The hunt for a runaway celebrity bear in the Hebrides
Hercules escaped while shooting a hankie commercial, making headlines around the world, writes David Mclean
It was a case of man and police versus nine-foot Grizzly Bear after the celebrity animal Hercules went on the run in the Outer Hebrides while there shooting a commercial.
The escape of Hercules the bear on the island of Benbecula on 20 August 1980 sparked a full-scale air and sea search that attracted the attention of the world’s media for the best part of a month.
A star in his own right, Hercules was owned by world champion wrestler Andy Robin, who bought him as a cub from the Highland Wildlife Park, Kingussie, in the summer of 1975 for just £50.
Brought up to live and eat along with Andy and his wife Maggie at their Sheriffmuir home, Hercules was trained up to play fight with his master and would go on to appear on television and on film numerous times.
Man and bear quickly developed a uniquely special bond of trust that would last more than half a century.
In 1980, Hercules was starring in a Kleenex commercial in the Hebrides when the bear very unexpectedly decided to make a run for it.
With the small island community on alert, it was initially thought the search would involve following a grim trail of sheep carcasses.
However, having been brought up on a decidedly human diet of cooked meat and enjoying everything from baked beans to fizzy pop, Hercules didn’t touch any of the island’s livestock.
The bear would remain missing for a full 24 days, with the world updated on the extraordinary hunt for Hercules with islanders reportedly stacking up furniture against their doors for extra protection against the furry fugitive.
On13 September,newspapers reported a possible sighting by a crofter. One report said: “A posse of policemen and locals, led by owner Andy Robin, chased Hercules for several miles over moorland.
“At one point, Mr Robin was within 200 yards of him. But he refused to be tempted back into captivity by thoughts of his cosy £30,000 purpose-built coach or a bucket of his favourite food – yoghurt.
“At the end of the day the superstar bear was still free and Mr Robin, a wrestler from Stirlingshire, was in a grizzly mood after falling up to his neck in a peat bog.”
Around a week later, the net once again closed in on the half-ton animal after he was spotted swimming in some water.
Hercules was shot with a tranquilliser dart, captured in a net, and swiftly transferred back to a mightily relieved Andy Robin, who, over the next few days, revived Hercules with large quantities of fresh milk and eggs kindly donated by the locals. Over the course of his great escape, it was discovered Hercules had shed an astonishing 20 stone – around a third of his body weight.
Following his vanishing act, Hercules went on to become a global superstar in the 1980s, securing regular appearances on children’s television, Hollywood chat shows and even a cameo role in the James Bond flick Octopussy.
‘Hercules the Human Bear’, as he was dubbed, was also featured on the cover of Time magazine, caddied for US comedian Bob Hope at Gleneagles, received a telegram from President Ronald Reagan and was invited to promote the Miss World contest, netting owners Andy and Maggie Robin a small fortune in the process.
Hercules’ long career in the entertainment industry was brought to an abrupt end in 1996, however, when the bear suffered a slipped disc in his back while filming for a Disney documentary. He would never fully recover.
The beloved animal died in 2001 at the age of 26 – slightly exceeding the average lifespan for a grizzly bear.
He was buried in Langass Woods on North Uist, close to where Maggie Robin originally hailed, with a life- size sculpture of the bear found amongst the trees. Mr Robin passed away aged 84 last December, with his last wish to be laid to rest next to his beloved Hercules.