Princess Royal to open new animal centre

The Princess Royal will this week open a worldclass £5.6 million animal conservation centre at a Highland park that is also home to the UK’s newest polar bear.

As Royal Patron of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, she will break the ground for Scotland’s Wildlife Discovery Centre at the Highland Wildlife Park near Kincraig on Thursday.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has given £1.9m towards the attraction to provide an impressive gateway into the natural environment and habitat of the spectacular Cairngorms National Park.

The funding will help revitalise the wildlife conservation charity’s visitor experience, creating immersive new wildlife discovery hubs across the park showcasing Scotland’s native animals and the nature conservation taking place across the Cairngorms. Scotland’s Wildlife Discovery Centre will connect people with nature and enable visitors and communities to protect endangered species.

The project will not only help boost visitor numbers, but also benefit the local area in terms of nature conservation work, training opportunities, and increased employment.

Works include the creation of three interconnected timberframed hub structures. The discovery hub, being the main visitor area, will feature interpretation, digital technology and interactives.

The learning hub will offer dedicated accessible learning space and the hilltop hub will highlight ongoing conservation work.

Britain’s newest – and cutest – polar bear, born in December at the park, has been named Brodie.