This is Knut, currently the star of the Berlin Zoo. Since being rejected by his mother (what a mother, indeed) the debate has raged: let Knut starve to death to teach children how cruel Nature is, or save Knut and turn the ensuing frenzy of publicity into the kind of attendance numbers usually reserved for pandas. Hmmm...Well, humans have already interfered with animals to such an extent that I see no reason to stop now. Like we even could. Normally, I would never side with humans against animals, since I am on record (frequently, loudly) declaiming that 99% of humans are hideous, but in that one percent are 600,000 people in the world with the compassion to save the animal species that remain. I say Humanity has a chance to be kinder than Nature for once, and we should take it.
Plus, think of the marketing tie-ins. Plus, he's so cute. Plus... Well, I'm sure there are others, but this is coming dangerously close to math now, so I'd better stop now.
(So there's no question: polar bears aren't endangered. They're powerful swimmers and fearsome predators and the rulers of the Arctic. As this is not an ecology issue, it comes down to animal rights activists longing to see this little guy starve to death to prove some agenda. A couple of years from now, the same people who advocated for his death should only answer their front door to find a 12 foot tall 800 pound bear standing there. Be prepared - he'll be hungry.)
Cute and cuddly animals are always good for a comment.
ReplyDeleteI am mystified at the amount of uproar about this little guy. On principal I understand peoples' issues but given the endangered nature of the polar bear it seems very misplaced in this situation. If it were some cow or goat I would probably agree.
Should the zoo want to get rid of it feel free to send it to me. : )
Except, as I said, polar bears aren't endangered.
ReplyDeleteIt was recently reported that polar bears were threatened by global warming, but they are powerful swimmers and the very top of the arctic food chain.
In Churchill Manitoba (the polar bear capital of the world) their numbers are increasing. So much so that zoos around the world may soon have little Knuts of their own.