Polar bear cub Knut to meet world's media
TV crews and photographers crowded Berlin Zoo today to capture the first glimpse of a fuzzy white polar bear cub whose public debut was to be broadcast live.
Knut, the button-eyed cub born at the zoo on December 5, has already captured the hearts of Berliners through his own video podcast and TV series. Star photographer Annie Leibovitz took his portrait for an environmental campaign.
Today he was to appear for the first time with the handler, who has raised him by hand since his mother rejected him and his brother shortly after their birth. The other cub later died.
The fate of the nine-kilo bear created a media flap when an animal activist insisted the cub would have been better off dead than raised by humans. The zoo flatly rejected the idea.
The general public will be able to see Knut from the weekend. He is scheduled to make brief appearances with his handler.
