The unexplained death of the zookeeper who gained fame for handling Berlin’s beloved polar bear Knut was found dead in his apartment recently. The two were inseparable when the young cub was abandoned by his mother in 2006 and Thomas Doerflein raised him to maturity and together they became favourites of the visitors to the Berlin Zoo, gaining world-wide notoriety in the process.
Since 2007 Knut and Doerflein starred in a daily performance that ended only when the zoo's director ruled that the bear, at 265 pounds, had grown too large for Doerflein to play with in safety. The zoo credits Knut with a huge increase in attendance with resulting improved profits. T-shirts, mugs and DVD’s carry the bear’s image and he has starred in his own feature-length film and TV show. Just last November, Doerflein was awarded Berlin's medal of merit for his service to the city, and to Knut.
The bear caused considerable controversy when he was rejected by his mother and the decision was made to raise him by human had. Animal rights activists feared that the baby bear, who had gained worldwide attention and devotion since his birth, was in danger of losing touch with the bear necessities and that raising him by hand was a violation of animal welfare. It was feared the animal would have behavioural difficulties for the rest of his life.
The controversy died down after a few months because it was felt that if the bear had not been euthanized when he was just a few weeks old, that it was too late. By then, too, the bear’s image had been splashed over the media and thousands of adoring fans had embraced the bear in his motherless plight. Activists warned that Knut will be fixated on his keeper and will not display typical bear characteristics.
However, others did not agree, stating that a wild animal cannot be domesticated and once the bear reached puberty, he would become dangerous. Proof of the fact was offered when two polar bears in another German facility, the Bremerhaven Zoo, badly injured a keeper last September while playing.
With the current effects of global warming, polar bears are experiencing shorter winters, resulting in less time to eat, and resulting in low cub survival rates. If polar bears can be kept in captivity and bred successfully, zoos argue that we can maintain their numbers and also educate the public about the polar bears.
It is too soon to tell how the loss of Doerflein, a Berlin native who worked at the zoo for more than 25 years, will affect the bear. We can only hope the spunky youngster will transfer his affections to another member of the caring staff at the zoo and continue to provide many happy hours of enjoyment to his adoring public.
