The UK’s only polar bear is getting ready to relocate from Edinburgh to the Highlands.

An appeal launched by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has raised the £75,000 needed to move Mercedes to her new enclosure at the Highland Wildlife Park in Kincraig, Kingussie.

Over 800 separate donations were received, including two private donations of £10,000, to move her to one of the largest polar enclosures in Europe.

David Windmill, Chief Executive for RZSS, said: “Mercedes has been at Edinburgh Zoo for 25 years and has been a favourite with both visitors and staff and I know her keepers will be sad to see her go.

“However she’s still in the RZSS animal collection and the Highland Wildlife Park is a much more suitable environment for a polar bear.

“On the day of the move Mercedes will walk into her transport crate, as she has been trained to do by keepers. She will then travel by road to the Highland Wildlife Park.

“It is difficult to say when the public will be able to see her as we’re going to give her as much time as she needs to settle in. However, we hope that people will be able to see her by the end of October.

“We realise that the departure of Mercedes will leave a void at Edinburgh Zoo and the wheels are in motion to introduce new and exciting species in the coming months. We will unveil these plans as soon as the details have been confirmed.”

Mercedes will say farewell to her Edinburgh fans on Sunday October 18. She will then be given time to get used to her new surroundings before being unveiled to the public.

Mercedes was rescued from her native Canada after she was scheduled to be shot.

A life member of the RZSS helped save her by enlisting her cousin, a former fisheries minister in Canada, to find a new home for her.

On arriving at Edinburgh Zoo, Mercedes was paired with a male polar bear called Barney. They produced two cubs - To-Nuik and Ohoto. Barney passed away 13 years ago, since then Mercedes has been on her own.