The oldest polar bear in the UK, Victoria, passed away at the age of 28.
According to BBC, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) announced that Victoria has been euthanised due to her failing health.
The UK’s oldest bear, who was also the mother of Hamishthe first polar bear born in the country after 25 years, had been receiving geriatric care at the RZSS Highland Wildlife Park near Kingussie. Her keepers on Tuesday, May 20, 2025, decided to end her life on the advice of vets.
She has been living with her 3-year-old second son, Brodie, at the Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore. The park also has two other adult male bears, 16-year-old Walker and 17-year-old Arktos, who is also the father of Hamish and Brodie.
Brodie was living with his mother while Hamish was moved to Doncaster's Yorkshire Wildlife Park Resort in 2020.
Victoria’s specialist care included medications for joint pain relief after her keepers noted in December 2024 that she was struggling to keep up with Brodie.
Meanwhile, her diet included cod liver oil, lard, salmon oil and oily fish like sardines, mackerel and salmon.
Notably, polar bears can live around 30 years, but they typically survive for 15 to 18 years in the wild, and as per Victoria’s keepers, her 28 years were equivalent to 90 years of a human being.
