Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park: Europe's largest polar bear reserve to open in Suffolk

Europe's largest polar bear reserve will open in Suffolk, UK, this weekend as part of an extension of the existing Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park in Ipswich. 

Jimmy Doherty, from Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park will open the door to the reserve which will be based within a 16-acre habitat for rescued polar bears as well as other tundra species such as reindeer arctic wolves and arctic foxes. 

The park will feature Ewa, pronounced Eva in Swedish, who was rescued from a zoo that was closing in Sweden called Orsa Rovdjurspark (Orsa Predator Park), according to the Ipswich Star.

The reserve is called Lost Lands of the Tundra, named after the huge expanse of wilderness that stretches from north America and across Eurasia. The reserve will closely imitate the bear's natural habitat, with six acres of woodland, with grasses and wildflowers, a saltwater bath, along with two lakes – one eight metres deep and the other around 14 metres deep – allowing her to regulate her temperature and keep cool.

Mr Doherty said: “Through climate change, temperatures are rising, and permafrost is defrosting, releasing methane that has been locked away for thousands of years. We would like to inspire people to think about these last wildernesses. Conservation has always been at my core, and for us it’s really important that we achieve the most naturalistic feel for the animals.”

He added: "We are planning to put a lot of stimulation in her environment, hanging food up or allowing food to sink in the lakes so she can dive down deep, as in the wild she would dive for her food. She loves an early morning dip. She will wake up, then cruises off and jumps in to one of the lakes. It’s amazing to watch.”

Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park is home to exotic species and rare breeds in need of rescue and/or protection and will be open on 21 October 2023.