Knut the Polar Bear Dies Suddenly at the Age of Four
The Berlin Zoo announced that beloved polar bear Knut died suddenly in his enclosure. There will be an autopsy Monday to determine the cause of death, according to The Guardian.
Knut was the first polar bear who was hand-raised by humans after his mother rejected him at birth. Knut bonded closely with his keeper Thomas Doerflein who lived with Knut round the clock. When the zoo decided that Thomas should no longer be allowed to see Knut, both Thomas and Knut went into a deep depression.
Thomas was found dead of an apparent heart attack at the age of 44. Friends suggested a suicide and a cover up, but officials say he died of natural causes.
Now Knut dropped dead in his enclosure as horrified visitors looked on. He fell in the pool and lay there floating until keepers entered the enclosure. Knut was only four years old and should have lived to be thirty.
We think the Berlin Zoo made a terrible decision to ban Knut and Thomas from ever seeing each other again -- neither one ever recovered. May they both rest in peace.
