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Polar bear cub to be named Hamish after vote

RZSS/Siân Addison Polar bear cubRZSS/Siân Addison
The cub was born at the Highland Wildlife Park in December

The first polar bear cub to be born in the UK for 25 years has been named Hamish after a public vote for a name.

The male cub was born at the Highland Wildlife Park, near Kincraig, in December.

The park chose four possible names and invited people to vote for their favourite.

There were more than 36,000 votes with more than 21,700 for Hamish. The other options were Poulsen, MacKinnon and Artor.

Else Poulsen was a renowned bear behaviourist, while MacKinnon is the name of a "dedicated supporter" of the park.

Staff said Artor was a Pictish name which directly relates to bears, as well as "a nod" to the cub's father, whose name Arktos means "bear" in Greek.

They said Hamish was "a strong Scottish name that our keepers like. Ideal for a polar bear born in the Highlands?"