r/aww Nov 28 '15

Polar bear charges cameraman

Post image

[deleted]

14.4k Upvotes

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125

u/RockTripod Nov 29 '15

I'm gonna be that guy. This little fella's name is Knut, and he died suddenly of a drowning after collapsing because of encephalitis. Brutally sad. He was 5 at the time of his passing.

33

u/AksK17 Nov 29 '15

You lie!

71

u/noscreamsnoshouts Nov 29 '15

Knut.

His caretaker, Thomas Dörflein.

They were both rather famous.

29

u/Lyeta Nov 29 '15

Thomas also died :(

Knut and Thomas were such a joy to watch. I know there was a huge amount of debate about the whole way the Berliner Zoo dealt with Knut. But good lord, they were so enjoyable to watch and Knut was enjoyable to visit.

10

u/flubberFuck Nov 29 '15

Fuck that's heartbreaking. ...whyyyy!!!!

14

u/froet213kil Nov 29 '15

It's ok. Knut and Thomas is now playing together at Arctic Paradise as much as they want :-)

2

u/I_TRY_TO_BE_POSITIVE Nov 29 '15

That was a fascinating read. Thank you.

38

u/RockTripod Nov 29 '15

This is a moment I really wish I was.

1

u/AksK17 Nov 30 '15

No! :( why did you have to be that guy!?

5

u/ocdscale Nov 29 '15

4

u/TCsnowdream Nov 29 '15 edited Nov 29 '15

Is that really how you say Polar Bear in German? Ice Bear?

God I love German.

Ah, crap... I've started capitalizing my Nouns again, do'h.

3

u/MinisterforFun Nov 29 '15 edited Nov 29 '15

Oh. It's pronounced as k-noot. I always pronounced it as Nut. I'm nutty.

Edit: Kernoot. As in canoe but with a K and a T.

3

u/noscreamsnoshouts Nov 29 '15

Edit: Kernoot. As in canoe but with a K and a T.

Oh, please no. It's a German name. It's just k-noot, as one syllable - but the commentator in the original video doesn't seem to be able to say that, so he adds the e-sound. But it's definitely not kernoot.
Here's a movie about Knut, in German. Around 21 seconds in, his name is first mentioned. That's the actual way to pronounce it.

1

u/MinisterforFun Nov 29 '15

Oh? But the little kid in the music video pronounced it like that?

10

u/[deleted] Nov 29 '15

no longer /r/aww

19

u/Dizzywig Nov 29 '15

When my /r/aww becomes r/awwman

7

u/AuntBettysNutButter Nov 29 '15 edited Nov 29 '15

Every god damn time this gif is posted I forget this, and regret coming to the comment section...

3

u/CitizenKing Nov 29 '15

Ruined my day.

1

u/[deleted] Nov 29 '15

It was also captured on video.

-6

u/[deleted] Nov 29 '15

i thought you said kunt and was expecting joke

8

u/RockTripod Nov 29 '15

No jokes, only tears.

-2

u/CriminalCucumber Nov 29 '15

I've seen this video before and apparently it's from 2008. A couple of conservational biologist students were on a placement in Canada and found a baby polar bear, expect they didn't because this is all lies and I'm awake way too early with a mouth on me like a fur boot after going out drinking last night.

-15

u/GWS2004 Nov 29 '15

I was going to be that girl. I don't up vote these type of pic as these animals belong in the wild not zoos.

20

u/RockTripod Nov 29 '15

My rebuttal to that is that Knut was rejected by Momma. If in the wild, he wouldn't have seen 1 year, let alone 5.

7

u/Zenben88 Nov 29 '15

Do you think zoos just go out and steal animals from their natural habitats? Almost every single animal in (most) zoos was either born there or rescued from a situation where they otherwise would have died, often due (directly or indirectly) to the actions of other humans.

5

u/[deleted] Nov 29 '15

Also rehabilitation and reintroduction to the wild. Zoos aren't horrible places.

3

u/DJRoombaINTHEMIX Nov 29 '15

But he had to strengthen his wonky legs...

2

u/crimsontideftw24 Nov 29 '15

So intervening to help animals in trouble in the wild and rehabilitating them is a bad thing? Blackfish being the exception.