BERLIN, Feb 15 (Reuters) – Knut, the hand-reared polar bear
who captured Germans’ hearts before his early death in 2011,
returned to his adoring Berlin public on Friday as a life-sized
model bearing the animal’s real fur.
Knut will stand for a month in the entrance foyer of the
city’s natural history museum, which has modified its entrance
for the anticipated rush of visitors, a museum spokeswoman said.
The museum is keen to stress that Knut has not been stuffed.
Rather, a replica of the bear was made, based on Knut’s
skeleton, in one of his favourite poses, and this was covered
with the creature’s pelt, in a procedure known as dermoplasty.
The model has expressive eyes and a damp nose, museum
director Johannes Vogel said.
“I think people will accept Knut, because this is a very
dignified model.. People who knew Knut very well while he was
alive recognise their Knut here again.”
Knut was the star attraction of Berlin zoo during his
four-year life. His mother rejected him as a new-born leaving
the fluffy white cub to be reared by a zookeeper. Thousands of
visitors queued for hours to watch him frolic in his enclosure,
and he inspired a dizzying array of merchandise.
Other German zoos have tried in vain to create celebrity
animals. None have ever come close to matching Knut’s fame.
The bear died suddenly of an epileptic fit in March 2011.
(Reporting by Reuters television; writing by Alexandra Hudson,
editing by Paul Casciato)
