Zoo News Digest 21st - 26th June 2010 (Zoo News 675)
Dear Colleagues,
Though there are peaks and troughs in the zoo news I always seem to find something which interests me. This week there appears to be more than usual.
I was pleased to learn that the alleged tiger killer of the Taman Rimbo zoo. We really can ot let people get away with this sort of crime. I just hope they have got the right man and not some scapegoat.
The item 'New cubs at Hesperia Zoo' made my hackles rise...though I mention it by ways of a quick snarl.
I am not sorry to learn of the passing of Biney Zoo in Lagos. There really is no necessity to feed live goats to lions. Any zoo which feeds live animals as a matter of routine needs shutting down. They lack the ethics and morals to care for any living creature.
I have eaten a lot of odd things and am tempted to try most but Lion Burgers definitely does not get the saliva flowing. However it does follow up from my comments last week on hippo, alligators and carnivores.
Delighted to learn of the research that Noah's Ark Zoo Farm is doing before they actually get any elephants and an enclosure the size of 11 football fields sounds amazing. Though bigger is definitely better with elephants it is definitely quality of space which counts trather than quantity. If the plans go ahead I wonder if that nasty little group who hang around the zoo entrance will vacate? Somehow I doubt it.
Item posted out on the blog earlier today:
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On with links:
Zoo elephants too old to be shifted
The two ageing female elephants of the Byculla zoo who were being considered to be shifted to the tiger reserves of Chhattisgarh have been rejected by the Chhattisgarh Principal Chief Conservator of Forest as they are too old to be transported.
The two elephants, Laxmi (53) and Anarkali (46) were inspected by forest officials from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh following the directive by the Central Zoo Authority last year.
The authority had said that all elephants, numbering
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Zoo-elephants-too-old-to-be-shifted/Article1-560797.aspx
A New Home for Clouded Leopards
For clouded leopards, home is where the height is.
After more than 30 years of studying clouded leopards, Zoo scientists have solved many puzzles about this perplexing species, starting with the biggest: figuring out just what a clouded leopard wants out of its habitat.
It turns out that clouded leopards want a lot from their habitat; but the most important is height. Cats that live in tall enclosures are usually found at the very highest point they can reach.
The National Zoo has been involved with clouded leopard conservation since 1978, back when they were the most puzzling and frustrating cat in the Zoo. Zoos were having trouble pairing and breeding the animals successfully. Clouded leopards in captivity were shy, reluctant exhibit animals; males frequently killed or wounded their mates; and reproduction was the greatest challenge.
According to JoGayle Howard, scientist and head of the National Zoo’s clouded leopard conservation and research
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/News/June2010/cloudedleopard.cfm
Indonesian man arrested for killing tiger in zoo
Indonesian police have arrested a man who allegedly poisoned and skinned a critically endangered Sumatran tiger in a state-owned zoo, an official said Monday.
Akmamul Mukminin, 24, was detained last week and could face up to five years in jail and a fine of 100 million rupiah (11,000 dollars) for killing a protected animal, conservation official Didi Wuryanto said.
The suspect allegedly killed the tiger, named Shella, in August in Taman Rimbo zoo, Jambi province, by placing poisoned bait in its enclosure after closing hours.
He then allegedly skinned it on the zoo grounds, aided by two accomplices.
Wuryanto said the arrest sent a message to poachers that Indonesia was serious about protecting its tiger population.
Conservationists estimate there are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, due to habitat loss and poaching.
"Legal action like this is very important to give a deterrent
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ir5LM9MG_6kGOTYABsO1t5eNO2mg
Living Art Saint Louis Zoo
Woburn Safari Park criticised over 'crowded' lion pen
A safari park has been criticised by government vets for keeping lions in a "very crowded" overnight pen for 18 hours a day over the winter.
Woburn Safari Park, which is building a new lion house due to open this summer, was inspected by officials from Defra in January following complaints.
A report says the "inadequate" building was "structurally unsound" but praises the Bedfordshire park for other pens.
Woburn Safari Park said lions were free to move within 10 linked pens.
The inspection was carried out by Defra and officers from Central Bedfordshire Council, the zoo's licensing authority, following concerns from a former worker.
It was followed up by a second visit in February and a further inspection earlier this month.
Reports on the latest findings, on 10
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds_bucks_and_herts/10360327.stm
Sea lions 'at risk of going blind at zoo'
Animals at one of Britain's biggest drive-through zoos are kept in over-crowded and unsafe enclosures that leave some half-blind, a Government report reveals.
Woburn Safari Park - owned by the Duke of Bedford - says its wildlife enjoy living in a "natural environment".
But Defra inspectors found lions and tigers caged for hours in "unsafe" pens, turtles left for months in temporary tanks and sea lions kept in chlorinated water that caused eye ulcers and blindness.
Deputy sea lion team leader Katie Rice emailed bosses in April 2009 to say she was "ashamed". She added: "Today our sea lion Spratt is bumping into the sides of the pool as her eyes are so tightly shut. She's been biting on the wood sides in pain after ulcers."
Central Bedfordshire council got a tip
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/06/21/sea-lions-at-risk-of-going-blind-at-zoo-115875-22348001/
Safari park roar of disapproval
Park is now seeking legal advice
Woburn Safari Park yesterday insisted it does not accept the cruelty allegations made in a national Sunday newspaper about the way its animals are treated and kept.
In a statement it said that it considers the information to have been unfairly selective, thus exaggerating the problems described, and providing an unfair and inaccurate impression of conditions at the park.
The report, in the Sunday Times, described how government inspectors claimed that when the public is not looking the animals are locked into cramp cages for up to 18 hours a day.
It also said that an investigation also discovered that exotic large turtles were being housed in inadequate "temporary" tanks for months. According to The Sunday Times one zoo keeper allegedly told bosses that he was "ashamed" to work there.
However, a spokesman for Woburn Safari Park said: "Woburn Safari Park is, and has always been, committed to animal welfare and best practice.
"The park has been operational for 40 years and for the last ten years we have implemented a detailed development program with the specific remit of providing Woburn's animals with the highest attainable standards.
"The park receives regular inspections from Central Bedfordshire Council, and has also been inspected by BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquariums) representatives to substantiate the fact that high standards of animal welfare are maintained.
"As soon as Woburn became aware of the Sunday Times' interest in the Park we immediately invited the journalist to meet with us so that we could discuss any matters and avoid any misunderstandings in the report.
"For some reason he refused that invitation and the result is an article which does not accurately characterise the level of care provided to the animals.
"Woburn attempted to respond to the allegations on only a few hours' notice, providing The Sunday Times with detailed information and independent documents, along with a statement from one of the people quoted in the article which contradicted the conclusions drawn in the article.
"We consider it to be a serious matter that this material has been omitted, with the result that the level of care provided by extremely dedicated and skilled staff at Woburn Safari Park, and the high opinion of that care expressed by leading animal experts, have been completely ignored in the article.
"Woburn Safari Park is now seeking legal advice."
The inspection the national newspaper was referring to was carried out at the instigation of Central Bedfordshire Council who had received complaints from an ex-employee that the management and overnight housing of the lions was not of a standard to be expected of a licensed zoo.
Here is Central Bedfordshire's full findings:
Two Secretary of State's List 1 zoo inspectors, P. S. Aylmer & A.G. Greenwood, carried out the inspection on January 27, 2010 accompanied by an officer from Central Bedfordshire Council.
The report from Central Beds said: "At the time of the inspection the lions were all housed, which allowed a thorough inspection of the accommodation, the condition of the animals and the system of management. The location of the lion house inside the enclosure, with no direct access from outside the fence, had meant that proper examination had been difficult at previous zoo inspections when the lions were already outside.
"The inspectors were told that the usual practice was for the 16 lions to be outside in their drive-through enclosure during daylight hours and to be housed at night for security reasons, which meant that in the winter months the lions were kept inside for approximately 18 hours a day, being outside from 10am to 4pm.
"The present house consists of a row of about six breeze block pens, which could be connected by sliding doors between each pen. The concrete blocks of the building are cracked in places and it appears to be structurally unsound. Access is only available through sliding doors at the front of each pen, which are individually padlocked when the animals are inside. The locking system means that the padlocks effectively hold the doors closed, with no other security. To open the doors safely, wardens have to drive tight up to the doors with a vehicle, open the window and lean out to unlock the doors. They then reverse the vehicle while holding onto the slide to open the door, while another warden is protecting them with a shotgun. There was a warden standing with a shotgun when the inspectors got out to inspect the house, even though the doors were locked, in case any deterioration of the building allow an escape. This is apparently the case when any staff are working in the area.
"Each pen has to contain on average 2 to 3 lions. It was not possible to take detailed measurements but the animals were very crowded and there was no provision for individual feeding or sleeping areas. There was no visible environmental enrichment. Some of the lions exhibited skin wounds and multiple scars of various age, some fresh, some healed.
"As part of the extensive redevelopment of the animal buildings in the park, at the time of the inspection construction had just begun on a new lion house with an outside run, which was expected to be completed in approximately 3 months. During the initial phase (until the fence for the outside run is complete) it will not be possible to let the lions out except for short periods and, although this is obviously not ideal, the inspectors accept that this will be necessary for a short time.
"The new building, which is to a modern design, will have eight pens which can be opened up so as to provide fewer, larger pens if required, and one outside enclosure within the main enclosure, and will be accessible to staff via a service corridor from the outside. It proved difficult to obtain exact dimensions for these but we estimate that there will be 8 pens each of 3.5m by 3.5m (10sqm).with the outside area being approx 1800m2. The lions will have access to the run at all times when confined to the house.
"The complaints made to the Local Authority appeared to the inspectors to be justified, in that there were clear signs of substantial fighting between the animals; the overnight house was inadequate in space provision and facilities for the animals, structurally unsound and unsafe to operate; and the lions were confined in the winter season for unreasonable lengths of time. However, it was clear that the Woburn management were acting to improve the situation and this appeared to be as part of an ongoing programme rather than as an immediate reaction to a complaint.
"The ideal situation (which the Woburn management recognise) is to have a stable pride resembling as far as possible the structure in the wild.
"This is typically around 13 lions comprising 2 adult males, 4 adult females, 4 sub-adults and 3 cubs, although there may be sub-groups within this. Depending on the size of the territory, there appears to be a limit on the number of adult females (usually related), so that excess sub-adults may have to leave. If numbers subsequently fall then females from outside may join. It is accepted that this arrangement is not always possible in captivity but having a stable pride is an important aim so the whole group can be outside and on display together with little or no serious aggression.
"Unfortunately that appears not to be the situation at Woburn at present. We have found it difficult to ascertain the number of incompatible sub-groups in this population but there appear to be at least two, and there seems to be a need to keep some animals apart from others. If this persists in the new house, then animals' access to the outdoor pen will have to be rotated and this may make allocation of indoor and outdoor space difficult. A quick review of three other UK safari parks informed us that one operates in the same way as Woburn does currently, another has a system similar to that being built at Woburn with limited outdoor access at night, and a third keeps the lions with access to their main enclosure all the time.
"The World Association of Zoos & Aquariums (WAZA) have guidelines on their website for housing of lions which suggest that "in cold & temperate climatic zones, an indoor enclosure of at least 15m2 per adult is necessary" & that there should be one more den than the number of animals. The new house does not appear to come close to meeting these standards in terms of den space, although if the outside run is included and there is genuine constant access then the new set-up appears spatially adequate assuming environmental enrichment is provided.
"SUMMARY"
"1.The Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice state that each animal must be provided with an environment well adapted to meet the physical, psychological and social needs of the species to which it belongs. In our view it is clear that certain aspects of the lion management and housing at Woburn have not been up to the required standard.
"2.We accept that the ideal pride structure is not always present but we are concerned that management should acknowledge the problems within the pride and discuss with staff the possible alternatives
http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/Safari-park-roar-of-disapproval.6376148.jp
Group Calls on USDA to Punish Zoo
An animal welfare advocacy group is demanding the Topeka Zoo be held responsible for recent animal deaths and that means the zoo will be inspected again.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now sent a letter to the USDA Monday asking for the Topeka Zoo's license to be suspended due to deaths of animals the last four years.
The most recent, the death of a chevrotain two
http://www.ksnt.com/news/local/story/Group-Calls-on-USDA-to-Punish-Zoo/oU1qXcBlpECP4Jn7byQKPw.cspx
Czech zoo among few in world to breed secretary bird
The Dvur Kralove zoo is the only one in the Czech Republic and one of a few in the world to breed secretary bird, an African bird of prey, Erich Kocner, from the zoo, told CTK Monday, adding that two secretary bird offspring have hatched these days.
The breeding of the species ranks among the Dvur Kralove zoo's biggest successes in the past years, Kocner said.
The zoo acquired a pair of secretary birds in late 2002. Their first offspring was born handicapped in 2008 and died.
Nevertheless, last year the couple successfully raised
http://www.praguemonitor.com/2010/06/22/czech-zoo-among-few-world-breed-secretary-bird
Construction starts on $20M addition at Minnesota Zoo
Construction is underway at the Minnesota Zoo on a $20 million addition that includes a new main entrance, educational facilities and a penguin exhibit.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty joined zoo officials and corporate sponsors Monday for a groundbreaking ceremony. State lawmakers provided $15 million for the "Heart of the Zoo" project in this year's bonding bill.
Zoo Director Lee Ehmke said the expansion will strengthen the zoo's commitment to environmental education, set the tone for zoo visits and boost the area's economy.
"It means good things for the state of Minnesota," he said. "The zoo, this last year, had an economic impact of $114 million. With the completion
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/06/21/zoo-construction/
Knut the polar bear's family facing wipeout from mystery virus which causes fits
A mystery virus has already killed one and is likely to claim another member of the family of the world's most famous polar bear, Knut.
Vets at Wuppertal Zoo, Germany are at a loss to explain the bug which has infected the enclosure.
Knut, who hit the headlines as an abandoned cub three years ago, has already lost a cousin to the outbreak and his father Lars is expected to follow.
Zoo vet Dr Arne Lawrenz explained: 'Around two weeks ago two bears began having sudden fits. Last week a female called Jerka died. Lars is stills seriously ill.'
Famous Knut is himself based at Berlin Zoo, where he became a worldwide star after being hand-reared by humans. The cub
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1288654/Knut-polar-bears-family-facing-wipeout-mystery-virus-causes-fits.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Life can cruel in those challenging senior moments
GROWING old can be a frustrating and undignified journey. And it isn't only humans who have to endure the indignity of old age. Bessie, a 60-year-old chimpanzee at Taronga Zoo, is showing signs of dementia.
Her walk is slowing down and so is her mind. She often forgets to go inside her enclosure at night, and can lose her bearings during the day.
The zoo's primate manager, Louise Grossfeldt, said Bessie's condition had not happened overnight. It had been a slow deterioration over 18 years.
She is one of three elderly female chimpanzees at the zoo; all have far surpassed the 40 to 45 years that chimps normally reach. The trio are among the world's oldest living chimps.
The animals' longevity was the result
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/life-can-cruel-in-those-challenging-senior-moments-20100621-ysdg.html
New Honeybee Colony at the National Zoo Creates a Buzz
The Smithsonain's National Zoo is calling all cooks and poets to submit to two categories: favorite honey recipes and original honeybee poems in honor of a new honeybee colony.
Not only will the submissions be displayed on the Zoo’s website, but one participant will be randomly selected and receive a private tour with their families of the Pollinarium and Invertebrate Exhibit .
Every year the Zoo starts a new honeybee colony, but previous colonies have perished due to mites or the introduction of pesticides in the hive by worker bees; one year, keepers watched as a larger, different species of bee stole the colony’s honey and wax.
“Sometimes it’s a challenge to start and keep a colony, but no matter what happens, we learn something new about these important insects and are grateful to share the experience with our visitors,” Stockton said.
The new bees are given access to the outdoors and inhabit a hive made of glass in the Zoo’s
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/entertainment/new-honeybee-colony-at-the-national-zoo-creates-a-buzz-062210
Europe’s Largest Leopard Facility Opens in Orsa Bear Park
Last year we opened the doors to the world’s largest polar bear facility in Orsa Grönklitt in Dalarna. Today is the grand opening of Europe’s largest leopard park as a part of a conservation project that supports the leopard, which is a highly endangered animal. The first residents of the Leopard Center are two Persian leopard pairs; Soroya and Barack together with Hanna and Jihlek.
– They are two beautiful couples that are moving in. It feels fantastic to be a part of a very important conservation project that supports this highly endangered species, says Torbjörn Wallin, Managing Director of Orsa Grönklitt AB, which holds the Leopard Center.
Today, June 22, 2010 is the grand opening of the Leopard Center, Europe’s largest leopard facility. The Leopard Center is a part of Orsa Bear Park’s ongoing development into an educational center for predators, as well as ongoing participation in conservation programs for endangered species.
The first residents of the Leopard Center are two Persian leopard pairs; Soroya and Barack together with Hanna and Jihlek but Orsa Grönklitt is also on a waiting list to receive snow leopards in their facility. The Persian leopard is a
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100622006037&newsLang=en
Wellington Zoo may get giant pandas
Wellington Zoo, which already has a small red species of panda, says it has been approached about whether it could also take endangered giant pandas.
Mayor Kerry Prendergast's office has confirmed that the possibility of bringing the pandas to the capital was discussed when Ms Prendergast met the Mayor of Beijing in China at the beginning of June.
The zoo's chief executive, Karen Fifield says major infrastructure changes would be needed if the giant pandas came. Part of the zoo would have to be redeveloped to house them, she says.
In Adelaide, the number of visitors to the city's zoo has gone up 70% since giant pandas
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2010/06/23/12480a80ddb8
Stolen tigers, camel found safe – and fed
There may be no honour among thieves, but they will feed animals.
A tiger and two camels from an Ontario zoo who were the subject of an intensive search and international headlines were apparently fed by the crooks who snatched them in their trailer.
Jonas, a hulking three-year-old tiger, and Shawn and Todd, a couple of graceful camels, looked fit when Quebec police acting on a tip from an alert passerby sped to their abandoned trailer on a country road.
Jonas peered curiously from his cage and one of the camels, wearing what looked like a lopsided grin, craned his neck outside the long silver trailer when it was opened by police.
“They were in great shape,” said Sgt. Ronald McInnis, a Quebec provincial police spokesman. “The veterinarian thinks that the people who stole the animals gave them something
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/826721--stolen-tiger-camels-back-at-home-zoo
Zoo taxidermy really gets under your skin
'WE clean these with Persil," Andrew Kitchener explains, running his hand over the skull of an Asian lion, perfectly intact and nestled carefully in a cardboard box.
Clearly labelled among the masses of skeletons piled high in the Granton collection centre of National Museums Scotland, the rest of the lion's bones sit close by. "We use the biological kind, though – we find it's the best to dissolve any meat and strip away grease."
Andrew, principal curator of vertebrates, is nothing but matter of fact about his work.
For him the arrival of giant creatures, usually from zoos – often lions and tigers – is a regular occurrence. It allows him to conduct intricate research aimed at enhancing our understanding of these awe-inspiring species.
Then the taxidermy team steps in – skinning, salting, pickling and tanning skins to preserve them for future research, while using them to create exhibits to fascinate and terrify generations of visitors.
"If we didn't do any of this, the animals would simply be incinerated," says Andrew. "Our main aim is to provide resources for research." Tonight he will spread the word about his work on "big cats" further, by appearing on Channel 4's Inside Nature's Giants.
Sprawled out at Andrew's feet, face first, is Max, a 15-year-old Asian lion who arrived from Dudley Zoo, in the Midlands, two years ago after dying of old age. He was delivered here as a corpse, before the gruesome task of investigating his insides, carefully
http://news.scotsman.com/features/Zoo-taxidermy-really-gets-under.6375723.jp
Comeback for Britain's rarest crow in Jersey
A breeding programme has begun at Jersey's zoo in order to re-introduce the Red-billed Chough to the island.
The bird, Britain's rarest crow, has been absent from Jersey for more than 100 years.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has a colony of the birds which it aims to reintroduce to the coastline.
Ahead of the bird's release, Durrell plans
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/10389051.stm
Matt Damon may buy "Zoo" with Cameron Crowe
Matt Damon is in early talks to team up with Cameron Crowe for "We Bought a Zoo," the true story of a man who used his life savings to buy a dilapidated zoo, replete with 200 exotic animals facing destruction, in the English countryside.
Film
Damon would play Benjamin Mee who, along with his children, balanced caring for his terminally ill wife, with dealing with escaped tigers, raising endangered animals, working with an eclectic skeleton crew and readying the zoo for a reopening.
The project is based on Mee's memoir of the same name.
"Zoo" would mark a departure for Damon, who tends to make more dramatic or action-oriented thrillers. He next stars in the supernatural thriller "The Adjustment Bureau."
"Zoo" with its blend of animals and heartstrings, may occupy similar
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65N07V20100624
Officials scramble to save endangered Javan rhinos
The discovery of three dead Javan rhinos has intensified efforts to save one of the world's most endangered mammals from extinction, with an electric fence being built Monday around a new sanctuary and breeding ground.
With only about 50 of the species left in the wild — all but a handful living in one national park in western Indonesia — conservationists are even talking about taking the rare step of relocating some of the 5-ton animals to spread out the population and give the Javan rhino a better chance to survive.
Drought and proximity to an active volcano in the densely forested Ujung Kulon park have raised fears that a natural disaster could destroy almost the entire population at once. In Vietnam, the only other place the rhinos can be found, there are just four.
"Essentially, the eggs are all in one basket," said Dr. Susie Ellis, the executive director of the U.S.-based International Rhino Foundation, which has warned that without drastic action, some rhinos could be extinct in the wild within the next decade.
"A second population really needs to be established."
The Javan rhino, once the most widespread of
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFvOyt8wx35PDg-DB_m2yYfKVWVwD9GFMHT82
Biney: The lost glory of a Lagos zoo
Biney Street Yaba, Lagos, is one of the streets that made Lagos to be popular in the early 70s and 80s.
But while the street still remains and has even undergone development, the popular Chief Biney Zoological Garden that made the street a centre of attraction had ceased to exist since 1986. Owned by a Lagos-based prominent Ghanaian businessman, identified simply as Chief Biney, the zoo was among the most visit centres by Lagosians during public holidays and on weekends.
PUNCH METRO gathered that visitors from other states also listed the zoo as part of their itinerary because this was at a time when the number of zoos in the country could be counted on the finger tips.
It was also learnt that schools made the zoo their priority for excursion. According to a source, who worked at the zoo in the 70s till it was closed down in 1986, it afforded the pupils and students a golden opportunity of seeing the lion, gorilla, tortoise and other animals they had either read about or seen on the television.
A visit to Biney last Saturday, however, revealed that part of the expanse land, which housed the zoo had been converted into two storey-building shopping malls, while the zoo‘s administrative block and the staff‘s quarters opposite it stand as the last remaining relic of what was once the pride of Lagos. The sign post, which welcomes visitor to the zoo with the inscription, Chief Biney Zoological Garden, Yaba, Lagos, also speaks volume of the fate of the zoo as some letters from the inscription are obviously missing. Although there were some cars parked within the administrative block, a security man at the gate declined comment and said, “Our MD (Managing Director) is not around.”
But the source said, ”The zoo was established in the 70s by a Ghanaian called Chief Biney. When he died, his son, Kweku Biney, a lawyer, took over the administration of the zoo. During this time, we were charging five kobo for children and 10kobo for adults. This place used to be jam-packed with spectators. Even on week days, people still come. Different schools brought their pupils from time to time.
“There were two lions, tortoises, crocodiles, different birds, horses and there was a gorilla called Janet. She provided a lot of entertainment for visitors and this attracted a lot of them to her cage. There were some other animals too. But we had no snake.
”In 1978, Kweku died but we were still running the zoo. But things started changing from the mid 80s because of the economic situation of the country. Along the line, some of the animals died and patronage reduced. You know I said there were two lions then and each of them was being fed with a live goat every other day. This was quite expensive.”
”People who knew the time we fed the lions also wanted to come around this time because it was always interesting to the see how the goats struggled with the lions when they were
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201006243161451
Niue looking to quarantine elephants for New Zealand zoo
Elephants from New Zealand’s Auckland Zoo could be quarantined in Niue later this year.
Agricultural authorities from Niue are in exploratory talks with the Zoo about establishing an offshore quarantine station on a one-acre block of land near the airport.
Niue’s Minister of Agriculture, Pokotoa Sipeli, says he’s due to meet Auckland Zoo officials for a second time about the possibility of quarantining three elephants.
The director of Niue’s Agriculture Department, Brendon Pasisi, says there was a programme with quarantining alpacas in the 1990s.
“With the requirements that they have with New Zealand biosecurity, there has to be a offshore quratantine station before they can be brought in, similar to the alpacas. Like for Australia they couldn’t bring alpacas directly from a single country direct to Australia, previously, so they had to have a secondary quarantine station offshore.”
Brendon Pasisi.
The Auckland Zoo says it is still working through its options about where elephants suitable for transfer to New Zealand may be available and what
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=54351
Zoo stays cool during extreme summer heat
The great heat and extreme temperatures that hit Kuwait last week forced the Kuwait Zoo to come up with a new method to keep the animals cool. For the first time, zoo officials used ice cubes to cool the water pools of bears and hippos. Fortunately, not many zoo animals perished under the heat wave. "We managed to deal with the hot temperatures and there were no deaths apart from a few new born baby deer." Farida Mulla Ahmad, Director of the Kuwait Zoo, told the Kuwait Times. "We appreciated the co
operation of the Ministry of Electricity and Water as they didn't include the Zoo in the programmed power cuts.
There were further actions taken by the zoo's administration to decrease the animals' suffering. "In summer we feed them more fruits instead of dry fodder. It contains more liquids and increases their immunity at the same time. We also apply electrolyte solution for animals to avoid dehydration," she added.
In addition, we installed water spraying systems to decrease the temperature. We were doing the spraying in the beginning manually for the birds and herbivores. This year, we also focused on increasing the number of trees so we planted more of them inside and outside the cages to decrease the temperature," Farida explained.
The zoo staff are working hard, especially in this hot condition. "One of the Arabic local dailies published an article about the Zoo recently that contained many mistakes," said Farida. "They mentioned that we are suffering from the actions taken by the Ministry of Electricity and that animals are perishing from the heat. This isn't correct.
Not many people are visiting the zoo these days. "The extreme hot weather and the students examinations decreased the number of visitors. Few visitors are coming in the afternoon time and the animals are mostly in their cages because they are staying in the air-conditioned houses," said Farida.
At the end of last March, the zoo exchanged some animals with North Korea. "We received Asiatic Black Bears and a Ring Tailed Lemur from North Korea in exchange of mouflons, ba
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MTI2NDE3NTQ1
New cubs at Hesperia Zoo
Two new furry residents have arrived at the Hesperia Zoo in the form of a pair of 8-week-old white tiger cubs.
The white tiger cubs — a male and female — are two of less than 10 of their kind in California, according to Stephanie Taunton with the zoo.
“White tigers are very rare,” Taunton said, adding that there aren’t very many in the entire United States. “They’re essentially Bengal tigers, but the white coat makes them very unique.”
The cubs are pure white with black stripes, though Taunton says they’re not considered albino with their blue eyes.
The tigers arrived Tuesday night after spending time at a facility in Texas. Taunton said while the Hesperia Zoo has plans to make the cubs available for viewing on a regular basis in a few months, for now
http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/hesperia-20057-cubs-new.html
Zoo elephants too old to be shifted
The two ageing female elephants of the Byculla zoo who were being considered to be shifted to the tiger reserves of Chhattisgarh have been rejected by the Chhattisgarh Principal Chief Conservator of Forest as they are too old to be transported.
The two elephants, Laxmi (53) and Anarkali (46) were inspected by forest officials from Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh following the directive by the Central Zoo Authority last year.
The authority had said that all elephants, numbering
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Zoo-elephants-too-old-to-be-shifted/Article1-560797.aspx
A New Home for Clouded Leopards
For clouded leopards, home is where the height is.
After more than 30 years of studying clouded leopards, Zoo scientists have solved many puzzles about this perplexing species, starting with the biggest: figuring out just what a clouded leopard wants out of its habitat.
It turns out that clouded leopards want a lot from their habitat; but the most important is height. Cats that live in tall enclosures are usually found at the very highest point they can reach.
The National Zoo has been involved with clouded leopard conservation since 1978, back when they were the most puzzling and frustrating cat in the Zoo. Zoos were having trouble pairing and breeding the animals successfully. Clouded leopards in captivity were shy, reluctant exhibit animals; males frequently killed or wounded their mates; and reproduction was the greatest challenge.
According to JoGayle Howard, scientist and head of the National Zoo’s clouded leopard conservation and research
http://nationalzoo.si.edu/SCBI/News/June2010/cloudedleopard.cfm
Indonesian man arrested for killing tiger in zoo
Indonesian police have arrested a man who allegedly poisoned and skinned a critically endangered Sumatran tiger in a state-owned zoo, an official said Monday.
Akmamul Mukminin, 24, was detained last week and could face up to five years in jail and a fine of 100 million rupiah (11,000 dollars) for killing a protected animal, conservation official Didi Wuryanto said.
The suspect allegedly killed the tiger, named Shella, in August in Taman Rimbo zoo, Jambi province, by placing poisoned bait in its enclosure after closing hours.
He then allegedly skinned it on the zoo grounds, aided by two accomplices.
Wuryanto said the arrest sent a message to poachers that Indonesia was serious about protecting its tiger population.
Conservationists estimate there are fewer than 400 Sumatran tigers left in the wild, due to habitat loss and poaching.
"Legal action like this is very important to give a deterrent
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5ir5LM9MG_6kGOTYABsO1t5eNO2mg
Living Art Saint Louis Zoo
Woburn Safari Park criticised over 'crowded' lion pen
A safari park has been criticised by government vets for keeping lions in a "very crowded" overnight pen for 18 hours a day over the winter.
Woburn Safari Park, which is building a new lion house due to open this summer, was inspected by officials from Defra in January following complaints.
A report says the "inadequate" building was "structurally unsound" but praises the Bedfordshire park for other pens.
Woburn Safari Park said lions were free to move within 10 linked pens.
The inspection was carried out by Defra and officers from Central Bedfordshire Council, the zoo's licensing authority, following concerns from a former worker.
It was followed up by a second visit in February and a further inspection earlier this month.
Reports on the latest findings, on 10
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds_bucks_and_herts/10360327.stm
Sea lions 'at risk of going blind at zoo'
Animals at one of Britain's biggest drive-through zoos are kept in over-crowded and unsafe enclosures that leave some half-blind, a Government report reveals.
Woburn Safari Park - owned by the Duke of Bedford - says its wildlife enjoy living in a "natural environment".
But Defra inspectors found lions and tigers caged for hours in "unsafe" pens, turtles left for months in temporary tanks and sea lions kept in chlorinated water that caused eye ulcers and blindness.
Deputy sea lion team leader Katie Rice emailed bosses in April 2009 to say she was "ashamed". She added: "Today our sea lion Spratt is bumping into the sides of the pool as her eyes are so tightly shut. She's been biting on the wood sides in pain after ulcers."
Central Bedfordshire council got a tip
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2010/06/21/sea-lions-at-risk-of-going-blind-at-zoo-115875-22348001/
Safari park roar of disapproval
Park is now seeking legal advice
Woburn Safari Park yesterday insisted it does not accept the cruelty allegations made in a national Sunday newspaper about the way its animals are treated and kept.
In a statement it said that it considers the information to have been unfairly selective, thus exaggerating the problems described, and providing an unfair and inaccurate impression of conditions at the park.
The report, in the Sunday Times, described how government inspectors claimed that when the public is not looking the animals are locked into cramp cages for up to 18 hours a day.
It also said that an investigation also discovered that exotic large turtles were being housed in inadequate "temporary" tanks for months. According to The Sunday Times one zoo keeper allegedly told bosses that he was "ashamed" to work there.
However, a spokesman for Woburn Safari Park said: "Woburn Safari Park is, and has always been, committed to animal welfare and best practice.
"The park has been operational for 40 years and for the last ten years we have implemented a detailed development program with the specific remit of providing Woburn's animals with the highest attainable standards.
"The park receives regular inspections from Central Bedfordshire Council, and has also been inspected by BIAZA (British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums) and EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquariums) representatives to substantiate the fact that high standards of animal welfare are maintained.
"As soon as Woburn became aware of the Sunday Times' interest in the Park we immediately invited the journalist to meet with us so that we could discuss any matters and avoid any misunderstandings in the report.
"For some reason he refused that invitation and the result is an article which does not accurately characterise the level of care provided to the animals.
"Woburn attempted to respond to the allegations on only a few hours' notice, providing The Sunday Times with detailed information and independent documents, along with a statement from one of the people quoted in the article which contradicted the conclusions drawn in the article.
"We consider it to be a serious matter that this material has been omitted, with the result that the level of care provided by extremely dedicated and skilled staff at Woburn Safari Park, and the high opinion of that care expressed by leading animal experts, have been completely ignored in the article.
"Woburn Safari Park is now seeking legal advice."
The inspection the national newspaper was referring to was carried out at the instigation of Central Bedfordshire Council who had received complaints from an ex-employee that the management and overnight housing of the lions was not of a standard to be expected of a licensed zoo.
Here is Central Bedfordshire's full findings:
Two Secretary of State's List 1 zoo inspectors, P. S. Aylmer & A.G. Greenwood, carried out the inspection on January 27, 2010 accompanied by an officer from Central Bedfordshire Council.
The report from Central Beds said: "At the time of the inspection the lions were all housed, which allowed a thorough inspection of the accommodation, the condition of the animals and the system of management. The location of the lion house inside the enclosure, with no direct access from outside the fence, had meant that proper examination had been difficult at previous zoo inspections when the lions were already outside.
"The inspectors were told that the usual practice was for the 16 lions to be outside in their drive-through enclosure during daylight hours and to be housed at night for security reasons, which meant that in the winter months the lions were kept inside for approximately 18 hours a day, being outside from 10am to 4pm.
"The present house consists of a row of about six breeze block pens, which could be connected by sliding doors between each pen. The concrete blocks of the building are cracked in places and it appears to be structurally unsound. Access is only available through sliding doors at the front of each pen, which are individually padlocked when the animals are inside. The locking system means that the padlocks effectively hold the doors closed, with no other security. To open the doors safely, wardens have to drive tight up to the doors with a vehicle, open the window and lean out to unlock the doors. They then reverse the vehicle while holding onto the slide to open the door, while another warden is protecting them with a shotgun. There was a warden standing with a shotgun when the inspectors got out to inspect the house, even though the doors were locked, in case any deterioration of the building allow an escape. This is apparently the case when any staff are working in the area.
"Each pen has to contain on average 2 to 3 lions. It was not possible to take detailed measurements but the animals were very crowded and there was no provision for individual feeding or sleeping areas. There was no visible environmental enrichment. Some of the lions exhibited skin wounds and multiple scars of various age, some fresh, some healed.
"As part of the extensive redevelopment of the animal buildings in the park, at the time of the inspection construction had just begun on a new lion house with an outside run, which was expected to be completed in approximately 3 months. During the initial phase (until the fence for the outside run is complete) it will not be possible to let the lions out except for short periods and, although this is obviously not ideal, the inspectors accept that this will be necessary for a short time.
"The new building, which is to a modern design, will have eight pens which can be opened up so as to provide fewer, larger pens if required, and one outside enclosure within the main enclosure, and will be accessible to staff via a service corridor from the outside. It proved difficult to obtain exact dimensions for these but we estimate that there will be 8 pens each of 3.5m by 3.5m (10sqm).with the outside area being approx 1800m2. The lions will have access to the run at all times when confined to the house.
"The complaints made to the Local Authority appeared to the inspectors to be justified, in that there were clear signs of substantial fighting between the animals; the overnight house was inadequate in space provision and facilities for the animals, structurally unsound and unsafe to operate; and the lions were confined in the winter season for unreasonable lengths of time. However, it was clear that the Woburn management were acting to improve the situation and this appeared to be as part of an ongoing programme rather than as an immediate reaction to a complaint.
"The ideal situation (which the Woburn management recognise) is to have a stable pride resembling as far as possible the structure in the wild.
"This is typically around 13 lions comprising 2 adult males, 4 adult females, 4 sub-adults and 3 cubs, although there may be sub-groups within this. Depending on the size of the territory, there appears to be a limit on the number of adult females (usually related), so that excess sub-adults may have to leave. If numbers subsequently fall then females from outside may join. It is accepted that this arrangement is not always possible in captivity but having a stable pride is an important aim so the whole group can be outside and on display together with little or no serious aggression.
"Unfortunately that appears not to be the situation at Woburn at present. We have found it difficult to ascertain the number of incompatible sub-groups in this population but there appear to be at least two, and there seems to be a need to keep some animals apart from others. If this persists in the new house, then animals' access to the outdoor pen will have to be rotated and this may make allocation of indoor and outdoor space difficult. A quick review of three other UK safari parks informed us that one operates in the same way as Woburn does currently, another has a system similar to that being built at Woburn with limited outdoor access at night, and a third keeps the lions with access to their main enclosure all the time.
"The World Association of Zoos & Aquariums (WAZA) have guidelines on their website for housing of lions which suggest that "in cold & temperate climatic zones, an indoor enclosure of at least 15m2 per adult is necessary" & that there should be one more den than the number of animals. The new house does not appear to come close to meeting these standards in terms of den space, although if the outside run is included and there is genuine constant access then the new set-up appears spatially adequate assuming environmental enrichment is provided.
"SUMMARY"
"1.The Secretary of State's Standards of Modern Zoo Practice state that each animal must be provided with an environment well adapted to meet the physical, psychological and social needs of the species to which it belongs. In our view it is clear that certain aspects of the lion management and housing at Woburn have not been up to the required standard.
"2.We accept that the ideal pride structure is not always present but we are concerned that management should acknowledge the problems within the pride and discuss with staff the possible alternatives
http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/Safari-park-roar-of-disapproval.6376148.jp
Not yet released. Pre-order and save money
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Today is the 10-year anniversary of the Treasure oil spill in South Africa. After 556,000 grueling hours of labor by 12,500 volunteers, 95% of the 38,000 affected penguins were returned to the wild. I was a Penguin Aquarist at the time, and worked as a rehabilitation manager during this historic event.
Group Calls on USDA to Punish Zoo
An animal welfare advocacy group is demanding the Topeka Zoo be held responsible for recent animal deaths and that means the zoo will be inspected again.
Stop Animal Exploitation Now sent a letter to the USDA Monday asking for the Topeka Zoo's license to be suspended due to deaths of animals the last four years.
The most recent, the death of a chevrotain two
http://www.ksnt.com/news/local/story/Group-Calls-on-USDA-to-Punish-Zoo/oU1qXcBlpECP4Jn7byQKPw.cspx
Czech zoo among few in world to breed secretary bird
The Dvur Kralove zoo is the only one in the Czech Republic and one of a few in the world to breed secretary bird, an African bird of prey, Erich Kocner, from the zoo, told CTK Monday, adding that two secretary bird offspring have hatched these days.
The breeding of the species ranks among the Dvur Kralove zoo's biggest successes in the past years, Kocner said.
The zoo acquired a pair of secretary birds in late 2002. Their first offspring was born handicapped in 2008 and died.
Nevertheless, last year the couple successfully raised
http://www.praguemonitor.com/2010/06/22/czech-zoo-among-few-world-breed-secretary-bird
Construction starts on $20M addition at Minnesota Zoo
Construction is underway at the Minnesota Zoo on a $20 million addition that includes a new main entrance, educational facilities and a penguin exhibit.
Gov. Tim Pawlenty joined zoo officials and corporate sponsors Monday for a groundbreaking ceremony. State lawmakers provided $15 million for the "Heart of the Zoo" project in this year's bonding bill.
Zoo Director Lee Ehmke said the expansion will strengthen the zoo's commitment to environmental education, set the tone for zoo visits and boost the area's economy.
"It means good things for the state of Minnesota," he said. "The zoo, this last year, had an economic impact of $114 million. With the completion
http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/06/21/zoo-construction/
Knut the polar bear's family facing wipeout from mystery virus which causes fits
A mystery virus has already killed one and is likely to claim another member of the family of the world's most famous polar bear, Knut.
Vets at Wuppertal Zoo, Germany are at a loss to explain the bug which has infected the enclosure.
Knut, who hit the headlines as an abandoned cub three years ago, has already lost a cousin to the outbreak and his father Lars is expected to follow.
Zoo vet Dr Arne Lawrenz explained: 'Around two weeks ago two bears began having sudden fits. Last week a female called Jerka died. Lars is stills seriously ill.'
Famous Knut is himself based at Berlin Zoo, where he became a worldwide star after being hand-reared by humans. The cub
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1288654/Knut-polar-bears-family-facing-wipeout-mystery-virus-causes-fits.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Life can cruel in those challenging senior moments
GROWING old can be a frustrating and undignified journey. And it isn't only humans who have to endure the indignity of old age. Bessie, a 60-year-old chimpanzee at Taronga Zoo, is showing signs of dementia.
Her walk is slowing down and so is her mind. She often forgets to go inside her enclosure at night, and can lose her bearings during the day.
The zoo's primate manager, Louise Grossfeldt, said Bessie's condition had not happened overnight. It had been a slow deterioration over 18 years.
She is one of three elderly female chimpanzees at the zoo; all have far surpassed the 40 to 45 years that chimps normally reach. The trio are among the world's oldest living chimps.
The animals' longevity was the result
http://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/life-can-cruel-in-those-challenging-senior-moments-20100621-ysdg.html
New Honeybee Colony at the National Zoo Creates a Buzz
The Smithsonain's National Zoo is calling all cooks and poets to submit to two categories: favorite honey recipes and original honeybee poems in honor of a new honeybee colony.
Not only will the submissions be displayed on the Zoo’s website, but one participant will be randomly selected and receive a private tour with their families of the Pollinarium and Invertebrate Exhibit .
Every year the Zoo starts a new honeybee colony, but previous colonies have perished due to mites or the introduction of pesticides in the hive by worker bees; one year, keepers watched as a larger, different species of bee stole the colony’s honey and wax.
“Sometimes it’s a challenge to start and keep a colony, but no matter what happens, we learn something new about these important insects and are grateful to share the experience with our visitors,” Stockton said.
The new bees are given access to the outdoors and inhabit a hive made of glass in the Zoo’s
http://www.myfoxdc.com/dpp/entertainment/new-honeybee-colony-at-the-national-zoo-creates-a-buzz-062210
Europe’s Largest Leopard Facility Opens in Orsa Bear Park
Last year we opened the doors to the world’s largest polar bear facility in Orsa Grönklitt in Dalarna. Today is the grand opening of Europe’s largest leopard park as a part of a conservation project that supports the leopard, which is a highly endangered animal. The first residents of the Leopard Center are two Persian leopard pairs; Soroya and Barack together with Hanna and Jihlek.
– They are two beautiful couples that are moving in. It feels fantastic to be a part of a very important conservation project that supports this highly endangered species, says Torbjörn Wallin, Managing Director of Orsa Grönklitt AB, which holds the Leopard Center.
Today, June 22, 2010 is the grand opening of the Leopard Center, Europe’s largest leopard facility. The Leopard Center is a part of Orsa Bear Park’s ongoing development into an educational center for predators, as well as ongoing participation in conservation programs for endangered species.
The first residents of the Leopard Center are two Persian leopard pairs; Soroya and Barack together with Hanna and Jihlek but Orsa Grönklitt is also on a waiting list to receive snow leopards in their facility. The Persian leopard is a
http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/home/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100622006037&newsLang=en
"Metamorphoses of the Zoo marshals a unique compendium of critical interventions that envision novel modes of authentic encounter that cultivate humanity's biophilic tendencies without abusing or degrading other animals. These take the form of radical restructurings of what were formerly zoos or map out entirely new, post-zoo sites or experiences. The result is a volume that contributes to moral progress on the inter-species front and eco-psychological health for a humankind whose habitats are now mostly citified or urbanizing."
This book is not available till September but it can be pre-ordered by clicking
Wellington Zoo may get giant pandas
Wellington Zoo, which already has a small red species of panda, says it has been approached about whether it could also take endangered giant pandas.
Mayor Kerry Prendergast's office has confirmed that the possibility of bringing the pandas to the capital was discussed when Ms Prendergast met the Mayor of Beijing in China at the beginning of June.
The zoo's chief executive, Karen Fifield says major infrastructure changes would be needed if the giant pandas came. Part of the zoo would have to be redeveloped to house them, she says.
In Adelaide, the number of visitors to the city's zoo has gone up 70% since giant pandas
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2010/06/23/12480a80ddb8
Stolen tigers, camel found safe – and fed
There may be no honour among thieves, but they will feed animals.
A tiger and two camels from an Ontario zoo who were the subject of an intensive search and international headlines were apparently fed by the crooks who snatched them in their trailer.
Jonas, a hulking three-year-old tiger, and Shawn and Todd, a couple of graceful camels, looked fit when Quebec police acting on a tip from an alert passerby sped to their abandoned trailer on a country road.
Jonas peered curiously from his cage and one of the camels, wearing what looked like a lopsided grin, craned his neck outside the long silver trailer when it was opened by police.
“They were in great shape,” said Sgt. Ronald McInnis, a Quebec provincial police spokesman. “The veterinarian thinks that the people who stole the animals gave them something
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/article/826721--stolen-tiger-camels-back-at-home-zoo
Zoo taxidermy really gets under your skin
'WE clean these with Persil," Andrew Kitchener explains, running his hand over the skull of an Asian lion, perfectly intact and nestled carefully in a cardboard box.
Clearly labelled among the masses of skeletons piled high in the Granton collection centre of National Museums Scotland, the rest of the lion's bones sit close by. "We use the biological kind, though – we find it's the best to dissolve any meat and strip away grease."
Andrew, principal curator of vertebrates, is nothing but matter of fact about his work.
For him the arrival of giant creatures, usually from zoos – often lions and tigers – is a regular occurrence. It allows him to conduct intricate research aimed at enhancing our understanding of these awe-inspiring species.
Then the taxidermy team steps in – skinning, salting, pickling and tanning skins to preserve them for future research, while using them to create exhibits to fascinate and terrify generations of visitors.
"If we didn't do any of this, the animals would simply be incinerated," says Andrew. "Our main aim is to provide resources for research." Tonight he will spread the word about his work on "big cats" further, by appearing on Channel 4's Inside Nature's Giants.
Sprawled out at Andrew's feet, face first, is Max, a 15-year-old Asian lion who arrived from Dudley Zoo, in the Midlands, two years ago after dying of old age. He was delivered here as a corpse, before the gruesome task of investigating his insides, carefully
http://news.scotsman.com/features/Zoo-taxidermy-really-gets-under.6375723.jp
Comeback for Britain's rarest crow in Jersey
A breeding programme has begun at Jersey's zoo in order to re-introduce the Red-billed Chough to the island.
The bird, Britain's rarest crow, has been absent from Jersey for more than 100 years.
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust has a colony of the birds which it aims to reintroduce to the coastline.
Ahead of the bird's release, Durrell plans
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/jersey/10389051.stm
Matt Damon may buy "Zoo" with Cameron Crowe
Matt Damon is in early talks to team up with Cameron Crowe for "We Bought a Zoo," the true story of a man who used his life savings to buy a dilapidated zoo, replete with 200 exotic animals facing destruction, in the English countryside.
Film
Damon would play Benjamin Mee who, along with his children, balanced caring for his terminally ill wife, with dealing with escaped tigers, raising endangered animals, working with an eclectic skeleton crew and readying the zoo for a reopening.
The project is based on Mee's memoir of the same name.
"Zoo" would mark a departure for Damon, who tends to make more dramatic or action-oriented thrillers. He next stars in the supernatural thriller "The Adjustment Bureau."
"Zoo" with its blend of animals and heartstrings, may occupy similar
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE65N07V20100624
Officials scramble to save endangered Javan rhinos
The discovery of three dead Javan rhinos has intensified efforts to save one of the world's most endangered mammals from extinction, with an electric fence being built Monday around a new sanctuary and breeding ground.
With only about 50 of the species left in the wild — all but a handful living in one national park in western Indonesia — conservationists are even talking about taking the rare step of relocating some of the 5-ton animals to spread out the population and give the Javan rhino a better chance to survive.
Drought and proximity to an active volcano in the densely forested Ujung Kulon park have raised fears that a natural disaster could destroy almost the entire population at once. In Vietnam, the only other place the rhinos can be found, there are just four.
"Essentially, the eggs are all in one basket," said Dr. Susie Ellis, the executive director of the U.S.-based International Rhino Foundation, which has warned that without drastic action, some rhinos could be extinct in the wild within the next decade.
"A second population really needs to be established."
The Javan rhino, once the most widespread of
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hFvOyt8wx35PDg-DB_m2yYfKVWVwD9GFMHT82
Biney: The lost glory of a Lagos zoo
Biney Street Yaba, Lagos, is one of the streets that made Lagos to be popular in the early 70s and 80s.
But while the street still remains and has even undergone development, the popular Chief Biney Zoological Garden that made the street a centre of attraction had ceased to exist since 1986. Owned by a Lagos-based prominent Ghanaian businessman, identified simply as Chief Biney, the zoo was among the most visit centres by Lagosians during public holidays and on weekends.
PUNCH METRO gathered that visitors from other states also listed the zoo as part of their itinerary because this was at a time when the number of zoos in the country could be counted on the finger tips.
It was also learnt that schools made the zoo their priority for excursion. According to a source, who worked at the zoo in the 70s till it was closed down in 1986, it afforded the pupils and students a golden opportunity of seeing the lion, gorilla, tortoise and other animals they had either read about or seen on the television.
A visit to Biney last Saturday, however, revealed that part of the expanse land, which housed the zoo had been converted into two storey-building shopping malls, while the zoo‘s administrative block and the staff‘s quarters opposite it stand as the last remaining relic of what was once the pride of Lagos. The sign post, which welcomes visitor to the zoo with the inscription, Chief Biney Zoological Garden, Yaba, Lagos, also speaks volume of the fate of the zoo as some letters from the inscription are obviously missing. Although there were some cars parked within the administrative block, a security man at the gate declined comment and said, “Our MD (Managing Director) is not around.”
But the source said, ”The zoo was established in the 70s by a Ghanaian called Chief Biney. When he died, his son, Kweku Biney, a lawyer, took over the administration of the zoo. During this time, we were charging five kobo for children and 10kobo for adults. This place used to be jam-packed with spectators. Even on week days, people still come. Different schools brought their pupils from time to time.
“There were two lions, tortoises, crocodiles, different birds, horses and there was a gorilla called Janet. She provided a lot of entertainment for visitors and this attracted a lot of them to her cage. There were some other animals too. But we had no snake.
”In 1978, Kweku died but we were still running the zoo. But things started changing from the mid 80s because of the economic situation of the country. Along the line, some of the animals died and patronage reduced. You know I said there were two lions then and each of them was being fed with a live goat every other day. This was quite expensive.”
”People who knew the time we fed the lions also wanted to come around this time because it was always interesting to the see how the goats struggled with the lions when they were
http://www.punchng.com/Articl.aspx?theartic=Art201006243161451
Niue looking to quarantine elephants for New Zealand zoo
Elephants from New Zealand’s Auckland Zoo could be quarantined in Niue later this year.
Agricultural authorities from Niue are in exploratory talks with the Zoo about establishing an offshore quarantine station on a one-acre block of land near the airport.
Niue’s Minister of Agriculture, Pokotoa Sipeli, says he’s due to meet Auckland Zoo officials for a second time about the possibility of quarantining three elephants.
The director of Niue’s Agriculture Department, Brendon Pasisi, says there was a programme with quarantining alpacas in the 1990s.
“With the requirements that they have with New Zealand biosecurity, there has to be a offshore quratantine station before they can be brought in, similar to the alpacas. Like for Australia they couldn’t bring alpacas directly from a single country direct to Australia, previously, so they had to have a secondary quarantine station offshore.”
Brendon Pasisi.
The Auckland Zoo says it is still working through its options about where elephants suitable for transfer to New Zealand may be available and what
http://www.rnzi.com/pages/news.php?op=read&id=54351
Zoo stays cool during extreme summer heat
The great heat and extreme temperatures that hit Kuwait last week forced the Kuwait Zoo to come up with a new method to keep the animals cool. For the first time, zoo officials used ice cubes to cool the water pools of bears and hippos. Fortunately, not many zoo animals perished under the heat wave. "We managed to deal with the hot temperatures and there were no deaths apart from a few new born baby deer." Farida Mulla Ahmad, Director of the Kuwait Zoo, told the Kuwait Times. "We appreciated the co
operation of the Ministry of Electricity and Water as they didn't include the Zoo in the programmed power cuts.
There were further actions taken by the zoo's administration to decrease the animals' suffering. "In summer we feed them more fruits instead of dry fodder. It contains more liquids and increases their immunity at the same time. We also apply electrolyte solution for animals to avoid dehydration," she added.
In addition, we installed water spraying systems to decrease the temperature. We were doing the spraying in the beginning manually for the birds and herbivores. This year, we also focused on increasing the number of trees so we planted more of them inside and outside the cages to decrease the temperature," Farida explained.
The zoo staff are working hard, especially in this hot condition. "One of the Arabic local dailies published an article about the Zoo recently that contained many mistakes," said Farida. "They mentioned that we are suffering from the actions taken by the Ministry of Electricity and that animals are perishing from the heat. This isn't correct.
Not many people are visiting the zoo these days. "The extreme hot weather and the students examinations decreased the number of visitors. Few visitors are coming in the afternoon time and the animals are mostly in their cages because they are staying in the air-conditioned houses," said Farida.
At the end of last March, the zoo exchanged some animals with North Korea. "We received Asiatic Black Bears and a Ring Tailed Lemur from North Korea in exchange of mouflons, ba
http://www.kuwaittimes.net/read_news.php?newsid=MTI2NDE3NTQ1
New cubs at Hesperia Zoo
Two new furry residents have arrived at the Hesperia Zoo in the form of a pair of 8-week-old white tiger cubs.
The white tiger cubs — a male and female — are two of less than 10 of their kind in California, according to Stephanie Taunton with the zoo.
“White tigers are very rare,” Taunton said, adding that there aren’t very many in the entire United States. “They’re essentially Bengal tigers, but the white coat makes them very unique.”
The cubs are pure white with black stripes, though Taunton says they’re not considered albino with their blue eyes.
The tigers arrived Tuesday night after spending time at a facility in Texas. Taunton said while the Hesperia Zoo has plans to make the cubs available for viewing on a regular basis in a few months, for now
http://www.vvdailypress.com/news/hesperia-20057-cubs-new.html
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CDHB Operating Table Used To Neuter Lions
A male Lion cub will get 'the snip' tomorrow morning at Orana Wildlife Park. Last week the Park's two other male cubs were vasectomised. The one year old cats, each weighing 65kg, are being neutered to prevent future inbreeding and to create a more harmonious pride as the Lions age. The procedure tomorrow will take place on an operating table donated by the Canterbury District Health Board.
Animal Collection Manager, Ian Adams, says it is important to neuter the cubs before they get too much bigger: "Lions can be extremely aggressive animals and fight for dominance of their pride and over females. Past experience has shown us that neutering male Lion cubs significantly reduces infighting and aggression amongst the cats when they mature. It is therefore
North Korea zoo animals to be released after outcry
Conservationists in Zimbabwe said on Thursday that authorities had cancelled the controversial sale of zoo animals to North Korea.
The animals – which included two young elephants – would instead be released back into the wild after being rehabilitated by a local safari operation.
The move was considered a victory for local and foreign conservationists opposed to the shipment of the animals.
North Korea was going to pay US$ 23,000 for the animals which had been captured in Hwange National Park.
Johnny Rodrigues of the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force said he wanted assurances from the government that such shipments would
Highlights of independent zoo review
Some highlights from the Calgary Zoo review conducted by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. The dean of veterinary medicine at the University of Calgary was also on the review team.
The Calgary Zoo has put together a 36-point plan to address the findings.
Animal Handling Protocols, Husbandry Protocols, Program Animal Policy
-¦ The review found examples of keepers not knowing specified procedures dealing with such things as the tiger holding and bear enclosures.
-¦ The only training for keepers of the cow nose rays was self-taught. The review found this lack of expertise to have "been a major contributing factor to the problems with the ray exhibit where the zoo was reliant on external expertise which appears to have been inadequate."
Animal Welfare Process
-¦ Most workers didn't know they could submit a written concern about animal welfare and those who did were not used to it. "Many staff expressed a general view that it was difficult to get animal welfare concerns addressed," the review found.
Animal Mortality -- Natural Death vs. Human Error
-¦ The review team
believes there is a "significantly greater" number of deaths due to human error than at other similar institutions (this is disputed by the Calgary Zoo)
"Overall, these data demonstrate an increasing mortality at the zoo over the last few years and a clear increase in deaths that are human-related and in many cases could have been avoided by prompt and more aggressive response to identified problems," the review found.
-¦ The review dealt with traumas related to the capture and restraint of mule deer. The deaths are related to poor handling facilities, but the problem was not resolved over the years. The veterinary staff refused to provide some "routine health care" due to handling concerns.
-¦ "There are some indications that attempts to provide enhanced visitor experiences at the cost of careful exhibit planning within the Zoo's expertise may have contributed to some of the deaths observed.
Animal Care Staffing Levels, Training and Experience
-¦ The review team found staff were proud of the zoo and their role at the facility. They are "dedicated to the profession of saving wild animals through inspiring and educating their guests.
"The complement of full time keeper staffing appears to be thin, and/or, inefficiently utilized. There is a complex system of levels of keepers, a complex and rigid apprentice keeper program, and a union-negotiated, complicated scheduling system."
"Several junior keepers expressed concern that they did not have confidence to work some of the areas because of limited training or lengthy periods of time between assignments in these areas.
All Animal Facilities, Exhibits and Holding Areas
-¦ "There is a general impression of deferred maintenance. Examples include rotting wood, older facilities and equipment, rust, peeling and worn painted surfaces, etc. Operational funding for maintenance does not appear to be meeting
Death Threats For Lion Burger Restaurant
A restaurant in the US has received death threats after it put lion meat on its menu in honour of the World Cup in South Africa.
Il Vinaio restaurant in Phoenix, Arizona, has received one bomb threat and around 250 emails from animal rights activists after announcing its new dish.
"We have access to some really exotic meats that are USDA-approved," owner Cameron Selogie said.
"One of the ones that raised eyebrows was the lion," he added.
The big cat is not illegal to eat in the US and Mr Selogie insists the lions used to make the burgers were raised on a free-range farm.
"We've had quite a few customers asking us off the cuff when are we going to serve some lion," the restaurateur went on.
"In Africa they do eat lions.
"So I assume if it's OK for Africans to eat lions then it should be OK for us."
But Dr Grey Stafford from the World Wildlife Zoo said serving up a threatened species is sending the wrong message.
"Of all the plentiful things to eat in this country, for someone to request that or to offer
Local Jury Rules In Favor Of Wildlife Park Camel
A Coryell County jury Wednesday afternoon returned a verdict for the defense in a lawsuit charging personal injury filed by a one-time guest of the Topsey Exotic Ranch and Drive Thru Safari.
Robert McCarty and his attorney alleged McCarty injured his shoulder in 2004 when he tried to push a camel’s head out of his car.
The alleged incident happened July 22, 2004 as McCarty drove through the ranch in the Topsey Community near Copperas Cove.
The nine-man, three-woman jury voted 11 to 1 to hold defendant Gary Friedel harmless and find the wildlife ranch without liability for McCarty’s injuries.
Friedel told News 10 McCarty originally said he was seeking $1.9 million in the suit.
Friedel has owned and operated Topsey Exotic Ranch and Drive Thru Safari, near Copperas Cove, since 1984.
The ranch is home to several dozen wild animals and guests may
Ark's elephant enclosure will be size of 11 football fields
PLANS to create the UK's biggest elephant enclosure at a zoo farm in North Somerset have taken a step forward.
Staff at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall have been visiting zoos across the country as part of their plans to build a new 12-acre elephant enclosure and house.
Bosses at the zoo farm have been working with experts at Dublin Zoo to get advice and design tips for the new elephant territory.
In the last three years, Noah's Ark staff have visited all UK zoos with elephants, concluding with a trip to Ireland earlier this month. The new elephant enclosure will be the same size as 11 football pitches and will include a purpose-built, state-of- the-art elephant house, sand pits and water pools.
The elephant house, which will be 24 metres wide and 8.9 metres high, will be partially sunk into the ground.
The building would be made out of steel and concrete and the upper walls and the roof of the house finished in green sheeting to blend in with the countryside.
The northern boundary of the 14.9 hectare zoo site will extend to provide a new enclosure, surrounded by a four-metre high electric fence, for the elephants to exercise.
It is not known yet when work on the elephant house and enclosure will start, although it is hoped it will be open to the public within two years.
The new enclosure will be home to four female elephants, all of which will be rescue animals. Head keeper Chris Wilkinson says "During a busy week we were hosted by the impressive Dublin Zoo to look at the design of elephant enclosures, the types of enrichment used to stimulate the animals, and to get some advice on the day-to-day management of these specialised land mammals.
"This visit was very useful and staff at Dublin Zoo gave us important advice, which we can now use in our plans for elephants at Noah's Ark."
Elephants can live up to 60 years old and eat a vegetarian diet
Officials scramble to save endangered Javan rhinos
The discovery of three dead Javan rhinos has intensified efforts to save one of the world's most endangered mammals from extinction, with an electric fence being built Monday around a new sanctuary and breeding ground.
With only about 50 of the species left in the wild — all but a handful living in one national park in western Indonesia — conservationists are even talking about taking the rare step of relocating some of the 5-ton animals to spread out the population and give the Javan rhino a better chance to survive.
Drought and proximity to an active volcano in the densely forested Ujung Kulon park have raised fears that a natural disaster could destroy almost the entire population at once. In Vietnam, the only other place the rhinos can be found, there are just four.
"Essentially, the eggs are all in one basket," said Dr. Susie Ellis, the executive director of the U.S.-based International Rhino Foundation, which has warned that without drastic action, some rhinos could be extinct in the wild within the next decade.
"A second population really needs to be
Turning up heat on shark's fin soup
Eating shark's fin has become a political issue that is getting bigger in Hong Kong.
An environmental group wrote to 56 government departments and public bodies, asking about the situation regarding their consumption of shark's fin, and whether the departments have internal guidelines on this matter.
Having shark's fin on the menu of a banquet is obviously politically incorrect.
So sooner or later, the government will have to strike shark's fin from the menu when entertaining guests, to avoid pressure from green groups.
Among the public organizations surveyed, only the Hong Kong Observatory issued an internal memo - in February 2008 - prohibiting shark's fin at any official banquet.
The Independent Commission Against Corruption, meanwhile, said its practice is not to serve shark's fin or any other endangered species when entertaining guests, or at internal events.
Government departments have always been the pioneer of new practices.
Past examples include proper setting of air- conditioning thermostats, and the five-day workweek. If the green groups are successful in getting the government to ban shark's fin from banquet tables, it will set an example for the rest of the community, and serve to keep the issue alive.
In Hong Kong, shark's fin is not just a food matter, but one that has economic implications. A senior trade official once
Video: Pallas kittens arrived at Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Smarden
There are four new additions at the Wildlife Heritage Foundation in Smarden in the form of Pallas kittens.
The small wild cat, about the size of a domestic cat, comes from Central Asia but as new manager at the animal foundation Brian Badger warns, they’re nothing like a family pet.
The 47-year-old said: “These would have your eyes out literally if you were to open their cage.
"We never handle them other than for medical reasons and we let their mum do all the work, after all, she’s better at it than we are.”
Mr Badger has recently taken over as general manager, moving from Paradise Wildlife Park in Hertfordshire where he was head keeper.
The father-of-one continued: “Just over three weeks ago our female gave birth to four kittens.
"They’re growing nicely and all four have survived, which is quite unusual.”
The centre is not open to the
Zoo gets grant to help dolphins in oil spill
A team of Brookfield Zoo’s leading conservation scientists is studying the effect the Gulf oil spill will have on Florida dolphins, thanks to a grant from the Morris Animal Foundation.
Actress Betty White gave the foundation an undisclosed sum of money, and a nearly $55,000 grant went to the zoo.
The society received the grant from the Morris Animal Foundation’s Betty White Wildlife Rapid Response Fund. The grant provided the opportunity for Dr. Randall Wells, a senior conservation scientist, and his team to work on a health assessment of the 150 dolphins in Sarasota Bay to serve as a benchmark for when oil reaches the region.
“The grant has allowed us to respond to an urgent situation with the oil spill in the Gulf,” Wells said. “There is a strong need to obtain baseline information before the oil comes on shore.”
Wells and his team have been studying dolphin populations in Sarasota Bay for 40 years. Due to the grant, they were able to submit a project proposal and receive grant funding in two weeks, something Wells said he has never done in his four decades of dolphin research.
“We are conducting photographic identification surveys, identifying the dolphins by the nicks and notches on their fins on their backs,” Wells said. “It will helps
Special Report - The Siberia of the Administration: Zoológico de Villa Dolores Villa Dolores Zoo
(Translated by Google)
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&layout=1&eotf=1&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lademocracia.info%2FN71%2FIE_informe71.html&sl=es&tl=en
To order or learn more please click
Jeremy and Amy: The Extraordinary Story of One Man and His Orang-utan
Product Description
Scarred by his traumatic childhood, Jeremy Keeling found solace working with exotic animals. Now, in his enchanting and touching book, he reveals how he became a mother to an abandoned baby orang-utan called Amy - and how she healed his broken heart..
Jeremy Keeling first met Amy, an orang-utan, when he was looking after the private menagerie of rock n roll music producer Gordon Mills. A friendship was forged that would become the defining relationship of both their lives. One day, when Jeremy was driving along with one-year-old Amy sitting beside him in the passenger seat, he fell asleep at the wheel and caused a horrific car crash. The first policeman on the scene crawled into the wreckage of the upturned car where he was staggered to see a hairy, non-human hand cradling Jeremy s head amid the glass and twisted metal: having been saved by Jeremy, Amy now refused to let him go. For Jeremy, it was to be a long convalescence, but he was able to repay his debt to Amy when he joined forces with Jim Cronin, a tough-talking primate-lover from the Bronx, who shared his vision of creating a sanctuary for abused and abandoned monkeys. Pooling their meagre resources, the two men took on a derelict pig farm in Dorset and, over the next twenty years transformed it into a 65-acre, cage-less sanctuary for beleaguered primates, rescued all over the world. Monkey World is now internationally famous and attracts some 800,000 visitors a year.
Jeremy & Amy is a story of high-wire adventure, of grit and determination and at its heart an inspiring and life-changing relationship between one man and his ape.
***
Blog Posts:
Look to the right within the blog and see and click on blog postings. Some of these have not been mailed out by email. Most will have been posted on the Facebook Page however.
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Volume 29 Issue 3 (May/June 2010)
Research Articles
Development of a field-friendly technique for fecal steroid extraction and storage using the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) (p 289-302)
R. M. Santymire, D. M. Armstrong
Thirty years later: enrichment practices for captive mammals (p 303-316)
Julia M. Hoy, Peter J. Murray, Andrew Tribe
Published Online: May 11 2009 4:57PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20254
Voluntary exposure of some western-hemisphere snake and lizard species to ultraviolet-B radiation in the field: how much ultraviolet-B should a lizard or snake receive in captivity? (p 317-334)
Gary W. Ferguson, Andrew M. Brinker, William H. Gehrmann, Stacey E. Bucklin, Frances M. Baines, Steve J. Mackin
Published Online: May 29 2009 1:16PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20255
Effect of tannic acid on iron absorption in straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) (p 335-343)
Shana R. Lavin, Zhensheng Chen, Steven A. Abrams
Published Online: Jul 13 2009 2:51PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20258
Feeding live prey to zoo animals: response of zoo visitors in Switzerland (p 344-350)
Lauren Cottle, Dan Tamir, Mimoza Hyseni, Dominique Bühler, Petra Lindemann-Matthies
Published Online: Jul 13 2009 2:51PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20261
Factors affecting wounding aggression in a colony of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) (p 351-364)
Robert C. Williams, Leanne T. Nash, Clara JoAnn Scarry, Elaine N. Videan, Jo Fritz
Published Online: Aug 17 2009 2:29PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20263
Why do flamingos stand on one leg? (p 365-374)
Matthew J. Anderson, Sarah A. Williams
Published Online: Jul 27 2009 2:19PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20266
Nutrient composition of plants consumed by black and white ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata, in the Betampona Natural Reserve, Madagascar (p 375-396)
Debra A. Schmidt, R. Bernard Iambana, Adam Britt, Randall E. Junge, Charles R. Welch, Ingrid J. Porton, Monty S. Kerley
Published Online: Jul 30 2009 12:49PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20267
Brief Reports
The influence of feeding, enrichment, and seasonal context on the behavior of Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) (p 397-404)
Becca Franks, Heidi Lyn, Lauren Klein, Diana Reiss
Published Online: Aug 31 2009 10:53AM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20272
Book Reviews
Building a Future for Wildlife: Zoos and Aquariums Committed to Biodiversity Conservation, edited by Gerald Dick and Markus Gusset. Gland Switzerland, WAZA Executive Office, 2010, 215 pages (p 405-407)
Alejandro Grajal
Published Online: May 21 2010 11:33AM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20327
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/35728/home
*******************************************************************************
Big Cat Declawing
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=002
Horrific! Happily this is not a procedure carried out in any reputable zoo.
*******************************************************************************
TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP FOR ZOO ANIMALS
Please note that the original Workshop scheduled for September 20-24, 2010 at the Detroit Zoo has moved!
See latest details HERE
*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
Avian Rearing Resource Website
http://www.avianrearingresource.co.uk/
For generations people have been hand-rearing birds, over the years protocols have been refined and improved; this information is not always easily accessible and sometimes it is an art tracking down the most up to date information.
A website has been created to compile hand rearing protocols, encourage responsible hand-rearing, measure success rates, highlight problems, research into improving protocols and long term survival/breeding success of hand reared bird species.
Over time it is hoped that by sharing information we can work towards minimizing mortality rates and improving quality and future breeding success of hand-reared individuals.
The site is still in its infancy and will continue to evolve with your help and input, please feel free to e-mail any protocols or comments to me at avianrearing@googlemail.com
*******************************************************************************
ELEPHANT CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT.
Visit The Website
HERE*******************************************************************************
*******************************************************************************
Look to the right within the blog and see and click on blog postings. Some of these have not been mailed out by email. Most will have been posted on the Facebook Page however.
*******************************************************************************
Enhancing the Role of Horticulture at Zoos
Dear Colleague,
I am writing to ask you to participate in an international study I am conducting for my Master’s thesis, Enhancing the Role of Horticulture at Zoos. The purpose of this study is to document the extent to which zoos are educating and promoting horticulture to their visitors through informal educational opportunities. For the purpose of this study, “zoo” refers to a park or institution in which living animals are cared for and exhibited to the public. I am looking for input from zoos that do or do not currently advocate for horticulture. The study will be greatly enhanced by your involvement and input.
The Web-based questionnaire takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and should be completed by staff members in any and all departments who work at zoos. Please follow the link below to access the questionnaire:
Follow this link to the questionnaire:
Your participation in this survey is entirely voluntary and you are under no obligation to participate or to continue once you have begun. All of your responses will be kept confidential and no personally identifiable information will be associated with your responses in any reports of this data. Should you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at katebaltzell@gmail.com or 302-831-2517.
Thank you in advance for your participation! I appreciate your time and consideration in completing this questionnaire. Findings from this research will inform the ever-growing field of horticulture specifically within the zoo industry and it is only possible because of this network of zoo professionals such as yourself.
Many thanks,
Kate Baltzell
Longwood Graduate Program Fellow
University of Delaware
Dr. Robert Lyons
Longwood Graduate Program Director & Professor
University of Delaware
Zoo Biology
Volume 29 Issue 3 (May/June 2010)
Research Articles
Development of a field-friendly technique for fecal steroid extraction and storage using the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) (p 289-302)
R. M. Santymire, D. M. Armstrong
Thirty years later: enrichment practices for captive mammals (p 303-316)
Julia M. Hoy, Peter J. Murray, Andrew Tribe
Published Online: May 11 2009 4:57PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20254
Voluntary exposure of some western-hemisphere snake and lizard species to ultraviolet-B radiation in the field: how much ultraviolet-B should a lizard or snake receive in captivity? (p 317-334)
Gary W. Ferguson, Andrew M. Brinker, William H. Gehrmann, Stacey E. Bucklin, Frances M. Baines, Steve J. Mackin
Published Online: May 29 2009 1:16PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20255
Effect of tannic acid on iron absorption in straw-colored fruit bats (Eidolon helvum) (p 335-343)
Shana R. Lavin, Zhensheng Chen, Steven A. Abrams
Published Online: Jul 13 2009 2:51PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20258
Feeding live prey to zoo animals: response of zoo visitors in Switzerland (p 344-350)
Lauren Cottle, Dan Tamir, Mimoza Hyseni, Dominique Bühler, Petra Lindemann-Matthies
Published Online: Jul 13 2009 2:51PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20261
Factors affecting wounding aggression in a colony of captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) (p 351-364)
Robert C. Williams, Leanne T. Nash, Clara JoAnn Scarry, Elaine N. Videan, Jo Fritz
Published Online: Aug 17 2009 2:29PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20263
Why do flamingos stand on one leg? (p 365-374)
Matthew J. Anderson, Sarah A. Williams
Published Online: Jul 27 2009 2:19PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20266
Nutrient composition of plants consumed by black and white ruffed lemurs, Varecia variegata, in the Betampona Natural Reserve, Madagascar (p 375-396)
Debra A. Schmidt, R. Bernard Iambana, Adam Britt, Randall E. Junge, Charles R. Welch, Ingrid J. Porton, Monty S. Kerley
Published Online: Jul 30 2009 12:49PM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20267
Brief Reports
The influence of feeding, enrichment, and seasonal context on the behavior of Pacific Walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) (p 397-404)
Becca Franks, Heidi Lyn, Lauren Klein, Diana Reiss
Published Online: Aug 31 2009 10:53AM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20272
Book Reviews
Building a Future for Wildlife: Zoos and Aquariums Committed to Biodiversity Conservation, edited by Gerald Dick and Markus Gusset. Gland Switzerland, WAZA Executive Office, 2010, 215 pages (p 405-407)
Alejandro Grajal
Published Online: May 21 2010 11:33AM
DOI: 10.1002/zoo.20327
http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/35728/home
*******************************************************************************
Big Cat Declawing
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=002
Horrific! Happily this is not a procedure carried out in any reputable zoo.
*******************************************************************************
TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP FOR ZOO ANIMALS
Please note that the original Workshop scheduled for September 20-24, 2010 at the Detroit Zoo has moved!
See latest details HERE
*******************************************************************************
'RE-WILDING' EUROPE AND THE RETURN OF PREDATORS
6.00pm, 13 July 2010
Details
*******************************************************************************
Avian Rearing Resource Website
http://www.avianrearingresource.co.uk/
For generations people have been hand-rearing birds, over the years protocols have been refined and improved; this information is not always easily accessible and sometimes it is an art tracking down the most up to date information.
A website has been created to compile hand rearing protocols, encourage responsible hand-rearing, measure success rates, highlight problems, research into improving protocols and long term survival/breeding success of hand reared bird species.
Over time it is hoped that by sharing information we can work towards minimizing mortality rates and improving quality and future breeding success of hand-reared individuals.
The site is still in its infancy and will continue to evolve with your help and input, please feel free to e-mail any protocols or comments to me at avianrearing@googlemail.com
*******************************************************************************
THE INTERNATIONAL ELEPHANT FOUNDATION (IEF) IS NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FOR
ELEPHANT CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT.
IEF is offering financial support in 2011 for in situ and ex situ projects, including protection of wild elephants and their habitats, scientific research, education efforts, and improvements in captive elephant care. Proposals are peer-reviewed by a panel of advisors from field conservation, medicine, research, academia, and elephant management. Funds will be awarded and available January 2011.
Criteria for funding:
Requests for funds should provide adequate information for evaluation of the project and the specific request, including a detailed design/methodology.
Projects that designate local/public education/awareness as a significant program outcome must include an evaluation component.
Projects must begin in the year that they are applying for funding, (but not before funds are to be awarded) and contain a clearly defined beginning and end point.
Funds will not be awarded for elements of a project that will have already occurred before awards are made.
Budget requests that consist primarily of salary will generally not be considered favorably.
Proposals are preferred that meet some or all of the following objectives and criteria:
The proposal should clearly contribute to the in situ or ex situ conservation of African or Asian elephants or their habitats.
Project is part of an established conservation program or is well-suited to become a long term program.
Project has conservation value and measurable impact.
Project is grounded in sound scientific methodology, is logistically feasible, and has a high probability of success.
Project has multi-institutional participation and matching funds.
Project is a new approach for long term elephant and/or habitat conservation.
Project is action-oriented not simply data collection or survey.
Project and Principle Investigator demonstrate a spirit of cooperation with ex situ elephant facilities and other like-minded conservation institutions.
Principal investigators must have a reputation for completing projects, publishing results in an expeditious manner and cooperating with funding agencies in providing reports and educational materials. If awarded funding previously by the IEF, satisfactory performance on previous grant awards is essential.
Projects must meet humane standards of care when animals are involved. Each of these studies must be approved by the appropriate agency at the facility or institution where the study is conducted.
Examples of some funding priorities are:
Capacity building
Strategies for human elephant conflict mitigation or resolution
Strategies to combat habitat loss
Strategies that identify elephant ranges
Strategies to manage local elephant over-population problems
Strategies to counteract the bushmeat crisis/ivory poaching
Ex Situ elephant management, veterinary and reproduction projects
Visit The Website
HERE
Are You Going To Participate This Year?
I do hope so
Please highlight the plight of the vulture
Every Zoo should play their part
Every zoo which keeps vultures MUST do so
Learn more by clicking
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Zoo Conferences, Meetings, Courses and Symposia
click HERE
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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
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ZooNews Digest is an independent publication, not allied or attached to any zoological collection. Many thanks.
Kind Regards,
Wishing you a wonderful week,
Peter Dickinson
HubPages: http://u.nu/2kx
Facebook: http://moourl.com/h3eru
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