Feeding time

I have very mixed feelings about zoos.  

Most of the time the restriction upon animals that should be free to live in their natural habitats seems to be wrong, but I do accept that ways to safeguard endangering species may have to include captive breeding programmes, undesirable as their side effects can be.

Some places with enough space manage to at least ameliorate the problems and one of the best is the Highland Wildlife Park at Kincraig.

The last time I was there was as Environment Minister, to see the Scottish wildcat breeding programme, but Cathleen and I had all the (retired) time we needed for a visit today and amongst other things, the sight of this female polar bear feeding her new cub was very memorable.   

I have put up a selection of other pictures from the visit on my Flickr site including the Amur Tigers and the European bison, which seem particularly well suited to a Highland environment !  

Alas one of the few things we didn't see were the wildcats.