Polar bear baby Knut was born on Dec. 5, 2006, the first polar bear to be born in Berlin Zoo in over 30 years. This photo shows Knut in his first week:
AP/PETER GRIESDBACH, ZOO BERLIN
Some are concerned that Knut has had too much human contact in his young life. Knut was born to Tosca, a former circus performer, last winter, but was rejected by his mother. His twin brother died four days later, but Knut was hand-reared by zookeeper Thomas Drflein. Indeed, it was Drflein's romps with the little white fluff ball once he was old enough to play outside that helped Knut rocket to stardom around the world.
"Knut Should Be Killed, Say Some Animal Activists"
Berlin's polar bear cub Knut is more famous than ever. Even star photographer Annie Leibovitz has been to take his picture. But not everyone loves the little bear. Animal rights activists want him put to sleep because he has been raised on a bottle.
Animal rights activists, as SPIEGEL reported Monday, aren't so enthralled with the polar bear baby. They are concerned that Knut, who is being raised by human hand after his mother rejected him, is in danger of losing touch with the bear necessities. Some would like to see him dead.
"Raising him by hand is not appropriate to the species but rather a blatant violation of animal welfare laws," animal rights activist Frank Albrecht told the mass circulation newspaper Bild, whose front page headline Monday read "Will Sweet Knut Be Killed by Injection?"
Berlin Zoo is allowing Knut to be raised in such a way that the bear will have a behavioral disorder for the rest of his life, Albrecht believes. "In actual fact, the zoo needs to kill the bear cub," he adds.
He's not alone. Wolfram Graf-Rudolf, director of the Aachen Zoo, told the newspaper, "I don't consider it appropriate for the species that the little polar bear is being raised on a bottle." The animal will be fixated on his keeper and not be a "real" polar bear, he says. However he feels it is now too late to put Knut out of his supposed misery. "The mistake has been made. One should have had the courage to put him to sleep much earlier."
...Drflein has raised Knut, who is the first polar bear to be born in Berlin Zoo in over 30 years, on a bottle since the bear cub was rejected by his mother Tosca at birth. The zoo reports that little Knut is starting to become a bit of a handful as he gets bigger -- suggesting that the bear is maybe not as human as people fear. "The many bruises that his keeper has show that Knut has discovered he is a bear," Kls told dpa.
With reporting by Frank Thadeusz
dgs/spiegel/dpa
REUTERS/Zoo Berlin
Knut tries to get his tiny teeth around a 2006 World Cup soccer ball.
Discuss the issue with others:
Is Knut Too Human? (Berlin Forum)
AP/PETER GRIESDBACH, ZOO BERLINSome are concerned that Knut has had too much human contact in his young life. Knut was born to Tosca, a former circus performer, last winter, but was rejected by his mother. His twin brother died four days later, but Knut was hand-reared by zookeeper Thomas Drflein. Indeed, it was Drflein's romps with the little white fluff ball once he was old enough to play outside that helped Knut rocket to stardom around the world.
"Knut Should Be Killed, Say Some Animal Activists"
Berlin's polar bear cub Knut is more famous than ever. Even star photographer Annie Leibovitz has been to take his picture. But not everyone loves the little bear. Animal rights activists want him put to sleep because he has been raised on a bottle.
Animal rights activists, as SPIEGEL reported Monday, aren't so enthralled with the polar bear baby. They are concerned that Knut, who is being raised by human hand after his mother rejected him, is in danger of losing touch with the bear necessities. Some would like to see him dead.
"Raising him by hand is not appropriate to the species but rather a blatant violation of animal welfare laws," animal rights activist Frank Albrecht told the mass circulation newspaper Bild, whose front page headline Monday read "Will Sweet Knut Be Killed by Injection?"
Berlin Zoo is allowing Knut to be raised in such a way that the bear will have a behavioral disorder for the rest of his life, Albrecht believes. "In actual fact, the zoo needs to kill the bear cub," he adds.
He's not alone. Wolfram Graf-Rudolf, director of the Aachen Zoo, told the newspaper, "I don't consider it appropriate for the species that the little polar bear is being raised on a bottle." The animal will be fixated on his keeper and not be a "real" polar bear, he says. However he feels it is now too late to put Knut out of his supposed misery. "The mistake has been made. One should have had the courage to put him to sleep much earlier."
...Drflein has raised Knut, who is the first polar bear to be born in Berlin Zoo in over 30 years, on a bottle since the bear cub was rejected by his mother Tosca at birth. The zoo reports that little Knut is starting to become a bit of a handful as he gets bigger -- suggesting that the bear is maybe not as human as people fear. "The many bruises that his keeper has show that Knut has discovered he is a bear," Kls told dpa.
With reporting by Frank Thadeusz
dgs/spiegel/dpa
REUTERS/Zoo BerlinKnut tries to get his tiny teeth around a 2006 World Cup soccer ball.
Discuss the issue with others:
Is Knut Too Human? (Berlin Forum)
"I have a mustard- seed; and I am not afraid to use it."
[Ratzinger:"Salt of the Earth"]
May Our Papa's radiant-light continuously shine forth to illuminate Christ for the world!
[Ratzinger:"Salt of the Earth"]
May Our Papa's radiant-light continuously shine forth to illuminate Christ for the world!
AP: Knut likes his blankie.
AP
DPA
DPA
