Zoo News Digest 6th - 12th April 2009 (Zoo News 586)

Zoo News Digest 6th - 12th April 2009 (Zoo News 586)
http://zoonewsdigest.com/
Peter Dickinson peterd482001@yahoo.co.uk

Dear Colleagues,

Once again I am putting out an early one part edition of the Digest in the hope I can get round this perplexing problem of the missing part. I requested on the last mail out for those who had not been recieving part 1 to contact me if they recieved the last edition. There was one response. So that means at least five people are still not receiving it. I will keep working on it.

The link about the rescue centres in Thailand was interesting. I was surprised there was as many. I wonder how they care for their Pangolins and how long they live. The price of ants eggs here in Pattaya shot up to 500 Baht a kilo last week. I am not sure if it was related to weather or what. Prices lower this week and Dao managed to get a kilo for 100 Baht. Delicious!

I really liked the 'Grapes with the Apes' idea. More zoos should take it up. People love wine....I know I do. Months since I could last afford a glass of good stuff.

The Tiger Passports video is worth a watch. Little mention of the scandal surrounding the place.

The London Aquarium has re-opened I see. If I ever get a chance to get back to the UK I must take a look. I fail to see how spending a bit of cash has suddenly transformed the place into "a leading centre of marine conservation". It takes years of actual work to be able to make such a claim. We will see.

I note that Bristol Zoo was picketed yesterday by a bunch of ignorant anti-zoo campaigners. I have not carried the link as I noted they had all hidden their faces in the photographs they put out. What have they got to hide?

Pattaya was very much in the news this week and yesterday was a total mess with rioting and shouting and road blocks and it has made life a little difficult. In our little corner of the city it was quiet though. Patttaya and Thailand are still safe and a beautiful place to visit. Don't put off any planned holidays or trips.

I have not published any zoo related hubs this week, just:
Never Fall In Love With A Bar Girl

The writing keeps me busy and out of trouble.

Hubpages are brilliant, quick to create webpages which can earn you a small passive income from day one. Read my "Quick Guide to Hub Construction." I truly believe it will be worth your while.


This Weeks Books of Interest to the Zoo Professional
http://moourl.com/6rk1w

On with the links:

The first one is of the woman who jumped in with the polar bears at Berlin Zoo. Watch that here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ubpxH0yYFI

Dramatic Picture Shows Woman Mauled at Berlin Zoo
The moment a woman was mauled by a polar bear after she jumped into its enclosure at Berlin Zoo was caught on camera.
The intruder was attacked just yards away from Knut, the abandoned bear who became famous around the world.
Zookeepers managed to push the bear away and carry the woman from the cage.
The mauling took place inside an enclosure occupied by four polar bears not far from Knut's home.
Heiner Kloes, a Berlin Zoospokesman, said the enclosure is surrounded by a fence, a line of hedges and a wall.
The woman was taken to a hospital
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,514476,00.html





10 Zoo Ads That Will Make You Laugh Like A Hyena
Spring is a great time of the year to visit the zoo or wild animal park, wherever you live. These 10 clever international ads will remind you that "It's all happening at the zoo," whether you're in Argentina or Abu Dhabi. Maybe these ads will inspire you to visit your nearby zoo, but at least I hope they give you a good laugh.
http://inventorspot.com/articles/10_zoo_ads_26004





Adoption planned for animals
Businesses and private individuals are being asked to join a nationwide adoption scheme to ease the financial burden on state agencies caring for wild animals confiscated from illegal traffickers.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has launched the programme to lessen the financial strains affecting 23 wildlife breeding centres, which care for some 10,000 wild animals, said Wildlife Conservation Office director Chatchawan Pisdamkham.
"Tigers, Asian black bears and sun bears are the first animals put up for adoption, because rearing them costs more than with other animals. Most of the budget is spent on their diet," he said.
The centres currently look after 80 tigers and 300 bears.
Under the project, each adopter will donate 6,000 baht a month - to cover the cost of the animal's food and keep - for a period of six months to three years.
"We expect private companies to join this charity programme. Although individuals are welcome as well," he said.
Each wildlife breeding centre receives 3 million baht a year to care for confiscated animals, such as tigers, bears, birds, pangolins and apes, said the department's wildlife breeding division chief, Tanakorn Sanepood.
But the centres also take in captive wild animals which have been abandoned by their owners.
"According to the law, unwanted wild animals must be handed over to wildlife officials. The rising number in this group is a big problem for us," Mr Tanakorn said.
Conservation activists say Thailand is a "hub of wildlife trafficking", but the government is taking steps to combat the problem. The department will host a two-day conference in Pattaya, starting this Friday, to strengthen regional cooperation on tackling the illegal animal trade.
More than 100 delegates from government agencies and non-government organisations will exchange information on wildlife smuggling, and discuss law enforcement initiatives to crack down on the criminal activity.
Some 9,072 wild animals were confiscated in Thailand last year. Most were pangolins and tigers from Malaysia and Indonesia, bound for markets in China.
http://moourl.com/myb8x




Sky tram in $56m zoo upgrade
EXTREME makeover: Zoo edition officially started on Friday.
THE highly anticipated $56 million upgrade of the Emperor Valley Zoo began on Friday with Tourism Minister Joseph Ross performing the official sod-turning ceremony.
The country was first made aware of the Government's intention to upgrade the country's only zoo on July 19, 2007, by then tourism minister Howard Chin Lee.
Ross confirmed that the budget "to bring major transformation to this current zoo" remained at that figure.
However, Ross said the investment was necessary in order to transform the 57-year-old zoo into a "first-class facility unrivalled as a conservation
http://moourl.com/ppme9





New Information in Zoo Burglary
The Idaho Falls Police released some new information Monday on their investigation of the burglary at the Tautphaus Park Zoo.
Contrary to early reports, they said an outdoor lock was broken. That may be how the burglars got in.
Zoo officials say a safe was stolen. It contained very strong
http://moourl.com/l15wb




Scientists focus on black-footed ferret
Monday morning, all she knew is that the sun was shining, there was snow on the ground, three strange men were standing outside her pen and she was hungry for some prairie dog.
About 25 years ago, there were only 18 known black-footed ferrets living in the wild, literally on the brink of extension because of disease and widespread loss of habitat.
Today, thanks to the efforts of wildlife biologist Paul Marinari and other federal scientists, there are about 800 black-footed ferrets living in the wild. Marinari runs the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's ferret conservation and breeding center north of Fort Collins,
http://moourl.com/tn35i




Smitten by dolphins
She grew up collecting dolphin memorabilia and that fascination has since become her vocation.
FRESH from obtaining her doctorate degree in the last quarter of 2008, Dr Louisa Ponnampalam was greeted by a string of reports in the newspapers on dead dolphins washed ashore in Penang.
While the reports were helpful for this young dolphin scientist on a quest to document the marine mammal species and their distribution in Malaysian waters, she was nevertheless disturbed by the actions that followed – burying the carcasses and excavating the skeletal remains later.
“There is so much that can be learnt from a dead specimen, more so than one that’s alive. All too often, we don’t
http://moourl.com/de081

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National zoo to host ‘Grapes With the Apes’
Want to meet a baby gorilla over a glass of merlot? You can do just that April 16 at the National Zoo’s annual “Grapes With the Apes” event. The yearly wine-tasting is wildly popular — more than 3,000 people attended last year — but this time around, there’s an added attraction.
On Jan. 10, the zoo welcomed a new baby born to Mandara and dad Baraka, two western lowland gorillas who live in the Great Ape House. The 2-and-a-half-month-old infant just this week got a name — Kibibi, which means “little lady” in Swahili.
The ape house is home to seven western lowland gorillas and six orangutans, who split their time between the house and the zoo’s Think Tank.
If you want to spend an evening getting to know the large primates, it’s best to grab a ticket soon. The event, put on by Friends of the National Zoo, sells out quickly, said zoo spokeswoman Karin Korpowski-Gallo. Tickets are $30 for FONZ members and $40 for everyone el
http://moourl.com/wffq2




Patna zoo has a new baby rhino
A rhinoceros at Patna's Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park gave birth to a female calf raising their number to a dozen.
With this, total count of rhinoceros in the zoo raises to 12. Out of which, 7 are female and 5 male. The birth of the calf has brought immense happiness to the zoo authorities, said Subhash Verma, director at the zoo.
According to zoo officials, both the mother and child are in a healthy condition.
The news
http://moourl.com/wfcsc



Police foil pangolin smuggling
Riau Maritime Police have detained two men, including a Malaysian, for attempting to smuggle 13 pangolins to Malaysia.
The provincial maritime police director Sr. Comr. Zainal Palewang said the suspects were Zakaria bin Baharudin, 30, a resident of Bengkalis, and Mat Zaki bin Mislam , 40, a resident of Johor, Malaysia.
“The suspects were arrested in a
http://moourl.com/0olbj




New £7m centre for Twycross Zoo
A Leicestershire zoo has announced plans for a new £7m expansion.
Twycross Zoo has received funding from the East Midlands Development Agency (EMDA) to build a new visitor and tourist information centre.
The zoo said local, sustainable materials would be used and landscaping to attract biodiversity will be part of the development.
The new visitor centre will include a 300-seat restaurant, shops and conference centre.
Zoo director, Suzanne Boardman, said: "This is a major development for Twycross Zoo, and is one of a number of developments and improvements to be completed to attract
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/leicestershire/7989739.stm




Tiger Passports Video
http://moourl.com/us4h1




Taronga Zoo's feeling blue over pink flamingo
TARONGA Zoo staff are in mourning - and in shock - after one of their oldest inhabitants, a pink flamingo called Yellow Band, had to be put down.
The mourning is understandable, given Yellow Band had been part of the zoo since 1948 and is the last of its flock.
The shock came when an autopsy found Yellow Band, believed for more than 60 years to be a female, was in fact a male.
"Flamingos are exceptionally hard to sex - you have to do it surgically. Anyway she, I mean, he seemed to enjoy female behaviour too," Zoo spokeswoman Danielle McGill said.
The increasingly frail Chilean flamingo was put down last Friday. His death marks the end of an era at Taronga - which cannot import more of the birds because of laws to protect Australia from avian flu.
Once thought to breed and live in
http://moourl.com/kctpr

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13 lynx cubs born in captivity this year
The arrival of five more Iberian lynx cubs last week takes to thirteen the number born in captivity in Spain this year.
The cubs were born in two centres - El Acebuche (Doñana) and La Olivilla (Sierra Morena) - as part of a breeding programme to protect what is considered to be the most threatened wild cat species in the world.
With this year's thirteen surviving cubs, a total of 37 lynx cubs have been born in captivity
http://moourl.com/w0t4w



London Aquarium reopens to public
The London Aquarium has been transformed into a "leading centre of marine conservation" following a multi-million pound redevelopment.
The venue, in County Hall, will conduct breeding and research programmes as part of its new remit.
Visitors will also enjoy a "world class aquatic experience" following the £5m transformation which took six months.
The site is home to thousands of marine creatures - including six species of sharks - spread over three floors.
"Our ultimate aim is to tell a serious eco story in an entertaining way," said general manager Toby Forer.
"We believe we've got the perfect blend of visual spectacle, interactivity and access to aquatic experts to make a visit here a truly memorable and thought provoking experience."
New features include an Atlantic coastline display, the story of the River Thames, a "temple" d
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/7987237.stm




New wildlife park brings a taste of Africa
IT is a little bit of Africa in a corner of Doncaster!
Wildlife expert Cheryl Williams opened up the doors of the new Yorkshire Wildlife Park at Brockholes Farm, in Branton and said: "I hope it inspires children to look after nature."
The new attraction, which features African wildlife in the fields of a former farm, is thought to be the first of its kind in Yorkshire.
Cheryl, who is chief executive of the facility, has worked with wildlife for years, previously working at Woborn Safari Park in Bedfordshire.
Guests at the official opening this weekend included children's television
http://moourl.com/vgjoz




Animal rights groups fume at internet lion meat for sale
LOCAL animal welfare groups are outraged that a US company is offering lion steaks and lion loin chops for sale through the internet.
The meat was advertised on the company's website as originating from lions farmed in South Africa.
But within 24 hours of the activists being alerted last week, the wording was changed and now reads: "Our Lions are ranch-raised in the United States of America."
The national Environment Department confirmed that both a Cites (Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species) permit and veterinary health permit
http://www.capeargus.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=4915211





Illegal wildlife trade in Singapore active despite heavy penalties
Despite heavy penalties for smuggling wild or exotic animals into Singapore, animal welfare groups say illegal wildlife trade here is still active.
Exotic spiders and reptiles were some of the 48 wild animals confiscated by the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) during its recent raid in March.
The animals are now housed at the Singapore Zoo's Wildlife Healthcare and Research Centre.
Some of these animals were smuggled into Singapore from as far as Madagascar.
AVA said the animals could transmit diseases to human beings and other domestic animals
http://moourl.com/hh7kw




Bananas lure gorilla escapee back to zoo
A nine-year-old gorilla has used a palm frond to escape from his enclosure at Melbourne Zoo and go walkabout before being recaptured with the aid of bananas.Yakini's big adventure kicked off around 5pm (AEST) near closing time at the zoo on Thursday when he grabbed hold of the frond and swung himself to freedom to go on a 20-minute stroll.He managed to get as far as the elephant barn where keepers lured him in with the help of a bunch of bananas, giving vets the opportunity to sedate him with a dart.Visitors to the zoo were ushered into various buildings around the zoo, including the gift shop, while Yakini was in their midst, and no one was hurt in the drama.General curator Dan Maloney said keepers, who had gone into their animal escape drill, admitted they had a great deal of luck with Yakini who did not panic and was apparently looking for a secure place to hold up."I've worked in zoos for 25 years and you think you have seen it all, then something like this hap
http://moourl.com/faw1i




Are Elephant Populations Stable These Days?
How conservationists are doing in the battle against poaching and habitat loss
Far from it. The double whammy of poaching (illegal hunting) and habitat loss has led to a dramatic decline in populations of both African and Asian elephants in recent decades. In 1930, there were between five and 10 million wild African elephants, plying the entire African continent in large bands. Just 60 years later, when they were added to the international list of critically endangered species, only about 600,000 were scattered across a few African countries. Today that number is likely less than 500,000.While Asian elephants were never as numerous as their African counterparts, their population numbers have also dropped
http://moourl.com/ebb4z




Can Zoos Survive the Economic Crisis?
What happens to the animals when the economy collapses?
It's hard to feed an elephant—let alone a herd—when you've just lost $15 million. Just ask the Wildlife Conservation Society, the organization that runs New York City's zoos and aquarium.In order to avoid cutting back on feed and other necessities, the Society has had to cut $10 million from its payroll. So the animals won’t starve, but there'll be fewer people to care for them, or study them.And this is a critical time for animal study.Diseases that jump from wildlife to humans, such as Ebola or bird flu, are on
http://moourl.com/gtboh




Rare animals pushed closer to extinction, scientists warn
NEARLY 50 rare mammals including tigers, leopards, sambar and fishing cats could face extinction, conservationists warned yesterday.The International Union for Conservation of Nature list of vulnerable species also included more than 70 other mammals from India on its alert "red list". Professor Luigi Boitani of Sapienza Universita di Roma, an IUCN partner organisation, said: "The trend is particularly dramatic for south-east Asia which suffers from increasing human activities, with deforestation being the major issue." The union report adds that almost one in four of the world’s 5,487 mammal species is at risk of disappearing forever and at least 76 mammals have become extinct since 1500. Dr Bibhab Talukdar, a leading conservationist in India and member of the National Board for Wildlife, said: "Species are threatened mostly due to poaching and habitat encroachment. "We should now concentrate
http://www.examiner.ie/world/ididsncwcw/rss2/




Stray dogs kill zoo animals in western Russia
A pack of stray dogs has mauled a reindeer and a mountain goat to death at a zoo in Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, a zoo spokeswoman said on Thursday. "Dogs got through the zoo fence - it has http://en.rian.ru/russia/20090409/121027735.html




Thai zoo housing pigs and tigers together
IT SOUNDS like something out of Winnie The Pooh, but a zoo in Thailand has pigs and tigers living together in harmony.It’s not Tigger and Piglet, but many animals at the Sriracha Tiger Zoo find themselves sharing their pens with different species.The zoo, near the popular tourist resort of Pattaya, houses over 400 Bengal tigers and is one of the biggest tiger zoos in the world.Sriracha Tiger Zoo likes to promote ‘happy families’ made up of different species of animal – and has been known to put tiger cubs with sows and piglets with tiger mums.This is not the only interesting feature
http://moourl.com/ola85




Quick Takes - ODDBALL OCCURRENCES
After use for years in Africa, officials in the United Kingdom may have a new tool in the fight against lost landmines: rats. Handlers at the Porfell Wildlife Park in Cornwall recently imported a Gambian pouched rat named Kofi that, according to trainer Wendy Winstanley, could be useful to British army and police for bomb detection. Already used by locals in Mozambique, the rats have proved themselves as valuable mine detectors. With a nose more sensitive than most dogs and a weight that allows them to run through
http://www.worldmag.com/articles/15269




Gerald Durrell's Jersey wildlife conservation trust celebrates 50th anniversary
Fifty years since the opening of Gerald Durrell's wildlife conservation trust, his legacy forges on. Jessamy Calkin celebrates the work of the pioneering naturalist and author.
In a small art gallery in central London, an incongruous and eminent collection of people have gathered for an unusual event: the display and auction of fabric pictures and ceramic art by the artist and actress Lalla Ward. The occasion is the 50th anniversary of the opening of Gerald Durrell's wildlife trust in Jersey, and the mixed bag of attendees – who include Sir David Attenborough, Brian Eno, Edward Fox, Sir Peter Hall and Redmond O'Hanlon – are invited to bid for the work anonymously.
All proceeds go to Durrell's work in Galapagos, and a particular aim is to save the Floreana mockingbird, the bird that inspired Darwin's epiphany, and now one of the world's most endangered species
http://moourl.com/vx2pj





Female cub is living proof of cheetah-bark research
Researchers at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park had speculated that the staccato barks occasionally emitted by male cheetahs somehow triggered female cheetahs'reproductive systems to produce eggs and, ultimately, baby cheetahs.
Now they have proof. Zoo officials recently announced the arrival of Amara, born Feb. 19, as the direct result of experiments using recorded stutter-barks to promote cheetah romance. Both Quando, the father, and Kenya, the mother, are first-time parents.
Because single cheetah cubs are often neglected by their mothers, Amara, which means “grace” in Swahili, is being hand-raised by zookeepers. Recently, the 5-pound cub was moved to larger quarters. She is occasionally on view in the Wild Animal Park's nursery.
Valerie Smith, one of Amara's handlers, said the cub will not join the Wild Animal Park's general cheetah population but instead will become an “animal ambassador
http://moourl.com/kk7go




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ZOO BIOLOGY
The Zoo Biology Group is concerned with all disciplines involved in
the running of a Zoological Garden. Captive breeding, husbandry,
cage design and construction, diets, enrichment, man management,
record keeping, etc etc
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zoo-biology


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The Association of Zoo Veterinary Technicians will be hosting their Twenty-ninth Annual Conference October 1-6, 2009 in Jackson, Wyoming. If you would like more information, please visit http://www.azvt.org/or contact Virginia Crossett via email: virginia.crossett@louisvilleky.gov



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Advancing Bear Care '09

ON-LINE registration is now available for Advancing Bear Care '09 in San Francisco on November 6-8 2009. http://www.bearcaregroup.org/

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Celebrating Plants and the Planet:

We credit Charles Darwin with so much, some of which he rightly deserves. On this, his 200th anniversary, we look back… and forward to his latest project.
April links at http://www.zooplantman.com/ (NEWS/Botanical News) provide a variety of ways to consider Darwin's influence on our thinking and research.

· Are flowers red simply to attract pollinators? Is anything that simple? Perhaps the color repels predators as well.

· If the Amazon forest acts as a huge carbon sink, saving our energy-guzzling butts, what happens when the forest dies? Where does that carbon go?

· When plants suffer insect attack or disease, they express themselves. A device has been invented to translate their cries.

· Why did the South African plant have a bare stalk above its flower? To give sunbirds a place to sit.

· In an innovative UK program, Charles Darwin aims to get every schoolchild interested in plants and botany.

There are several huge indoor zoo exhibits being planned in Europe. One of the most ambitious is the Chester Zoo's "Heart of Africa." Find out more at http://www.zooplantman.com/zoos.html

Please share these stories with associates, staff, docents and -- most importantly -- visitors! Remember, over a hundred other stories can be found in the archive section of the website.

Rob

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TURTLE CONSERVATION FUND
Next Proposal Deadline: 1 May 2009

A Partnership Coalition of Leading Turtle Conservation Organizations and Individuals

Strategic Action Planning and Funding Support for Conservation of
Threatened Tortoises and Freshwater Turtles
http://www.turtleconservationfund.org/

TCF Executive Board:
Hugh R. Quinn, Co-Chair (DoubleHQ@aol.com)
Anders G.J. Rhodin, Co-Chair (RhodinCRF@aol.com)
Chris B. Banks; Kurt A. Buhlmann; Kevin R. Buley; Eric Goode; Douglas B. Hendrie; Brian D. Horne; Rick Hudson; Russell A. Mittermeier; Hans-Dieter Philippen; Colin Poole; Peter C.H. Pritchard; Walter C. Sedgwick; Peter Paul van Dijk

The Turtle Conservation Fund (TCF) administers a turtle conservation and research grants program. Awards are granted to organizations or individuals for specific conservation or research projects dealing with tortoises or freshwater turtles, but not marine turtles, with either partial or full support as funding allows. Awards at the present time are approximately in the $2000 to $5000 range per project, with occasional funding up to $10,000.

Priority for funding is given to projects that focus on species that are already highly threatened (Critically Endangered or Endangered) as determined by the IUCN Red List http://www.iucnredlist.org/

For further information and application guidelines go to http://www.turtleconservationfund.org/

TCF Priority Species List

* Apalone spinifera ater
* Astrochelys radiata
* Astrochelys yniphora
* Batagur affinis (southern Malay Peninsula and Sumatra)

* Batagur baska (northeastern India and Bangladesh, perhaps into Myanmar)
* Batagur borneoensis
* Batagur kachuga

* Batagur trivittata
* Chelodina mccordi
* Chitra chitra
* Chitra indica

* Chitra vandijki
* Cuora aurocapitata
* Cuora bourreti
* Cuora glabinifrons
* Cuora mccordi

* Cuora pani
* Cuora picturata
* Cuora trifasciata

* Cuora yunnanensis
* Cuora zhoui
* Dermatemys mawii

* Elusor macrurus
* Erymnochelys madagascariensis
* Geochelone platynota
* Heosemys depressa
* Leucocephalon yuwonoi
* Mauremys annamensis
* Nilssonia lethii

* Nilssonia nigricans
* Pelochelys bibroni
* Pelochelys cantori

* Pelochelys signifera
* Podocnemis lewyana

* Psammobates geometricus
* Pseudemydura umbrina
* Pyxis arachnoides

* Pyxis planicauda
* Rafetus swinhoei
* Siebenrockiella leytensis
* Terrapene coahuila
* Testudo kleinmanni


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Second Okapi Workshop
from October 11th until October 14th, the second Okapi Keeper Workshop is organized at the Antwerp Zoo.

The purpose of this workshop is to provide a forum for okapi keepers, to increase their knowledge of topics such as husbandry, health issues, operant conditioning and enrichment.

For further details go to:
http://www.theokapi.org/nieuwsvolledig.asp?nieuws=15

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Volunteering Opportunity

Elephantstay at the Royal Elephant Kraal Village, Ayutthaya Thailand

Elephantstay is now offering a fantastic opportunity to gain invaluable experience working with elephants. The volunteer positions are for people with animal experience. The duration of stay will be of 4, 12 or 24 weeks. We have two positions on offer at any one time.

Successful applicants will work with elephants and people under the direct supervision of experienced mahouts and the Elephantstay directors.
Duties include cleaning, feeding, diet preparation, exercising and husbandry of elephants. Our primary concern is the elephants welfare and earning an income for them. You will have plenty of direct contact with the elephants, but also you will be assisting with the people who participate in the Elephantstay program. You may also be required to assist with the elephant painting project.
The work is free contact with elephants. At this stage we have eight retired elephants, which will be the main elephants you will be getting to know and be working with. Depending on your length of stay and your progress there may be opportunities to assist with other elephants.
We have about 90 elephants on site so you will have exposure and contact with many of them including baby elephants still with their mothers, and bull elephants.
Basic housing is provided on site. Single fan room and bathroom, Bedding and towels are provided. Drinking water, tea, coffee, hot chocolate and 3 meals a day are provided on site. Snacks, juices, sodas, alcohol, etc are not provided but can be bought on site.
We have free wireless internet access for people with laptops.

As part of your training, you will participate in the Elephantstay program for 3 days. Please check http://www.elephantstay.com/

The letter should cover
your areas of interest, goals, and what you can offer Elephantstay by being a volunteer. Your preferred dates.

Successful applicants will be notified by email as soon as possible.
Start times at this stage will be the first Monday of every month beginning in May 2009.

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Announcing the ASZK Des Spittall Scholarship for Keeper Research
Named in honour of the late Des Spittall, a life member of ASZK, the ASZK committee has launched the Des Spittall Scholarship for keeper research. This is open to people who have been a financial member of ASZK for 12 months or more. This is an annual scholarship up to the value of $2,000. Applications close 31st October 2009
Please forward ‘Des Spittall Scholarship for Keeper Research’ application to ASZK President no later than 31st of October each year at email eo@aszk.org.au

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Current Zoo Vacancies can be seen by visiting:

http://zoowork.blogspot.com/

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Meetings/Vacancies


Elephant Footcare Workshop
Pachyderm Podiatry
A Practical Workshop on Elephant Feet, their Care, and the Treatment of the Most Common Conditions.
April 15th - 17th, 2009
The Phoenix Zoo
hwright@thephxzoo.com




The Animal Behavior Management Alliance
2009 ABMA Annual Conference Providence, Rhode Island
April 26th – May 1st 2009
Providence, Rhode Island
If you are just starting to work with animals or have been for years ABMA has something to offer everyone. Join us in 2009 on the East Coast in Rhode Island. Registration is now open at http://www.theabma.org/




Felid Husbandry Courses
April 27-30 Tacoma, Washington, USAFor more information on courses go to the
FTAG page at http://www.felidtag.org/ meeting details".




BIAZA Records Group Meeting
Twycross Zoo
29-30th April 2009
For further information (preliminary agenda and registration details) please go the following link http://www.biaza.org.uk/public/pages/publications/index.asp?catUid=210
Please confirm that you intend to attend by completing the registration form and send to admin@biaza.org.uk and cc it to d.brunger@chesterzoo.org and pat.m.milham@twycrosszoo.org






ASZK Annual Conference
30 April – 3 May 2009
Darwin, Northern Territory,
Australia
For information go to http://www.aszk.org.au/




Conference of the Association of Latin American Zoological Parks
May 25 - 29 2009
Panama City, Panama
For further information:
http://www.alpza.com/index.php




The 9th International Conference on Environmental Enrichment.
31st May – 5th June 2009.
Torquay, Devon, UK
Submission for abstracts has now closed.
EARLY REGISTRATION CLOSES 28TH FEBRUARY 2009
LATE REGISTRATION CLOSES 30TH APRIL 2009
Please go to http://www.reec.info/ July 18th and 19th 2009.
Johannesburg Zoo, South Africa.
Financial assistance available for vets from other African countries. For more details contact Teresa Slacke on vetadmin@jhbzoo.org.za





Professional Training Seminars at Shedd Aquarium
Animal Training Seminar with Ken Ramirez
Environmental Quality Seminar with Allen LaPointe
August 24 –28, 2009
Please contact the adult programs coordinator at
adults@sheddaquarium.org for more information





THIRD ORANGUTAN SSP© HUSBANDRY WORKSHOP
MONDAY, AUGUST 31 THROUGH WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
Zoo Atlanta
USA
http://www.2009orangutanworkshop.org/




26th EAZA Annual Conference
14 - 20 September 2009
Copenhagen Zoo, Denmark.




3rd International Congress on Zoo Keeping and the 36th American Association of Zoo Keepers National Conference
September 24th - 29th 2009
The Puget Sound Chapter of AAZK and WoodlandPark Zoo
See these websites for further information:
http://www.iczoo.org/
http://www.pugetsoundaazk.org/




64th WAZA Annual Conference
4 - 8 October 2009
St. Louis Zoo at the Renaissance Grand Hotel, St. Louis (MO), USA.
For more information, please visit http://www.waza.org/




The 6th European Zoo Nutrition Conference
Barcelona, 28-31 January 2010
Please send comments or suggestions for topics/speakers directly to me (a.fidgett@chesterzoo.org). Further announcements and information will be posted online via the nutrition area of the EAZA website (http://www.eaza.net/).




20th International Zoo Educators' (IZE) Biennial Conference
19 - 23 October 2010
Disney's Animal Kingdom, Florida, USA.
For more information, please visit http://www.izea.net/




Zoohistorica
International meeting of collectors of zoo literature and memorabilia
Internationales Treffen der Sammler zoohistorischer Literatur
Rencontre internationale des collectionneurs de documents en rapport avec les zoos
See here for more details: http://www.zoohistorica.org/




The Bear Care Group announces the second international bear care
conference 'Advancing Bear Care '09.
SAN FRANCISCO NOVEMBER 6-8 2009
http://www.bearcaregroup.org/





7th International Penguin Conference
DATE: August 30 to September 3, 2010
LOCATION: Boston Massachusetts, USA
HOSTED BY: The New England Aquarium
ipcboston@neaq.org



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Wishing you a wonderful week,

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http://www.geocities.com/peterd482001/ZooNews_Digest.html

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