Fans mourn beloved bear Knut's death at Berlin zoo

Fans of Knut the polar bear flocked to his zoo enclosure yesterday to mourn the sudden death of the celebrity who burst into the limelight as a cuddly, hand-fed by his keeper.



The four-year-old died on Saturday afternoon in front of hundreds of visitors, taking keepers, animal experts and fans by surprise. "I can't comprehend what happened there," said fan Eveline Litowski. Several crowded around Knut's empty compound yesterday, laying down red roses and white stuffed polar bears, lighting candles.

Knut was rejected by his mother at birth, along with his twin brother, who only survived a couple of days.
He attracted attention when his caregiver, Thomas Doerflein, camped out at the zoo to give the cub his bottle every two hours.

Knutmania
Knut posed with Leonardo DiCaprio for the 2007 Vanity Fair cover.