Mystery surrounds death of Knut the celebrity polar bear at Berlin Zoo By Roger Boyes

 BERLIN - Germany was in mourning yesterday for Knut, the celebrity polar bear that died mysteriously in Berlin Zoo on Saturday.

                                                                                                                          Pictures: AP Source: AP

Knut, the polar bear cub, has its first public appearance with his keeper Thomas Doerflein in the Berlin zoo and (inset), is seen floating in the pond on his enclosure after dying of unknown causes at the weekend.

 Hundreds of people, including many children, made their way to the zoo yesterday to leave flowers at the compound of Knut, 4, a bear that became a posterboy for global warming.  

 The news spread across the world through Twitter and Facebook. "We have had condolences from Australia, New Zealand and Honolulu," said Heiner Kloes, the zoo's chief bear keeper. He added that many German children had collapsed on hearing the news and that newspapers devoted pages advising parents how to break the news.

 "Everyone is just in shock here," said Claudia Bienek, a spokeswoman for the zoo.

 Visitors had watched on Saturday as Knut writhed in the moat of his compound, and then lay half submerged in the water.

 "It had been a completely normal day," said Mr Kloes. "He had just been with the female bears. After they had been shut away, he strolled around the enclosure, appeared to suffer a spasm and slipped into the water, where he died."

 A post-mortem examination is to be held today and authorities are considering holding a formal funeral to allow Berliners to say farewell. Whatever the cause of Knut's early death, it is expected to lead to a fierce debate about animals in zoos.

 "Knut's short and distressed life shows us again that polar bears do not belong in zoos," said Wolfgang Apel, of the German animal protection association. Peta, another animal welfare group, said last year that Knut was suffering from severe behavioural disorders, and was unable to relate to other bears. There was even a suspicion that the bear could have depression or bipolar disorder.

 Knut was rejected at birth by its mother, an East German circus bear, and hand reared at the zoo. The animal's popularity was used to highlight the disappearance of polar bears because of the melting Arctic ice caps. The bear made the cover of Vanity Fair, and generated millions for the zoo.

 "He was a star," said Klaus Wowereit, the Mayor of Berlin last night (Sunday). "A star who died too early."

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