Keeping tabs on Flocke

Some people follow soap operas, others have their local sports team. They keep track of how characters develop or how many points their favorite athlete scores, discussing it with great enthusiasm.

And then there are people like me who, you know, follow polar bears. I'm not sure when it started, this unusual preoccupation of mine, but I think it can be attributed to Knut, who was a ball of white fluff when I was in Japan. Now, a year later, he is quite grown up! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knut_%28polar_bear%29

But another famous polar bear cub has caught the attention of the international press. Her name is Flocke and she just may be the cutest little muffin I've ever seen. I blame Japan and its "kawaii culture" for turning me into one of those people who are so easily affected by cute things... This afternoon, I actually clapped my hands and cooed over one of the below pictures.

Still, I defy all of you not to be as equally charmed by this roly-poly baby! It's been fun watching her get bigger every week. I love the shot of her biting her trainer's toes. I would totally do that if I were a bear ;)

http://www.nuernberg.de/internet/polarbear/