Bears on board and cats in cannons: the Royal Navy's animal mascots

On Whale Island just off Portsmouth, there is a small naval cemetery. It contains no human remains. The gravestones mark the resting place of a polar bear called Barbara and several other animals that travelled the world

Name: Barbara
Species: Ursus maritimus
Dates: Unknown
Claim to fame: Naval mascot
Where now: Whale Island, Portsmouth

Forty years ago, in 1975, the Royal Navy banned the practice of taking animal mascots to sea. The rationale was health and safety. But it's a tradition with a long and distinguished history and one that has resulted in some extraordinary animal journeys.