Polar Cub Gets a Name!

[RedGlitter]

Cub 'Flake' is the public's choice



(CNN) -- A five-week-old polar bear cub, which had to be taken away from its mother over fears it might be eaten, has been named after a public poll.

The bear, which lives at Nuremberg City Zoo, will be known as "Flocke," which in German means "flake."

Officials at the German zoo said they received more than 50,000 e-mails, letters and postcards from all over the world suggesting names for the female cub.

A jury with representatives from the zoo and town council decided on the name Friday.

"The big public interest hopefully means that Flocke will become an ambassador for the endangered habitat of her species," said zoo director Dag Encke.

Zookeepers announced last week that they had taken Flocke away from her mother after fears the mother would eat her.

The zoo's other female polar bear had recently eaten her two offspring, and the zoo was concerned that Flocke's mother would do the same.

Zookeepers have been bottle-feeding Flocke and keeping her warm with blankets and heat lamps.



The zoo has released pictures showing zookeepers cleaning and feeding the fuzzy little bear, whose eyes are barely open.

[el guapo]

cute little bundle of fluff:)