Baby Polar Bear (1956)

Whipsnade Zoo, Bedfordshire. M/S of a baby Polar Bear in a pen; she is standing on a concrete ’iceberg’ and stands on her hind legs to beg for her milk and honey from a bowl that keeper Frank Meakins holds aloft. The pen is surrounded by children and teenagers. The keeper sits on the iceberg and holds the bowl so the little bear, called Spitfire, can drink, while holding onto the man’s arm. C/U of a freckle-faced girl taking a photograph then laughing. Various shots of Spitfire feeding from the bowl. Frank tries to get the bear interested in a ball, but she just licks it. M/S of children looking on gleefully. C/U of Spitfire washing her paws; brief C/U of a llama looking on snootily. High angle L/S of the pen, surrounded by onlookers, including two llamas. M/S of Spitfire standing on her hind legs and pacing about on her concrete iceberg. Very cute, but rather distressing - I want to take her back to the Pole where she belongs! Note: on file is a small news cutting from the Daily E