Nuremberg, Germany - A German zoo defended itself from
criticism Tuesday over its decision to allow two polar bear cubs to
die instead of trying to raise them by hand.
The two cubs, born about three weeks ago, vanished Monday and were
probably gobbled up by their mother, officials at the Nuremberg zoo
in southern Germany said.
The zoo had warned in advance that it would not 'rescue' the cubs
after their mother Vilma began behaving 'strangely' amid indications
the cubs were sick.
A spokesman Tuesday defended the zoo's action to let nature take
its course, saying it had 'acted absolutely correctly' under
guidelines laid down by the European Animal Conservation and Breeding
Programme.
The deaths came a year after Berlin Zoo scored a publicity coup
by saving the life of Knut, a polar bear cub that was raised by
bottle after being abandoned by its mother at birth.
Knut generated huge international interest and massive revenues
for the zoo, which saw attendances soar as visitors sought a glimpse
of the cuddly cub playing with its keeper.
Nuremberg Deputy Mayor Horst Foerther said he would be discussing
with zoo director Dag Encke the fate of a cub born to another polar
bear.
Vera, who gave birth to one or two cubs around the same time as
Vilma, was seen Tuesday strolling across her enclosure, carrying a
cubs in her mouth.
'I don't know if we can bear to allow the little polar bear to
starve to death if his mother Vera abandons him,' Foerther said.
The Bavarian Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
on Monday attacked the zoo, saying it had breached its duty of care
to the cubs.
'You can't move polar bears into artificial surroundings and then
act as if they are still living wild,' said the society president,
Berthold Merkel.
The 'rescue' of Knut in December 2006 triggered fierce debate
among animal experts, some of whom said he should have been allowed
to die rather than be raised by humans.
Nuremberg Zoo says it lets the animals alone in their den and
believes that sending in keepers to check on them is likely to
disturb their natural behaviour.
© 2008 dpa - Deutsche Presse-Agentur 
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