they could feasibly build an exhibit anywhere. I'm expecting the area beyond the farm to receive an exhibit at some point and I suppose there's more than enough room for polar bears.