Knut the polar bear: Reluctant Berlin zoo looks for new home |
source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/dec/03/knut-polar-bear-berlin-new-home
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Once the darling of Berlin, Knut the celebrity polar bear has become a victim of the credit crunch: the zoo that reaped in the euros from its most famous resident can no longer afford to keep him.
Knut turns two this week and Berlin zoo is unable to raise enough money to give the growing bear the new, bigger compound he needs to move, play and mate. A new home is being sought.
A larger compound - and the acquisition of a mate - would have cost the zoo an estimated €9m (£7.68m).
"It's simply too much money," said one zoo manager. "We cannot afford a third group of polar bears in such economically strained times."
The zoo's senior bearkeeper, Heiner Kloes, said: "It's time for him to go - the sooner he gets a new home the better. Anything else would be financially irresponsible."
There is likely to be demand across Europe's zoos for Knut, who graced the cover of Vanity Fair and appeared in his own feature film. Knut's popularity raised €5m for Berlin zoo.
More than 21,000 Berliners have signed a petition to keep him in the city. "Berlin is set to lose one of its best ambassadors," said Christian Taenzler, a tourism authority spokesman. "To the regret of international visitors it is about to lose one of its true icons."
Zookeepers believe it is in Knut's interests to find a new home in the company of other polar bears. They are worried for his psychological health because 18 months of hand-rearing after rejection by his mother has left him addicted to human laughter and applause. One keeper says Knut has become so used to attention that he cries when no one is near his enclosure.
Knut turns two this week and Berlin zoo is unable to raise enough money to give the growing bear the new, bigger compound he needs to move, play and mate. A new home is being sought.
A larger compound - and the acquisition of a mate - would have cost the zoo an estimated €9m (£7.68m).
"It's simply too much money," said one zoo manager. "We cannot afford a third group of polar bears in such economically strained times."
The zoo's senior bearkeeper, Heiner Kloes, said: "It's time for him to go - the sooner he gets a new home the better. Anything else would be financially irresponsible."
There is likely to be demand across Europe's zoos for Knut, who graced the cover of Vanity Fair and appeared in his own feature film. Knut's popularity raised €5m for Berlin zoo.
More than 21,000 Berliners have signed a petition to keep him in the city. "Berlin is set to lose one of its best ambassadors," said Christian Taenzler, a tourism authority spokesman. "To the regret of international visitors it is about to lose one of its true icons."
Zookeepers believe it is in Knut's interests to find a new home in the company of other polar bears. They are worried for his psychological health because 18 months of hand-rearing after rejection by his mother has left him addicted to human laughter and applause. One keeper says Knut has become so used to attention that he cries when no one is near his enclosure.
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