Vegetarian Star

Knut, the beloved Polar Bear who captured hearts across the Globe far from his birthplace in Germany, has died at the young age of four.

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals has placed blame on the Berlin zoo that housed Knut. PETA Germany officials had warned the zoo Knut was under extreme stress, as was demonstrated by his compulsive behaviors.

What was one of the main culprits? Like most men, Knut had problems with women.

A few female polar bears living in the same enclosure, one of which was his mother, were reported to have antagonized him. PETA Germany officials had also warned against letting Knut mate with some of the females in the den because he was genetically related to them.

Oxford researchers found that when looking at some of the problems captive animals face, such as infant mortality and pacing, the larger the area the animal would roam if it were free the greater the mortality and pacing. The typical area for a polar bear in a zoo in one-millionth the size of its home range in the wild, which can reach 31,000 square miles. Some polar bears in captivity spend 25% of their day pacing.

Knut died before he could even reach adult maturity, which is around 10 or 11.

Witnesses to his death saw Knut playing in the water before having a spasm and dying. The cause of death is still unknown.

Knut became famous after he was rejected by his mother and cared for by zookeeper Thomas Doerflein.

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