His mother was Tosca , a 20-year-old polar bear . She was a circus performer from East Germany , born in Canada , and her 13-year-old mate , Lars , was from a park in Munich . Knut was born at the Berlin Zoo to 20-year-old Tosca , a former circus performer from East Germany who was born in Canada , and her 13-year-old mate Lars , who was originally from the Tierpark Hellabrunn in Munich .