Thursday, April 29, 2010

Vladimir Putin saves the Arctic polar bear in latest animal adventure

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin assists in polar bear 
research.


He has put a tiger to sleep, ridden bare-chested on horseback and even saved baby seals from being clubbed to death. Yesterday it was the turn of polar bears to feature in Vladimir Putin’s latest animal adventure.

The action-man Prime Minister was filmed attaching a tracking device to a sedated polar bear and helping scientists to measure and weigh the animal during a visit to Franz Josef Land in Russia’s Arctic far north.

Wearing a monogrammed red winter jacket, Mr Putin stroked the 230 kilogram (507 lb) bear and shook its paw, saying “be healthy”, while a commentator for state television told viewers that it could “wake up at any moment”.

Mr Putin, who asserted Russia’s “profound interests” in the region during his visit, declared to the camera: “The bear is the master of the Arctic...."

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