Knut (polar bear)

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Knut on 24 March 2007.

Knut (IPA: [knuːt]) (born at the Zoologischer Garten Berlin on 5 December 2006) is a captive-born polar bear that is currently the subject of international popularity and controversy. He was rejected by his mother at birth and is consequently being raised by zoo handlers.

After the unproblematic gestation time of the 20-year old polar bear Tosca, Knut and his brother were born on 5 December 2006. He was the first polar bear birth at the Berlin Zoo in over thirty years. Tosca, who is a former circus performer, rejected Knut and his brother. After four days, the brother died and Knut was separated from his mother by zoo workers. He spent the first 44 days of his life in an incubator.

On 23 March 2007, Knut was presented to the public for the first time. ^[1]

The German Environment Minister, Sigmar Gabriel officially adopted Knut. The polar bear is now seen as a symbol for endangered species by global climate change. Knut will be the mascot animal for a conference on endangered species in 2008 held in Bonn. ^[2] Photographer Annie Leibovitz has taken pictures of Knut that are to be used for an environmental campaign, including Vanity Fair's May 2007 Green Issue. ^[3] ^[4]

1 Controversy
2 Commercial success
3 References
4 External links

[edit] Controversy

German tabloid Bild-Zeitung carried a quote by an animal rights activist named Frank Albrecht that said that Knut should have been killed rather than brought up suffering the humiliation of being treated as a domestic pet, thus declaring the zoo was violating animal protection legislation by keeping him alive. ^[5] Wolfram Graf-Rudolf, head of the Aachen Zoo, stated that "One should have had the courage to let the bear die" after it was rejected, arguing that the bear will "die a little" every time it is separated from its caretaker. ^[6] The Berlin Zoo has since rallied in support of the baby polar bear, vowing not to harm him. ^[7] Albrecht, who was not associated with any animal rights organization, later claimed that he was misquoted, that he felt that it was inappropriate for Knut to be raised by humans but that he did not call for Knut's death.^[8] The publicity from this coverage raised Knut's profile from national to international.^[9]

[edit] Commercial success

Knut on the cover of Germany's Vanity Fair.

The Berlin Zoo registered Knut as a trademark in late March. As a result its stocks at the Berlin Stock Exchange which are normally worth around 2000 euros, more than doubled in value closing at 4820 euros just a week later. ^[10]

Not only the zoo has profited from the attention surrounding Knut; several companies offer Knut-related products from ringtones to cuddly toys.^[11] Candy company Haribo has decided to release a raspberry-flavored Cuddly Knut sweet in April 2007 and has promised the Berlin Zoo a share of the profits. Knut was also the subject of several songs. The most successful were the single "Knut Is Cute" and the song by 9 year old Kitty from Köpenick titled "Knut, der kleine Eisbär" which was also released as a single.^[12]^[13] Knut also appeared on the March 29, 2007 cover of the German Vanity Fair magazine.^[10]