Knut immortalised at Berlin museum
2013-02-15 22:03
Berlin - Adorable in life, still attracting admirers in
death: Knut the polar bear's hide has been mounted on a polyurethane body and
is going on display in a Berlin museum.
The Natural History Museum on Friday unveiled the statue
prepared by taxidermists featuring the famous Berlin Zoo bear's fur and claws,
with the synthetic body and glass eyes.
The display runs through 15 March.
Knut will then be added to the museum's scientific
collections.
Knut was hand-raised after his mother rejected him.
He rose to stardom in 2007 as a cuddly cub, appearing on
magazine covers, in a film and on mountains of merchandise.
He died in 2011 after suffering from encephalitis.
The museum dismissed criticism of the decision to display
Knut, saying it gives everyone an opportunity to see him.
- AP
