Friday, April 15, 2011

Zoo News Digest 12th - 15th April 2011 (Zoo News 741)

Zoo News Digest 12th - 15th April 2011 (Zoo News 741)

Peter Dickinson


Dear Colleague,

A Bill making it illegal to make undercover videos of farming operations is insane. It comes very close to the most stupid proposals that I have heard. It smells of corruption in high places just to have got as far as it has. Okay Minnesota is a long way away from where I am sitting right now and does not seem to apply to zoos... but it COULD... and if not today then tomorrow or next year or whenever. Let us assume that such a bill did exist in the UK today then poor Anne The Elephant would still be being beaten and abused. Surely no-one would want that? It is legislation that should not happen in Minnesota or anywhere where somebody is simply trying to hide cruel practices to farm animals.


Two things which struck me about the Daily Mail story "Don't play with your food!". The first is the most obvious. Rangunan (or Ragunan) is NOT in Thailand! So it would be nice if they got that right. The second thing was in the comments after the article. I mention it because I see it repeated all so often "I know many will say she shouldn't be in a zoo, but Bengal tigers are an endangered species. At least she is safe, well taken care of and seems to be enjoying life." This complimentary statement about zoos is as bad as those which condemn. All zoos are not the same. There are far more bad ones out there than there are good. No reflection on Rangunan here which is pretty good as zoos go and the tiger accommodation is better than many if I remember correctly.

The story of the Tel Aviv Hippo made a refreshing change. I very much liked the quote from the keeper, Sami Khadier "Animals don't recognise borders".

Reports of animals being stolen from zoos is a fairly regular occurrence. Usually this will be parrots, primates or tortoises. New on the scene is Coral. Okay not from a zoo but think about it, zoo next? High cost and to private collecters. Who would recognise a stolen coral. Be aware.

Delighted to have heard something of the situation with the Orangutans in Giza Zoo. If you have not already done so please read 'Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort Statement on the Orangutans in Giza Zoo'. Don't forget to check out the comments. There is protest taking place outside the zoo tomorrow. It would be nice if Giza Zoo followed the lead of Al Ain and issued a statement.

Zoo Biology has been surprisingly quiet this past week. A bad thing or a good thing? I would like to think that it was good as members access the extensive archives and find answers to the queries they have.

Pity though that queries I had have gone unanswered this week.

The video of Rabat Zoo will disturb some....especially Tapir fans.





****


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Some Articles You May Have Missed

Gay Penguins

Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort Statement on the Orangutans in Giza Zoo

 10th International Conference on Environmental Enrichment

Mercedes The Polar Bear

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New Protests in Egypt: Activists to Picket Cairo Zoo for Animal Rights
The Egyptian uprising was enough to wrestle a dictator from his long-held post and bring shadows of democracy to a Middle Eastern nation. But can people power also be utilized to elicit support for an animal-rights movement?
A coalition of organizations and activists in Egypt have banded together to demand an overhaul of animal treatment within the country, and just as weeks of protests forced the resignation of former president Hosni Mubarak in February, they hope that a citizen demonstration will bring a renewed focus to the issues that have long plagued the country and seem to only get worse over time.
The Egyptian Society for Mercy to Animals (ESMA), along with the Egyptian Society of Animal Friends (ESAF) and Animal Welfare Awareness Research (AWAR), announced over the
http://newsfeed.time.com/2011/04/11/new-protests-in-egypt-activists-to-picket-cairo-zoo-for-animal-rights/





What a zoo
A corner of cheerful coexistence in a largely segregated city
FOR the peccaries at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, it is a familiar experience. Dark-clothed humans appear disgusted when they spot them from afar, and then, drawing nearer, suddenly beam smiles and benevolence. The pig-like animals from South America have a comforting sign on their enclosure. “Doss is nisht a chazer,” it assures Yiddish-speaking visitors from the city’s ultra-Orthodox Jewish community: “This is not a pig.”
The same assurance appears in Arabic, too, for the thousands of Muslim visitors. Neither religion positively enjoins zoo-going. But the director, Shai Doron, tries to be accommodating. A signpost near the kangaroos, making the sacrilegious claim that the continents shifted 40m years ago, used to be defaced almost daily. Now it has been subtly reworded to “many years ago”, and peace reigns.
For Mr Doron, in fact, religious strictures are a boon. His carnivores get all their meat and poultry at knock-down prices from Jewish slaughterhouses. These call the zoo whenever a butchered animal is ruled unkosher. Many Jewish disqualifications also
http://www.economist.com/node/18561803?story_id=18561803&fsrc=rss




Temara Zoo - Rabat - You are NOT going to like this video!!





Madrid zoo unveils first orangutan born there in more than 20 years, name is BooThe first baby orangutan to be born in captivity in 20 years at the Madrid zoo has made its first public appearance.
The 9-month-old primate named Boo cuddled a stuffed animal — a bright yellow orangutan — as it was unveiled by a keeper Thursday.
Boo’s mother died of lung disease in late February. Baby orangutans normally stay very close to their mothers until they are a year or so old and nurse until they are 2 or 3. Boo gets his milk from a
http:///







Bill would ban video of Minnesota farming operations
Making undercover videos of animal mistreatment would be illegal in Minnesota under bills pending in the state Legislature.
The bills would make it illegal to make audio or video recordings at any animal facility without permission. Even possessing such videos would become illegal.
Animal rights advocates say the proposal would have a chilling effect on whistle-blowers trying to call attention to animal cruelty.
Republican Sen. Doug Magnus of Slayton tells the Star Tribune the bill he's sponsoring is "aimed at people who are harassing and sabotaging these operations."
http://www.agweek.com/event/article/id/18230/







Berlin Zoo tells loyal Knut fans to get stuffed
Plans to put the dead polar bear's carcass on display have angered followers worldwide
The angry protesters, wearing T-shirts and badges emblazoned with furry images of their dead hero, have turned the entrance of Berlin Zoo into a shrine of remembrance decked out with candles, photographs, and flowers.
Emotions were already running high in the German capital over last month's sudden death of Knut, the world's most famous polar bear. But now officials have announced plans to stuff Knut's carcass and put it on display in the Berlin Natural History Museum, causing them to boil over into rage.
"Knut simply does not deserve this fate," complained Jochen Kolbe, 31, the leader of a growing campaign to stop the bear being stuffed. "Knut is not only a polar bear; he is a friend and a family member. If somebody dies in your family, do you want to see him stuffed in a museum?"
The idea to have Knut stuffed and put on public display were conceived by Berhard Blaszkiewitz, the Berlin Zoo director ultimately responsible for turning the polar bear into a global celebrity, earning millions in visitors fees alone. Knut was rejected by his mother when he was born in 2006, and the zoo arranged for him to be hand-reared by his keeper, Thomas Dörflein. Watched by the world's television cameras, Knut was played Elvis songs on his keeper's guitar and nurtured with helpings of cod liver oil.
Before his unexpected death after a brain seizure last month, world fame had
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/berlin-zoo-tells-loyal-knut-fans-to-get-stuffed-2266958.html









Troubled zoo blames the weather for loss of 90,000 visitors
Edinburgh Zoo has seen its visitor numbers slump by more than 90,000, despite a bumper year for rival leading attractions.
Scotland's leading animal attraction suffered the biggest drop – equivalent to 250 visitors a day – among the top 20 "paid-for" sites around the country last year.
The 14.1 per cent fall is thought to have cost the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland more than £1 million.
Over the past few months, 16 jobs have been axed to help stave off a financial crisis.
The zoo has been embroiled in scandal in recent weeks after two senior offic
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Troubled-zoo-blames-the-weather.6750735.jp




Study: Climate change, whales causing penguins to starve
That most iconic species of cold-weather waterfowl, penguins, is in dire peril due to climate change and a resurgence of hungry whales, according to the results of a long-term study.
Back in the early 80s, about half of Adelie and chinstrap penguins on the West Antarctic Peninsula returned to their breeding grounds after hatching. That number has plummeted to just 10 percent today – the implication being that the AWOL penguins have starved to death.
Biologist Wayne Trivelpiece of the National Marine Fisheries Service, a researcher in the study who has been on the penguin case since the 1970s, thinks he knows what’s killing
http://www.tbd.com/blogs/weather/2011/04/study-climate-change-whales-causing-penguins-to-starve-10204.html




$4,000 worth of coral stolen from Midvale store
Thousands of dollars worth of exotic coral was stolen from a saltwater aquarium store in Midvale.
On April 1, the owner of 'Marine Aquatics' says the suspect grabbed $4,000 worth of coral from a tank and walked out of the store.
Surveillance cameras caught the crime from several different angles.
The owner says he believes the suspect knew what he was looking for. "Most of the pieces that are in the tank are the elite pieces or the higher-end pieces, the more expensive pieces," says Jerry Ohrn the owner of
http://www.abc4.com/content/news/slc/story/4-000-worth-of-coral-stolen-from-Midvale-store/CBI3PKfd90uzQ6JdVaAn0w.cspx




Australia Zoo welcomes baby white rhino
AUSTRALIA Zoo has a cute new addition to its family - a baby white rhino.
She's about 60kg and a bit wobbly after being born at 3.15am yesterday.
Zoo spokeswoman Manu Ludden said the female calf was doing well and had already started feeding from proud mum Caballe.
"Our little rhino calf was on the move immediately after being born and she has already had at least three good long feeds," Ms Ludden said.
"Mum is also doing well. She is super relaxed
http://www.couriermail.com.au/travel/news/australia-zoo-welcomes-baby-white-rhino/story-e6freqwo-1226038078305









Task force recommends zoo expansion, but on a smaller scale
After more than 90 minutes of arguing over lines on a map, the Buttonwood Park Zoo expansion task force made a recommendation that may allow for the zoo to retain elephants as well as give it space to handle new exhibits.
The recommendation would expand the zoo to the north, to the edge of the greenhouse in the park, although no one at the meeting would give an acreage estimate, as the land has yet to be surveyed.
The task force is an advisory board comprising representatives from the surrounding neighborhood, city government, the zoo and the park.
Dr. William Langbauer, the zoo's director, said after the meeting that the proposal is about half of zoo's original 4-acre proposal. Louis Garibaldi, the Friends of Buttonwood Park president and a foil of Langbauer's throughout the task force's discussions, meanwhile, said after the meeting that the zoo got about 80 percent of what it wanted.
"The park got the short end of the stick," he said.
The zoo is located within Buttonwood, and
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110413/NEWS/104130352/-1/NEWSMAP





Sanctuary Sued for Chimpanzee Attack
An unpaid volunteer says a primate sanctuary failed to protect her from a chimpanzee that attacked and bit her as she cleaned its cage.
Andrea M. Maturen says the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary Foundation has greater knowledge of what's required to deal with chimps, but failed "adequately segregate" the adult female, Shawn, or to put a panic button in the chimp's cage. Maturen also says the foundation did not immediately provide her with medical care, causing her "considerable and unnecessary physical pain and suffering, fear, angst, terror and emotional pain and suffering".
The sanctuary's attorney, however, said, "This lawsuit never should have been filed." Attorney Tom Dandar, of Tampa, added, "We have paperwork that she signed."
Dandar acknowledged, though, that the chimp
http://www.courthousenews.com/2011/04/12/35697.htm







Volunteer attacked by chimp sues Suncoast Primate Sanctuary Foundation
A volunteer who survived a vicious chimpanzee attack at a local animal sanctuary filed a suit against the Suncoast Primate Sanctuary Foundation this week.
Andrea Maturen, 23, was attacked on Feb. 12, 2010, while cleaning a cage at the sanctuary, formerly known as Noell's Ark Chimp Farm. Shawn, a 75-pound chimpanzee, jumped on Maturen and bit the back of her head after opening a door in an adjacent cage. The attack continued as Shawn chased Maturen around the sanctuary.
Maturen said sanctuary officials initially told her they'd help her with her medical bills, which topped out at $55,000. But months later, they offered her about $50 a month, she said.
She's having a hard time putting the incident behind her with the bills looming over her head, she said.
"It's super stressful," Maturen said. "It makes it impossible for me to emotionally move on from it."
Outreach coordinator Debbie Cobb and her husband Jon, a foundation officer, were also named in the suit.
Among other allegations, Maturen's suit claims that the sanctuary and the Cobbs failed to obtain immediate and proper medical care for her. It also accuses them of "misleading law enforcement," causing a delay in the treatment of her injuries and unnecessary pain.
Maturen sustained a deep cut in the back of her head, a broken thumb, a gaping mouth-shaped wound on her elbow, and various bites and scratches.
Debbie Cobb referred a call for comment to her attorney, saying, "I'm just not going to entertain anyone that's not in the best interest of the sanctuary, or the animals or even for Andrea."
Cobb's Tampa lawyer, Thomas Dandar, said he hasn't seen the entire complaint yet, but said, "I deny most of the allegations in there." He said he was surprised Maturen filed a lawsuit.
Earlier this year, Maturen told the St. Petersburg Times she was angry to discover that the Cobbs and other sanctuary workers kept a deputy waiting outside the sanctuary on Alt. U.S. 19 while she lay bleeding inside.
The day of the attack, no one from the sanctuary called 911.
A deputy responded after a patron at the facility called authorities. The deputy said sanctuary workers were evasive about Maturen's condition and refused to let him into the sanctuary, according to a Pinellas County Sheriff's Office report.
"Looking at the time line, it appears Andrea (Maturen) was at the sanctuary with severe and potentially life-threatening injuries while I was outside trying to find out what happened and check on her," the deputy wrote. "She went over an hour before receiving medical treatment at (a clinic). I believe I was intentionally misled about her condition, about what happened and her location."
About 10 minutes after the attack, Maturen said she found refuge in the sanctuary bathroom, where she lay bleeding. Several minutes later, after another volunteer called the Cobbs, she heard the Cobbs trying to lure Shawn back to her enclosure.
Eventually, unbeknownst to the deputy outside, Maturen was ushered into the car of another volunteer, who followed Jon Cobb to a walk-in medical clinic about five or 10 minutes away, Maturen said. To get there, they would have likely passed Helen Ellis Memorial Hospital and its emergency room.
Maturen's father is outraged about how his daughter was treated.
"You would think the main thing would be getting help for whoever was injured," said Bill Maturen, who lives near Largo. "The hell with the monkeys."
The suit, filed Monday, also accuses
http://www.tampabay.com/news/courts/civil/volunteer-attacked-by-chimp-sues-suncoast-primate-sanctuary-foundation/1162582









Rhino kills mount after poachers exit jail
Posing a serious challenge to wildlife conservation, a dozen poachers who were released four and a half years ago after their jail sentences were commuted, have now been ravaging wildlife at Chitwan National Park (CNP), investigations show.
Ramsaran BK, one of the 12 poachers set free in August, 2006 after they had served just three and a half years of a 15-year sentence, was arrested again on poaching charges recently.
BK, who is known as an all-time notorious rhino-horn smuggler, was nabbed last week in the capital in a raid by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), which has been running ´Operation Hunt´ against poaching rings for a couple of months now.
The poachers must all have reverted to their old ways, given the rapid increase in rhino-poaching in the wake of the amnesty, which
http://www.myrepublica.com/portal/index.php?action=news_details&news_id=30198





NEW Zoo in Suamico uses specialized software to track diets of all its animals
Zootrition helps zoos decide how much food to give
Neil Anderson shows us how the NEW Zoo uses specialized software to figure out how much food to give the animals.
The animals' dietary needs can change over the year. For example, when the giraffes are outdoors during warmer weather, their activity level picks up and they need more calories.
The Zootrition software has a database of more than 3,000 different types of food to help zookeepers prepare and manage a diet. It takes into account each animal's size and body weight. It also takes into consideration the animal's physiological status, for example
http://www.fox11online.com/dpp/good_day_wi/new-zoo-in-suamico-uses-specialized-software-to-track-diets-of-all-its-animals





Keeper’s Dudley Zoo memories
Dudley Zoo was his playground as a child – with the castle as an unusual climbing frame.
And more than 70 years later, former keeper Les Baker had a trip down memory lane when he returned to his childhood home.
His first visit to the zoo was in 1937 — the year it opened — with his father, who became the elephant keeper at the complex.
George Edward Baker was in charge of elephants until his death in 1952. He had been working with elephants at a travelling circus but wanted to settle down and brought his young family from the south of England to the Midlands.
One of the attractions for George was that the job included family accommodation in Castle Lodge set within woodland in the zoo grounds.
His son says he can clearly remember living in the lodge, which has since been demolished. The 77-year-old, of Woodsetton, said:”As a lad living on site, I loved it.
“Imagine having a zoo as your playground, and there is no part of Dudley Castle that I haven’t climbed at some time.”
He also recalled tales from his father’s time at the zoo, including a sticky situation on a summer’s day in the late 1940s. He said: “Dad paraded an elephant on the forecourt of the elephant house for the benefit of a throng of visitors
http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2011/04/13/keepers-dudley-zoo-memories/






TB in elephants called 'a gray area'
Animal-rights group says elephant with positive TB test is a danger, but circus and government health officials say there is no risk
An animal-rights group contends that an elephant performing in Baltimore with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus poses a health risk to the public because she has tested positive for tuberculosis, but circus and government health officials say the animal is no threat because she does not have an active form of the infectious disease.
Karen, a 42-year-old Asian elephant, tested positive for TB in a blood test but negative in a follow-up test known as a trunk wash, which involves taking a culture of saline solution run through the animal's trunk.
The positive blood test was enough to get Karen barred from entering Tennessee with the rest of the circus back in December. But it appears that health officials in that state, where TB was transmitted from another elephant to nine employees at a refuge in 2009, were taking a stricter stance than
http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2011-04-06/entertainment/bs-ae-elephant-tuberculosis-20110406_1_asian-elephant-tb-animal-rights-group




Wellington Zoo's Big Bite 2 Benefits Bears Around The World
In early March Wellington Zoo held its second Big Bite fundraising event. The night was a great success, raising more than $4,000 for Free the Bears Asia through a money-can't-buy auction as well as $30,000 to help build the ASB Malayan Sun Bear exhibit at the Zoo. The new exhibit will be home to Sean and Sasa - the Zoo's sun bears. Brendon Veale, Fundraising Manager at the Zoo explains; "As well as raising money for our own sun bears here at the Zoo, it was great to be able to support our friends at Free the Bears with the important work that they are doing. It really highlights the role that zoos can play in raising awareness and funds for species that are in trouble in the wild" Part of Wellington Zoo's sponsorship arrangement with Arataki Honey means that Arataki raises funds for Free the Bears at its visitor centre in Havelock North throughout the year. "We are delighted to contribute to the donation Wellington Zoo is giving to Free the Bears. We have a special exhibition in our visitor centre about the Wellington Zoo sun bears and ask our visitors to give donations to help bears in the wild through Free the Bears," says Pam Flack, Arataki Honey Director. Together with sponsor Arataki Honey, Wellington Zoo has worked for many years to raise funds to support the work of Free the Bears Asia through its Conservation Fund. The Zoo also raises awareness of the issues that bears face in the wild in Asia. Sean was rescued from a restaurant in Cambodia by Free the Bears Asia and the Zoo was
http://www.voxy.co.nz/national/wellington-zoo039s-big-bite-2-benefits-bears-around-world/5/87872





Don't play with your food! Bengal tiger entertains at Thailand zoo by leaping into pool after chunks of meat
These spectacular images show a female Bengal tiger as she attempts to entertain visitors at a Thailand zoo.
Asih has become a favourite for visitors at Rangunan zoo as she dives into her pool in pursuit of chunks of meat.
The big cat leaps into the
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1376498/Dont-play-food-Bengal-tiger-entertains-Thailand-zoo-leaping-pool-chunks-meat.html?ito=feeds-newsxml





Zoo join campaign to increase number of trees in the UK
CHESTER Zoo has rolled up its sleeves to join a tree planting movement aiming to double the number of native trees and woods in the UK.
Staff from the zoo teamed up with children from Acresfield Primary School in Upton to help pupils plant 50 tree saplings - marking the launch of this year’s RHS 'Britain in Bloom' campaign, which aims to increase the number of trees in Britain.
The move comes as a recent United Nations (UN) report highlighted the UK as the second-least wooded country in Europe with just 12 per cent forest cover.
Finland topped the league of forest-clad countries with 73 per cent cover and Sweden, Slovenia, Latvia and Estonia all exceed 50 per cent.
In an attempt to change this, RHS 'Britain in Bloom' and the Woodland Trust are donating 200,000 free tree saplings to be planted by communities across the UK, including Chester.
The giveaway is in support of the UN’s 2011 International Year of Forests. Chester Zoo will be planting 400 of these trees around its ponds, hedgerows and visitor car parks
http://www.chesterfirst.co.uk/news/101256/zoo-join-campaign-to-increase-number-of-trees-in-the-uk.aspx




Zoo's little penguin patients released
A FEW took their time but most didn’t waste a second getting back into the water.
Eight little penguins were released at Fishermans Beach today after being treated for a range of conditions at Taronga Zoo.
Some were malnourished, some had been injured and some
http://manly-daily.whereilive.com.au/news/story/zoos-little-patients/





Baby elephant's death affects zoo staff
The death of Dineo, the first baby elephant born at the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa in Pretoria, felt like a death in the family, zoo staff said yesterday.
Dineo, born three weeks ago, died in her sleep yesterday morning. An autopsy is being conducted.
"We had her under 24-hour surveillance since the day she was born," said Craig Allenby, a manager at the zoo.
"Within the first day we saw she wasn't feeding, and we acted immediately. We even had permanent veterinary staff with her in the end."
Dineo was the first calf of Pumbi, an "immature mother", said Allenby. In the wild, more experienced mothers help inexperienced ones rear their calves, or even rear the calves for them
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/article1016859.ece/Baby-elephants-death-affects-zoo-staff




Erica the trapped River Tay beaver died of septic shock in Edinburgh Zoo
A post mortem examination has revealed that the beaver trapped as part of a controversial scheme on the River Tay died of septic shock
A beaver captured on the River Tay died at Edinburgh Zoo from septic shock, a post mortem examination has revealed.
The beaver, nick-named Erica, was captured in Perthshire as part of a controversial trapping campaign ordered by Scottish Natural Heritage.
A post mortem has revealed that a small splinter of plant material in the beaver’s leg allowed bacteria to enter her body.
Erica contracted septicaemia after the splinter entered her leg during her time at the zoo.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has claimed that there is no immediate concern to other animals after the death.
Campaigners in the Scottish Beaver Group claimed Erica’s death last month backed
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/tayside/243302-erica-the-trapped-river-tay-beaver-died-of-septic-shock-in-edinburgh-zoo/





West Bank zoo welcomes new Tel Aviv hippo
A West Bank zoo has welcomed a new hippopotamus that was delivered to Qalqiliya town courtesy of a zoo in Tel Aviv, in what officials said was a goodwill gesture.
Visitors watched while zoo keepers introduced the latest arrival to its new living quarters.
The animals were given by the Ramat Gan Zoo near Tel Aviv, also known as the Israeli Safari.
The zoo has in the past moved some of its animals to other zoos in the Palestinian territories.
The animals successfully travelled a path that many Israelis and Palestinians cannot - the army prohibits Israelis from entering Palestinian areas
http://www.3news.co.nz/West-Bank-zoo-welcomes-new-Tel-Aviv-hippo/tabid/1160/articleID/206731/Default.aspx









US lawmakers seek to ban chimp experiments
US lawmakers proposed bills banning medical research on chimpanzees in the United States, the last major industrialized country to still use to the apes for experiments.
"Scientists worldwide have halted chimpanzee experiments, because these intelligent creatures suffer immensely and are poor models for researching human diseases," said Elizabeth Kucinich, director of government affairs for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medecine.
Her research ethics group has campaigned for the bills now being sponsored in the Senate and the House of Representatives.
Democratic Senator Maria Cantwell of Washington, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Susan Collins, a Republican senator, are sponsoring the Great Ape Protection and Cost Savings Act, which would put
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hFQApvxUgR-CW1k2V65a1YvlwTXQ?docId=CNG.72efd567239c484c0d93d81389a24871.a1





Maritime Aquarium Seeks Horseshoe Crab Tagging Help
Norwalk’s Maritime Aquarium is seeking help from Westporters and other area residents as spring moons draw male and female horseshoe crabs on to beaches for an annual mating ritual.
An announcement today said it is seeking volunteers to help attach census tags to horseshoe crabs as they come out of the water to spawn at Norwalk’s Calf Pasture Beach.
It is part of a census of horseshoe crabs in Long Island Sound being led by Jennifer Mattei of Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, the announcement said. The Maritime Aquarium is assisting with the census and tagging.
The horseshoe crab population on the East Coast may be declining as the animals are harvested and ground up for use as bait in eel pots, the Aquarium said.
“Fewer horseshoe crabs would mean
http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2_5/comments/32902/





World Kazakhstan to reintroduce Turan tiger
Kazakhstan and the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are to jointly launch a program to reintroduce Turan tigers to the Central Asian state, the government's press service said on Friday.
Central Asian Turan tigers were exterminated in the 20th century. Ecologists say the restoration project includes bringing in Russian Amur tigers as they are genetically identical to Turan tigers.
"For this purpose, we will establish a unique preserve of the kind in our country in the southern part of the Lake Balkhash area," the Kazakh government press service said.
Lake Balkhash in southeastern Kazakhstan, one of the largest in Asia, is the original habitat of the Turan tiger.
"We have agreed that the WWF and the Ministry of Environment in Kazakhstan will draw up a comprehensive program to
http://en.rian.ru/world/20110325/163206045.html








"Free the Atlanta 11" group to protest Georgia Aquarium show On Saturday, April 16 between 11:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., concerned members of the greater Atlanta and surrounding communities along with marine conservation activists from the ‘Free the Atlanta 11’ group will unite to protest the Georgia Aquarium’s newest attraction, the “Dolphin Tales Show”.
Learn more about current dolphin research and the money interests behind this exploitive attraction. Find out how you can get involved to help raise awareness
http://www.theweekly.com/news/2011/April/13/Georgia_Aquarium.html




World’s 2nd deadliest poison, in an aquarium store near youIn 2007, a man from Woodbridge, Virginia was rushed into hospital after inhaling an aerosolised version of one of the deadliest poisons on the planet. He was not the victim of a terrorist attack. He wasn’t working in a biohazard laboratory. He was trying to clean out his fish tank.
The man, who posts on the Reef Central Forums as Steveoutlaw, was trying to get rid of a colony of zoanthids – a relative of corals and sea anemones – that was infesting his aquarium rocks. He had heard that boiling water would do the trick. When he tried it, he accidentally inhaled some of the steam.
Twenty minutes later, his nose was running and he had a cough. Four hours later, his breathing was laboured and he was headed to the emergency room. By the time he arrived, he was suffering from severe coughing fits and chest pains. He was stabilised, but he developed asthma and a persistent cough, and had to use steroids and an inhaler for at least two months.
The reason for his sudden illness was palytoxin, a speciality of zoanthids, and the second deadliest poison in the natural world. One gram of the stuff will kill more than a hundred million mice. This poison, liberated by
http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2011/04/05/world%e2%80%99s-2nd-deadliest-poison-in-an-aquarium-store-near-you/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DiscoverLivingWorld+%28Discover+Living+World%29




Will Bob Barker’s plea sway Toronto Zoo to move elephants?Former Price is Right host Bob Barker says he’ll likely contribute some of his own money to help relocate three Toronto elephants to a warmer sanctuary, an offer the chair of the Toronto Zoo board isn’t rejecting.
The former game show host arrived Thursday in Toronto to try to persuade zoo officials Friday to move Toka, Thika and Iringa to new homes in the U.S.
“If necessary, I certainly will (donate cash). I think that there are organizations who are prepared to pay for that, but if they run short, yes, absolutely,” Barker told the Star shortly after arriving at his hotel Thursday night.
He said he had heard the zoo board and
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/975163--will-bob-barker-s-plea-sway-toronto-zoo-to-move-elephants?bn=1



Elephant exhibit to open next month at Cleveland zooSeveral months ago, the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo brought Jo, Martika and Moshi, three adult female elephants, back from Columbus to see their new multimillion dollar home — African Elephant Crossing.
Four times as big as their previous digs and full of features that will give zoo guests up close views of the animals, the new enclosure is scheduled to open May 5.
At that time, the ladies, along with the zoo’s newest elephants, Shenga and a bull named Willy that just arrived on April 5 but is still being kept in quarantine, will be on full display in their grander but still
http://chronicle.northcoastnow.com/2011/04/14/elephant-exhibit-to-open-next-month-at-cleveland-zoo/



Cetaceans of the Great Bear Rainforest




Recent census in war-torn DR Congo finds gorillas have survived, even increasedCensus team led by Wildlife Conservation Society, ICCN braves insecurity of imperiled Kahuzi-Biega National Park
A census team led by the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Insitut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) in Kahuzi-Biega National Park in the Democratic Republic of Congo today announced some encouraging news from a region plagued by warfare and insecurity: a small population of Grauer's gorillas has not only survived, but also increased since the last census.
The census, conducted late 2010 in the highland sector of Kahuzi-Biega National Park, revealed the presence of 181 individual Grauer's gorillas, up from 168 individuals detected in the same sector in 2004.
A "cousin" to the more famous mountain gorilla, the Grauer's gorilla is the largest subspecies of gorilla in the world, growing up to 500 pounds. The Grauer's gorilla (also known as the eastern lowland gorilla) is the least known subspecies, due in large part to the 15 years of insecurity in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo. The gorilla is listed as "Endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN's) Red List and may number fewer than 4,000 individual animals.
"We had several close calls with armed militias during the survey," said Deo Kujirakwinja, WCS's Albertine Rift Coordinator in DRC. "Thankfully, no one was hurt, and our census result is positive news
http:///




Extremely interesting Film on the birth of a Killer Whale at Marinelandhttp:///




You've got male: gender of 12-day-old gorilla revealedAFTER A two-week wait, Dublin Zoo was finally able yesterday to reveal the sex of its newborn baby gorilla. It’s a boy.
The youngster’s mother had previously held him so tightly that keepers were unable to determine his gender.
However, mother gorilla Lena has recently begun to relax her grip just enough for the staff to make a judgment. “A little boy, it’s fantastic for the population of western lowland gorillas. Mum is healthy, baby is healthy so it’s a very special day for Dublin Zoo,” said Ciarán McMahon, the team leader responsible for the gorillas.
A spokeswoman for the zoo said that since they announced the birth of the baby gorilla the public interest had been phenomenal.
“Visitors have flocked to the zoo to see him,” she said.
The baby gorilla does not yet have a name and Dublin Zoo is asking members of the public to submit their suggestions via Facebook
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2011/0415/1224294728582.html



Kakapo's Future May Lie With Ailing ChickA chick with "precious genes" has been flown from Codfish Island sanctuary to be treated by Wellington Zoo's resident kakapo expert.
The gangly grey chick is one of 11 hatchlings from this year's kakapo breeding season and could one day play an important role in the rare parrot's survival.
Solstice One, as the 34-day-old chick is known, had been suffering from unknown respiratory problems and low health.
On Tuesday, it was flown to Wellington for one-on-one treatment from veterinary science manager and kakapo chick expert Lisa Argilla.
She has helped to hand-raise 26 chicks, after working with Conservation Department rangers in heavy breeding seasons.
This week Dr Argilla and her team had been running blood tests, X-rays and other diagnostics to try to work out what was wrong.
She said the chick might be suffering from "fatty liver", which can happen when rangers supplement the adult kakapo population's food sources. "It can be deadly
http:///



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1 comment:

  1. Una RichardsonApril 16, 2011 at 5:56 AM

    The Temara Zoo video from Rabat was disturbing on every level possible!

    ReplyDelete

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