A polar bear cub who had attracted animal lovers' adoration died just 26 days after its birth in the Zoo Berlin, local media DPA reported on Tuesday.
The director of the Zoo Berlin Andreas Knieriem was quoted by the DPA as saying that the cub received too little milk for 12 to 15 hours and then died in its sleep, and the bear cub was dehydrated.
The reason why the 26-day-old cub no longer drank is still unclear. "There was no bleeding or bruising or organ changes," Knieriem explained after an autopsy was performed.
The bear cub's mother, Tonja, has already lost her offspring for the second time in a row. Last year, the little polar bear Fritz died suddenly at the age of four months. The deaths of two polar bear cubs invited criticism for the zoo. Knieriem was quoted as saying that death was bitter, but it could happen in zoos as in the nature.
The enthusiasm for the bear cub has been great since the zoo publicized the polar bear's birthday on December 7. The cub was set to be unveiled to the public in the spring.
