Zoo News Digest 1st - 3rd November 2010 (Zoo News 700)
http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
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Please see below
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8:00-8:10 Dr. Pat Condy (Fossil Rim Wildlife Conservation Center)
Welcome and Introduction
8:15-8:35 Kelley Snodgrass (Fossil Rim Wildlife Conservation Center)
History of Fossil rim
8:40-9:25 Dr. Susie Ellis, PhD Executive Director (International Rhino Foundation)
Status of rhino populations and conservation efforts
9:30-9:50 Allison Kennedy-Benson
9:55-10:10 Jade Tuttle, Rhino Keeper (North Carolina Zoo)
All best intentions: one institution’s attempt to build a successful breeding program for southern white rhinoceros
10:10-10:25 BREAK
10:25-10:45 Christopher Tubbs, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate (San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research)
Potential role of dietary phytoestrogens in the reproductive failure of captive-born female southern white rhinoceros
10:50-11:30 Lara Metrione, PhD Candidate the Ohio State University (Southeast Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation)
A study of nulliparous southern white rhinoceros that exhibit ovulatory cycles but have higher average coricosterone levels than parous females
11:30-11:55 Sarah Beck, Mammal Keeper, Rhino Section (Chester Zoo)
Training and foot care in Chester Zoo’s Greater one horned rhinoceros
12:00-1:00 LUNCH
1:00-1:20 Dr. Monica Stoops (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – CREW)
Artificial insemination in greater one-horned rhinoceros
1:25-1:45 Jonnie Capiro, Rhino Keeper (San Diego Wild Animal Park)
Management practices, behavior and adrenal activity in the Indian rhinoceros
1:45-2:05 Samantha Kudeweh Team Leader Mammals (Hamilton Zoo, New Zealand)
Blood Blisters in White Rhino Calf
2:05-2:20 BREAK
2:25-3:15 Marty McPhee (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Laying the foundation to formulate an effective keeper talk
3:15-3:30 BREAK
3:30-5:00 Working group to develop and present keeper talks
5:00-5:30 Presentation of keeper talks for each species
The above is the proposed schedule and is subject to change. Dont forget to check out the Zoo Conferences, Meetings, Courses and Symposia blog page to see what is happening in the zoo world. If you have something to include, please email me.
Please see below
Dear Colleagues,
The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations have, quite naturally started to protest over the proposal to send elephants from India to Turkmenistan. They are of course against elephants going to any zoo and look upon 'captivity' as 'incarceration'. I reckon that most of the elephants in India are in captivity and most of these would be better off in a well managed zoo. As I said in my article Indian Elephant Insanity , I know nothing of the zoo in Turkmenistan to which the animals are going to be sent. If it is a good zoo then I have no problems whatsoever with the move. For some reason the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations has got it into their head that it is Ashgabat Zoo and are sending out the following link with their letter to the Environment Minister http://www.abandonthecube.com/blog/the-ashgabat-zoo/
I doubt that it is Ashgabat to which they are going. Even so the link makes an interesting read. As a zoo person I know you will read between the lines as well and realise that this place is probably not anywhere near as bad as the author has tried to make it.
Sticking with India for a moment. I note that they have set up yet another zoo authority. I wonder why?
I am grateful for the correction made in the comments of the last Zoo News Digest. Seemingly the Chimpanzee 'Sanctuary' in Brazil is not open to the public. So my apologies there. More disturbing however was the statement:
"Last week started a investigation at the "sanctuary" due a accusation of animal abuse and biomedical research with the chimps. (The owner is also owner of one of the biggest biomedical industries in Brasil)."
Now would that not be really terrible if it turned out to be true? The First two links in this Digest apply to this story. I have posted the link first....it is in Portugeuse and the google translate afterwards.
Much of Thailand is still suffering from the floods. This includes Elephantstay. You might like to check out their website to see some of the photos. Some of you may be in a position to offer assistance.
As I suspected and stated in the last Zoo News Digest I thought there was something odd about the video of the elephant being beaten to death by villagers. Okay the whole thing was a bit of a mess but they were actually trying to help the animal. Check out the link below for the story.
I note that Berlin Zoo are now getting the big stick from Claudia Hämmerling. I wonder if she could accept that the 'unjustifiable increase in animal numbers' could probably be partially solved by conservation management euthanasia where needed. Or would we have Magdeburg all over again?
Some Stories You May Have Missed:
The Good Zoo and Euthanasia
Surin Elephant Festival
The Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations have, quite naturally started to protest over the proposal to send elephants from India to Turkmenistan. They are of course against elephants going to any zoo and look upon 'captivity' as 'incarceration'. I reckon that most of the elephants in India are in captivity and most of these would be better off in a well managed zoo. As I said in my article Indian Elephant Insanity , I know nothing of the zoo in Turkmenistan to which the animals are going to be sent. If it is a good zoo then I have no problems whatsoever with the move. For some reason the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organisations has got it into their head that it is Ashgabat Zoo and are sending out the following link with their letter to the Environment Minister http://www.abandonthecube.com/blog/the-ashgabat-zoo/
I doubt that it is Ashgabat to which they are going. Even so the link makes an interesting read. As a zoo person I know you will read between the lines as well and realise that this place is probably not anywhere near as bad as the author has tried to make it.
Sticking with India for a moment. I note that they have set up yet another zoo authority. I wonder why?
I am grateful for the correction made in the comments of the last Zoo News Digest. Seemingly the Chimpanzee 'Sanctuary' in Brazil is not open to the public. So my apologies there. More disturbing however was the statement:
"Last week started a investigation at the "sanctuary" due a accusation of animal abuse and biomedical research with the chimps. (The owner is also owner of one of the biggest biomedical industries in Brasil)."
Now would that not be really terrible if it turned out to be true? The First two links in this Digest apply to this story. I have posted the link first....it is in Portugeuse and the google translate afterwards.
Much of Thailand is still suffering from the floods. This includes Elephantstay. You might like to check out their website to see some of the photos. Some of you may be in a position to offer assistance.
As I suspected and stated in the last Zoo News Digest I thought there was something odd about the video of the elephant being beaten to death by villagers. Okay the whole thing was a bit of a mess but they were actually trying to help the animal. Check out the link below for the story.
I note that Berlin Zoo are now getting the big stick from Claudia Hämmerling. I wonder if she could accept that the 'unjustifiable increase in animal numbers' could probably be partially solved by conservation management euthanasia where needed. Or would we have Magdeburg all over again?
PHOTO
Do you have an animal/zoo/wildlife photo that you would like to see included at the start of Zoo News Digest? Sorry I can't afford to pay for it but I will credit you and link back to a website if you wish. Sadly I cannot guarantee when I will get round to including as this will depend on the level of response. If you are interested please email the photo to me. Use 'Photo' as your subject heading. Please give your full name, the name of the species and where the photo was taken. I look forward to hearing from you.Some Stories You May Have Missed:
The Good Zoo and Euthanasia
Surin Elephant Festival
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This blog has readers from 147 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eire, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lapland, Lao, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Montenegro, Montserrat, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Wales, Zambia.
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On with links:
http://tn.temmais.com/noticia/5/27697/mp_investiga_denuncia_contra_santuario_de_primatas_em_sorocaba.htm
USING GOOGLE TRANSLATE
MP investigates complaint against Primate Sanctuary in Sorocaba
home to more than 40 chimpanzees and other animal species
The prosecutor met on Thursday for search and seizure warrant at the Shrine of Primates in Sorocaba. The site investigation for complaints that the animals would be used in research.
Police and prosecutors have seized dozens of records with information from chimpanzees that are in the Sanctuary, and other types of documents and computer hard drives from the site. They were investigating a complaint of the Association of Traveling Circuses, accusing the institution of abuse and also to use them illegally, the monkeys as test subjects for research.
It houses more than 40 chimpanzees and other animal species. Almost all were victims of over-treatment. Many were brought in circuses all over Brazil, where they received inadequate treatment. According to prosecutors, despite repeated complaints, has not found any indication of an improper location.
The creator of the Primate Sanctuaries, Pedro Alejandro Ynterian, said he has nothing to hide. He believes the visit was great Gaeco to clarify that the animals do not suffer ill-treatment and there is no secret laboratory, would have denounced as the Association of Circus. He also denied the existence of any scheme with IBAMA. Ynterian be quiet and said that pending completion of investigation, so it is proved that the accusations are all baseless.
http://g1.globo.com/sao-paulo/noticia/2010/10/mp-investiga-se-primatas-sofrem-maus-tratos-em-santuario-paulista.html
USING GOOGLE TRANSLATE
MP investigates whether primates suffer maltreatment sanctuary in Sao Paulo
Complaint also points out that animals are subjected to irregular surveys.
Primate Sanctuary owner denies accusations of Sorocaba.
Police and public prosecutors of Sorocaba, 99 km from Sao Paulo, seized on Thursday (28) chips with dozens of information that are of chimpanzees in a sanctuary city. They investigate a complaint of the Association of Traveling Circuses, accusing the institution of maltreatment and to use them illegally, the monkeys as test subjects for research is not authorized.
Agents also seized computer hard drives from the site. The Sanctuary Primate Sorocaba works since 2000. It houses more than 40 chimpanzees and other animal species. According to the complaint, nearly all were victims of maltreatment. Many were brought in circuses all over Brazil.
The prosecutors and police reported that, despite reports, have not found any indication of an improper location.
The creator of the Primate Sanctuaries, Pedro Alejandro Ynterian denies the existence of a laboratory for research and says it is awaiting completion of the investigation to prove that the accusations are unfounded.
Polar Bear Celebrity Knut Said to Be Suffering
Berlin Zoo is cramming too many animals into limited space and isn't providing enough room for celebrity polar bear Knut, a Berlin politician has said. She attributes the recent deaths of an elephant and an ostrich to the shortage of space. The zoo has rejected the accusations.
Berlin Zoo has rejected criticism from a local member of parliament that it has been cramming too many animals into too little space and that it isn't providing enough room for its charges, including hand-reared celebrity polar bear Knut, who is reported to be unhappy in his new enclosure.
"He doesn't feel well and international bear experts confirm that," Claudia Hämmerling, the wildlife protection expert for the opposition Greens in Berlin's city parliament, said in a statement.
Canadian polar bear expert Else Poulsen told Berlin daily Tagesspiegel last month that Knut's life with three other polar bears was "monotonous, outdated and cruel," and that he was losing fur and didn't have enough muscle for a four-year-old.
Knut had an area to himself but was moved into a new enclosure in September and shares it with Tosca, his mother who rejected him, and with two other female bears. Visitors have complained that the trio has been ganging up on Knut and threatening him, and that he often looks scared and sits in a corner of the enclosure looking depressed.
"Visiting the zoo should be fun rather than cause sympathy and protest. It is bad for Berlin if animal lovers around the world are worried about Knut. Berlin's 'golden polar bear' gave Berlin global attention and provided the zoo with millions in revenue," said Hämmerling. She said Knut didn't have enough room for himself.
Berlin Zoo director Bernhard Blaszkiewitz denied the accusations: "It's simply not true that we're holding more animals in less space," he said.
Animal Numbers Increasing
Hämmerling said the number of animals held in Berlin's two zoos in eastern and western Berlin had increased by 2,029 to 23,706 between 2007 and 2009. "This is not justifiable," she said.
She said the death of elephant cow Sabah last month following a fight with another elephant was attributable to a lack of space, as was a tragic case in which an ostrich died because
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,726810,00.html
Cheer up, the zoo's going to help you save your species
WITH the chill winter winds turning Edinburgh into a fridge, it's no wonder these monkeys looks less than thrilled to be here.
But despite the long face, for the L'Hoest monkeys it's a case of love in a cold climate.
Edinburgh Zoo has recently received six of the animals from North America, after being selected to oversee the European breeding programme for the at-risk species.
The animals enjoy more tropical weather in their natural habitat, the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
Despite the obvious difference in temperature, however, Edinburgh has had success in matching up mating couples, one of the main reasons the zoo was chosen to oversee the breeding programme.
This was previously managed by the Species Survival Programme in America, but after noticing the disparity in numbers of the species - European zoos have more than 40 of the animals while there are just 12 in North America - the decision was
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Cheer-up-the-zoo39s-going.6607602.jp
Zoo To Use 'Poo' In Recycling Efforts
The Cincinnati Zoo is recognized as the greenest zoo in America and soon hopes to use an unusual recycling effort to save energy and costs.
The zoo already uses the sun to cut down on the amount of power it uses. Two huge solar panels save the zoo more than $500,000 per year.
"Our goal down the road is to have enough to generate 25 percent of our electricity from solar panels," said Cincinnati zoo director Thane Maynard.
Water collectors and permeable pavement around the zoo also help the zoo reuse rainwater. The zoo went from using 220 million gallons of fresh water per year, to less than 100 million gallons.
In the future, Maynard said the zoo hopes to use animal waste as compost and soil for its botanical garden. The waste could also be used to heat the elephant house.
The zoo's green efforts have helped
http://www.wlwt.com/weather/25596987/detail.html
Bristol Zoo brings gorilla sculptures to city's streets
Life-sized gorilla sculptures on Bristol's streets will be part of the city zoo's 175th birthday.
The public art display around Bristol will also help to raise funds and awareness if the threats facing gorillas in the wild.
The gorillas are to be sponsored by businesses and will be painted and decorated by local artists.
Schools and community groups will also be invited to paint the gorillas which will be on the streets in summer 2011.
Enjoyable art
"We want our birthday year to be a city-wide celebration of all that is great about Bristol and its people," said Dr Bryan Carroll, director of Bristol Zoo Gardens.
"We hope the colourful sculptures will be enjoyed by thousands of Bristolians and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9144000/9144743.stm
Probe ordered into death of elephant calf at Gobha
The Forest Department on Thursday said that the three-year-old elephant calf that died at Gobha area in Morigaon on October 23 – attributed to a violent mob by a section of the media – aggravated its injuries when its movements were sought to be restrained by the people along with departmental staff, and subsequently died.
Briefing the media on the preliminary report of the inquiry committee, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), S Chand said that the animal was very weak from a deep wound on its body and that is why the team of veterinarians opted against tranquilizing it for treatment and applied local anaesthesia instead.
“But the animal became very restless following application of the sedative and started to run around nervously. The Forest officials present, in fact, engaged the local people to restrict its movement so that it does not enter the nearby waterhole where treatment would be impossible,” Chand said, adding that killing the elephant was never the intention of the people. Chand, however
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=nov0110/city07
PANTHERA CONGRATULATES ONE OF ITS ORIGINAL TIGERS FOREVER SITES FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER IN SAVING WILD CATS
Thailand's HKK Sanctuary follows strategy focused on results
NEW YORK, NY - The wild cat conservation organization Panthera congratulated the government of Thailand today for its long-standing efforts to conserve wild tigers. While tiger populations across Asia are plummeting due to poaching for the illegal trade in wildlife parts, lack of prey and habitat loss, Thailand's Huai Kha Khaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Forest Complex was recently recognized by the Global Tiger Initiative as a shining example of how tigers can be effectively protected.
HKK was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 and is well situated as part of a much larger landscape of connected protected forest. It is also one of the founding sites of Panthera's Tigers Forever strategy. Tigers Forever is a unique model that Panthera initiated in 2006, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society to increase tiger numbers at key sites by 50 percent over a 10-year period.
Tigers Forever focuses only on what will alleviate the most critical threats to the tigers' survival - such as patrols and enforcement to mitigate poaching and other illegal activities - while using scientific measurement and monitoring of tigers and their prey to ensure that conservation actions are being effective. Prior to utilizing the Tigers Forever model, HKK was already making efforts to protect its tigers, but law enforcement patrols were increased in 2006 to seriously combat poaching and other illegal activities in the park. Today, almost 200 staff members are conducting
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=57kfvycab&v=001gjTeQvTgjpo130Jj26SRKNu8-F8c5oX7jjaI6dJhZZx1PXNU_PsZLK9mRz51F3HUPoaAZIDBysxiSZOezT-EL3DuvXRD1Q-YfFu6fLaHS-vDnn2MvUwP6zqrt9P0BuIPNoFs0h21QlVNycJtvyqyR1oTh3TOPJRLZCuCw1PXcdLA5CP1rHCu81yuH_IW3JH1HZG-FtvWQNyuKiq3pbSOUBSKqPl-KXaPod6ro2CdDeqnl-6xl3-RsxSs8y6yw_bt
Drunk bar manager eaten alive by lions
A bar manager was eaten alive by lions after he wanted to play with them following an all-night party at a wildlife park in South Africa, it was reported here.
Thirty-year-old Jan-Friederick Bredenhand was dragged into the lions' complex by his legs after he climbed up a fence pole.
He was then "ripped to pieces", The Sun reported Tuesday.
The incident happened at the privately-run Addo Croc and Lion Ranch near Port Elizabeth.
The food and drinks manager was drunk and he wanted to "play" with the animals after the all-night party at the wildlife park.
Veluchia Hassim, a tourist who saw the lions chewing the victim's carcass, said: "We ran to the encampment. It was horrific. One lion was gnawing on his ribs when we got there."
The animals had to be shot dead so that
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/drunk-bar-manager-eaten-alive-by-lions-64028
In Defense Of Animals Blasts San Diego Zoo Plan To Loan Elephants To Los Angeles Zoo
In Defense of Animals (IDA) is blasting the San Diego Zoo for its plan to loan two elephants to the Los Angeles Zoo, claiming the move is detrimental to the elephants’ welfare. The San Diego Zoo received Tina and Jewel after they were removed by federal agencies from an abusive circus handler last year.
“Scientific research shows that inter-zoo transfers contribute to the premature deaths of elephants, so unnecessary moves should be avoided at all costs,” said IDA Elephant Campaign Director Catherine Doyle. “If the San Diego Zoo cannot keep Tina and Jewel, the elephants should be sent to a natural-habitat sanctuary where they would be assured a permanent home and the stability that elephants need to thrive. Unlike a sanctuary, there is no guarantee that the L.A. Zoo will not move these elephants yet again.”
IDA worked for more than two years to free Tina and Jewel from a life-threatening situation in the circus, filing complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act and pressing for confiscation of the ailing elephants. The USDA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service removed the elephants and sent them to the zoo in August 2009.
The PAWS Sanctuary in San Andreas, California, had long offered to take Tina and Jewel and guarantee them a lifetime home. IDA expected that if the elephants were to be moved again, it would be to PAWS, which provides expert rehabilitation for abused
http://www.idanews.org/ida-breaking-news/in-defense-of-animals-blasts-san-diego-zoo-plan-to-loan-elephants-to-los-angeles-zoo/
Dolphin species attempt 'common language'
When two dolphin species come together, they attempt to find a common language, preliminary research suggests.
Bottlenose and Guyana dolphins, two distantly related species, often come together to socialise in waters off the coast of Costa Rica.
Both species make unique sounds, but when they gather, they change the way they communicate, and begin using an intermediate language.
That raises the possibility the two species are
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9045000/9045389.stm
Calgary Zoo to host two rare giant pandas
After learning the Calgary Zoo has won a bid to host two giant pandas, one young conservationist is excited to see them.
Holly Hykawy said she has been taking her kids to the zoo since they were babies.
“It’s really exciting for my eight-year-old daughter,” said Hykawy. “For her birthday last year she adopted a gorilla instead of having birthday presents.”
Annika, 8, said she’s “really excited” to learn about the pandas.
“I’ve never actually seen a panda so I sort of want to know what they look like,” said Annika.
“I sort of like learning about how they’re endangered and why.”
For the staff at the Calgary Zoo, hosting “an icon for world
http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/article/678604--calgary-zoo-to-host-two-rare-giant-pandas
Zoo faces drastic cuts after visitor slump
THE boss of one of Scotland's best-known visitor attractions has admitted it has "no option" but to slash its running costs in the wake of a dramatic slump in visitors.
Edinburgh Zoo's chief executive has warned it will have to making major savings by the end of the year to stave off a financial crisis.
David Windmill has denied claims from worried staff that the attraction is in danger of going into administration and that management have ordered the 250-strong workforce to take a pay cut.
But he has conceded that the zoo is expected to make a significant loss at the end of the current financial year, even taking into account a widespread cost-cutting programme, which has put dozens of jobs at risk.
Mr Windmill revealed that a drop in visitor numbers of about 60,000 - almost 10 per cent of last year's total - was expected to cost the attraction almost £1 million. He said the zoo's relatively small cash reserves of just £2 million meant it was being forced to scale back important conservation and education projects.
Mr Windmill said the number of jobs to go over the next few months would be "nowhere near" the 50 figure quoted in recent reports.
But other emergency measures which have been ordered include closing a flagship exotic birds enclosure, charging members of the society to park at the attraction and cutting back
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Zoo-faces-drastic-cuts-after.6606951.jp
An elephant in my garden
From her sunny balcony she can hear the roar of a tiger and the bark of a sea lion not too far away. Today, there's a squawk from an exotic bird and the constant chatter of gibbons - mixed with the ripping growl of chainsaws and the resounding thump of hammers.
The boundary of Auckland Zoo is metres from Annette Isbey's Westmere home. The renowned artist has worked from her studio since the 1970s and lived in the house above it since 1999.
From here she's watched zookeepers walk wildcats, pigs and even elephants past her garden.
To prove her point, the 82-year-old shows photographs of Burma and Kashin pushing their heads through her back fence. They seem to be reaching for the lemon tree.
Not your normal neighbour, a zoo. Not your normal neighbourly concerns, either.
Frail but determined, Ms Isbey is one of hundreds of residents fighting the zoo's planned expansion into Western Springs Park.
The proposed 22,000sq m land grab
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/an-elephant-in-my-garden/3927719/
West Bengal sets up new zoo authority
A zoo authority has been set in West Bengal to control the two largest zoos in the state, an official said here Saturday.
The Alipore Zoological Gardens in the city and the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park at Darjeeling will now be controlled by the West Bengal State Zoo Authority.
State Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh is the chairman of the authority and senior forest department officials are its members.
'The committee members held their first meeting Friday at the State Secretariat - Writers' Buildings where it
http://sify.com/finance/west-bengal-sets-up-new-zoo-authority-news-default-kk4n4sfhjid.html
Rhino horn GPS used to deter poachers
Five rhinos in South Africa's North West province have been fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to help protect them from poachers.
The GPS chip is fitted into the rhino's horn by drilling a small hole in the inert or dead part of the horn.
As well as GPS tracking, the device is equipped with alarm systems to alert game wardens of unusual movement or if a rhino is outside of the park.
The North West Park Board is testing the devices
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9116000/9116106.stm
Dolphin death data collected, not analyzed
Critics say feds should review for trends, issues
When Sumar the killer whale died unexpectedly at SeaWorld San Diego on Sept. 7, company officials issued a statement mourning the loss of the 12-year-old orca and fans poured out their sadness on the Internet.
What most of them probably didn’t know was how common it is for members of the dolphin family, which includes orcas, to pass away at the local facility.
Sumar was the fourth orca to die at SeaWorld San Diego since 1985, according to the Marine Mammal Inventory Report, maintained by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
In addition to those, federal figures show, 42 non-orca dolphins died at SeaWorld San Diego over that same timespan.
Whether that record is troubling — or more likely, laudable — is an open question because federal regulators don’t
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/30/dolphin-death-data-collected-not-analyzed/
3rd ibis release to start today / When 'acclimation cage' door opens, will birds fly to freedom?
The release of 14 Japanese crested ibises, a species designated by the government as a specially protected natural monument, will start Monday on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, it has been learned.
The birds, called toki, are the third batch to be bred and released by the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center in the hope that they will adapt to life in the wild. After the first group of toki was released in 2008, followed by the second in 2009, a total of 21 are thought to be living either on Sado Island or on Honshu.
The conservation center hopes that the 14 ibises, eight males and six females ranging from this year's hatchlings up to 5 years old, will pair up among themselves or with the previously released birds in next spring's breeding season or later, hopefully leading to the first hatching of ibis chicks under natural conditions since 1976, center officials said.
The current ibis release will be carried out by having the 14 fly directly out of their 4,000-square-meter "acclimation cage," where they were trained to fly and feed. The first release was conducted after shifting each ibis from the acclimation cage to a smaller one with the aim of having the bird take wing immediately once the cage was opened, but
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T101031002303.htm
Indian police bust elephant smuggling ring
Indian police busted an elephant smuggling ring in the northeastern state of Assam, arresting five people and seizing three wild elephants, two of them calves, authorities said Monday.
Documents seized during the operation Sunday night showed the gang had been engaged in the illegal elephant trade for years, smuggling at least 92 elephants from the state to other parts of India over the past five years, said P. K. Dutta, superintendent of police in Kokrajhar, a district in the west of Assam.
Selling elephants is barred under Indian law and even getting permission to move domesticated elephants between states is a lengthy and complicated procedure.
Regardless, authorities say there remains
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_ELEPHANT_SMUGGLING?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Small, wrinkly and worth waiting for
Tuatara are not known for doing anything in a hurry and are notoriously difficult to breed, so a group of seven newly hatched babies has conservationists excited.
Staff at Wellington Zoo found the eggs in May, and now - after months of careful incubation - three males and four females have emerged. The zoo is aiming for a self-sustaining captive population, and the eggs represent a crucial step.
Senior reptile keeper Olivia Walley says the zoo has four adult tuatara - three are female - and they are kept separate from the four juveniles on display for visitors. They are in a breeding enclosure that is divided into six sections, leaving the male, Tuatahi, to roam freely between them.
"He climbs in between them to whoever he fancies the look of."
When Ms Walley found eight eggs laid by Matamuri earlier this year, Tuatahi had become a first-time father.
The eggs were moved to Victoria University to be watched over by conservation ecology senior technician Susan Keall. In a dedicated room, the eight eggs were kept incubated in two separate
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4266947/Small-wrinkly-and-worth-waiting-for
Sydney zoo celebrates birth of Asian elephant
Sydney's premier zoo is celebrating the birth of its first female Asian elephant - a 270 pound (120 kilogram) calf that is doing well.
Taronga Zoo director Cameron Kerr said in a statement that the birth Tuesday means that Australia now has a dozen of the endangered animals in zoos in Sydney and Melbourne, after initially receiving eight from Thailand in 2006.
The newborn, which has yet to be named, is the third
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/01/AR2010110107213.html
Baby Dolphin Dies at Gulf World
Gulf World Marine Park’s youngest baby dolphin, Chloe, died Sunday when she fell from her habitat.
She and her mother were housed with Gulf World’s other two new babies and their mothers. The accident happened at night and it appears that she was accidently pushed or washed over the wall by some type of activity caused
http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/baby_dolphin_dies_at_gulf_world/mbb7726498/
$12M panda cave needed
Designs for climate-controlled dwellings begin this month
Design plans will likely begin this month for a $12 million “cave-like” dwelling for two rare giant pandas from China making Toronto Zoo their home in two years.
Plans for a 950-square-metre climate-controlled cage will have to receive a green light from the Chinese government before construction begins, Ward 7 Councillor and zoo panda task force member Giorgio Mammoliti said.
He said the pandas arrive in 2012 and will remain for the 2015 Pan Am Games.
Mammoliti said sponsors are being sought to help cover the cost of the pen.
“We are using the panda bears to raise money for the zoo,” Mammoliti said. “People are interested in the panda-mania that will take place.”
Officials estimate the animals will attract 450,000 visitors and bring in about $10 million annually for the zoo.
“We don’t need taxpayers to subsidize the zoo,” Mammoliti said. “Some of us believe the zoo should be run independently from the city.”
He said the Chinese government and Zoo Association of China committed the pandas to Canada for 15 years. They will spend five years each at zoos in Toronto, Calgary
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/11/01/15910591.html
Aquarium Loses Long-time Favorite
Squirt the sea lion was a fan-favorite at the Aquarium of Niagara for 22 years. Staff members say that she had a strong personality and loved performing.
Over the two decades she was at the Aquarium, she was one of the star attractions. Recently she underwent cataract surgery.
The surgery was successful, but doctors made a troubling discovery.
Squirt was also suffering from cancer. Her health deteriorated quickly and they made the difficult decision
http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=93277&catid=13
Admin negligence increases animals, birds’ death ratio at Margazar Zoo
Two vacant seats of Zoo Supervisors in the Margazar Zoo, located in Sector E-6, seem to have created huge problem for the administration as the death ratio of animals and birds has increased in the zoo.
Another female ostrich was died in Margazar Zoo and was shifted to National Institute of Health (NIH) in CDA’s ‘Shahzoor’ truck for postmortem on Tuesday evening.
According to reliable sources, there were three ostriches in the zoo out of which a female ostrich was died due to carelessness that showed the mismanagement of the zoo administration.
Sources said the Capital Development
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C11%5C03%5Cstory_3-11-2010_pg11_1
Operation tiger: 27 stone zoo animal requires police escort as surgeons remove rugby ball-sized tumour
She tips the scales at 27st and she’s perfectly capable of biting your head off should she happen to get upset.
On top of that, she’d been feeling a bit tetchy lately due to a crippling pain in her gut. So here’s a question not many surgeons will face in their career: just how do you remove a tumour the size of a rugby ball from the belly of a sleeping tiger?
Answer: very carefully indeed
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1326022/Tiger-requires-police-escort-surgeons-remove-rugby-ball-sized-tumour.html
World's rarest snake back from brink of extinction
The world's rarest snake has slithered back from the brink of extinction, with its numbers increasing 10-fold in the past 15 years, conservationists said today.
Researchers found there were just 50 Antiguan racers (Alsophis antiguae) in 1995, all confined to the eight-hectare Great Bird Island, off the coast of Antigua in the Caribbean.
The snake had been wiped out on mainland Antigua by the mongoose, a species from Asia which had been introduced by humans, while the species had been attacked by black rats which had colonised Great Bird Island.
The harmless Antiguan racers were also killed by people.
But work by conservationists in the past 15 years, including eradication of the rats from a dozen offshore islands, an education programme and reintroduction schemes, has boosted the population to more than 500 snakes.
The range of the snake has increased to 63 hectares and other wildlife has also benefited, the conservation groups involved in the project said.
Caribbean brown pelicans have increased from just two breeding pairs to more than 60 pairs on the first islands to be restored
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/worlds-rarest-snake-back-from-brink-of-extinction-2123057.html
http://tn.temmais.com/noticia/5/27697/mp_investiga_denuncia_contra_santuario_de_primatas_em_sorocaba.htm
USING GOOGLE TRANSLATE
MP investigates complaint against Primate Sanctuary in Sorocaba
home to more than 40 chimpanzees and other animal species
The prosecutor met on Thursday for search and seizure warrant at the Shrine of Primates in Sorocaba. The site investigation for complaints that the animals would be used in research.
Police and prosecutors have seized dozens of records with information from chimpanzees that are in the Sanctuary, and other types of documents and computer hard drives from the site. They were investigating a complaint of the Association of Traveling Circuses, accusing the institution of abuse and also to use them illegally, the monkeys as test subjects for research.
It houses more than 40 chimpanzees and other animal species. Almost all were victims of over-treatment. Many were brought in circuses all over Brazil, where they received inadequate treatment. According to prosecutors, despite repeated complaints, has not found any indication of an improper location.
The creator of the Primate Sanctuaries, Pedro Alejandro Ynterian, said he has nothing to hide. He believes the visit was great Gaeco to clarify that the animals do not suffer ill-treatment and there is no secret laboratory, would have denounced as the Association of Circus. He also denied the existence of any scheme with IBAMA. Ynterian be quiet and said that pending completion of investigation, so it is proved that the accusations are all baseless.
http://g1.globo.com/sao-paulo/noticia/2010/10/mp-investiga-se-primatas-sofrem-maus-tratos-em-santuario-paulista.html
USING GOOGLE TRANSLATE
MP investigates whether primates suffer maltreatment sanctuary in Sao Paulo
Complaint also points out that animals are subjected to irregular surveys.
Primate Sanctuary owner denies accusations of Sorocaba.
Police and public prosecutors of Sorocaba, 99 km from Sao Paulo, seized on Thursday (28) chips with dozens of information that are of chimpanzees in a sanctuary city. They investigate a complaint of the Association of Traveling Circuses, accusing the institution of maltreatment and to use them illegally, the monkeys as test subjects for research is not authorized.
Agents also seized computer hard drives from the site. The Sanctuary Primate Sorocaba works since 2000. It houses more than 40 chimpanzees and other animal species. According to the complaint, nearly all were victims of maltreatment. Many were brought in circuses all over Brazil.
The prosecutors and police reported that, despite reports, have not found any indication of an improper location.
The creator of the Primate Sanctuaries, Pedro Alejandro Ynterian denies the existence of a laboratory for research and says it is awaiting completion of the investigation to prove that the accusations are unfounded.
Polar Bear Celebrity Knut Said to Be Suffering
Berlin Zoo is cramming too many animals into limited space and isn't providing enough room for celebrity polar bear Knut, a Berlin politician has said. She attributes the recent deaths of an elephant and an ostrich to the shortage of space. The zoo has rejected the accusations.
Berlin Zoo has rejected criticism from a local member of parliament that it has been cramming too many animals into too little space and that it isn't providing enough room for its charges, including hand-reared celebrity polar bear Knut, who is reported to be unhappy in his new enclosure.
"He doesn't feel well and international bear experts confirm that," Claudia Hämmerling, the wildlife protection expert for the opposition Greens in Berlin's city parliament, said in a statement.
Canadian polar bear expert Else Poulsen told Berlin daily Tagesspiegel last month that Knut's life with three other polar bears was "monotonous, outdated and cruel," and that he was losing fur and didn't have enough muscle for a four-year-old.
Knut had an area to himself but was moved into a new enclosure in September and shares it with Tosca, his mother who rejected him, and with two other female bears. Visitors have complained that the trio has been ganging up on Knut and threatening him, and that he often looks scared and sits in a corner of the enclosure looking depressed.
"Visiting the zoo should be fun rather than cause sympathy and protest. It is bad for Berlin if animal lovers around the world are worried about Knut. Berlin's 'golden polar bear' gave Berlin global attention and provided the zoo with millions in revenue," said Hämmerling. She said Knut didn't have enough room for himself.
Berlin Zoo director Bernhard Blaszkiewitz denied the accusations: "It's simply not true that we're holding more animals in less space," he said.
Animal Numbers Increasing
Hämmerling said the number of animals held in Berlin's two zoos in eastern and western Berlin had increased by 2,029 to 23,706 between 2007 and 2009. "This is not justifiable," she said.
She said the death of elephant cow Sabah last month following a fight with another elephant was attributable to a lack of space, as was a tragic case in which an ostrich died because
http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/0,1518,726810,00.html
Cheer up, the zoo's going to help you save your species
WITH the chill winter winds turning Edinburgh into a fridge, it's no wonder these monkeys looks less than thrilled to be here.
But despite the long face, for the L'Hoest monkeys it's a case of love in a cold climate.
Edinburgh Zoo has recently received six of the animals from North America, after being selected to oversee the European breeding programme for the at-risk species.
The animals enjoy more tropical weather in their natural habitat, the jungles of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda.
Despite the obvious difference in temperature, however, Edinburgh has had success in matching up mating couples, one of the main reasons the zoo was chosen to oversee the breeding programme.
This was previously managed by the Species Survival Programme in America, but after noticing the disparity in numbers of the species - European zoos have more than 40 of the animals while there are just 12 in North America - the decision was
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Cheer-up-the-zoo39s-going.6607602.jp
Zoo To Use 'Poo' In Recycling Efforts
The Cincinnati Zoo is recognized as the greenest zoo in America and soon hopes to use an unusual recycling effort to save energy and costs.
The zoo already uses the sun to cut down on the amount of power it uses. Two huge solar panels save the zoo more than $500,000 per year.
"Our goal down the road is to have enough to generate 25 percent of our electricity from solar panels," said Cincinnati zoo director Thane Maynard.
Water collectors and permeable pavement around the zoo also help the zoo reuse rainwater. The zoo went from using 220 million gallons of fresh water per year, to less than 100 million gallons.
In the future, Maynard said the zoo hopes to use animal waste as compost and soil for its botanical garden. The waste could also be used to heat the elephant house.
The zoo's green efforts have helped
http://www.wlwt.com/weather/25596987/detail.html
Bristol Zoo brings gorilla sculptures to city's streets
Life-sized gorilla sculptures on Bristol's streets will be part of the city zoo's 175th birthday.
The public art display around Bristol will also help to raise funds and awareness if the threats facing gorillas in the wild.
The gorillas are to be sponsored by businesses and will be painted and decorated by local artists.
Schools and community groups will also be invited to paint the gorillas which will be on the streets in summer 2011.
Enjoyable art
"We want our birthday year to be a city-wide celebration of all that is great about Bristol and its people," said Dr Bryan Carroll, director of Bristol Zoo Gardens.
"We hope the colourful sculptures will be enjoyed by thousands of Bristolians and
http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/bristol/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_9144000/9144743.stm
Probe ordered into death of elephant calf at Gobha
The Forest Department on Thursday said that the three-year-old elephant calf that died at Gobha area in Morigaon on October 23 – attributed to a violent mob by a section of the media – aggravated its injuries when its movements were sought to be restrained by the people along with departmental staff, and subsequently died.
Briefing the media on the preliminary report of the inquiry committee, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (Wildlife), S Chand said that the animal was very weak from a deep wound on its body and that is why the team of veterinarians opted against tranquilizing it for treatment and applied local anaesthesia instead.
“But the animal became very restless following application of the sedative and started to run around nervously. The Forest officials present, in fact, engaged the local people to restrict its movement so that it does not enter the nearby waterhole where treatment would be impossible,” Chand said, adding that killing the elephant was never the intention of the people. Chand, however
http://www.assamtribune.com/scripts/detailsnew.asp?id=nov0110/city07
PANTHERA CONGRATULATES ONE OF ITS ORIGINAL TIGERS FOREVER SITES FOR BEING RECOGNIZED AS A LEADER IN SAVING WILD CATS
Thailand's HKK Sanctuary follows strategy focused on results
NEW YORK, NY - The wild cat conservation organization Panthera congratulated the government of Thailand today for its long-standing efforts to conserve wild tigers. While tiger populations across Asia are plummeting due to poaching for the illegal trade in wildlife parts, lack of prey and habitat loss, Thailand's Huai Kha Khaeng (HKK) Wildlife Sanctuary in the Western Forest Complex was recently recognized by the Global Tiger Initiative as a shining example of how tigers can be effectively protected.
HKK was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991 and is well situated as part of a much larger landscape of connected protected forest. It is also one of the founding sites of Panthera's Tigers Forever strategy. Tigers Forever is a unique model that Panthera initiated in 2006, in collaboration with the Wildlife Conservation Society to increase tiger numbers at key sites by 50 percent over a 10-year period.
Tigers Forever focuses only on what will alleviate the most critical threats to the tigers' survival - such as patrols and enforcement to mitigate poaching and other illegal activities - while using scientific measurement and monitoring of tigers and their prey to ensure that conservation actions are being effective. Prior to utilizing the Tigers Forever model, HKK was already making efforts to protect its tigers, but law enforcement patrols were increased in 2006 to seriously combat poaching and other illegal activities in the park. Today, almost 200 staff members are conducting
http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?llr=57kfvycab&v=001gjTeQvTgjpo130Jj26SRKNu8-F8c5oX7jjaI6dJhZZx1PXNU_PsZLK9mRz51F3HUPoaAZIDBysxiSZOezT-EL3DuvXRD1Q-YfFu6fLaHS-vDnn2MvUwP6zqrt9P0BuIPNoFs0h21QlVNycJtvyqyR1oTh3TOPJRLZCuCw1PXcdLA5CP1rHCu81yuH_IW3JH1HZG-FtvWQNyuKiq3pbSOUBSKqPl-KXaPod6ro2CdDeqnl-6xl3-RsxSs8y6yw_bt
Drunk bar manager eaten alive by lions
A bar manager was eaten alive by lions after he wanted to play with them following an all-night party at a wildlife park in South Africa, it was reported here.
Thirty-year-old Jan-Friederick Bredenhand was dragged into the lions' complex by his legs after he climbed up a fence pole.
He was then "ripped to pieces", The Sun reported Tuesday.
The incident happened at the privately-run Addo Croc and Lion Ranch near Port Elizabeth.
The food and drinks manager was drunk and he wanted to "play" with the animals after the all-night party at the wildlife park.
Veluchia Hassim, a tourist who saw the lions chewing the victim's carcass, said: "We ran to the encampment. It was horrific. One lion was gnawing on his ribs when we got there."
The animals had to be shot dead so that
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/drunk-bar-manager-eaten-alive-by-lions-64028
In Defense Of Animals Blasts San Diego Zoo Plan To Loan Elephants To Los Angeles Zoo
In Defense of Animals (IDA) is blasting the San Diego Zoo for its plan to loan two elephants to the Los Angeles Zoo, claiming the move is detrimental to the elephants’ welfare. The San Diego Zoo received Tina and Jewel after they were removed by federal agencies from an abusive circus handler last year.
“Scientific research shows that inter-zoo transfers contribute to the premature deaths of elephants, so unnecessary moves should be avoided at all costs,” said IDA Elephant Campaign Director Catherine Doyle. “If the San Diego Zoo cannot keep Tina and Jewel, the elephants should be sent to a natural-habitat sanctuary where they would be assured a permanent home and the stability that elephants need to thrive. Unlike a sanctuary, there is no guarantee that the L.A. Zoo will not move these elephants yet again.”
IDA worked for more than two years to free Tina and Jewel from a life-threatening situation in the circus, filing complaints with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) for multiple violations of the Animal Welfare Act and pressing for confiscation of the ailing elephants. The USDA and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service removed the elephants and sent them to the zoo in August 2009.
The PAWS Sanctuary in San Andreas, California, had long offered to take Tina and Jewel and guarantee them a lifetime home. IDA expected that if the elephants were to be moved again, it would be to PAWS, which provides expert rehabilitation for abused
http://www.idanews.org/ida-breaking-news/in-defense-of-animals-blasts-san-diego-zoo-plan-to-loan-elephants-to-los-angeles-zoo/
Dolphin species attempt 'common language'
When two dolphin species come together, they attempt to find a common language, preliminary research suggests.
Bottlenose and Guyana dolphins, two distantly related species, often come together to socialise in waters off the coast of Costa Rica.
Both species make unique sounds, but when they gather, they change the way they communicate, and begin using an intermediate language.
That raises the possibility the two species are
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9045000/9045389.stm
Calgary Zoo to host two rare giant pandas
After learning the Calgary Zoo has won a bid to host two giant pandas, one young conservationist is excited to see them.
Holly Hykawy said she has been taking her kids to the zoo since they were babies.
“It’s really exciting for my eight-year-old daughter,” said Hykawy. “For her birthday last year she adopted a gorilla instead of having birthday presents.”
Annika, 8, said she’s “really excited” to learn about the pandas.
“I’ve never actually seen a panda so I sort of want to know what they look like,” said Annika.
“I sort of like learning about how they’re endangered and why.”
For the staff at the Calgary Zoo, hosting “an icon for world
http://www.metronews.ca/calgary/article/678604--calgary-zoo-to-host-two-rare-giant-pandas
Zoo faces drastic cuts after visitor slump
THE boss of one of Scotland's best-known visitor attractions has admitted it has "no option" but to slash its running costs in the wake of a dramatic slump in visitors.
Edinburgh Zoo's chief executive has warned it will have to making major savings by the end of the year to stave off a financial crisis.
David Windmill has denied claims from worried staff that the attraction is in danger of going into administration and that management have ordered the 250-strong workforce to take a pay cut.
But he has conceded that the zoo is expected to make a significant loss at the end of the current financial year, even taking into account a widespread cost-cutting programme, which has put dozens of jobs at risk.
Mr Windmill revealed that a drop in visitor numbers of about 60,000 - almost 10 per cent of last year's total - was expected to cost the attraction almost £1 million. He said the zoo's relatively small cash reserves of just £2 million meant it was being forced to scale back important conservation and education projects.
Mr Windmill said the number of jobs to go over the next few months would be "nowhere near" the 50 figure quoted in recent reports.
But other emergency measures which have been ordered include closing a flagship exotic birds enclosure, charging members of the society to park at the attraction and cutting back
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Zoo-faces-drastic-cuts-after.6606951.jp
An elephant in my garden
From her sunny balcony she can hear the roar of a tiger and the bark of a sea lion not too far away. Today, there's a squawk from an exotic bird and the constant chatter of gibbons - mixed with the ripping growl of chainsaws and the resounding thump of hammers.
The boundary of Auckland Zoo is metres from Annette Isbey's Westmere home. The renowned artist has worked from her studio since the 1970s and lived in the house above it since 1999.
From here she's watched zookeepers walk wildcats, pigs and even elephants past her garden.
To prove her point, the 82-year-old shows photographs of Burma and Kashin pushing their heads through her back fence. They seem to be reaching for the lemon tree.
Not your normal neighbour, a zoo. Not your normal neighbourly concerns, either.
Frail but determined, Ms Isbey is one of hundreds of residents fighting the zoo's planned expansion into Western Springs Park.
The proposed 22,000sq m land grab
http://www.theaucklander.co.nz/local/news/an-elephant-in-my-garden/3927719/
West Bengal sets up new zoo authority
A zoo authority has been set in West Bengal to control the two largest zoos in the state, an official said here Saturday.
The Alipore Zoological Gardens in the city and the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park at Darjeeling will now be controlled by the West Bengal State Zoo Authority.
State Chief Secretary Samar Ghosh is the chairman of the authority and senior forest department officials are its members.
'The committee members held their first meeting Friday at the State Secretariat - Writers' Buildings where it
http://sify.com/finance/west-bengal-sets-up-new-zoo-authority-news-default-kk4n4sfhjid.html
Rhino horn GPS used to deter poachers
Five rhinos in South Africa's North West province have been fitted with a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to help protect them from poachers.
The GPS chip is fitted into the rhino's horn by drilling a small hole in the inert or dead part of the horn.
As well as GPS tracking, the device is equipped with alarm systems to alert game wardens of unusual movement or if a rhino is outside of the park.
The North West Park Board is testing the devices
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_9116000/9116106.stm
Dolphin death data collected, not analyzed
Critics say feds should review for trends, issues
When Sumar the killer whale died unexpectedly at SeaWorld San Diego on Sept. 7, company officials issued a statement mourning the loss of the 12-year-old orca and fans poured out their sadness on the Internet.
What most of them probably didn’t know was how common it is for members of the dolphin family, which includes orcas, to pass away at the local facility.
Sumar was the fourth orca to die at SeaWorld San Diego since 1985, according to the Marine Mammal Inventory Report, maintained by the National Marine Fisheries Service.
In addition to those, federal figures show, 42 non-orca dolphins died at SeaWorld San Diego over that same timespan.
Whether that record is troubling — or more likely, laudable — is an open question because federal regulators don’t
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/30/dolphin-death-data-collected-not-analyzed/
3rd ibis release to start today / When 'acclimation cage' door opens, will birds fly to freedom?
The release of 14 Japanese crested ibises, a species designated by the government as a specially protected natural monument, will start Monday on Sado Island, Niigata Prefecture, it has been learned.
The birds, called toki, are the third batch to be bred and released by the Sado Japanese Crested Ibis Conservation Center in the hope that they will adapt to life in the wild. After the first group of toki was released in 2008, followed by the second in 2009, a total of 21 are thought to be living either on Sado Island or on Honshu.
The conservation center hopes that the 14 ibises, eight males and six females ranging from this year's hatchlings up to 5 years old, will pair up among themselves or with the previously released birds in next spring's breeding season or later, hopefully leading to the first hatching of ibis chicks under natural conditions since 1976, center officials said.
The current ibis release will be carried out by having the 14 fly directly out of their 4,000-square-meter "acclimation cage," where they were trained to fly and feed. The first release was conducted after shifting each ibis from the acclimation cage to a smaller one with the aim of having the bird take wing immediately once the cage was opened, but
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T101031002303.htm
Indian police bust elephant smuggling ring
Indian police busted an elephant smuggling ring in the northeastern state of Assam, arresting five people and seizing three wild elephants, two of them calves, authorities said Monday.
Documents seized during the operation Sunday night showed the gang had been engaged in the illegal elephant trade for years, smuggling at least 92 elephants from the state to other parts of India over the past five years, said P. K. Dutta, superintendent of police in Kokrajhar, a district in the west of Assam.
Selling elephants is barred under Indian law and even getting permission to move domesticated elephants between states is a lengthy and complicated procedure.
Regardless, authorities say there remains
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/A/AS_INDIA_ELEPHANT_SMUGGLING?SITE=VARIT&SECTION=STATE&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
Small, wrinkly and worth waiting for
Tuatara are not known for doing anything in a hurry and are notoriously difficult to breed, so a group of seven newly hatched babies has conservationists excited.
Staff at Wellington Zoo found the eggs in May, and now - after months of careful incubation - three males and four females have emerged. The zoo is aiming for a self-sustaining captive population, and the eggs represent a crucial step.
Senior reptile keeper Olivia Walley says the zoo has four adult tuatara - three are female - and they are kept separate from the four juveniles on display for visitors. They are in a breeding enclosure that is divided into six sections, leaving the male, Tuatahi, to roam freely between them.
"He climbs in between them to whoever he fancies the look of."
When Ms Walley found eight eggs laid by Matamuri earlier this year, Tuatahi had become a first-time father.
The eggs were moved to Victoria University to be watched over by conservation ecology senior technician Susan Keall. In a dedicated room, the eight eggs were kept incubated in two separate
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/4266947/Small-wrinkly-and-worth-waiting-for
Sydney zoo celebrates birth of Asian elephant
Sydney's premier zoo is celebrating the birth of its first female Asian elephant - a 270 pound (120 kilogram) calf that is doing well.
Taronga Zoo director Cameron Kerr said in a statement that the birth Tuesday means that Australia now has a dozen of the endangered animals in zoos in Sydney and Melbourne, after initially receiving eight from Thailand in 2006.
The newborn, which has yet to be named, is the third
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/01/AR2010110107213.html
Baby Dolphin Dies at Gulf World
Gulf World Marine Park’s youngest baby dolphin, Chloe, died Sunday when she fell from her habitat.
She and her mother were housed with Gulf World’s other two new babies and their mothers. The accident happened at night and it appears that she was accidently pushed or washed over the wall by some type of activity caused
http://www.panhandleparade.com/index.php/mbb/article/baby_dolphin_dies_at_gulf_world/mbb7726498/
$12M panda cave needed
Designs for climate-controlled dwellings begin this month
Design plans will likely begin this month for a $12 million “cave-like” dwelling for two rare giant pandas from China making Toronto Zoo their home in two years.
Plans for a 950-square-metre climate-controlled cage will have to receive a green light from the Chinese government before construction begins, Ward 7 Councillor and zoo panda task force member Giorgio Mammoliti said.
He said the pandas arrive in 2012 and will remain for the 2015 Pan Am Games.
Mammoliti said sponsors are being sought to help cover the cost of the pen.
“We are using the panda bears to raise money for the zoo,” Mammoliti said. “People are interested in the panda-mania that will take place.”
Officials estimate the animals will attract 450,000 visitors and bring in about $10 million annually for the zoo.
“We don’t need taxpayers to subsidize the zoo,” Mammoliti said. “Some of us believe the zoo should be run independently from the city.”
He said the Chinese government and Zoo Association of China committed the pandas to Canada for 15 years. They will spend five years each at zoos in Toronto, Calgary
http://www.torontosun.com/news/torontoandgta/2010/11/01/15910591.html
Aquarium Loses Long-time Favorite
Squirt the sea lion was a fan-favorite at the Aquarium of Niagara for 22 years. Staff members say that she had a strong personality and loved performing.
Over the two decades she was at the Aquarium, she was one of the star attractions. Recently she underwent cataract surgery.
The surgery was successful, but doctors made a troubling discovery.
Squirt was also suffering from cancer. Her health deteriorated quickly and they made the difficult decision
http://www.wgrz.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=93277&catid=13
Admin negligence increases animals, birds’ death ratio at Margazar Zoo
Two vacant seats of Zoo Supervisors in the Margazar Zoo, located in Sector E-6, seem to have created huge problem for the administration as the death ratio of animals and birds has increased in the zoo.
Another female ostrich was died in Margazar Zoo and was shifted to National Institute of Health (NIH) in CDA’s ‘Shahzoor’ truck for postmortem on Tuesday evening.
According to reliable sources, there were three ostriches in the zoo out of which a female ostrich was died due to carelessness that showed the mismanagement of the zoo administration.
Sources said the Capital Development
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C11%5C03%5Cstory_3-11-2010_pg11_1
Operation tiger: 27 stone zoo animal requires police escort as surgeons remove rugby ball-sized tumour
She tips the scales at 27st and she’s perfectly capable of biting your head off should she happen to get upset.
On top of that, she’d been feeling a bit tetchy lately due to a crippling pain in her gut. So here’s a question not many surgeons will face in their career: just how do you remove a tumour the size of a rugby ball from the belly of a sleeping tiger?
Answer: very carefully indeed
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1326022/Tiger-requires-police-escort-surgeons-remove-rugby-ball-sized-tumour.html
World's rarest snake back from brink of extinction
The world's rarest snake has slithered back from the brink of extinction, with its numbers increasing 10-fold in the past 15 years, conservationists said today.
Researchers found there were just 50 Antiguan racers (Alsophis antiguae) in 1995, all confined to the eight-hectare Great Bird Island, off the coast of Antigua in the Caribbean.
The snake had been wiped out on mainland Antigua by the mongoose, a species from Asia which had been introduced by humans, while the species had been attacked by black rats which had colonised Great Bird Island.
The harmless Antiguan racers were also killed by people.
But work by conservationists in the past 15 years, including eradication of the rats from a dozen offshore islands, an education programme and reintroduction schemes, has boosted the population to more than 500 snakes.
The range of the snake has increased to 63 hectares and other wildlife has also benefited, the conservation groups involved in the project said.
Caribbean brown pelicans have increased from just two breeding pairs to more than 60 pairs on the first islands to be restored
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/worlds-rarest-snake-back-from-brink-of-extinction-2123057.html
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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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Sumatran Orangutan Society
SOS T-Shirt Design Competition
http://www.orangutans-sos.org/competition/
http://www.orangutans-sos.org/competition/
RHINO KEEPER WORKSHOP
May 16, 2011
8:00-8:10 Dr. Pat Condy (Fossil Rim Wildlife Conservation Center)
Welcome and Introduction
8:15-8:35 Kelley Snodgrass (Fossil Rim Wildlife Conservation Center)
History of Fossil rim
8:40-9:25 Dr. Susie Ellis, PhD Executive Director (International Rhino Foundation)
Status of rhino populations and conservation efforts
9:30-9:50 Allison Kennedy-Benson
9:55-10:10 Jade Tuttle, Rhino Keeper (North Carolina Zoo)
All best intentions: one institution’s attempt to build a successful breeding program for southern white rhinoceros
10:10-10:25 BREAK
10:25-10:45 Christopher Tubbs, PhD, Postdoctoral Associate (San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research)
Potential role of dietary phytoestrogens in the reproductive failure of captive-born female southern white rhinoceros
10:50-11:30 Lara Metrione, PhD Candidate the Ohio State University (Southeast Zoo Alliance for Reproduction and Conservation)
A study of nulliparous southern white rhinoceros that exhibit ovulatory cycles but have higher average coricosterone levels than parous females
11:30-11:55 Sarah Beck, Mammal Keeper, Rhino Section (Chester Zoo)
Training and foot care in Chester Zoo’s Greater one horned rhinoceros
12:00-1:00 LUNCH
1:00-1:20 Dr. Monica Stoops (Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden – CREW)
Artificial insemination in greater one-horned rhinoceros
1:25-1:45 Jonnie Capiro, Rhino Keeper (San Diego Wild Animal Park)
Management practices, behavior and adrenal activity in the Indian rhinoceros
1:45-2:05 Samantha Kudeweh Team Leader Mammals (Hamilton Zoo, New Zealand)
Blood Blisters in White Rhino Calf
2:05-2:20 BREAK
2:25-3:15 Marty McPhee (Disney’s Animal Kingdom)
Laying the foundation to formulate an effective keeper talk
3:15-3:30 BREAK
3:30-5:00 Working group to develop and present keeper talks
5:00-5:30 Presentation of keeper talks for each species
The above is the proposed schedule and is subject to change. Dont forget to check out the Zoo Conferences, Meetings, Courses and Symposia blog page to see what is happening in the zoo world. If you have something to include, please email me.
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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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Wishing you a wonderful week,
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