Moving closer to home

Helping a stuffed polar bear on its journey north yesterday are (from left) Jason Ward, Cam Verrall and Will Haley, of Crown Movers.

The bear, along with other animals and birds, left Dunedin’s Proctor Auctions for the Canterbury Museum.

Auction house owner and director Heidi Proctor said it was a sad occasion for school children, with whom the bear was popular.

"We actually have a few regulars who come in each week to make sure he’s still here, but I told them to say their goodbyes last week."

She believed the Arctic native had been in the country for about 65 years.

It had been with the auction house for more than a year before being sold on Sunday.

"I think we're actually going to miss him."