Posted on 03/20/2007 4:56:39 PM PDT by Cecily
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.
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.
Reuters Pictures
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"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.
(Excerpt) Read more at today.reuters.com ...
It's amazing that the left thinks that animals should be killed rather than live alternative lifestyles. Perhaps we should turn the argument around on them.
PETA at its best.
That's OK. If sufficiently humanized, one day he might stand for Chancellor. Indeed, I envision preciously few debate or election opponents.
If you want on or off the list, go to the link for instructions. Otherwise, it won't be guaranteed that you will be put on or taken off (it still won't be 100% guaranteed, anyway, but will be much more highly probable).
BBC version: 
.
Well said I might add.
Of course when he gets bigger, NASTY BIG POINTY TEETH! hehe.
Ask the bear. I'll bet he'd opt to get fed every day of the year by his handler rather than have to go forage in the Arctic.
It's completely appropriate for a bear that is going to live out its life in a zoo, in close proximity to humans. Sure, if it were going to be released into the wild, then too much familiarity with humans might not be such a "Good Thing".
Bunch of Kool-Aid drinkers who would rather let an animal die of starvation than "humanize" it. After all humans are the embodiment of evil in their reckoning, so it's surprising they'd feel this way. Sick, but not surprising.
An animal with no wilderness skills and rejected by it's own kind. How is this animal not the perfect fit for a zoo environment?
Animal rights people are irrelevant nut jobs.
Black bears look at humans and figure if they follow them they will find food
Grizzly bears look at humans and worry about defense
Polar bears look at humans and see lunch!
Ohh yea,I think that you have hit upon a great idea.
It is unbearably cute.
Oh great, you owe me a new keyboard and you made me laugh on a serious thread. :-)
Well said!
There was a bunch of youtube videos on that bear cub. Here it is more or less newborn, or soon after. Per recent info, it's about 20 pounds, and that's how it looked in some of these videos.
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