BERLIN (Reuters) - Berlin Zoo rallied to the defense of Knut, a three-month-old polar bear cub, Tuesday, rejecting demands that the animal be allowed to die after being abandoned by its mother.
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The fate of "cuddly Knut" has gripped the German capital since his birth in December. Rejected by his mother Tosca, the cub was adopted by a zookeeper who moved into the animal's enclosure to care for him round the clock.
Some animal rights campaigners think this will humanize the bear too much and want the zoo to stop saving young animals.
"Hand-rearing a polar bear is not appropriate and is a serious violation of animal rights," Bild newspaper quoted animal rights campaigner Frank Albrecht as saying.
"In fact, the cub should have been killed," he added.
Berlin Zoo said the animal would not be put down or left to fend for itself: "That's complete nonsense," a spokesman said.
Knut has become an unofficial Berlin city mascot and has even had his picture taken by photographer Annie Leibovitz as part of a new climate change campaign.
Knut's mother Tosca -- formerly a performing animal in an East German zoo -- rejected Knut and his twin brother shortly after their birth. The twin died but Knut was "adopted" by zookeeper Thomas Doerflein.
The polar bear is bottle-fed, washed and cuddled by his adoptive father, who moved in to the zoo to sleep in a bed by the bears crate. Newspapers report that Doerflein also plays him Elvis songs on the guitar and gave him Christmas presents
2007-03-22 09:06:15 · 6 answers · asked by Anonymous in Politics & Government ➔ Law & Ethics
the way things are going in the arctic we better hang on to every polar bear we can. in 30 years zoos may be the only place they exist.
2007-03-22 09:17:30 · answer #1 · answered by Alan S 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
Alan, there are more polar bears today than there were 20, 30, 40 or 50 years ago. It is an end run to declare them threatened so that wingnuts can use that designation to force through climate change, by stating that it is endangering a species. There are more than 25000 polar bears in the Canadian Arctic. In 1960 there were less than 5000. Having said that, PETA is out of their mind, as usual.
2007-03-22 17:08:24 · answer #2 · answered by john p 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I saw this story on the news yesterday and was appalled. I can't see why anyone would want the cub killed. I bet these same people are against abortion and stem cell research but what the cub killed.
I hope that the owners of the zoo do not listen and let the cub live.
2007-03-22 16:14:21 · answer #3 · answered by nana4dakids 7 · 4⤊ 2⤋
It's pretty messed up, and now Polar bears are on the endangered list, or are approaching that status. Bears are such wonderful animals!
2007-03-22 16:26:06 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
i read up on it and yes the comment was made,the person thought the cub wouldn't live and to let nature take its course. but it is doing well and no one wishes it dead now.
2007-03-22 16:34:18 · answer #5 · answered by here to help 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hooray for crazy people making everyone else look bad and inconsiderate.
2007-03-22 16:11:08 · answer #6 · answered by K 5 · 2⤊ 1⤋