Germany's beloved animal star, the Polar bear Knut born in captivity in Berlin Zoo, on Saturday died aged four, German media said.
It is unclear how Knut died, his keeper Heiner Kloes said. He found the bear's body floating in the water of the pool in his compound. "It was a completely normal day: Knut was with the female bears before, who had just been shut away," Kloes said. "Then, Knut strolled around the enclosure, went into the water, had a short spasm and died."
A post mortem will be held on Monday to try to establish the cause of death.
'Knutmania' swept across Germany and the world when the cub's mother rejected him shortly after his birth in December 2006. Part of Knut's fame was due to his close relationship to Thomas Dorflein, the zookeeper who became his foster mother. Dorflein died unexpectedly in September 2008 at the age of 44.
BERLIN, March 19 (RIA Novosti)
