Malayan Sun Bear

We went to Edinburgh Zoo today, it was really quiet except for a very rowdy school trip. Quite why they weren't caged was beyond me.

Anyway, we had a good fun avoiding them and heading in the opposite direction when we heard them approach. The Bros reckoned they would never be allowed to behave like that with their teachers and I would hope they wouldn't dare.

The Pandas are approaching breeding season & Tian Tian's behaviour was noticeably different to usual, she's usually snoozing. Today she was up and about climbing on her swing, all around her enclosure, throwing bamboo all around the pace and scent marking much to the amusement of The Bros.

The Sun Bears were out and enjoying scratching their backs on tree trunks and generally mooching around. They've had a tough life, the pair were rescued in 2004 by Free the Bears Fund from a private owner who kept them in a tiny cage. They then came to the zoo from Cambodia and are part of the European Endangered Species Programme. Under the terms of the breeding loan agreement the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) has committed to provide annual support to conserve wild bears in Cambodia. The bears remain the property of the Royal Government of Cambodia.