Veterinarians do a necropsy on polar bear Knut
Source: Agencies |
March 22, 2011, Tuesday
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Print Edition
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VETERINARY experts performed a necropsy yesterday on Berlin zoo's celebrity polar bear Knut to try to determine why he died suddenly over the weekend.
The four-year-old polar bear died on Saturday afternoon in front of visitors, turning around several times and then dropping to the ground, and falling into the water in his enclosure.
Polar bears usually live 15 to 20 years in the wild, and even longer in captivity, and the zoo is hoping the investigation may help clarify what happened. Results were expected late yesterday or today, the zoo said.
Meanwhile, people continued to flock to the zoo to sign a condolence book in tribute to Knut.
"Every visit to the zoo brought happiness, because he was such a warmhearted animal and he brought us all so much fun," visitor Eveline Plat said.
Knut was rejected by his mother at birth, along with his twin brother, who only survived a couple of days. He attracted attention when his main caregiver, Thomas Doerflein, camped out at the zoo to give the button-eyed cub his bottle every two hours. The bear went on to appear on magazine covers, in a film and on mountains of merchandise.
Doerflein died in 2008 of a heart attack.
Soon after Knut and Doerflein's first public appearance in early 2007, fan clubs sprang up across the globe. "Knutmania" led to a 2007 Vanity Fair cover with actor Leonardo DiCaprio shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz, a film and plush toys.
The zoo said it was starting a special account to accept donations on Knut's behalf, which will be used for polar bear research and the preservation of their habitat.
Zoo spokeswoman Claudia Beinek said they had to set up another condolence book online to accommodate the outpouring of sympathy from around the world for the polar bear.
The four-year-old polar bear died on Saturday afternoon in front of visitors, turning around several times and then dropping to the ground, and falling into the water in his enclosure.
Polar bears usually live 15 to 20 years in the wild, and even longer in captivity, and the zoo is hoping the investigation may help clarify what happened. Results were expected late yesterday or today, the zoo said.
Meanwhile, people continued to flock to the zoo to sign a condolence book in tribute to Knut.
"Every visit to the zoo brought happiness, because he was such a warmhearted animal and he brought us all so much fun," visitor Eveline Plat said.
Knut was rejected by his mother at birth, along with his twin brother, who only survived a couple of days. He attracted attention when his main caregiver, Thomas Doerflein, camped out at the zoo to give the button-eyed cub his bottle every two hours. The bear went on to appear on magazine covers, in a film and on mountains of merchandise.
Doerflein died in 2008 of a heart attack.
Soon after Knut and Doerflein's first public appearance in early 2007, fan clubs sprang up across the globe. "Knutmania" led to a 2007 Vanity Fair cover with actor Leonardo DiCaprio shot by photographer Annie Leibovitz, a film and plush toys.
The zoo said it was starting a special account to accept donations on Knut's behalf, which will be used for polar bear research and the preservation of their habitat.
Zoo spokeswoman Claudia Beinek said they had to set up another condolence book online to accommodate the outpouring of sympathy from around the world for the polar bear.
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