A man climbed a barrier at Berlin Zoo late last month and leaped into the enclosure that houses Knut, the German capital’s star polar bear, police said.
Neither the bear nor the intruder was hurt. Zookeepers were able to lure Knut away from the 37-year-old man from the eastern city of Cottbus, police spokeswoman Miriam Tauchmann said. The man, who jumped into a pool surrounded by rocks, approached the bear because he thought he was lonely, she said.
“He told police he wanted to keep Knut company,” Tauchmann said. The unidentified intruder, who had to be pulled from the enclosure soaking wet, was released and sent home after being charged with disturbing the peace, the spokeswoman said.
PHOTO: AFP
Two-year-old Knut was raised by keepers after being abandoned by his mother. He was the subject of a Hollywood movie offer and drew 3.2 million visitors in 2007 to the Berlin Zoo. He also appeared on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine. However, Knut is no longer the cuddly cub that captured the hearts of the German public. He weighs well over 100kg and has claws and teeth that can kill a man.
“It was very dangerous for him, but also dangerous for the animal,” said zoo spokeswoman Claudia Bienek, who added that Knut was aware the intruder had entered his enclosure.
(BLOOMBERG)
警方表示，上個月底有一名男子跨越德國首都柏林動物園的柵欄，跳進明星北極熊努特所住的圈地。
警方女發言人瑪莉安．陶赫曼說，所幸動物管理員順利將努特引開，努特和這名闖入者才都沒有受傷。這名來自德國東部科特布斯市的三十七歲男子覺得努特很寂寞，所以才會跳進用石塊圍住的水池中想接近他。
陶赫曼說：「他向警方供稱，他只是想去陪陪努特。」這位女發言人表示，這位身份不詳的闖入者從努特圈地被帶出來時全身濕透，警方控告他擾亂安寧後，就釋放他回家。
兩歲大的努特被媽媽遺棄後，就由動物園飼養員撫養長大。除了好萊塢電影有意以他為故事題材外，他二ＯＯ七年也為柏林動物園招攬來三百二十萬參觀人次。他也曾登上美國《浮華世界》雜誌的封面。然而，努特已不再是從前那隻迷倒德國民眾、惹人憐愛的小小熊了。他現在體重超過一百公斤，爪子和利齒足以致人於死。
動物園女發言人克勞蒂亞．碧內克說：「他這樣做不僅罔顧自己的性命，也可能會傷害到這隻北極熊。」她還說，努特有察覺到有人侵入他的圈地。
（彭博社�翻譯：袁星塵）
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