Yorkshire Wildlife Park welcomes four polar bears from France

Yorkshire Wildlife Park has welcomed a family of four polar bears from France this week.

Flocke and her three cubs have spent the first few days settling in and making themselves at home. They look absolutely adorable and we can’t wait to meet them.

The arrival of Flocke, aged 12, and her triplets – males Indiana, (Indie) and Yuma, and tiny female Tala – doubles the number of polar bears at the park to eight as they join Nobby, Luka, Hamish and Sisu on the reserve.

This makes Yorkshire Wildlife’s polar bear centre the largest in the world, outside of Canada.

The bears have been relocated as part of Project Polar, which aims to conserve the polar bear population and raise awareness around issues that face them.

The move of Flocke and her cubs was recommended by the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP), which considered Yorkshire Wildlife Park the best home for them.

Dr Charlotte Macdonald, Animal Director at the park said: “We have been delighted to welcome the new polar bears to YWP, especially a complete family.

“YWP has built a reputation as a leader in polar bear welfare and conservation.

“The bear family are currently in quarantine in their reserve and are settling in well and we hope to be able to announce an opening date for visitors to see them soon – I am sure that our visitors can’t wait to meet them.”

“But, more importantly, these moves will help us in our campaign to ensure that polar bears can survive and prosper in the wild. The youngsters will enjoy exploring their new reserve and swimming in the lake – it will be great to see them all playing together.”

YWP Trustee Cheryl Williams added: “Polar bear mothers in the wild have a hard time – impacted by oil and gas exploration but most of all by climate change and the loss of sea ice in the Arctic.

“Working together with YWP, the Yorkshire Wildlife Park Foundation will continue to work to conserve polar bears and inspire people to care about them and the Arctic.

“Let’s hope that seeing Flocke and her youngsters at YWP inspires people to support bears in the wild who face so many challenges and raise awareness to effect change in governments for action for climate change.”