Brilliant, thanks for these photos -this could be, for me the UK zoo event of the year! Very excited, can't wait to visit post school holidays.
And then get J.R.Hartley to come and fish for them? I'm afraid that that isn't allowed over here zooman. They cant feed live animals in the UK,and stocking the lake with fish would amount to the same thing. Personally I think its not a bad idea,either trout or carp,as I feel they would stand a pretty good chance of survival in there for a good while ,but don't thing the authorities would take too kindly to it. I'm sure in the course of time that some native pond life will inhabit the lakes that are created in all 4 enclosures. Would be interesting to see what Victor at over 1000lb's would make of a frog or toad hopping across his pathways. Its only going to get better too pertinax as the trees and shrubs become established. I've been told they have,or are going to, plant fruit bearing bushes so the bears can eat berries etc when the time of year is right. You cant get much more natural than that. I just hope that the main "pathways" don't become too worn down and muddy in inclement weather and make him all brown.
I can see a couple of 'paths' already- has he formed them just in the short time he's been out? This enclosure provides ample opportunity for a bear to walk in one direction without having to 'turn' frequently as in traditional enclosures. But I imagine he/they will still create paths which they will use regularly and which may become muddy. Its not entirely unnatural as wild Brown bears in some places also create long pathways(like racetracks) too, e.g. to get from a sleeping area to a fishing ground, and which they travel along daily(sometimes at a run!) during the fishing season. I forgot to say, this is a very evocative shot, for an ex 'traditional Zoo' Polar bear faced with all that space...
A very common misconception, I believe - as I understand it, the law only specifies that live feeding has to be performed in a humane fashion which avoids any cruelty. Certainly there are species of reptile that are loathe to take anything other than live prey, and thus captive individuals of these taxa are live-fed. As such, if the lake was deep enough that any fish stocking the lake had the opportunity to avoid predation - and thus avoiding the risk of cruelty being suggested - any incidental feeding by the polar bear would be quite within the letter of the law.
Another great photo. On the issue of "making pathways" - I think it is inevitable to a certain extent, unfortunately most zoo-bears from traditional bear enclosures have developed a degree of stereotypical/pacing behaviour. These are very hard deep-rooted behaviours to stop, even when provided with such a wonderful new enclosure as this certainly is. Remember London Zoo`s Sri Lankan Sloth Bear that came from Poland, she had some stereotypical head weaving which she continued to perform in a tiny corner of their newly created "Bear Mountain" on the old Mappins. That is one example of many similar instances. But if he does have some "negative behaviours" hopefully it will improve given time. He probably will turn a grubby shade of white but that is the one drawback of having a variety of soft substrates to dig in of course.
To me seeing a Polar Bear in a grassy enclosure is very odd. It looks all wrong to someone raised on traditional exhibits. I'm sure it's better for the animal though.
