Highland Wildlife Park is planning to move Walker, a young male polar bear, from a zoo in Holland to their site at Kincraig as part of future plans to breed the animals.
OneKind, and other animal welfare organisations, have previously criticised the plans to breed polar bears in captivity.
At the moment the site is home to Mercedes, an older female bear who is currently the only polar bear in a UK zoo.
Ross Minett, Campaigns Director at OneKind, said:
“Polar bears are highly intelligent sentient creatures with complex behavioural needs that cannot be met in captivity, even within the illusionary freedoms of a wildlife park. It is impossible to re-create the natural conditions these animals would experience in the wild, therefore polar bears are one of the most inappropriate animals to keep in captivity.
Any captive breeding programme is inherently flawed as any bears born are likely to be incapable of surviving in the wild, and therefore condemned to remain in captivity for the rest of their lives.
True conservation is about protecting these wonderful animals in the wild in their natural habitat.”