PETA Wants Knut Castrated

The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals want Knut’s nuts. The group’s German branch is demanding the Berlin Zoo castrate the world’s most famous polar bear, lest he mate with his current cage-mate—and cousin—Giovanna, a 3-year-old female on loan from the Munich Zoo. “A long-term co-habitation between Giovanna and Knut is only feasible if Knut is castrated,” the head of the group tells the Times.

The group is a staunch opponent of polar bear incest, which has become increasingly common as the species dwindles. But zookeepers don’t share their fears, and tend to ignore PETA—parts of the group once called for Knut to be put down because he’d been brought up unnaturally. They say they’ll probably just return Giovanna to Munich before the bears reach sexual maturity. (More Knut stories.)