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I'm torn with that one - I'd love to see bears in Scotland again, even if they are the regular brown bears we had, and not the anciently famous and fierce caledonian bears, which could have been a hybrid, they say. Then again, a huge area would be out of bounds between them and the wolves. I seem to remember reading somewhere that it's only until people see they can fit into the environment again, then he wants it to be unfenced and have the american take your chance with the wildlife attitude to large and possibly dangerous animals.

Mercedes the polar bear from Edinburgh Zoo certainly seemed happier in her new huge country enclosure.

My Scatness (polar?) bear tattoo design is popular, I'm looking for a solar symbol to go above or behind it next, but I don't fancy the wheel ones, somehow.

plus... I still have "Donald Where's Your Trousers" song stuck in my head nearly two days later. (can't stand Jimmy Shand songs) UGH

Branwen wrote:
I'm torn with that one - I'd love to see bears in Scotland again, even if they are the regular brown bears we had, and not the anciently famous and fierce caledonian bears, which could have been a hybrid, they say. Then again, a huge area would be out of bounds between them and the wolves.
The romans quite rightly recognised the gory entertainment possibilities of the ultra violent caledonian bears and transported some back for the opening of the Coliseum back in the year 80.
I would be slightly reticent about wild bears roaming our hills willy nilly again! They weigh half a ton and while they do eat berries and stuff they arent strictly vegetarian. America already has the bear problem. We dont any more. And we dont have tigers any more either. Or lions...
I remember seeing bears at Cameron House Bear Park at Loch Lomond in the 1970's. They were free to roam in the grounds of a massive fenced enclosure which you could drive around. They used to bat around barrels and tractor tyres like they were feathers. They had Siberian Tigers and Wolves there too. Some animal rights activists released the wolves and this of course led to the slaughter of every sheep and lamb which the pack encountered. Most of the wolves had to be shot too. They shut the park in the mid 80's and built a marina, golf course and an exclusive resort in its place.
Our last wild bear was Hercules who went for a wander round Benbecula and the Uists for three weeks in 1980. He was great, real tame and I got to meet him at a Highland Show when I was wee!