Polar bear cub raised by humans

Polar bear cub is raised by hand

A baby polar bear cub is being raised by human carers in Denmark after its mother failed to produce any milk.

Siku - still blind and deaf - has to be bottle-fed by staff at the Scandinavian Wildlife Park near Kolind.

Zoo director Frank Vigh-Larsen said: "Our polar bear female Ilka had a cub, but after two days we decided to immobilise Ilka, because the cub was constantly screaming and being very unsettled.

"Ilka had absolutely no milk, so instead of leaving the cub to die we decided to try to bottle feed it.

"It is now 30 days old, and weighs 3.2 grams, 2.4 grams more than at birth, and he is thriving."

The polar bears in Scandinavian Wildlife Park are part of a global breeding program for captive polar bears.

Mr Vigh-Larsen added: "We are convinced that it will be possible for Siku to become a normal functioning polar bear within a few years, so he can live together with the other polar bears in the park."

See video here ...