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MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2009
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'Snowflake' Lands in Nuremberg

Polar bear cub's nickname sticks

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(Newser) – After fielding tens of thousands of suggestions from around the world, the Nuremburg zoo has named its new polar bear cub Flocke, German for "snowflake," Der Spiegel reports. The adorable 6-week-old will keep her nickname, says the city's mayor, in part because many of the monikers proposed by her legions of fans were "difficult for German tongues to pronounce."

Among what the zoo called the "many creative and original suggestions" were Nibs, Snow White, and Yuki Chan, the AP reports. "The big public interest hopefully means that Flocke will become an ambassador for the endangered habitat of her species," said the zoo’s director. Flocke, who just recently opened her eyes for the first time, was taken from her mother last week out of fear that she would be harmed.

Nuremberg Mayor Ulrich Maly holds a photo of the Nuremberg zoo's polar bear cub as he announces the five-week-old white ball of fluff's official name, Friday Jan. 18, 2008 in Nuremberg, southern Germany. A jury that received tens of thousands of suggestions for the female bear's name decided to call...
Nuremberg Mayor Ulrich Maly holds a photo of the Nuremberg zoo's polar bear cub as he announces the five-week-old white ball of fluff's official name, Friday Jan. 18, 2008 in Nuremberg, southern Germany....   (Associated Press)
A photo dated Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008 and provided by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 shows the hands of keeper Petra Fritz as he pets the yet-unnamed polar bear cub at the zoo in Nuremberg, southern Germany. The polar bear cub, nearly five-weeks-old and...
A photo dated Sunday, Jan. 13, 2008 and provided by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Monday, Jan. 14, 2008 shows the hands of keeper Petra Fritz as he pets the yet-unnamed polar bear cub...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 shows the still unnamed polar bear cub. So far its nickname is Flocke (Flake). (AP Photo/Tiergarten Nuernberg, Ralf Schedlbauer) * EDITORIAL USE ONLY * NO SALES
In this photo released by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 shows the still unnamed polar bear cub. So far its nickname is Flocke (Flake). (AP Photo/Tiergarten Nuernberg,...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Friday, Jan. 18, 2008 shows the polar bear cub being weighed. What will Germany's new polar bear celebrity be called? Nuremberg Mayor Ulrich Maly has asked a jury to deliberate Friday on a flood of suggestions _ which...
In this photo released by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Friday, Jan. 18, 2008 shows the polar bear cub being weighed. What will Germany's new polar bear celebrity be called? Nuremberg...   (Associated Press)
In this photo released by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 shows keeper Horst Maussner holds the still unnamed polar bear cub in his arm. So far its nickname is Flocke (Flake). (AP Photo/Tiergarten Nuernberg, Ralf Schedlbauer) * EDITORIAL USE ONLY * NO SALES
In this photo released by the 'Tiergarten Nuernberg' zoo in Nuremberg on Thursday, Jan. 17, 2008 shows keeper Horst Maussner holds the still unnamed polar bear cub in his arm. So far its nickname is Flocke...   (Associated Press)
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