Eighty soldiers from 75 Engineer Regiment (Volunteers) plus their digging equipment, have deployed to the Highland Wildlife Park, near Kingussie, to build a new enclosure for Mercedes, the polar bear currently in residence at Edinburgh Zoo.

The British Army agreed to get involved in this project through the Military Aid to the Civil Community (MACC) scheme.  The criteria for agreeing to such MACC tasks include providing good training value for the soldiers involved. Soldiers from 75 Engineer Regiment regularly support operations, such as in Afghanistan, so this project in Scotland offers ideal opportunity to brush up on their construction expertise.

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Ricketts, Commanding Officer of 75 Engineer Regiment, said:  "As Royal Engineers, it is vital for us to keep on top of our construction skills. Moving from North West England to Scotland gives us a chance to complete some challenging tasks in an unfamiliar environment.

"We can also make a real contribution to the community by providing worthwhile causes with some new infrastructure."

Gary Wilson, Director of Business Operations for the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS), which owns Edinburgh Zoo and the Highland Wildlife Park, said:  "This is the latest in a series of enclosures that the Army have helped us with.

"Thanks to them, the cost of building a new home for Mercedes will be £75,000 instead of the original cost of £300,000. As we are a charity, assistance such as this is of great benefit to us and we are extremely grateful for their support.

"We are launching a public fundraising appeal to help us secure the remainder of the funds. If people are interested in donating they can visit the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland's website."

In addition to the polar bear enclosure, which, at around four acres, will be the largest in Europe, the soldiers will be building a new cattle grid to ease access to the Wildlife Park and the development of a woodland walk that will open up the drive-through area of the park to visitors who would like to experience this on foot. 

They will also go to the RSPB's Fairy Glen nature reserve near Rosemarkie to build a new footbridge.