The most famous polar bear star, Knut!

Knut (born December 5, 2006) is a polar bear who was born in captivity at the Zoologischer Garten Berlin. Rejected by his mother at birth, he was subsequently raised by zookeepers. He was the first polar bear cub to survive past infancy at the Berlin Zoo in more than thirty years. At one time the subject of international controversy, he became a popular tourist attraction and commercial success.^[1] After the German tabloid newspaper Bild ran a quote from an animal rights activist that seemingly called for the death of the young cub, a worldwide public outrage was caused as fans rallied in support of his being hand-raised by humans. Children protested outside the zoo, and many e-mails and letters expressing sympathy for the cub's life were sent from around the world.

Knut is 1 Year Old

Polar bear Knut with child

Maybe we should start a "Where are they now?" series... Remember Knut? Not so long ago he looked like this and this (aaaaaw, cute!).

Controversy

In early March 2007, German tabloid Bild-Zeitung carried a quote by animal rights activist Frank Albrecht who said that Knut should have been killed rather than humiliated by being raised "as a domestic pet". He declared that the zoo was violating animal protection legislation by keeping him alive. Wolfram Graf-Rudolf, the director of the Aachen Zoo, agreed with Albrecht and stated that the zookeepers "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.^[12] A group of children protested at the zoo, holding up placards reading "Knut Must Live" and "We Love Knut", and others sent numerous emails and letters asking for the cub's life to be spared. Threatening letters were also sent to Albrecht. The Berlin Zoo rallied in support of the baby polar bear, vowing not to harm him.