Health check-up for country's oldest polar bear

A health check-up for the country's oldest and most popular polar bear has been carried out with military precision at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.

Victor, a visitors’ favourite at the park was in the care of a 30-strong team for a procedure that took more than a month to plan.

South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue helped lift the 18-year-old, who weighs in at 530kg, into position for a team of specialist vets and dentists to conduct a battery of tests during the appointment.

Victor was anaesthetised for two hours but was back on his feet within half an hour in a successful operation to ensure he was in tip-top condition.

The operation began a month ago with the YWP Animal Team, Portland House Veterinary Group, IZVG (International Zoo Veterinary Group based in Keighley) and Zoodent, a specialist animal dentist, drawing up a strategy for the first time a polar bear had been anaesthetized at the 100-acre park.

South Yorkshire Fire Service whose firefighters are trained in using specialist animal rescue equipment was called in for extensive planning on how to move Victor for the vet team to carry out their checks.

The day started at 8.30 am with the veterinary team setting up their kit and the fire service assembling lifting gear.

Kim Wilkins, YWP’s Carnivore Team Leader and Andrew Greenwood, from IZVG, administered the anaesthetic injection to Victor who had been gradually familiarised with the technique so he was relaxed.

Park rangers and the fire service team placed Victor onto a cargo net and lifted him into place.

Specialist dentist Peter Kertesz, of Zoodent, and the veterinary team carried out extensive tests that were completed in under two hours.

The team:

• 5 Vets

• 1 Vet Nurse

• 1 Zoo Dentist

• 1 Zoo Dental Nurse

• 11 Fire Service Personnel

• 11YWP Rangers and Staff

Victor is now happily back out in Project Polar at the Park with the other polar bears, Pixel, Nissan and Nobby.