Farewell to Queen Victoria

Queen Victoria, on her throne by the window in Aalborg.

Victoria, 28, was let go on Tuesday, May 20, in Highland Wildlife Park, following struggles with age related health problems.

Victoria with Wee Hamish.
He is a very large bear now, living in YWP.

She will forever be remembered as the first mother polar bear to share her time raising a cub with the world through the first public dencam while at Aalborg Zoo. Many of us watched Victoria tenderly care for newborn cub Milak during the winter of  2008-09. 

Victoria was also a TV star, featured on Denmark's Channel 2's annual Christmas Calendar series, where she guarded the precious jewel in the grotto in one episode.

Victoria and daughter Milak in 2012

Victoria started out as a German girl, the first of the six "V" cubs born in Rostock to Churchill and Vienna. She lived for years as a Danish lady in Aalborg Zoo, dubbed Queen Victoria for her penchant for regally sitting on her "throne" in front of the top window, receiving her subjects. For the last third of her life, she was a Scottish lass in the Highlands, enjoying a spacious natural habitat, the wild winds, and the deep snow in winter. 

Victoria was often smiling.

Victoria was put to sleep at age 28, having arthritis and other health problems associated with old age, but still roaming around her habitat during her last weeks. 

Victoria in HWP in 2018

Victoria was born December 12, 1996 in Rostock, and came to Aalborg when she was two years old, then spent a few months in Duisberg, then back to Aalborg, where she lived with another lady bear Malik, who is still there. A gentleman bear named Felix came from Nuremburg, where he had fathered the famous Flocke. In Aalborg, gentle Felix had two lady friends: Victoria and Malik. Victoria gave birth to daughter Milak (although she was thought to be a boy for nearly four years) on December 7, 2008. 

Milak and Victoria in Aalborg in 2011

Felix went back to Nuremburg, but the following year, Malik gave birth to Augo, also thought to be a boy but actually a girl. 

Mother Victoria gives a little nip to daughter Milak

Victoria was a good mother to Milak, until she decided she had had enough, and turned on Milak, driving her away. It was a tricky time in Aalborg, for there were two mothers with cubs one year apart, and the habitat could be divided into two areas, but Victoria wanted nothing to do with a very distressed Milak.

In 2012, Victoria turned on her cub Milak, and drove her away.

The solution was give Victoria her own space, and let Milak be playmate to younger Augo, along with Malik. The two cubs were so happy to be together, and never got tired of playing with each other. Sadly, Augo died after a terrible fall in May of 2013. Near the end of 2014, Milak, who was known to be female by that time, moved to St. Felicien in Canada, where she had a son, Shouka.

Victoria

Victoria moved to Highland Wildlife Park in 2015, near Kingussie, where she was provided with a companion during breeding season, Arktos. Most of the time, Arktos is with his longtime friend Walker. Victoria's habitat was at a distance from the boys' habitat.

Victoria at the window.

HWP was much different from Aalborg, which was well designed with smooth river rocks, but no grass. At Aalborg, Victoria enjoyed watch people through the many windows in Aalborg, especially from her throne at the top window. Victoria did not spend a lot of time in the pool while in Aalborg, preferring the land. 

Victoria greeting the children.

 In Scotland, the habitat was all natural. People were at a distance and she had a vast rolling meadow with a natural pool in which to swim.

Victoria in the pool at HWP with Wee Hamish.

Victoria with Wee Hamish, shakes it off.

When Victoria was denned up with Milak in Aalborg, she could hear cars on the back road behind the zoo, and lots of chatter from the visitors, noises from the neighboring animals, especially the peacocks. Keepers, as well as the public, could see exactly what she was doing. But in Scotland, in the winter Victoria was tucked away in a remote den with no one to check on her, no one to even be sure she had given birth except through a listening device. 

At HWP, she gave birth to Wee Hamish on December 18, 2017. He stayed in Scotland until 2020 when he moved to Yorkshire Wildlife Park in Doncaster, where he lives in a bachelor group.

                                   Wee Hamish hugs his mom Victoria

After a reunion with Arktos during breeding season, Victoria had Brodie on December 13, 2021. He is still in Scotland, and even though he is past age three, Victoria had not driven him away. 

I remember Victoria as a gentle, sweet bear, as she was that way with people. I fed her figs and grapes, and she would sit like a puppy, waiting for her snack.

                                       I got to feed some figs to Victoria

 However, she was more harsh with other bears, according to her longtime keeper Frank in Aalborg Zoo. Victoria liked people, but wasn't as fond of other bears. In Aalborg, she liked nothing more than sitting on her throne, watching the people and the occasional dog go by. In the Highlands, she wasn't close to the public, but I am sure she created strong bonds with her keepers, who will miss her greatly. I know I will. 

                                                         Victoria and Hamish

I had hoped to make it back to HWP to see her again. Now I will just have to remember her as regal Victoria, Queen of all she surveyed. 

                                           Rest in Peace, dear Victoria