BERLIN (AFP) - After Cute Knut and Flocke, Germany on Friday got a new polar bear cub to ooh and aah over -- and this time one which hasn't been rejected or eaten by its mother.



Wilbaer is the name of the new fluffy white arrival, a play on words combining Wilhelma and Eisbaer -- German for polar bear -- and although he was born on December 10 his existence has been kept secret until now.

Wilbaer's mother Corinna appears to have decided to do her maternal duty and not abandon her progeny while still in cubhood, Stuttgart zoo director Dieter Jauch in southern Germany said.

The zoo hopes to avoid the intense media interest that Knut attracted last year when the cub was abandoned by his mother and had to be reared by keepers at Berlin zoo.

Images of Knut were beamed around the world and "Knut mania" brought the zoo a windfall of almost five million euros (7.6 million dollars) from extra visitors and associated merchandising.

"Wilbaer will not be a commercial success," Jauch said.

But a bear is for life not just for Christmas, as the saying goes.

At two metres (six feet) long -- or high in attack mode -- only the foolhardy would want to snuggle up to the 150-kilos (330-pound) Knut now.

Knut the movie is due to be screened at Berlin zoo on March 6 in the presence of 1,000 special guests.

Flocke meanwhile stole the nation's hearts last month after she was rescued from his mother who appeared to become disturbed by the presence of a camera crew.

Zookeepers acted quickly because another bear at the same zoo had been suspected of having eaten her two cubs