Knut

I was very sad to hear that 4 year old Knut died yesterday (19th March) at Berlin Zoo. He was such a cutie and we went a few years ago just to see him.

Rejected by his mother at birth on December 5, 2006, along with his twin brother, who only survived a couple of days, Knut first attracted attention when his main caregiver, Thomas Doerflein, camped out at the zoo to give the button-eyed cub his bottle every two hours. Doerflein cuddled and played with him at daily public appearances to the delight of thousands of people who came to watch.

No longer a cub, Knut grew rapidly, weighing a hulking 440-pounds (200-kilograms) by age two, and trading in white fluff for yellowish fur. Doerflein, the zookeeper who raised him, died in 2008 of a heart attack, earning front page headlines in German newspapaper as "Knut's daddy."

Between 600 and 700 people were at his compound when Knut died, zoo officials said. One visitor said she watched Knut lying on the surface of the water motionless with only his back showing for ten minutes until zookeepers came and fenced off the compound.


Via @BreakingNews and GrandForksHerald

Some photos I took of 1 year old Knut in 2008:

Knut Berlin Zoo
Knut Died 19th March 2011
Knut Playing in 2008