Brumas the Polar Bear

Brumas was born on 29th November 1949. Her mother was named Ivy and her father Mischa. She was the first polar bear to be successfully reared in Britain and was an immediate attraction with the public. She caused such interest that, in 1950, the Zoo's annual attendance figures reached the 3 million mark (around 1 million more than usual at that time). Although Brumas was female, the press had reported that the bear was a 'he' and the error was not corrected at the time, so the public thought that the baby was male. Brumas was so popular that newsreels, books, postcards, toys, and other souvenirs celebrated her fame. She died on 17th March 1958.