A handout picture shows polar bear cub Flocke (Snowflake) born by polar bear Vera at the zoo in Nuremberg January 21, 2008. Flocke was separated from her mother Vera after offi-cials at the Nuremberg zoo became concerned she might harm the cub. Now four keepers at the zoo are taking care of the cub, who needs milk every three hours.

這張1月21日發布的新聞照可見紐倫堡動物園中由北極熊維拉所生的小貝比「雪花」。由於紐倫堡動物園擔心媽咪北極熊維拉可能傷害小雪花，所以將雪花隔離保護。現在園方每天派四人照顧小熊，牠每三小時就得餵一次奶。

A naming competition for the nearly six-week-old polar bear cub launched by the city of Nuremberg received 50,000 emails, causing a server meltdown at the zoo as entries flood-ed in from around the globe.Twenty per cent of the emails and letters came from abroad - some from as far away as New Zealand and the United States. Nuremberg Mayor Ul-rich May said the jury decided unanimously to keep with the name that the cub's handlers had given it because of its bril-liant white fur. It now weighs 2,950 grams. If everything goes well, it could be shown to the public at the end of March or the beginning of April. "We hope that Flocke will turn into a snowball and then into an avalanche against cli-mate change," said zoo director Dag Encke. The cub opened its eyes for the first time this week, and has been shown on television drinking from its bottle and having its fur brushed by its keepers. Fans of the polar bear can log on to its new website (www.eisbaerflocke.nuernberg.de) where they can see photographs of the animal and read about its progress.

德國紐倫堡市曾為現在已經將近六周大的小北極熊舉辦命名比賽，總共收到五萬封伊媚兒，由於全球湧入大量電子郵件，使動物園的伺服器當機，其中20%電郵和信件來自海外，有些甚至來自遙遠的紐西蘭和美國。紐倫堡市長梅伊說，評審團決定保留照顧小熊的管理員所取的名字「雪花」，因為牠一身白花花如雪片的皮毛。雪花目前體重2,950公克。如果一切進行順利，三月底或四月初就可以公開亮相。動物園園長安克說：「我們希望雪花會變成雪球再擴大為雪崩，和氣候變化對抗。」雪花本周才首次睜開眼睛，電視上還拍出牠用奶瓶喝奶及管理員在梳理牠皮毛的鏡頭。小北極熊的粉絲可以上新的網站(www.eisbaerflocke.nuernberg.de) 去看雪花最新的照片並閱讀相關報導。