Dear Colleagues,
So once again the festive season has crept up behind me. Spent part of the
week organising rotas. I don`t know how you manage at your end but we have
a long standing arrangement that everyone works on xmas day. This works
well in practise and eliminates a lot of hassle. We have no extra sections
to cover so everything gets done just that little bit quicker and we all
get away a bit sooner. Some staff will volunteer to remain on site and
and all others stay on standby.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that we have no repetition of the
horrific storm we had last xmas eve. The following morning was spent
catching up and moving stock into undamaged accomodation whilst repairs
could be made.
Behavioural/Environmental enrichment is a big issue in the modern zoo. Its
importance as part of the normal daily husbandry routine for all species
cannot be emphasised enough. However, as we are all aware, time is at a
premium and we are not usually in a position to devote as much time as we
would like. It is because of this that new, simple and easily implemented
ideas are much sought after. Please do make note of the enrichment
conference listed later in this mailing. Look in the sites worth checking
out too. It may well be that you would also like to subscribe to the
enrichment listserve provided by the AZA. Though still in its early stages
of development I am sure its importance means it will deveop in leaps and
bounds. Any email from the listserve participants on the topic is
distributed daily to all subscribers. Anyone interested in participating
should send Jack Bellinger, jackbell@humboldt1.com ) a note asking to be
added to the enrichment listserve.
I was pleased to learn that Jennifer got out of hospital this week.
Please see the first news
item in this weeks listing.
Finally , regardless of your beliefs, I would like to wish all of you a
very happy festive season. I hope you all get a little time to relax with
your families.
The news this week was a bit sparse. There follows all I could find :
Parents want answers in gorilla attack
(Dallas Zoo)
http://www.dallasnews.com/metro-dfw-nf/dfw10.htm
Visiting Springfield elephant breaks zoo worker’s nose
(Oklahoma City Zoo/ Dickerson Park Zoo)
http://www.msnbc.com/local/KYTV/51370.asp
Elephant rejects her baby because of human contact
(Nandakanan Biological Park)
http://www.foxnews.com/js_index.sml?content=/news/wires2/1218/n_ap_1218_74
.sml
Zoo boosts ticket prices
(Toronto Zoo)
http://www.canoe.ca/TorontoNews/ts.ts-12-18-0054.html
Fort Worth Zoo announces birth of 258-pound elephant
http://www.startext.net/news/doc/1047/1:METRO56/1:METRO56121898.html
Hogle Zoo has new full-time veterinarian on staff
http://www.desnews.com/cit/0t0lbaha.htm
Zoo gets gift of X-ray vision
(Hogle Zoo)
http://www.desnews.com/cit/0t0l94d5.htm
Doris Day/Gorilla
(Miami's "Monkey Jungle." /Zoo Atlanta)
http://web3.stlnet.com/postnet/news/wires.nsf/StateRegion/853E359880ADD6C5
862566DD004 25F2A
Creating A Better Life For The Needy
(Popcorn Park Zoo)
http://www.bergen.com:80/home/petnews17199812178.htm
Elephant expressionism
(Fort Worth Zoo)
http://www.dallasnews.com/metro-dfw-nf/dfw603.htm
Mom's love turns tiger cubs into endangered species
(John Ball zoo)
http://www.detnews.com/1998/metro/9812/16/12160059.htm
Zoo awaits birth of rhinoceros
(Sedgwick County Zoo)
http://www.wichitaeagle.com/news/local/community/wichita/docs/rhinobirth_t
xt.htm
Zoo studies ways to add females to fragile species
(St. Louis Zoo)
http://www.stlnet.com/postnet/home.nsf/NewsBreak/A8B4B7EEF81A03C8862566DB0
00F47FE
Zoo salamanders fall victim to fashion trend
(Chongqing Zoo)
http://www.hkstandard.com/online/news/001/china/news004.htm
Animals on the move
(Heritage Zoo)
http://www.msnbc.com/local/KHAS/11155.asp
Task Force wants to create city zoo department
(Little Rock Zoo)
http://www.ardemgaz.com/today/ark/bdxzoo15.html
Foster parrots
(Tracy Avairy/Hogle Zoo)
http://www.sltrib.com/12141998/utah_lif/67315.htm
Nature specialist retires after three decades
(Bronx Zoo)
http://www.bergen.com/region/smithtt199812132.htm
New at the Zoo
(Cape May County Park Zoo)
http://abcnews.go.com/local/wpvi/news/498_12171997.html
Lemurs Go Back to the Wild
(San Francisco Zoo)
http://abcnews.go.com/sections/science/DyeHard/dye30.html
Recycling of `doo' from animals at Pittsburgh Zoo catches on
http://www.triblive.com/news/pzoo1214.html
Work on lions exhibit to begin
(Cameron Park Zoo)
http://www.accesswaco.com/news/december/121302.html
Reindeer rankles animal activists
(Doug's Exotic Zoo Farm)
http://www.canoe.ca/EdmontonNews/es.es-12-20-0026.html
Barcaldine council supports zoo proposal
http://www.abc.net.au/news/regionals/longr/reglr-14dec1998-2.htm
Maternity rules cause staffing problem at Indian wildlife reserve
http://www.foxnews.com/js_index.sml?content=/news/international/1216/i_ap_
1216_49.sml
Island retreat established for European mink
(symposium carnivore conservation/London Zoo)
http://www.enn.com/news/enn-stories/1998/12/121898/mink.asp
Population of Southern Sea Otters Is Sinking Fast
http://www.sltrib.com/1998/dec/12171998/nation_w/67934.htm
Rule change would permit profiting from seals without killing them
http://web3.stlnet.com/postnet/news/wires.nsf/National/AC3940EB73EE59F9862
566DE003E599D
Rhinos caught in crossfire
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_237000/237186.stm
Ibex hunting: US couple purchases two licences
http://dawn.com/daily/19981217/local8.htm
After cobra bite, Cape man flown to New York for treatment
http://www.boston.com/dailynews/wirehtml/349/After_cobra_bite__Cape_man_fl
own_to.sht ml
Bit & Pieces
The Universities Federation For Animal Welfare are once again offering
Vacation Scholarships. These are geared to offering those in full time
education the chance to carry out their own animal welfare research
projects over 4-8 weeks in the Summer holidays and receive up to £960
subsistence and costs. Projects should demonstrate a clear relevance to
improving the well-being of wild or zoo animals etc. 1 in 3 of last year`s
applicants were successfull. For an application form and further
information please write to : Scientific Officer ( Vacation Award Scheme),
UFAW, The Old School, Brewhouse Hill, Wheathampstead, Herts, AL4 8AN
Breeding and Conservation of Endangered Species
Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust
Summer School
19th July - 6th August 1999
An intensive course aimed at people who have a strong interest in captive
breeding and conservation. For further information contact: The Summer
School Co-ordinator, Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust, Trinity, Jersey,
Channel Islands JE3 5BP Email : itc@jwpt.org Closing Date for Applications
is 31st January 1999
Union of the Czech and Slovak Zoological Gardens
The Union of Czech and SlovakZoological Gardens, unites all fifteen Czech
and four Slovak Zoological Gardens. The Union was first established at
Bratislava in the year 1990. It represents a specialised and moral
guarantor of all member zoo's, representing themselves at important
negotiations with ministries,co-operating with members of Parliament and
senators, The Union is participating in the drafting of important laws. It
co-operates with the founders on the solution of personal filling of the
particular Zoo`s. The fact that this Union is uniting both the Czech and
Slovak Zoological gardens is not only a proof of long-lasting friendly
relations, but also of the necessity of co-operation of neighbour regions.
The intercommunion of zoological gardens within the international breeding
programmes is becoming stronger. The mutual co- operation of zoological
gardens all over the world has become indispensable and selfevident. We
consider the steadily increasing number of endangered species as a
multinational property. The zoological gardens do not in the most cases
sell them, but they exchange them mutually and deposit them. The
importance of Zoo`s as genetic banks and a the centre of ecological
education is increasing. The zoological gardens are becoming the last
refuge of wild animals and thus assume a very important responsibility.
The whole world is witnessing the development and modernisation of
zoological gardens. The actual trend until 2000 aims at a successive
transformation of the renowned Zoo`s into world centres of conservation of
nature. The time when the Zoo`s acquired the animals from the wilderness
is already gone. The most developed zoological gardens are nowadays
financing conservation projects in the midst of Nature. Today on the
contrary' is we returning the animals from our breeds to localities where
they had been extirpated. The Czech and Slovak Zoo`s are participating in
these projects as well A rare sphere of activity succeeded into a perfect
integration of European entities as it happened to our Zoo`s. The Union of
Czech and Slovak zoological gardens is a regular member of the European
Association of zoological gardens and aquariums - EAZA. Experts from our
zoological gardens participate fully in the schemes of international
teams. They are engaged as members of commissions at different levels
within Europe and also in important world conservation organisations as
co-ordinators of breeding programmes and chairmen of consulting groups. In
spite of the fact that this publication cannot contain all information I
hope that it will become to be your guide and evoke your interest on Czech
and Slovak zoological gardens, which due to their breeding success compete
with the best Zoo`s of Europe. We are keeping at our Zoo`s almost 17 000
animals, this being certainly an outstanding number. By purchasing and
by your visit to Zoo you support the activity of The Union of Czech and
Slovak Zoological gardens and by this way the member Zoo`s. For your
support I feel myself obliged.
Dipl.Ing.Vladislav T. Jirou ek
President Union
Director Jihlava Zoo
Situations Vacant
Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory
Alice Springs Desert Park
PO Box 1046 Ph: 08-8951 8711
Alice Springs NT. 0871 Fax: 08-8951 8777
Position Vacant
Specialist Keeper(Animal Training) ($31,985-36,452)
Position No 15368.
The Alice Springs Desert Park is Australia’s newest and most exciting
ecosystem-based nature display, which introduces visitors to the ecology
of the arid region of Australia through innovative habitat recreations and
wildlife presentations.
The Park presents free-flying raptors and other birds in naturalistic
displays which demonstrate aspects of the ecosystems of arid Australia and
plans to expand the trained animal presentations to include mammals and
reptiles. The Parks and Wildlife Commission of NT seeks a suitably
experienced and committed person develop and manage the daily training and
husbandry of this component of the Park’s living animal collection and to
assist in the Park’s scientific conservation activities.
Primary Objective of the Position
As an experienced animal trainer, undertake a leadership role for the
training, presentation and daily husbandry of the living raptor collection
and other trained animals in the collection. Supervise the training and
husbandry activities of other zookeepers assigned to assist with the care
of this component of the living animal collection. Contribute to the
planning and development of the living collection of raptors and other
trained animals, their displays, interpretation and off-display
facilities.
Selection Criteria: The Selection Criteria and Job Profile may be obtained
by phoning the Hotline on 08-8994816 or from the Commissions web site at
http://www.nt.gov.au/paw.
Salary: This position is required to work alternate weekends and so
incurs regular penalty payments in addition to the salary shown.
Further Information: Contact Graham Phelps, Curator (Zoology), (08)
89518722
Applications to: The Recruitment Officer, Parks and Wildlife Commission
of the Northern Territory, PO Box 496, Palmerston. NT. 0831. By Close
of Business /98. Quote Vacancy No: 15368.
Dublin Zoo - Due to the current and forthcoming developments at Dublin Zoo
require the support of two additional animal keeping staff. The ideal
candidates will have. Experience working with exotic animals in a zoo
environment. City & Guilds in Zoo Animal Management. The successful
candidate will enter a structured training and assessment program. For
further information please write to David Field, Dublin Zoo, Phoenix Park,
Dublin 8. (Please mark envelope for job information) Applications with
full CV should be submitted to David Field by 31 December 1998
Colchester Zoo requires Elephant Keeper. All applicants to apply in
writing including full CV to Mr Tropeano at the address below:
Mr D A Tropeano
Managing Director,
Colchester Zoo,
Maldon Road,
Colchester,
Essex CO3 5SL
Bristol Zoo have a full time position for another Education Officer for
Bristol Zoo Gardens’ expanding Education Department, starting in the new
year. The successful applicant will ideally be a graduate biologist with
teaching experience, or a teacher with excellent biological knowledge.
Competition is expected to be tough, so the successful applicant will also
have ‘that something extra’. Flexibility and team-working is essential,
and (some) evening and weekend working will be required. Main duties will
be teaching the wide variety of groups that visit, of all ages and
abilities; administration; some ‘technician’ work, eg preparing
specimens or materials as teaching resources; and taking full part in
developing all opportunities to further the educational role of Bristol
Zoo Gardens, for groups and general visitors alike.
Experience with very young children may be an advantage.
For an application form send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to:
Simon Garrett, Head of Education, Bristol Zoo Gardens, Clifton, Bristol.
BS8 3HA.
*Closing date for completed application forms, 19th December 1998.*
For the most up to date links to sites advertising Zoo work go to:
http://members.tripod.com/~Sciurus/index.html
Meetings
1st European Zoo Nutrition Conference
Jan 8 - 11 1999
Rotterdam, The Netherlands
for more details contact:
J.Nijboer@inter.nl.net
AZA Bear TAG Bear Essentials Workshop 3
(Bear Exhibitry: Good, Bad and Ugly)
January 22-24, 1999
Houston Zoo, Houston Texas
for further details contact:
Contact Diana Weinhardt beartagsow@aol.com
The 7th Annual Conference of the International Association of Avian
Trainers and Educators
February 12-15 1999
Sitka, Alaska, USA
( This is a great conference for people interested in birds, but also for
those involved in animal presentations and animal training in general) For
information, contact: Kevin Hils, Columbus Zoo, 9990 Riverside Drive, Box
400, Powell, Ohio, USA, 43065. Phone (614) 645-0558 Email:
khils@colszoo.org
International Zoo Conference -”Zoos waking up? Methods and problems in
creating modern zoos". March 13th and 14th 1999 Erfurt, Germany
Registration is possible via the
website(http://www.quantum-conservation.org ) or direct at this address :
Quantum Conservation e.V. Heeder Dorfstrasse 44, 49356 Diepholz, Germany
Tel: 0049-(0)-5441-82133 Fax: 0049-(0)5441-82132
IMATA European Regional Meeting
16th March 1999
Parc Asterix, Paris
For further details please contact:
sabrina@fjord-baelt.dk
or
kirsten@fjord-baelt.dk
7th MMMW (Marine Mammal Medical Workshop)
16-18 March 1999
Paris, France
Subject of this year : « Anesthesia and Surgery in Marine Mammals ». The
workshop is reserved for veterinarians and last year veterinary students.
The invited speakers will be Dr. Sam Ridgway and Dr. William VanBonn, from
the Marine Mammal Program in San Diego ; and Dr. Sam Dover, from Sea World
Inc, Florida. For more information, please contact : Dr. Géraldine Lacave
– Tel : + 32 50 39 22 82 – Fax : + 32 50 39 39 32 E-mail :
geraldine.lacave@skynet.be
Annual ARAZPA/ASZK Conference
21st -26th of March 1999
Alice Springs Desert Park, Australia
The conference will be conducting behind the scenes tours, post conference
tours and the presentation of papers by zoo staff and associations. If
interested any contact should be through Andrew Mann, Conference
co-ordinator, Alice Springs Desert Park, P.O.Box 1046, Alice Springs, NT,
0871 Telephone: +61-8-8951 8764 Facsimile: +61-8-89518777 E-mail:
andrew.mann@nt.gov.au
The 4th Annual International Wildlife Law Conference
March 20th 1999
This is being held at American University's School of Law in Washington,
D.C. The Conference panels will include 'The effectiveness of regional
wildlife treaty regimes' and 'Case studies of implementation of the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species at the national
level'. For more information, visit:
http://eelink.net/~asilwildlife/index.htm
ABWAK 25th Celebration, Then, Now & the Future
April 17 - 18 1999
Marwell Zoological Park
for more details contact:
lgdb@pinnipedia.demon.co.uk
39th International Symposium on the Diseases of Zoo and Wild Animals
May 12 - 16, 1999
Vienna / Austria
contact: office@zoovienna.at
or: froelich@izw-berlin.de
7th World Conference on Breeding Endangered Species
May 22 - 26 1999
Cincinnati Zoo, Ohio, USA
for more details contact:
Grace Rettig (Fax 1-513-559-7791)
ECM 3rd European Congress of Mammalogy
May 30- June 4 1999
Jyvaskyla, Finland
For further details contact :
congresses@conf.jyu.fi
PR & Marketing in Zoos
There will be a conference on PR & Marketing in Zoos taking place in
Holland from the 3rd to the 6th June 1999. Full details not yet available.
If you require further information at this time please contact Henning
Julin, Director of Aalborg Zoo on : aal-zoo@post4.tele.dk
The 1999 meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists (ASM)
University of Washington, Seattle
June 20-24 1999
This will include spoken and poster sessions on marine mammals. The ASM
Marine Mammal
Committee has also organised a symposium at the event entitled 'Marine
Mammals: The Next Century'. For more information, contact : Paul Anderson,
Chair, ASM Marine Mammal Committee at pkanders@cadvision.com
American Federation of Aviculture 25th Annual Convention
August 12-15,1999
Adams-Mark Hotel
Denver,Colorado
Further details available in January,1999
Email: rmsa@altavista.net,doms4afa@aol.com,or stat@wizard.net
Info on web site early 1999: http://www.upatsix.com/afa/
Fourth International Enrichment Conference
29th August-3rd September 1999
Edinburgh, Scotland.
Details as and when available from the Shape of Enrichment website:
http://www.enrichment.org
The Shape of Enrichment, Inc is pleased to announce a grant of $1,000 U.S.
to be used towards expenses to attend The Fourth International Conference
on Environmental Enrichment. The winning paper will be presented during
the conference. More details of this from the enrichment site.
16th EAZA/EEP Annual Conference
Basel Zoo, Switzerland
September 8-12 1999
For further information contact :
EAZA offices
European Zoo Educators (EZE) Conference
Safari Beekse Bergen; Hilvarenbeek, The Netherlands
16 - 20 September 1999
For further details contact: Chris Peters; IZE-Regional Representative for
Europe/Middle-East e-mail: Rob.Belterman@inter.nl.net
Veterinary conference on Australian Wildlife
Western Plains Zoo, Australia
September 13-17, 1999.
Topics include zoonoses, medicine and surgery of
macropods, reptiles, bats, native birds and amphibia as well as pest
control and assisted reproduction. Interested parties can contact :
David Blyde on dblyde@tpgi.com.au
Research and Captive Propagation in Birds
Antwerp Zoo
October 21-23 1999
For Further info :
mettke@erl.ornithol.mpg.de
Help Wanted
Odd Behaviour
Tim Husband, Operations Manager at Blue Gum Zoo in Sydney is working on a
book of aberrant behaviour in captive animals. He is hoping to put
together a compilation of "case scenarios". He would greatly appreciate
input from as many people as possible. What he is looking for is a full
description of the problem i.e. stereotypies or other abnormal behaviours
and, and this is the important bit, how it was solved. He hopes that a
book of this nature would be of help to people working with captive
animals everywhere.
I am sure Tim is right. If such a book was available today, I would
certainly purchase a copy.
Contact Tim on : husband@internet-australia.com
Don`t forget ZooChat, it has its moments! Curators, Keepers, Vets,
Researchers letting their hair down at the end of the day. Very
lighthearted most of the time. Serious some of the time. Useful for making
contacts and generally having fun. THE BOARD is a useful place for posting
your interests. http://ns.awebpresence.com/cgi-lasmith/ZCboard.pl
Sites worth checking out
Have you got a suggestion? Let me check it out.
This is well worth the visit. A Truly excellent enrichment site holding
great promise for the future. Take a look today.
http://www.enrich.org/aazk
Most e-mail packages will allow you to point and click on the site
address (hyperlink). This should launch your web browser and send you
directly to the site. If your package will not do this you will have to
use cut and paste. Cutting from this e-mail and pasting in your browsers
address column...then press return and away you go! The other problem you
may have is that the site address is longer than the page width. You will
have to cut and paste twice, taking care that you marry to the two halves
exactly. Some of these links are quite short lived, but I have checked
them all today and they all work.. If you have a problem, do let me know.
Zoo News is currently sent to over a 1000 interested parties worldwide
each week. If you know of anyone who you think would like to be included
please e-mail me or get them to mail me directly. I would appreciate just
a line or two letting me know something of work area and interests. If
you would like to include notification of any items of interest i.e.
Meetings, seminars, job vacancies please contact me. I would also
appreciate any short, breaking, news items you may pen yourself.
For those of you who have not received the News previously, you have been
included because someone has suggested you might be interested. If this is
not the case please email me and I shall remove your name.
Kind Regards,
Wishing you a wonderful week, and Merry Christmas
Peter
