Berlin polar bear Knut died of brain disease, zoo confirms

Apr 1, 2011, 15:29 GMT

Berlin - Berlin's polar bear Knut, who reached worldwide fame as a cuddly cub abandoned by his mother, died of brain disease, the zoo where he was born and hand-raised confirmed on Friday.

Berlin Zoo and the Leibnitz zoo and wildlife institute IZW said Knut had contracted encephalitis, a viral infection of the brain which had also spread to his spinal cord, an post-mortem showed.

Knut died unexpectedly aged just 4 on March 19, slumping lifeless into his pond in front of zoo visitors.

'This polar bear did not suffer stress, he did not die of a trauma,' said IZW-chief Heribert Hofer.

Animal activists and fans of Knut had blamed the zoo for his death, arguing that the polar bear had not been kept in appropriate conditions.

Pathologist Claudia Szentiks said the inflammation was so serious 'that he would have died in (either) the short or long term.'

Hofer said wild animals were able to suffer a great deal of pain without showing any external signs, and that Knut could have been suffering for several months.

The bear's lungs were filled with water and he had internal bleeding, Hofer added.

Meanwhile, demonstrators were due to gather at the zoo on Saturday, to protest against plans to stuff the lifeless Knut and put him on display.

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