RZSS Centenary Appeal
Centenary Appeal Target of £75,000 now met
To celebrate the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland’s 100th birthday, we launched our Centenary Fundraising Appeal on 18 March 2009 to raise £75,000 to create one of the largest polar bear enclosures in Europe for Mercedes. The Society was delighted that the army pledged to contribute their time and machinery to develop a state-of-the-art home for Mercedes. This meant that our new £300,000 enclosure only cost the Society £75,000, which was raised through donations
We are grateful to our members, adopters, supporters and visitors for generously donating to this appeal. On 31 September 2009 we surpassed our target and closed the appeal.
Mercedes' New Highland Home
Mercedes has moved to a brand new £300,000 home at the Highland Wildlife Park, where we have created one of the largest polar bear enclosures in Europe. Mercedes' new home features a large pool set in over four acres of land, which is typical of the polar bear’s tundra environment. Visitors will be able to watch Mercedes from both the main reserve and from a brand new viewing platform at the top of the hill, which will provide a unique insight into the natural behaviour of this wonderful and yet sadly endangered animal.
Mercedes: Lucky Number 39
Mercedes, the only polar bear in a UK zoo, has been in Edinburgh since 1984. She was rescued from her native Canada after she was scheduled to be shot. Unfortunately, she roamed into a nearby town in search of food and, as they are dangerous animals, this behaviour had to be discouraged. Initially, she was captured and the number ‘39’ was painted on her coat which allowed her to be tracked. On her third visit the decision was made to shoot her. Luckily, one of the Society’s life members enlisted the help of her cousin, a former Minister of Fisheries in Canada, who helped RZSS save her and provide a new home. Mercedes, the car company, assisted with the costs of her transport, hence her name.
When Mercedes first arrived she was paired with a male polar bear, Barney. They had two cubs, To-Nuik and Ohoto. For the past fifteen years Mercedes has been our only polar bear – which is the natural social state for this solitary animal. Mercedes’ keepers provide the highest possible standards of care and whilst her enclosure is adequate to meet her needs, public perception has always been that they would like to see her in a larger enclosure.
About Polar Bears
Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are found around the North Pole, Alaska, arctic Canada, Greenland, Scandanavia, and Russia. The polar bear's scientific name means "sea bear". They are excellent swimmers--their feet are partially webbed and their fur is water-repellent. Their environment is extremely cold but they are able to withstand it. The polar bear's entire body is covered in fur, even the bottom of its paws. The polar bear's main food source is the seal, but when they are not available, polar bears will prey on young walrus, beluga whales, fish, and seabirds. In the summer months, they will also eat lichens, moss, and berries. Polar bears are under threat due to the loss of their habitat. They need sea ice to be able to move to different hunting grounds, but global warming is causing the ice to melt earlier each year. This means that the polar bear has less time to hunt and put on weight for their winter fast.
How You Can Help Our Charitable Work
The natural world needs our help...and we need yours. With no direct government funding, we rely on fundraising and donations to further our charitable work and enable us to undertake projects like the creation of Mercedes new enclosure that otherwise would not be possible.
You can donate via our web site, or alternatively you can send a cheque made payable to RZSS to:
The Development Office
RZSS
Edinburgh Zoo
Edinburgh
EH12 6TS
For further information or to discuss your donation please call us on 0131 314 0334 or email development@rzss.org.uk