Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

October 11, 2008 11:19:12 PM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

Zoo Will Let Polar Cubs Die, Rather Than Raise by Hand

Posted Jan 6, 08 6:06 PM CST in Arts & Living,  World 

(Newser) – Officials at a Nuremburg zoo have vowed not to rescue the cubs of two polar bears who gave birth about a month ago, even though one is showing signs of disinterest in her offspring, leaving them to cry plaintively for long periods of time. Zoo officials say they don't want to replicate "Knutomania"—the public obsession with Berlin's celebrity polar bear orphan, reports Der Spiegel, and will let the cubs die rather than intervene.

"If something goes wrong, it goes wrong," said the zoo's deputy director. "If you don't let the mothers practice, they'll never learn how to bring up their cubs." Knut, who was hand-reared by zookeepers after being abandoned by its aging mother, is about to become the subject of an animated movie.

Source Der Spiegel

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • Knut 'Doesn't Know He's a Polar Bear'

    Mar 25, 08 6:49 PM CDT
    Knut 'Doesn't Know He's a Polar Bear' Poor Knut: The celebrity polar bear, no longer the ball of fluff who captivated animal lovers around the world, is miserable without human contact and doesn't realize he isn't a person. "Knut must go. As soon as possible," a keeper at the Berlin Zoo said of the 300-pound 15-month-old, Der Spiegel reports. More »

  • Knut to Hit the Silver Screen

    Mar 3, 08 6:30 AM CST
    Knut to Hit the Silver Screen Once celebrity polar bear Knut got big and his fluffy fur gained a yellowish-gray tint, public attention turned to younger, cuter bears. But now the spotlight is back on the Berlin Zoo's most famous orphan, with the premiere of a new documentary called Knut and Friends, the Canadian Press reports. More »

  • Knut's Dad Wants a Piece of the Action

    Feb 15, 08 2:41 PM CST
    Knut's Dad Wants a Piece of the Action Knut, the polar bear superstar of the Berlin Zoo, has all the trappings of celebrity—fame, money, a Hollywood deal, and now, family members looking to cash in. The zoo that owns his dad, Lars, says it deserves some of the millions Knut has raked in, Der Spiegel reports. "We are currently looking into what claims we could have," said a spokesman for Neumunster Zoo. More »

  • New Cub Could Out-Cute Knut

    Jan 14, 08 1:50 PM CST
    New Cub Could Out-Cute Knut There’s a new polar bear in Germany, and Knut had better watch his back, reports Der Spiegel, because the Nuremberg zoo’s 2.4-kilo baby bruin is drawing international attention for being so gosh darn cute. Fans have sent 15,000 name suggestions since Friday, but for now she’s called “Flocke,” German for "snowflake." More »

  • New Cub a Web Sensation

    Jan 11, 08 7:45 PM CST
    New Cub a Web Sensation The Nuremberg zoo's cuddly new polar bear cub still doesn't have a name, but it does have a website—and a fast-growing legion of smitten fans. "We're getting 15 emails with name suggestions every minute," said a city spokesman. For the time being, zookeepers have dubbed the cub Flocke, German for flake, the AP reports. More »

US heiress Paris Hilton holds toy polar bear Knut, named after the polar bear in Berlin Zoo, during a promotional event in Berlin on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2007. As opposed to Knut's celebrity, Nuremburg...   (Associated Press)
A combo of two photos showing, left, the Polar bear Knut, at his first public appearance on March 23, 2007, and right, his first birthday in the Berlin Zoo, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2007. Knut, Berlin's famous...   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (
1
 of 3)

Tags

Germany  • animal  • zoo  • polar bear  • Knut  • Berlin Zoo  • movie deal  • Nuremburg Zoo


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular

Loading...

Other World Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »