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A polar bear cub has been born at the Highland Wildlife Park in the Cairngorms National Park of Scotland, BBC News reports.

The zoo is the former home of Hamish, who in 2017 was the first polar bear cub to be born in the UK in 25 years.

Hamish's mother, Victoria, gave birth to the new cub in her den earlier this week.

The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) said staff were excited but nervous as the first few weeks of a polar bear's life were critical.

Victoria mated with Arktos, Hamish's father and one of two adult male polar bears at the park, earlier this year.

This week, staff heard high-pitched cub sounds coming from the den. The cub, seen on CCTV set up in the enclosure, is about the size of a guinea pig.

Vickie Larkin, carnivore team leader at the Highland Wildlife Park, said: "This is a tremendous occasion which is a testament to our team's hard-work.

"While we are excited about the new arrival, we are not celebrating quite yet as the first few weeks of a polar bear's life is critical, with potential immune system complications and mum's need for privacy during this time our top priority."

Victoria's enclosure is closed to the public.