Polar Bear Reunion Leads to ‘Blossoming Bromance’

The bears were introduced to each other last month when Arktos, four, arrived at Highland Wildlife Park near Aviemore in the Highlands.

He was brought over from Hanover Zoo, Germany, in the hope he would become a new playmate for three-year-old Walker.

Following a brief settling-in period, the bears were gradually introduced and given time to adjust to each other’s scents.

However, Arktos was said to have been “pining” for his friend and has now joined Walker in his five-acre enclosure full-time.

Keepers at the park said the pair, who are the only polar bears on public display in the UK, have since become “best buddies”, describing their relationship as a “bear bromance”.

They are often seen wrestling, swimming, sleeping and eating together.

Una Richardson, head keeper at Highland Wildlife Park, said: “We managed Arktos and Walker’s introduction gradually so that the polar bears did not feel overwhelmed by each other’s presence, and to start with we separated both bears at night.

“We had really only started to introduce them for longer periods of time during the day when we spotted Arktos was missing Walker at night, whining and trying to get into the main enclosure to be with him.