Berlin's polar bear cub Knut receives death threat

[Ban Hammer 14,291]

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany's celebrity polar bear cub Knut has received an anonymous death threat, causing alarm at Berlin Zoo on Thursday and prompting heightened security.

Top-selling Bild newspaper said the zoo had received a hand-written fax from a suspected animal hater with the words: "Knut is dead! Thursday midday."

But that deadline came and went safely for media star Knut, who has been on newspaper front pages around Germany and the world for weeks. "He is safe and in good spirits," said zoo official Ragnar Kuehne after the time had passed.

Berlin police said they had investigated a letter containing a threat but did not believe it was serious.

Berlin Zoo's business manager Gerald Uhlich said: "They told us prominent figures often have things like this happen but in this instance we need not be too worried."

Nonetheless, Bild said the zoo had trebled the number of minders responsible for Knut's safety to 15.

"Death threat, police protection for Knut!" Bild wrote in bold letters on page one above a picture of the sad-looking polar bear cub peering out from behind a tree branch.

As Knut appeared for one of his public appearance on Thursday, about twelve minders in orange jackets and carrying walkie-talkies patrolled the area around his enclosure to keep a close eye on the cub and the crowd of fans.

Just an hour before the death threat expired, an unperturbed Knut rolled around on the ground with his bearded keeper Thomas Doerflein and, as usual, chewed his fingers.

Knut, who now has his own brand, won global attention after questions were raised about hand-rearing polar bears. Some animal rights campaigners were interpreted as calling for him to be put down rather than raised by humans.

Doerflein has slept in Knut's cage, played with him and fed him porridge since the cub's mother rejected him at birth.

The zoo has already received about six serious offers to give Knut a home when he is older, the latest from a Norwegian zoo north of the Arctic Circle.

"We are the northernmost zoo in the world so we thought, why not take the initiative to get him up here," said Sigbjoern Soerensen, managing director of the Polar Zoo in Bardu, Norway.

Soerensen, who sent his proposal to Berlin in a letter, said the Polar Zoo had ideal conditions for Knut, with deep snow in winter and temperatures sometimes diving to -30 degrees Celsius and summer temperatures typically a cool 10-15 degrees.

Kuehne said Berlin Zoo would only consider whether to send Knut abroad in a year or so when he is old enough to breed.

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[Nagishkaw 510]

" this is very unfortunate indeed "

[Alex+R 0]

a suspected animal hater

was that not the best part

[Mirorgate 0]

a suspected animal hater

was that not the best part

No, this was.

Knut, who now has his own brand, won global attention after questions were raised about hand-rearing polar bears. Some animal rights campaigners were interpreted as calling for him to be put down rather than raised by humans.

[Otto 83]

News report on the little guy last month (in German but the video is really cute)..

Video

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Still think I'm cute? One year on, cuddly Knut has turned into a 22st killing machine

A year ago, he was a cute and cuddly ball of white fur who captured the hearts of millions worldwide.

But Knut the polar bear has grown up fast - as this startled young visitor to Berlin Zoo discovered.

Knut now weighs 22 stone and has six-inch claws and a fearsome set of fangs to match.

And he seemed to be particularly keen to test them on the three-year-old boy lying on the ground next to his enclosure.

Fortunately for the youngster, six inches of glass capable of withstanding a mortar attack separated him from the jaws of the world's most famous captive bear.

The zoo directors decided to let him live, however, and he went on to become a major attraction, pulling in £5million in revenue in a year.

Knut was rejected by his mother at birth in December 2006.

Some animal rights activists said it would be better for him to die than to be weaned by mankind.

But his days of being picked up and cuddled are long gone.

He is, after all, a wild animal and now not even the keeper who raised him by hand dares to get close.

[Scott & Lai 12]

I thought this was about a threat against the Polar Bear Club