Happy New Year from Zoo News Digest

The 3rd February 2011 ushers in the first day of the Chinese New Year. It is the year of the Rabbit (unless you are in Vietnam where it is the year of the Cat). Out goes the Year of the Tiger.

I am posting this out on the 2nd of February just in case you are a purist and believe that the new day starts at 11 pm tonight.

And sadly, out goes the year of the Tiger.

I wonder though did we actually get anywhere with Tigers? There were endless meetings, lots of talk, reams of documents, lots of promised commitment, there were pats on the back and awards given out.

What though was actually done?

We have another chance to get things right. The Tiger is a Cat after all. Let us ignore the Chinese horoscope this year and stick with the Vietnamese one. Let us actually do something for the Tigers. Action. Protect the forests and all within will be protected. Forget about doubling numbers...simply protect the forests.

We have all been moaning on about Indonesia and their destruction of the forests. No Tigers there I will grant you but there is in Malaysia. Today we learn that:

"New satellite imagery showed Malaysia was destroying forests more than three times faster than all of Asia combined, and its carbon-rich peat soils of the Sarawak coast were being stripped even faster, according to a study released Tuesday"

This is Horrific!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Not a good start to my year.

***

For Books on Zoo Management and more please visit

The Zoo Professionals Book Store

***

For regular updated Zoo News, Views, Reviews and Vacancies please visit

 Zoo News Digest on

FACEBOOK

Learn More About Zoos and Aquariums by visiting

The Zoo Hubs

and subscribe to the largest and longest established zoo related ezine

by clicking

HERE

'No Mirrors Involved'

Snow Leopards

Photo supplied by Peter Litherland of the

Welsh Mountain Zoo