Zoo News Digest 23rd - 25th October 2010 (Zoo News 697)
http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
Lioness sneaks out of zoo, tranquilized
The big cats have made it a habit to sneak out of their enclosures in the Guwahati zoo. A man-eater tigress and her cub had escaped from their cages in the Assam State Zoo on January 30. On Saturday, it was the turn of a sub-adult lioness. But unlike the last time – the tigresses had a day out amid 3,000 visitors – the lioness barged out of the enclosure after the zoo had shut down for the day at 4:15 pm. The enclosure has seven lions and lionesses.
"This happened around 4:45 pm when attendants were placing meat for the animals’ dinner. Something might have frightened the lioness and she forced her way out through a section of the cage affected by wear and tear,” said zoo DFO Utpal Bora.
He added that a probe would be initiated and responsibilities fixed. “This is a harsh lesson we have learnt.”
More dramatic than the lioness’ escape was its tranquilization. The zoo authorities employed three tame elephants – they are used for safaris and odd
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Lioness-sneaks-out-of-zoo-tranquilized/Article1-617021.aspx
Escape triggers suspension
The state zoo authorities today suspended an animal keeper on charges of negligence of duty, which had resulted in a lioness escaping from the enclosure yesterday afternoon.
The zookeeper, Abed Ali, who was working as a casual worker for several years at the zoo now, was made permanent only a few months back.
“It was total negligence on part of Ali which resulted in yesterday’s incident. He left a door open after serving food to the lioness,” in-charge of the state zoo, Utpal Bora, told The Telegraph.
The five-year-old lioness was tranquillised about 50metres from the enclosure atop a hill after an hour of its escape. The lioness regained consciousness about an hour after it was brought back to the cage and looked normal today.
Yesterday’s incident comes barely nine months after two Royal Bengal tigers had slunk out of their cages in the zoo.
A visitor was also mauled by a tiger a few years back.
Stung by these incidents, the zoo authorities today decided to bring a change in the existing process of serving food to the animals, and also to carry out a major overhaul in the enclosures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. “From now on, a forest guard will keep watch while carnivores are served food. He will have to ensure that doors are locked properly and will have to sign
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101025/jsp/northeast/story_13096877.jsp
Turkey’s second giant aquarium opens in Ankara
Turkey’s second giant aquarium, “Deniz Dünyası” (Sea World), with a display of around 150 different types of fish, will open Sunday in Ankara.
The aquarium, Turkey’s second largest after İstanbul’s TurkuaZoo at Forum İstanbul shopping mall, features more than 5,000 fish from the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Caspian Sea and various rivers and lakes around Turkey. Visitors to the aquarium will also have the chance to touch and hand feed some of the fish.
The facility, covering an area of 5,500-square meters of land, nearly half of which is undercover, in addition to the aquarium, also has a seminar hall, a shopping area, cafeteria and a lighthouse. Managed by Keçiören municipality, it was constructed in three years with a TL 5.45 million tender price.
The opening ceremony will be attended by Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu.
More than one million liters of water is used at Deniz Dünyası, which has 12 tunnel aquariums as well as seven
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-225181-101-turkeys-second-giant-aquarium-opens-in-ankara.html
Imperilled: Shark populations in free fall throughout the world
Demand for sharkfin soup, lack of research and lack of international political will allow the slaughter to continue -- and Canada is complicit in the decline
Rob Williams and his colleagues weren't even looking for sharks.
The University of B.C. researcher was aboard a 20-metre research sailboat off the B.C. coast for three summers, surveying for marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises.
But it was the appearance of shark fins -- one, then another, and another -- slicing through the cold blue water that surprised the research team. Most were salmon sharks, but there were also some blue sharks ranging in length to almost four metres.
"This was not subtle," Williams said. "This didn't take a lot of sleuthing to discover."
The team had tripped upon a shark "hot spot" in Queen Charlotte Sound and southern Hecate Strait, one of the Pacific's most storm-tossed stretches.
Later, when researchers crunched the numbers and interpolated for areas they had not navigated, they estimated 10,000 ocean-going, or pelagic, sharks -- a veritable curtain of serrated teeth -- were drawn in summer to this area of the B.C. coast.
Imagine.
Who knew they were there?
Who can say what's attracting them? Although a good guess is salmon migrating south in summer.
And who knows whether the numbers are growing or represent only a fraction of what once existed?
"We are reminded of how many black boxes, how many unknowns are still out there," said Williams, whose
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Imperilled+Shark+populations+free+fall+throughout+world/3716699/story.html
'All is not lost'
Dr Ullas Karanth is one of India’s most admired conservationists. A scientist who has won critical acclaim for his rigorous and cutting-edge field research, he has also, for many years now, taken on the additional roles of conservation activist, outspoken and candid analyst of conservation policies, and author. In 2007, he was awarded the J Paul Getty Award for Conservation Leadership, an award that has earlier been given to — among others — Salim Ali and Jane Goodall.
Karanth has two specialised books for release this year: Camera Traps in Animal Ecology, co-edited by him and published by Springer, and The Science of Saving Tigers, published by Universities Press.
The tiger was voted the most loved animal on the planet in a survey by a popular documentary channel a few years ago — just above the domestic dog and dolphin. Clearly the tiger is surging in popularity right now. Do you believe conservation can benefit from this momentum?
Obviously, if this public appeal is channelled into the right conservation actions on the ground, the tiger can benefit hugely. However, if all this leads only to talk shows on TV, huge commercial billboards and futile exchanges on the Internet, it will be a sad waste. There does not seem to be a sound mechanism to direct this popularity of the tiger into much-needed action.
However, I believe that the new film The Truth about Tigers with
http://expressbuzz.com/magazine/all-is-not-lost/217206.html
U.S. urged to regulate 'backyard tigers'
Rising numbers of captive tigers in the United States are putting citizens at risk and could be fueling illegal trade in animal parts, which threatens their survival in the wild, conservationists have warned.
"Tigers Among US," published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network estimates that there are more than 5,000 tigers in captivity in the U.S. compared with around 3,200 that remain wild across Asia.
While some tigers are housed in zoos, many more are privately owned, often free to roam backyards, urban apartments and are generally kept in "deplorable conditions," the report says.
Leigh Henry, WWF senior policy officer for Species Conservation told CNN: "We've seen photos and there's a video on our website showing tigers walking around muddy wet cages."
But its the size of the enclosures that is most distressing, Henry says, "when you know tigers are supposed to be ranging over hundreds and hundreds of acres."
Current U.S. regulation on tiger ownership is "a patchwork of federal laws" full of "exceptions, exemptions and loopholes," the report says.
A majority of U.S. states (28) don't allow
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/21/tigers.captive.regulation.us/index.html
Tigers Among US
Captive tigers in the United States and their impact on tigers in the wild
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/tigers/captive-tigers/
Anthropology Professor Joan Miller dies at age 50
Joan Miller, a professor of anthropology at Mesa College, died in her sleep at her home on Sept. 27 from unknown causes. She was 50 years old.
Miller was taking several types of strong medications for pain associated with the nerves in her spine. A toxicology report is still pending for the cause of death.
Miller was born June 22, 1960 in Peoria, Ill. to Katherine Cullen and Victor Chowaniak. She lived there until she was 18, moving to Wisconsin for her freshman year of college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.
A year later she moved to Gainesville, Fla. where she attended Santa Fe Community College, studying anthropology.
In 1981, Miller moved to San Diego where she worked as a zookeeper at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park for five years. Primates, chimpanzees, gorillas and ring-tailed lemurs were among her favorite animals at work.
She began taking classes at
http://media.www.mesapress.com/media/storage/paper1046/news/2010/10/26/News/Anthropology.Professor.Joan.Miller.Dies.At.Age.50-3948441.shtml
Hands-on parrot enclosure costs too much for Edinburgh Zoo to run
ONE of the most popular interactive exhibits at Edinburgh Zoo has closed, leaving 60 parrots in need of a new home.
Rainbow Landings, a £350,000 enclosure which allowed visitors to hold and feed dozens of colourful Rainbow Lorikeets, shut its doors earlier this month because it proved too expensive to run.
Staff have revealed their fears that it could be one of
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Handson-parrot-enclosure-costs-too.6594403.jp
Tiger bites volunteer at refuge
A Baraboo man was flown to University of Wisconsin Hospital on Friday - but is reported to be recovering - after having his arm grabbed by a tiger at a big cat refuge.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m. Sauk County 911 dispatch received a call from Jeff Kozlowski at the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue and Education reporting an injury to a volunteer, according a statement by Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard "Chip" Meister.
The North Freedom First Responders were called to assist John M. Meeker, 38, who was injured by a 7-year-old Siberian tiger named Kahn, Meister reported. Meeker had been watering the cat through his enclosure of chain link fencing. Kahn grabbed the man's arm and pulled it into the enclosure. Other people at the refuge were able to get Meeker away from the cat and administer first aid.
A short time after the incident, North Freedom firefighters could be heard over the police scanner setting up a landing zone on a field near the refuge. Meeker was taken to University Hospital in Madison by the Med Flight helicopter ambulance, Meister stated.
Kozlowski said Meeker was watering Kahn from outside his cage by pouring through the 4-inch-square chain link mesh of the cat's enclosure. In an act Kozlowski said was playful, not aggressive, Kahn grabbed a loose sleeve of Meeker's sweatshirt and pulled his hand into the cage.
Meeker reflexively tried to pull his arm back. The tiger then clamped his mouth down harder, resulting in a number of punctures to Meeker's skin, he said.
"There's some puncture wounds and tearing," Kozlowski
http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/article_366cf546-de48-11df-a784-001cc4c03286.html
Wild tigers could face extinction in just 12 years
The world's tiger population could soon be extinct because of poaching, shrinking habitats and the use of tiger parts in Eastern medicine, environmental experts warned Friday.
World Wildlife spokeswoman Marie von Zeipel said the world's biggest wild cat is one of the most threatened species and could face extinction within 12 years. The organization estimates there are only 3,200 tigers in the wild — with von Zeipel noting that the wild tiger population has shrunk 97 percent in 100 years.
"If nothing drastic happens, the (population) curve is heading straight for disaster," she said.
Her comments came after the wildlife organization hosted a seminar in Stockholm about the plight of wild tigers.
WWF is currently running a campaign to double the wild tiger population by 2022. It is urging nations to help protect tigers' habitats and to prevent poaching of tigers and their prey.
Russia, which has its own Amur tiger population, is holding
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gWjNNMtg3wMTCvEmkkHLO7k-dluQ?docId=3df891383b364ca8a83610931211587f
Veterinary Confirms Female Reindeer Died Of Rare Disease at Stone Zoo
A young deer at the Stone zoo in Stoneham has died of a rare disease passed by ticks, state officials said as they confirmed with a veterinary.
Noelle, died at nearly 2 years of age was from a Minnesota farm and was transferred with her male companion Comelius. They were the first reindeer in the zoo in 12 years.
John Linehan, Zoo New England president said over the phone that she was well natured and could interact with the public safely. He said her death was sudden and a loss, to the zoo. She was calm and gentle around most people, something uncommon with most reindeer.
Noelle shed her first set of antlers last winter. They were 14-inches long and her second set, nearly 3 feet long, had already grown during the time of her death.
The zoo’s veterinary staff believes she had a blood parasite rare to the area known as Babesia odocoilei. The disease could remain dormant animals and undetectable in blood tests.
The disease would progress
http://thebrilliantstories.com/veterinary-confirms-female-reindeer-died-of-rare-disease-at-stone-zoo/452760/
411 Critically Endangered Tortoises Saved from Illegal Wildlife Trade
After several months of waiting, 411 critically endangered tortoises will return to their home country of Madagascar. The radiated (Astrochelys radiata), spider (Pyxis arachnoides) and angulated (Astrochelys yniphora) tortoises were illegally removed from their natural habitat and were en route for sale in public markets in China when they were intercepted by customs officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in July. These rare tortoises sell for thousands of dollars each as exotic pets.
The tortoises will be transported to the Madagascan capital of Antananarivo by Air Mauritius in cases built by the Malaysian National Parks, where they will be welcomed by local authorities including the Minister of the Environment, Water, Forests and Tourism, Mr. Harrison Randriarimanana. They will then be returned to the Ifaty Turtle Village where they receive complete health checks before being placed in quarantine with close monitoring for 12 months. The goal is to release them into a National Park with other tortoises within the next few years.
SOPTOM, which manages the Ifaty Turtle Village in Southern Madagascar, worked with the Madagascan and Malay authorities to repatriate the tortoises. "Madagascar's natural resources are being plundered a little more each day in order to supply large-scale trafficking. It is therefore crucial to encourage the repatriation of endemic species, such as these tortoises. Madagascan fauna must remain in its natural environment and must not be traded in any way," said Bernard Devaux, Secretary General of SOPTOM.
"The cooperation between the Malaysian and Madagascan authorities in favor of this repatriation has been exemplary. However, it must not stop here. Only closer cooperation and better coordination
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/411-critically-endangered-tortoises-saved-from-illegal-wildlife-trade-105438623.html
ZSL London Zoo
Our article, 'Warring tigers,escaping birds, marauding snakes: it's chaos at London Zoo' (16 October 2010) referred to a report following an informal zoo inspection which took place in July 2009 . The title suggested that the matters were current not historical, and so was misleading as many of the issues highlighted in the report had already been resolved by the zoo, some before the 2009 inspection. Some details were also inaccurately reported. London Zoo, as the article
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/corrections/zsl-london-zoo-2113888.html
Efforts to stop the Kyoto aquarium
As a founding member of the Committee to Protect Kyoto (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-the-kyoto-aquarium/), I feel that I must correct J.J. O'Donoghue's errors in his Oct. 17 letter, "Kyoto petition looks like a nonstarter."
First, our petition, which O'Donoghue characterizes as online "click-it-ism," is only part of our efforts to stop the construction of the Kyoto aquarium. If O'Donoghue had contacted us directly, he would have found that we are working closely with like-minded Japanese groups to support a lawsuit against the city to stop construction. Furthermore, as late as (Oct. 15), we held a lively protest at Kiyomizu Temple, where the Kyoto mayor hosted delegates to the World League of Historical Cities.
Second, O'Donoghue claims that construction was stopped at the site after artifacts were discovered. As our
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20101024a3.html
Zoo to shift tiger sans permission
Is the century-old Maharajbagh Zoo heading towards a closure? The Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), which runs the zoo and has come in for flak recently, is sending animals to other cities and indications are that it may not be interested any longer in running the city zoo.
In May this year, it gave away a pair of bear to Bannerghatta zoo near Bangalore. Now it is giving away one tiger to the MC Zoological Park, Chhatbir, in Mohali district, Punjab. Sources said that one the three female tiger cubs — 'Lee', 'Jaan' or 'Cherry'— may be sent out of the city. 'Jai', being
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Zoo-to-shift-tiger-sans-permission/articleshow/6806903.cms
Malacca Zoo now has over 530 wildlife species
In a bid to inculcate the love for wildlife among the people, the Malacca Zoo now has over 530 species of wildlife for the public to view.
Its director, Ahmad Azhar Mohammed, said the species included 1,340 animals.
“Of the species, about 10% are endangered,” he told Bernama at the closing of 2010 Wildife Week at the zoo in Ayer Keroh yesterday.
Among the endangered species are the red panda, tapir, banteng (a species of cow), tree tiger and black panther.
Ahmad Azhar said the zoo also conducted animal breeding programmes, especially for endangered animals.
The Malacca Zoo started operations as a transit centre for wildlife in 1963, before it was launched by former
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/25/nation/7291317&sec=nation
Leopard, lion die in Bangalore zoo
A leopard and an aged lion died within 12 hours of each other between late Saturday and early Sunday after prolonged illness in the Bannerghatta Biological Park on the city outskirts, an official said.
'The 14-year-old leopard Ganesha had been on a liquid diet over the last 45 days as he was suffering from neurological disorder. With its paws and limbs paralysed, the ailing feline died late Saturday,' zoo conservator Milo Tago told IANS.
Similarly, lion Raja, 26, the oldest among the 12 big cats in the zoo, died in the wee hours after its vital organs were infected
http://sify.com/news/leopard-lion-die-in-bangalore-zoo-news-national-kkyrkfdgeff.html
SC blames Chinese demand for poaching of tigers in India
The Supreme Court on Wednesday blamed the huge demand for tiger parts in China as the major reason for the thriving poaching syndicates run by "very wealthy and influential people" in India leading to near extinction of the big cat.
While upholding the conviction of notorious poacher Sansar Chand for two leopard skins seized from one of his accomplices, a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and T S Thakur expressed concern over the largely free run that poachers have had in India and requested the Centre and state governments to tighten their belts.
Asking them to take stringent action against poachers and the illegal trade in wildlife items if they wanted to save the small number of tigers and other big cats in the country, the Bench went on to cite the "food chain" illustration given in school textbooks to drive home the importance of big cats to maintain balance in the ecology.
Justice Katju, writing the judgment for the Bench, noted that areas which decades back were teeming with wildlife had become devoid of it. He said many sanctuaries and national parks were almost empty and Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh had no tigers.
"Poaching of tigers for traditional Chinese medicine industry has been going on in India for several decades... This illegal trade is organised and widespread and is in the hands of ruthless and sophisticated operators, some of whom have top level patronage," the Bench said.
Condemning Sansar Chand and his family for indulging in mindless killing of wild animals, including tigers, for profit and having a trail of cases under the Wildlife Protection Act, the Bench said Chand and his gang had set up a complex, interlinking
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-blames-Chinese-demand-for-poaching-of-tigers-in-India/articleshow/6781860.cms
Zoos arguing for conservation and education
Zoos and aquariums should do more to educate visitors about ways to slow extinctions and build on successes in breeding rare species from monkeys to toads, the head of the world's zookeepers said last week.
"We have a huge opportunity for education, to explain the gravity of the situation," Mark Penning, president of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, told Reuters. "We get 700 million visitors a year."
Penning said a WAZA annual meeting in Germany last week was reviewing how members could help conservation, coinciding with Oct. 18-29 UN talks in Japan, where governments are due to set global goals for protecting animals and plants.
He said the outlook for biodiversity was not irreversibly grim, even though UN studies say human threats such as expanding cities and pollution are causing the worst extinction crisis since the dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago.
"Unless we sell a message of hope, that there is something to be done, we will have even worse problems lying ahead," he said. He said there was often too much doom and gloom about the outlook that could bring a sense of despair.
Zoos and aquariums can show individuals that they can make a difference -- for instance, by guiding them to buy fish or meat from plentiful species. "It makes each individual realize 'it is up to me, not everybody else,' " said Penning, a South African.
A WAZA review showed that zoos were having success in conserving biodiversity and in breeding threatened creatures such as Przewalski's horse, which has been reintroduced to Mongolia. It had been last sighted in the wild in 1969.
"Other prominent ones are the Californian condor or the golden lion tamarin (monkey) in Brazil -- these are flagships where we have successes in breeding," said WAZA executive director Gerald Dick.
Sixty-six species are listed as "extinct in the wild," surviving only in captivity, he told Reuters.
Breeding programs were widening to new species. "Zoos have focused on the big, hairy, charismatic species, the ones the public like to see. Now we have a major global campaign for amphibians," Penning said. Among the examples was the Kihansi spray toad in Tanzania, reared in zoos in recent years after a hydroelectric dam was built in the gorge where they have been found.
The UN says the world has failed to meet a goal, set in 2002, of a "significant reduction" in the rate of extinctions of animals and plants. The UN conference in Japan is
http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Zoos+arguing+conservation+education/3718521/story.html
Couple caught trying to sell tiger cub
A couple in Pekan were arrested recently for trying to sell a tiger cub for RM30,000 (S$12,561).
Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department officers raided their premises in Simpang Chini-Tun Razak Highway on Oct 15 following a tip-off.
They found a 3-month-old male tiger cub in the couple's possession. The couple own a restaurant.
Tigers -- along with elephants, rhinoceros, orang utans and sun bears -- are protected species in Malaysia.
It is illegal to trade, breed, kill or keep these animals or any of their parts. Only those holding a special permit issued by the department under strict conditions can keep these animals.
The department released the couple on the same day they were arrested on a RM5,000 police bail. The authorities may charge
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20101025-244038.html
(Google Translate)
Valencia Exchange between aquariums and attractions diversify Daejeon
Visitors to the aquarium in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela, and Aquaworld Daejeon, Republic of Korea, can enjoy a diversity of marine species following the signing of an agreement between both institutions to exchange for five years, two freshwater dolphins, known as dolphins, a mandarin fish and other species from China.
The exchange of cooperation was signed recently between the municipalities of Valencia and Daejeon, under the approval of People's Power Ministry for the Environment (Minamb), the governing body for aquariums and zoos in the country.
The director of Minamb-Carabobo, Cesar Ivan Alvarado, noted that that agreement is part of the linkages of national and international aquarium to exchange experiences and support to diversify its attractions.
The official pointed out that such exchanges occur under purely for recreational, educational and informative, so that species in temporary swap will be displayed in tanks involved in such specific terms.
He explained that besides the exchange of dolphins Zeus and Artemis by the Asian species, the agreement establishes a major South Korean investment to run in the Aquarium in Valencia, to modernize under the international standards, which provide added value Carabobo this park.
During the signing of the agreement, the mayor of Valencia, Edgar Parra, said the estimated investment in this exchange of diversity and technology is in the order of $ 500,000 for infrastructure improvements Toninario, which currently has the capacity to 350, and future plans for the construction
http://translate.google.co.th/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avn.info.ve%2Fnode%2F23683
The November 2010 issue of ZOOS' PRINT [Volume XXV, Number 11] is published and the online version is available free on the web at
ZOOS' PRINT MAGAZINE http://www.zoosprint.org/showMagazine.asp
*******************************************************************************
Dear Colleagues,
The interview with Dr Ullas Karanth is well worth a read. This man talks sense with a refreshing honesty. I would very much like to meet him one day.
The prediction that 'Wild tigers could face extinction in just 12 years' is a worrying one and one which I am not inclined to disbelieve. The Orangutans will probably be gone from the wild long before that though. Right now Singapore and a good portion of Malaysia are under a haze of smoke from deliberate forest fires in Indonesia. Burning to clear for more bloody Palm Oil plantations. What really brings it home to me is that the last time I was in Singapore three years ago the smoke was a problem then. I could taste it. It is too late I fear. Nothing can stop the greed and corruption.
Returning to the tigers. "Well we have plenty in captivity" I hear said time and again. These people have not the faintest idea. All these unmanaged generic populations. The ignorant and uncaring promotion of White Tigers, Snow Tigers, Marmalade Tigers, Maltese Tigers. Rare they may be but endangered they are not. The unmanaged captive populations will lead to the extinction of tiger subspecies in captivity too. The call for the U.S. to regulate 'backyard tigers' makes a huge amount of sense but it isn't just the U.S. but China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and hundreds of little second rate zoos in the West and elsewhere. It is the good zoos, the managed zoos who should be calling for regulation. It is the good zoos who should manage and regulate the breeding in these 'have not got a clue establishments' and commercially exploitative and greedy set ups. There are way too many tigers in captivity and the majority of these are absolutely worthless from the point of view of conservation. Then we get half baked set ups like the Myrtle Beach Circus exporting colour variations of Tiger to Thailand just to compound a problem.
Oh wow. An apology from The Independent to London Zoo. I should think so too. It does not apologise enough though.
It was inevitable that someone was going to get the blame for the escape of the lioness in Guwahati zoo. I question however if it is the right person who is being punished here. The article says "He left a door open after serving food to the lioness". He left a door open??? Was there not a double door system? If it said "he left two doors open" then I would have no hesitation in blaming the keeper, but it doesn't and in this case I blame people further up the ladder in the zoo. They are responsible for the poor cage design. In any case if a proper routine was in place food would only be placed into a cage whilst the animals were locked off elsewhere. This is basic animal husbandry and especially for dangerous carnivores. I don't think the keeper should take the rap.
The interview with Dr Ullas Karanth is well worth a read. This man talks sense with a refreshing honesty. I would very much like to meet him one day.
The prediction that 'Wild tigers could face extinction in just 12 years' is a worrying one and one which I am not inclined to disbelieve. The Orangutans will probably be gone from the wild long before that though. Right now Singapore and a good portion of Malaysia are under a haze of smoke from deliberate forest fires in Indonesia. Burning to clear for more bloody Palm Oil plantations. What really brings it home to me is that the last time I was in Singapore three years ago the smoke was a problem then. I could taste it. It is too late I fear. Nothing can stop the greed and corruption.
Returning to the tigers. "Well we have plenty in captivity" I hear said time and again. These people have not the faintest idea. All these unmanaged generic populations. The ignorant and uncaring promotion of White Tigers, Snow Tigers, Marmalade Tigers, Maltese Tigers. Rare they may be but endangered they are not. The unmanaged captive populations will lead to the extinction of tiger subspecies in captivity too. The call for the U.S. to regulate 'backyard tigers' makes a huge amount of sense but it isn't just the U.S. but China, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and hundreds of little second rate zoos in the West and elsewhere. It is the good zoos, the managed zoos who should be calling for regulation. It is the good zoos who should manage and regulate the breeding in these 'have not got a clue establishments' and commercially exploitative and greedy set ups. There are way too many tigers in captivity and the majority of these are absolutely worthless from the point of view of conservation. Then we get half baked set ups like the Myrtle Beach Circus exporting colour variations of Tiger to Thailand just to compound a problem.
Oh wow. An apology from The Independent to London Zoo. I should think so too. It does not apologise enough though.
It was inevitable that someone was going to get the blame for the escape of the lioness in Guwahati zoo. I question however if it is the right person who is being punished here. The article says "He left a door open after serving food to the lioness". He left a door open??? Was there not a double door system? If it said "he left two doors open" then I would have no hesitation in blaming the keeper, but it doesn't and in this case I blame people further up the ladder in the zoo. They are responsible for the poor cage design. In any case if a proper routine was in place food would only be placed into a cage whilst the animals were locked off elsewhere. This is basic animal husbandry and especially for dangerous carnivores. I don't think the keeper should take the rap.
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Lioness sneaks out of zoo, tranquilized
The big cats have made it a habit to sneak out of their enclosures in the Guwahati zoo. A man-eater tigress and her cub had escaped from their cages in the Assam State Zoo on January 30. On Saturday, it was the turn of a sub-adult lioness. But unlike the last time – the tigresses had a day out amid 3,000 visitors – the lioness barged out of the enclosure after the zoo had shut down for the day at 4:15 pm. The enclosure has seven lions and lionesses.
"This happened around 4:45 pm when attendants were placing meat for the animals’ dinner. Something might have frightened the lioness and she forced her way out through a section of the cage affected by wear and tear,” said zoo DFO Utpal Bora.
He added that a probe would be initiated and responsibilities fixed. “This is a harsh lesson we have learnt.”
More dramatic than the lioness’ escape was its tranquilization. The zoo authorities employed three tame elephants – they are used for safaris and odd
http://www.hindustantimes.com/Lioness-sneaks-out-of-zoo-tranquilized/Article1-617021.aspx
Escape triggers suspension
The state zoo authorities today suspended an animal keeper on charges of negligence of duty, which had resulted in a lioness escaping from the enclosure yesterday afternoon.
The zookeeper, Abed Ali, who was working as a casual worker for several years at the zoo now, was made permanent only a few months back.
“It was total negligence on part of Ali which resulted in yesterday’s incident. He left a door open after serving food to the lioness,” in-charge of the state zoo, Utpal Bora, told The Telegraph.
The five-year-old lioness was tranquillised about 50metres from the enclosure atop a hill after an hour of its escape. The lioness regained consciousness about an hour after it was brought back to the cage and looked normal today.
Yesterday’s incident comes barely nine months after two Royal Bengal tigers had slunk out of their cages in the zoo.
A visitor was also mauled by a tiger a few years back.
Stung by these incidents, the zoo authorities today decided to bring a change in the existing process of serving food to the animals, and also to carry out a major overhaul in the enclosures to ensure that such incidents do not occur in the future. “From now on, a forest guard will keep watch while carnivores are served food. He will have to ensure that doors are locked properly and will have to sign
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1101025/jsp/northeast/story_13096877.jsp
Turkey’s second giant aquarium opens in Ankara
Turkey’s second giant aquarium, “Deniz Dünyası” (Sea World), with a display of around 150 different types of fish, will open Sunday in Ankara.
The aquarium, Turkey’s second largest after İstanbul’s TurkuaZoo at Forum İstanbul shopping mall, features more than 5,000 fish from the Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Caspian Sea and various rivers and lakes around Turkey. Visitors to the aquarium will also have the chance to touch and hand feed some of the fish.
The facility, covering an area of 5,500-square meters of land, nearly half of which is undercover, in addition to the aquarium, also has a seminar hall, a shopping area, cafeteria and a lighthouse. Managed by Keçiören municipality, it was constructed in three years with a TL 5.45 million tender price.
The opening ceremony will be attended by Environment and Forestry Minister Veysel Eroğlu.
More than one million liters of water is used at Deniz Dünyası, which has 12 tunnel aquariums as well as seven
http://www.todayszaman.com/tz-web/news-225181-101-turkeys-second-giant-aquarium-opens-in-ankara.html
Imperilled: Shark populations in free fall throughout the world
Demand for sharkfin soup, lack of research and lack of international political will allow the slaughter to continue -- and Canada is complicit in the decline
Rob Williams and his colleagues weren't even looking for sharks.
The University of B.C. researcher was aboard a 20-metre research sailboat off the B.C. coast for three summers, surveying for marine mammals such as whales, dolphins and porpoises.
But it was the appearance of shark fins -- one, then another, and another -- slicing through the cold blue water that surprised the research team. Most were salmon sharks, but there were also some blue sharks ranging in length to almost four metres.
"This was not subtle," Williams said. "This didn't take a lot of sleuthing to discover."
The team had tripped upon a shark "hot spot" in Queen Charlotte Sound and southern Hecate Strait, one of the Pacific's most storm-tossed stretches.
Later, when researchers crunched the numbers and interpolated for areas they had not navigated, they estimated 10,000 ocean-going, or pelagic, sharks -- a veritable curtain of serrated teeth -- were drawn in summer to this area of the B.C. coast.
Imagine.
Who knew they were there?
Who can say what's attracting them? Although a good guess is salmon migrating south in summer.
And who knows whether the numbers are growing or represent only a fraction of what once existed?
"We are reminded of how many black boxes, how many unknowns are still out there," said Williams, whose
http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Imperilled+Shark+populations+free+fall+throughout+world/3716699/story.html
'All is not lost'
Dr Ullas Karanth is one of India’s most admired conservationists. A scientist who has won critical acclaim for his rigorous and cutting-edge field research, he has also, for many years now, taken on the additional roles of conservation activist, outspoken and candid analyst of conservation policies, and author. In 2007, he was awarded the J Paul Getty Award for Conservation Leadership, an award that has earlier been given to — among others — Salim Ali and Jane Goodall.
Karanth has two specialised books for release this year: Camera Traps in Animal Ecology, co-edited by him and published by Springer, and The Science of Saving Tigers, published by Universities Press.
The tiger was voted the most loved animal on the planet in a survey by a popular documentary channel a few years ago — just above the domestic dog and dolphin. Clearly the tiger is surging in popularity right now. Do you believe conservation can benefit from this momentum?
Obviously, if this public appeal is channelled into the right conservation actions on the ground, the tiger can benefit hugely. However, if all this leads only to talk shows on TV, huge commercial billboards and futile exchanges on the Internet, it will be a sad waste. There does not seem to be a sound mechanism to direct this popularity of the tiger into much-needed action.
However, I believe that the new film The Truth about Tigers with
http://expressbuzz.com/magazine/all-is-not-lost/217206.html
U.S. urged to regulate 'backyard tigers'
Rising numbers of captive tigers in the United States are putting citizens at risk and could be fueling illegal trade in animal parts, which threatens their survival in the wild, conservationists have warned.
"Tigers Among US," published by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network estimates that there are more than 5,000 tigers in captivity in the U.S. compared with around 3,200 that remain wild across Asia.
While some tigers are housed in zoos, many more are privately owned, often free to roam backyards, urban apartments and are generally kept in "deplorable conditions," the report says.
Leigh Henry, WWF senior policy officer for Species Conservation told CNN: "We've seen photos and there's a video on our website showing tigers walking around muddy wet cages."
But its the size of the enclosures that is most distressing, Henry says, "when you know tigers are supposed to be ranging over hundreds and hundreds of acres."
Current U.S. regulation on tiger ownership is "a patchwork of federal laws" full of "exceptions, exemptions and loopholes," the report says.
A majority of U.S. states (28) don't allow
http://edition.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/americas/10/21/tigers.captive.regulation.us/index.html
Tigers Among US
Captive tigers in the United States and their impact on tigers in the wild
http://www.worldwildlife.org/species/finder/tigers/captive-tigers/
Anthropology Professor Joan Miller dies at age 50
Joan Miller, a professor of anthropology at Mesa College, died in her sleep at her home on Sept. 27 from unknown causes. She was 50 years old.
Miller was taking several types of strong medications for pain associated with the nerves in her spine. A toxicology report is still pending for the cause of death.
Miller was born June 22, 1960 in Peoria, Ill. to Katherine Cullen and Victor Chowaniak. She lived there until she was 18, moving to Wisconsin for her freshman year of college at the University of Wisconsin Eau Claire.
A year later she moved to Gainesville, Fla. where she attended Santa Fe Community College, studying anthropology.
In 1981, Miller moved to San Diego where she worked as a zookeeper at the San Diego Zoo and Wild Animal Park for five years. Primates, chimpanzees, gorillas and ring-tailed lemurs were among her favorite animals at work.
She began taking classes at
http://media.www.mesapress.com/media/storage/paper1046/news/2010/10/26/News/Anthropology.Professor.Joan.Miller.Dies.At.Age.50-3948441.shtml
Hands-on parrot enclosure costs too much for Edinburgh Zoo to run
ONE of the most popular interactive exhibits at Edinburgh Zoo has closed, leaving 60 parrots in need of a new home.
Rainbow Landings, a £350,000 enclosure which allowed visitors to hold and feed dozens of colourful Rainbow Lorikeets, shut its doors earlier this month because it proved too expensive to run.
Staff have revealed their fears that it could be one of
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Handson-parrot-enclosure-costs-too.6594403.jp
Tiger bites volunteer at refuge
A Baraboo man was flown to University of Wisconsin Hospital on Friday - but is reported to be recovering - after having his arm grabbed by a tiger at a big cat refuge.
Shortly after 12:30 p.m. Sauk County 911 dispatch received a call from Jeff Kozlowski at the Wisconsin Big Cat Rescue and Education reporting an injury to a volunteer, according a statement by Sheriff's Department Chief Deputy Sheriff Richard "Chip" Meister.
The North Freedom First Responders were called to assist John M. Meeker, 38, who was injured by a 7-year-old Siberian tiger named Kahn, Meister reported. Meeker had been watering the cat through his enclosure of chain link fencing. Kahn grabbed the man's arm and pulled it into the enclosure. Other people at the refuge were able to get Meeker away from the cat and administer first aid.
A short time after the incident, North Freedom firefighters could be heard over the police scanner setting up a landing zone on a field near the refuge. Meeker was taken to University Hospital in Madison by the Med Flight helicopter ambulance, Meister stated.
Kozlowski said Meeker was watering Kahn from outside his cage by pouring through the 4-inch-square chain link mesh of the cat's enclosure. In an act Kozlowski said was playful, not aggressive, Kahn grabbed a loose sleeve of Meeker's sweatshirt and pulled his hand into the cage.
Meeker reflexively tried to pull his arm back. The tiger then clamped his mouth down harder, resulting in a number of punctures to Meeker's skin, he said.
"There's some puncture wounds and tearing," Kozlowski
http://www.wiscnews.com/baraboonewsrepublic/news/article_366cf546-de48-11df-a784-001cc4c03286.html
Wild tigers could face extinction in just 12 years
The world's tiger population could soon be extinct because of poaching, shrinking habitats and the use of tiger parts in Eastern medicine, environmental experts warned Friday.
World Wildlife spokeswoman Marie von Zeipel said the world's biggest wild cat is one of the most threatened species and could face extinction within 12 years. The organization estimates there are only 3,200 tigers in the wild — with von Zeipel noting that the wild tiger population has shrunk 97 percent in 100 years.
"If nothing drastic happens, the (population) curve is heading straight for disaster," she said.
Her comments came after the wildlife organization hosted a seminar in Stockholm about the plight of wild tigers.
WWF is currently running a campaign to double the wild tiger population by 2022. It is urging nations to help protect tigers' habitats and to prevent poaching of tigers and their prey.
Russia, which has its own Amur tiger population, is holding
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5gWjNNMtg3wMTCvEmkkHLO7k-dluQ?docId=3df891383b364ca8a83610931211587f
Veterinary Confirms Female Reindeer Died Of Rare Disease at Stone Zoo
A young deer at the Stone zoo in Stoneham has died of a rare disease passed by ticks, state officials said as they confirmed with a veterinary.
Noelle, died at nearly 2 years of age was from a Minnesota farm and was transferred with her male companion Comelius. They were the first reindeer in the zoo in 12 years.
John Linehan, Zoo New England president said over the phone that she was well natured and could interact with the public safely. He said her death was sudden and a loss, to the zoo. She was calm and gentle around most people, something uncommon with most reindeer.
Noelle shed her first set of antlers last winter. They were 14-inches long and her second set, nearly 3 feet long, had already grown during the time of her death.
The zoo’s veterinary staff believes she had a blood parasite rare to the area known as Babesia odocoilei. The disease could remain dormant animals and undetectable in blood tests.
The disease would progress
http://thebrilliantstories.com/veterinary-confirms-female-reindeer-died-of-rare-disease-at-stone-zoo/452760/
411 Critically Endangered Tortoises Saved from Illegal Wildlife Trade
After several months of waiting, 411 critically endangered tortoises will return to their home country of Madagascar. The radiated (Astrochelys radiata), spider (Pyxis arachnoides) and angulated (Astrochelys yniphora) tortoises were illegally removed from their natural habitat and were en route for sale in public markets in China when they were intercepted by customs officials at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia in July. These rare tortoises sell for thousands of dollars each as exotic pets.
The tortoises will be transported to the Madagascan capital of Antananarivo by Air Mauritius in cases built by the Malaysian National Parks, where they will be welcomed by local authorities including the Minister of the Environment, Water, Forests and Tourism, Mr. Harrison Randriarimanana. They will then be returned to the Ifaty Turtle Village where they receive complete health checks before being placed in quarantine with close monitoring for 12 months. The goal is to release them into a National Park with other tortoises within the next few years.
SOPTOM, which manages the Ifaty Turtle Village in Southern Madagascar, worked with the Madagascan and Malay authorities to repatriate the tortoises. "Madagascar's natural resources are being plundered a little more each day in order to supply large-scale trafficking. It is therefore crucial to encourage the repatriation of endemic species, such as these tortoises. Madagascan fauna must remain in its natural environment and must not be traded in any way," said Bernard Devaux, Secretary General of SOPTOM.
"The cooperation between the Malaysian and Madagascan authorities in favor of this repatriation has been exemplary. However, it must not stop here. Only closer cooperation and better coordination
http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/411-critically-endangered-tortoises-saved-from-illegal-wildlife-trade-105438623.html
ZSL London Zoo
Our article, 'Warring tigers,escaping birds, marauding snakes: it's chaos at London Zoo' (16 October 2010) referred to a report following an informal zoo inspection which took place in July 2009 . The title suggested that the matters were current not historical, and so was misleading as many of the issues highlighted in the report had already been resolved by the zoo, some before the 2009 inspection. Some details were also inaccurately reported. London Zoo, as the article
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/corrections/zsl-london-zoo-2113888.html
Efforts to stop the Kyoto aquarium
As a founding member of the Committee to Protect Kyoto (http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/stop-the-kyoto-aquarium/), I feel that I must correct J.J. O'Donoghue's errors in his Oct. 17 letter, "Kyoto petition looks like a nonstarter."
First, our petition, which O'Donoghue characterizes as online "click-it-ism," is only part of our efforts to stop the construction of the Kyoto aquarium. If O'Donoghue had contacted us directly, he would have found that we are working closely with like-minded Japanese groups to support a lawsuit against the city to stop construction. Furthermore, as late as (Oct. 15), we held a lively protest at Kiyomizu Temple, where the Kyoto mayor hosted delegates to the World League of Historical Cities.
Second, O'Donoghue claims that construction was stopped at the site after artifacts were discovered. As our
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/rc20101024a3.html
Zoo to shift tiger sans permission
Is the century-old Maharajbagh Zoo heading towards a closure? The Dr Panjabrao Deshmukh Krishi Vidyapeeth (PDKV), which runs the zoo and has come in for flak recently, is sending animals to other cities and indications are that it may not be interested any longer in running the city zoo.
In May this year, it gave away a pair of bear to Bannerghatta zoo near Bangalore. Now it is giving away one tiger to the MC Zoological Park, Chhatbir, in Mohali district, Punjab. Sources said that one the three female tiger cubs — 'Lee', 'Jaan' or 'Cherry'— may be sent out of the city. 'Jai', being
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/nagpur/Zoo-to-shift-tiger-sans-permission/articleshow/6806903.cms
Malacca Zoo now has over 530 wildlife species
In a bid to inculcate the love for wildlife among the people, the Malacca Zoo now has over 530 species of wildlife for the public to view.
Its director, Ahmad Azhar Mohammed, said the species included 1,340 animals.
“Of the species, about 10% are endangered,” he told Bernama at the closing of 2010 Wildife Week at the zoo in Ayer Keroh yesterday.
Among the endangered species are the red panda, tapir, banteng (a species of cow), tree tiger and black panther.
Ahmad Azhar said the zoo also conducted animal breeding programmes, especially for endangered animals.
The Malacca Zoo started operations as a transit centre for wildlife in 1963, before it was launched by former
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/10/25/nation/7291317&sec=nation
Leopard, lion die in Bangalore zoo
A leopard and an aged lion died within 12 hours of each other between late Saturday and early Sunday after prolonged illness in the Bannerghatta Biological Park on the city outskirts, an official said.
'The 14-year-old leopard Ganesha had been on a liquid diet over the last 45 days as he was suffering from neurological disorder. With its paws and limbs paralysed, the ailing feline died late Saturday,' zoo conservator Milo Tago told IANS.
Similarly, lion Raja, 26, the oldest among the 12 big cats in the zoo, died in the wee hours after its vital organs were infected
http://sify.com/news/leopard-lion-die-in-bangalore-zoo-news-national-kkyrkfdgeff.html
SC blames Chinese demand for poaching of tigers in India
The Supreme Court on Wednesday blamed the huge demand for tiger parts in China as the major reason for the thriving poaching syndicates run by "very wealthy and influential people" in India leading to near extinction of the big cat.
While upholding the conviction of notorious poacher Sansar Chand for two leopard skins seized from one of his accomplices, a Bench comprising Justices Markandey Katju and T S Thakur expressed concern over the largely free run that poachers have had in India and requested the Centre and state governments to tighten their belts.
Asking them to take stringent action against poachers and the illegal trade in wildlife items if they wanted to save the small number of tigers and other big cats in the country, the Bench went on to cite the "food chain" illustration given in school textbooks to drive home the importance of big cats to maintain balance in the ecology.
Justice Katju, writing the judgment for the Bench, noted that areas which decades back were teeming with wildlife had become devoid of it. He said many sanctuaries and national parks were almost empty and Sariska Tiger Reserve in Rajasthan and Panna Tiger Reserve in Madhya Pradesh had no tigers.
"Poaching of tigers for traditional Chinese medicine industry has been going on in India for several decades... This illegal trade is organised and widespread and is in the hands of ruthless and sophisticated operators, some of whom have top level patronage," the Bench said.
Condemning Sansar Chand and his family for indulging in mindless killing of wild animals, including tigers, for profit and having a trail of cases under the Wildlife Protection Act, the Bench said Chand and his gang had set up a complex, interlinking
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/SC-blames-Chinese-demand-for-poaching-of-tigers-in-India/articleshow/6781860.cms
Zoos arguing for conservation and education
Zoos and aquariums should do more to educate visitors about ways to slow extinctions and build on successes in breeding rare species from monkeys to toads, the head of the world's zookeepers said last week.
"We have a huge opportunity for education, to explain the gravity of the situation," Mark Penning, president of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums, told Reuters. "We get 700 million visitors a year."
Penning said a WAZA annual meeting in Germany last week was reviewing how members could help conservation, coinciding with Oct. 18-29 UN talks in Japan, where governments are due to set global goals for protecting animals and plants.
He said the outlook for biodiversity was not irreversibly grim, even though UN studies say human threats such as expanding cities and pollution are causing the worst extinction crisis since the dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago.
"Unless we sell a message of hope, that there is something to be done, we will have even worse problems lying ahead," he said. He said there was often too much doom and gloom about the outlook that could bring a sense of despair.
Zoos and aquariums can show individuals that they can make a difference -- for instance, by guiding them to buy fish or meat from plentiful species. "It makes each individual realize 'it is up to me, not everybody else,' " said Penning, a South African.
A WAZA review showed that zoos were having success in conserving biodiversity and in breeding threatened creatures such as Przewalski's horse, which has been reintroduced to Mongolia. It had been last sighted in the wild in 1969.
"Other prominent ones are the Californian condor or the golden lion tamarin (monkey) in Brazil -- these are flagships where we have successes in breeding," said WAZA executive director Gerald Dick.
Sixty-six species are listed as "extinct in the wild," surviving only in captivity, he told Reuters.
Breeding programs were widening to new species. "Zoos have focused on the big, hairy, charismatic species, the ones the public like to see. Now we have a major global campaign for amphibians," Penning said. Among the examples was the Kihansi spray toad in Tanzania, reared in zoos in recent years after a hydroelectric dam was built in the gorge where they have been found.
The UN says the world has failed to meet a goal, set in 2002, of a "significant reduction" in the rate of extinctions of animals and plants. The UN conference in Japan is
http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Zoos+arguing+conservation+education/3718521/story.html
Couple caught trying to sell tiger cub
A couple in Pekan were arrested recently for trying to sell a tiger cub for RM30,000 (S$12,561).
Pahang Wildlife and National Parks Department officers raided their premises in Simpang Chini-Tun Razak Highway on Oct 15 following a tip-off.
They found a 3-month-old male tiger cub in the couple's possession. The couple own a restaurant.
Tigers -- along with elephants, rhinoceros, orang utans and sun bears -- are protected species in Malaysia.
It is illegal to trade, breed, kill or keep these animals or any of their parts. Only those holding a special permit issued by the department under strict conditions can keep these animals.
The department released the couple on the same day they were arrested on a RM5,000 police bail. The authorities may charge
http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Malaysia/Story/A1Story20101025-244038.html
(Google Translate)
Valencia Exchange between aquariums and attractions diversify Daejeon
Visitors to the aquarium in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela, and Aquaworld Daejeon, Republic of Korea, can enjoy a diversity of marine species following the signing of an agreement between both institutions to exchange for five years, two freshwater dolphins, known as dolphins, a mandarin fish and other species from China.
The exchange of cooperation was signed recently between the municipalities of Valencia and Daejeon, under the approval of People's Power Ministry for the Environment (Minamb), the governing body for aquariums and zoos in the country.
The director of Minamb-Carabobo, Cesar Ivan Alvarado, noted that that agreement is part of the linkages of national and international aquarium to exchange experiences and support to diversify its attractions.
The official pointed out that such exchanges occur under purely for recreational, educational and informative, so that species in temporary swap will be displayed in tanks involved in such specific terms.
He explained that besides the exchange of dolphins Zeus and Artemis by the Asian species, the agreement establishes a major South Korean investment to run in the Aquarium in Valencia, to modernize under the international standards, which provide added value Carabobo this park.
During the signing of the agreement, the mayor of Valencia, Edgar Parra, said the estimated investment in this exchange of diversity and technology is in the order of $ 500,000 for infrastructure improvements Toninario, which currently has the capacity to 350, and future plans for the construction
http://translate.google.co.th/translate?hl=en&sl=es&tl=en&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.avn.info.ve%2Fnode%2F23683
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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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The November 2010 issue of ZOOS' PRINT [Volume XXV, Number 11] is published and the online version is available free on the web at
ZOOS' PRINT MAGAZINE http://www.zoosprint.org/showMagazine.asp
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Annual Conference Recordings - Access Introductory Discounts Now
Experience 2010 Annual Conference Sessions Online
AZA is REWINDING the excitement of the 2010 AZA Annual Conference held September 11-16 in Houston. Annual Conference REWIND is a compilation of audio and video recordings along with the speaker presentations of thirteen different sessions, including National Geographic Photographer, Joel Sartore's address and other general session events.
This online library of compelling sessions led by top-notch speakers is perfect for unlimited personal use! Or organize group viewing and team-building sessions to share the continued excitement of AZA's Annual Conference with colleagues who missed it the first time. New this year, choose to subscribe to a single-session or for full access to all thirteen sessions!
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Experience 2010 Annual Conference Sessions Online
AZA is REWINDING the excitement of the 2010 AZA Annual Conference held September 11-16 in Houston. Annual Conference REWIND is a compilation of audio and video recordings along with the speaker presentations of thirteen different sessions, including National Geographic Photographer, Joel Sartore's address and other general session events.
This online library of compelling sessions led by top-notch speakers is perfect for unlimited personal use! Or organize group viewing and team-building sessions to share the continued excitement of AZA's Annual Conference with colleagues who missed it the first time. New this year, choose to subscribe to a single-session or for full access to all thirteen sessions!
Learn more by clicking
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The Fifth Howletts and Port Lympne Student Environmental Enrichment Course
(SEEC)
15th to 18th November 2010
Instructors: Mark Kingston Jones and Chris Hales
Due to the high demand for places and positive feedback, Howletts and Port
Lympne Wild Animal Parks are pleased to announce their fifth student course on
Environmental Enrichment to be run by Mark Kingston Jones and Chris Hales, in
collaboration with keepers from both institutions. Mark has been involved in
the animal welfare field since 2004. He now works at Howletts and Port Lympne as
‘Enrichment and Research Officer’, organisingworkshops, talks and working with
keepers to design and implement enrichment ideas. In addition to running the
previous Student Environmental Enrichment Courses, he has been involved in two
Shape workshops, in the UK and Indonesia and is now the Shape-UK & Ireland
events co-ordinator. As well as being an Honorary Research Fellow of the
School of Anthropology and Conservation, University of Kent, he received two
animal welfare awards for student research projects, and has presented 9 talks
on topics relating to animal welfare at conferences, both nationally and
internationally. Chris has been an instructor on three previous courses, having
been a Keeper at Port Lympne for 12yrs, with experience working on every section
with a multitude of taxa. He has a wide range of experience in the field of
husbandry and enrichmentspecializingin carnivores and developing long term
secondary enrichment to promote natural behaviourswhich he has presented at the
2010 REEC.
This course is designed specifically for college and university students (past
and present) who do not currently work within a zoo setting, but are looking to
do so as a career. Over 3½ days students will gain a background in animal
welfare and enrichment, dealing with welfare needs of different species, as well
as providing practical skills in designing, building and testing enrichment
within the settings of both Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks, in Kent.
Our aim is to provide valuable experience and an overview of additional
useful skills to a would-be keeper’s CV. Please note you must be 18 or over to
attend this course.
This course is roughly split equally between lecture and practical components.
Lecture topics include: Animal welfare, the 5 categories of enrichment, the
enrichment framework, animal husbandry and learning, enclosure design and
breaking into the zoo world. Additionally there will be Keeper lead talks and
practicals involving working with carnivores, primates, ungulates, elephant
management, in-situ conservation, rope splicing and fire hose weaving. The
final day of the course will result in the application of all these principles
as delegates are split into groups allowing you the opportunity to design, build
and test enrichment with one of our animals from a selection of species.
Please note that delegates are required to provide their own lunches and can
either bring their own or purchase food from the canteen. Information on
discounted accommodation including dinner, bed and breakfast is available on
request and the number of available places is limited, so please book early.
The workshop registration fee of £150 includes:
~ All workshop materials over the 3½ days.
~ Practical sessions.
~ Drinks and biscuits during the scheduled tea breaks.
For further information and to request a booking form please contact: Christine
Dutfield on:
Deadline for registered is the 31st of October 2010.
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Nominations are now open for the 2012 Indianapolis Prize
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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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Kind Regards,
Wishing you a wonderful week,
Peter Dickinson
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