A grizzly bear made headlines around the world in the 1980s after escaping on a remote island in the Outer Hebrides.
On 20 August 1980, Hercules (a grizzly bear) was with his owners Andy and Maggie Robin on the island of Benbecula, off the west coast of Scotland, filming an advert for Kleenex.
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During a break in filming, Hercules and Andy went for a swim in one of the island’s many lochs.
But Hercules slipped his long line and unexpectedly continued swimming until he was soon out of sight.
An intense search via land and sky followed. Soldiers, police and island volunteers scoured the island for the bear.
Benbecula spans seven miles from east to west and a similar distance from north to south and is characterised by its low-lying land, with its rocky enclaves and moorland providing handy hiding spots for Hercules.
It was reported on the news that one schoolmistress locked her classroom in case Hercules came wandering past.
However, speaking to reporters, Andy Robin reassured “If he goes to a house, just throw him some bread, or maybe a tin of meat.”
After 24 days without much luck, a couple of people had spotted the bear around bins at a croft house. They said they chased the bear for three or four miles before it escaped them.
Hercules was tracked from the air via helicopter and a vet eventually managed to shoot a tranquilliser dart at him. He was then airlifted in a large net back to the Robins’ truck where he was transported home.
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Bear experts said that Hercules would get so hungry that he would kill.
Yet the bear actually lost an estimated 20 stone (around a third of his total bodyweight) during his escape, leading many to believe that he hadn’t feasted on the many sheep, cattle or other wildlife found on the island.
Bella Pollen, who was on a family holiday on Benbecula at the time of Hercules’ escape, was later inspired to write a novel called Summer of the Bear.
Hercules gradually recovered from his time on the run and his escape turned him into an overnight media sensation, appearing on TV around the world and even starring in a James Bond film.
A slipped disc and a subsequent period of torpor eventually led to his death aged 25 – which is around the expected lifespan of a grizzly bear in the wild.
He was buried in Langass Woods, Isle of North Uist (near where he was found), alongside Andy Robin, where people can visit.
Hercules: A Love Story is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
