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Cub 'Flocke' is the public's choice

  • Story Highlights
  • Nuremberg zoo names its new polar bear cub after a public poll
  • The five-week-old cub will be known as "Flocke," which is German for "flake"
  • Officials at the German zoo said they received more than 50,000 e-mails
  • The cub was taken from her mother amidst fears she would kill the newborn
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(CNN) -- A 5-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 is German for "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. Photo See photos of the tiny cub »

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.

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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. E-mail to a friend E-mail to a friend

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