Zoo News Digest 2nd - 4th April 2011 (Zoo News 738)
Dear Colleague,
I was interested to learn that the legal ownership of Anne the Elephant (now at Longleat) has been passed over to Specialist Wildlife Services. Now at least she is outside of the claws of the anti-zoo groups. I have had my eye on Specialist Wildlife Services for some time. They strike me as a genuine, non-political and caring organisation which is more bothered about the welfare of animals than scoring points. Any animal which the Specialist Wildlife Services takes over they 'own' and will seek to place on loan with "Licensed Zoos, Bird Gardens, Butterfly and Insect Houses, Children's farms and aquariums. Preferably BIAZA members." This is how it should be and not placing animals into some of the truly ridiculous situations that some other organisations have done. Where are the animals from Wigan zoo today?
Sticking with Anne for a moment. I note that now we learn that she was "beaten for decades". Here also we learn that "This week Bobby and wife Moira claimed they’d been trying to find a retirement home for Anne for two years". Really! Very interesting. What I would like to know is.... Was Anne rescued or was she purchased? If she was purchased then how much cash was paid out? Think on that word 'rescue'. If an animal or group of animals are being held in far from satisfactory conditions it is possible to rescue them. The moment cash enters the equation then it becomes a purchase and I believe that is wrong. It doesn't really matter if it is elephants, lions or chimpanzees. The cruel exploiter should have no financial gain or exemption from prosecution either.
It would seem that the treatment of Anne is going to bring about a change in the law regarding circuses in England.
The two tiger cubs arriving at Wingham Wildlife Park interested me. The article stated that they would be part of a breeding programme. Which? What subspecies of tiger are these? Which zoo did they come from?
Kyiv Zoo is still making the news but there really is nothing new to report. Somebody really has got it in for the place. Just about every new news story is a rehashed repetition of somebody else's reportage. True enough some animals have died....was there not a spate of poisonings? Did anyone ever get to the bottom of that? Then there is mentions of corruption and personality clashes. I still don't believe we have got to the truth of the matter yet. The place needs unbiased honest inspection from someone who does not have an axe to grind.
According to the story of the White Tigers going to Kaohsiung zoo "White tigers are listed as endangered species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora". Really. That is news to me. White Tigers are most certainly not a separate species. Breeding White Tigers is Not Conservation and especially as there is no studbook or breeding programme for mutations.
I fail to understand how the words 'cruel' and 'cruelty' can be tagged to the story of the Beaver which unfortunately died whilst being temporarily housed in Edinburgh Zoo. It is also all very well to be "sad and very angry" when learning of the death as was stated in another report. There was certainly no cruelty in the zoo which gave the animal the very best of care in its temporary housing and without a shadow of a doubt the zoo would be very sad about the death too. 'Angry' why? What is the point? Angry with who exactly?
Food for thought. Probably the most important part of any genuine conservation breeding programme is that you do not have all your eggs in one basket.
It really brings it home when someone works out tonnes of ivory into number of elephants slaughtered. I felt my guts slowly twisting with rage and my eyes beginning to well. It makes me so bloody angry. As to Bob Parsons? Well I think it is fair enough to shoot a problem elephant if it cannot be easily moved elsewhere (put yourself in the shoes of the local population). Fair too that the animal was used as food for local population. I daresay that similar culls are fairly frequent, part of a game wardens remit. What I don't hold with his making videos of and posing smiling with the kill regardless of the arguments put forward. There are worse though. I have never forgot that woman killing an elephant with a bow and arrow for a bet.
Sadly there has been no response to my query about the death of the Orangutan in Giza Zoo. You may like to think that it is because nobody knows but sorry they do. I know who reads Zoo News Digest. There are many thousands of readers in many countries. I am hoping I will hear something soon otherwise I am likely to get another bee in my bonnet and keep on about it. I was not happy about the Orangutans being dumped on Giza in the first place.
More talk of the 'International Standard Zoo'. Oh, how I wish there were.
The list of Top Ten Zoo Escapes makes interesting reading. I daresay we could all add to the list or improve on it. Very happily escapes are rare.
(((Information from 日橋 一昭 - Marinepia Matushima Aquarium is going to re-open on April 20th (they are currently closed after the earthquake)))
"Numbers make headlines, more so when spiced up by technical jargons." How very true. Here it is mentioned in the India Tiger Census. Read this interesting article and see what you think.
I see they have captured the Hoan Kiem Turtle at long last. It may seem a bit odd but I feel a strong attachment to that animal. I hope that he/she makes a full recovery and lives another couple of hundred years.
Lastly I am very grateful to the four people who sent me donations this last week. Greatly appreciated. Thank you.
Please help keep Zoo News Digest going.
For a one off small annual donation you will get 52+++ Digests keeping you updated on the important news in the new world. Plus vacancies, notification of meetings and more.
I was interested to learn that the legal ownership of Anne the Elephant (now at Longleat) has been passed over to Specialist Wildlife Services. Now at least she is outside of the claws of the anti-zoo groups. I have had my eye on Specialist Wildlife Services for some time. They strike me as a genuine, non-political and caring organisation which is more bothered about the welfare of animals than scoring points. Any animal which the Specialist Wildlife Services takes over they 'own' and will seek to place on loan with "Licensed Zoos, Bird Gardens, Butterfly and Insect Houses, Children's farms and aquariums. Preferably BIAZA members." This is how it should be and not placing animals into some of the truly ridiculous situations that some other organisations have done. Where are the animals from Wigan zoo today?
Sticking with Anne for a moment. I note that now we learn that she was "beaten for decades". Here also we learn that "This week Bobby and wife Moira claimed they’d been trying to find a retirement home for Anne for two years". Really! Very interesting. What I would like to know is.... Was Anne rescued or was she purchased? If she was purchased then how much cash was paid out? Think on that word 'rescue'. If an animal or group of animals are being held in far from satisfactory conditions it is possible to rescue them. The moment cash enters the equation then it becomes a purchase and I believe that is wrong. It doesn't really matter if it is elephants, lions or chimpanzees. The cruel exploiter should have no financial gain or exemption from prosecution either.
It would seem that the treatment of Anne is going to bring about a change in the law regarding circuses in England.
The two tiger cubs arriving at Wingham Wildlife Park interested me. The article stated that they would be part of a breeding programme. Which? What subspecies of tiger are these? Which zoo did they come from?
Kyiv Zoo is still making the news but there really is nothing new to report. Somebody really has got it in for the place. Just about every new news story is a rehashed repetition of somebody else's reportage. True enough some animals have died....was there not a spate of poisonings? Did anyone ever get to the bottom of that? Then there is mentions of corruption and personality clashes. I still don't believe we have got to the truth of the matter yet. The place needs unbiased honest inspection from someone who does not have an axe to grind.
According to the story of the White Tigers going to Kaohsiung zoo "White tigers are listed as endangered species by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora". Really. That is news to me. White Tigers are most certainly not a separate species. Breeding White Tigers is Not Conservation and especially as there is no studbook or breeding programme for mutations.
I fail to understand how the words 'cruel' and 'cruelty' can be tagged to the story of the Beaver which unfortunately died whilst being temporarily housed in Edinburgh Zoo. It is also all very well to be "sad and very angry" when learning of the death as was stated in another report. There was certainly no cruelty in the zoo which gave the animal the very best of care in its temporary housing and without a shadow of a doubt the zoo would be very sad about the death too. 'Angry' why? What is the point? Angry with who exactly?
Food for thought. Probably the most important part of any genuine conservation breeding programme is that you do not have all your eggs in one basket.
It really brings it home when someone works out tonnes of ivory into number of elephants slaughtered. I felt my guts slowly twisting with rage and my eyes beginning to well. It makes me so bloody angry. As to Bob Parsons? Well I think it is fair enough to shoot a problem elephant if it cannot be easily moved elsewhere (put yourself in the shoes of the local population). Fair too that the animal was used as food for local population. I daresay that similar culls are fairly frequent, part of a game wardens remit. What I don't hold with his making videos of and posing smiling with the kill regardless of the arguments put forward. There are worse though. I have never forgot that woman killing an elephant with a bow and arrow for a bet.
Sadly there has been no response to my query about the death of the Orangutan in Giza Zoo. You may like to think that it is because nobody knows but sorry they do. I know who reads Zoo News Digest. There are many thousands of readers in many countries. I am hoping I will hear something soon otherwise I am likely to get another bee in my bonnet and keep on about it. I was not happy about the Orangutans being dumped on Giza in the first place.
More talk of the 'International Standard Zoo'. Oh, how I wish there were.
The list of Top Ten Zoo Escapes makes interesting reading. I daresay we could all add to the list or improve on it. Very happily escapes are rare.
(((Information from 日橋 一昭 - Marinepia Matushima Aquarium is going to re-open on April 20th (they are currently closed after the earthquake)))
"Numbers make headlines, more so when spiced up by technical jargons." How very true. Here it is mentioned in the India Tiger Census. Read this interesting article and see what you think.
I see they have captured the Hoan Kiem Turtle at long last. It may seem a bit odd but I feel a strong attachment to that animal. I hope that he/she makes a full recovery and lives another couple of hundred years.
Lastly I am very grateful to the four people who sent me donations this last week. Greatly appreciated. Thank you.
****
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Some Articles You May Have Missed
Teuk Chhou Zoo
Koh Kong Safari World
Philippine Zoos
Zoo Biology
Indonesian Zoos
This blog has readers from 151+ countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, 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, Haiti, 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, Reunion, 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, Yemen, Zambia.
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Abu Dhabi’s Family and Kids Park Zoo In Expansion Phase
The Family and Kids Park Zoo in Al Bahia, a north-east suburb of the UAE capital, is undergoing significant expansion that will eventually see 35 motel-style chalets, a full-size ice-rink, an indoor Marine Zone with 26 salt water and four fresh water tanks, Butterfly Park, Play and Gaming Zone and increased ‘natural’ outdoor animal enclosures added to the four-hectare park’s existing attractions.
With 660 animals, including a majestic pair of white tigers, a 31-year-old, 300kg-plus Siberian bear, lions, cheetahs and dozens of zebras already housed in the zoo’s ‘Predators’ and ‘Wild Animals’ enclosures, the under-construction additions will double the park’s total size as they are phased in over the next 12 months.
The existing park-wide ‘misting system’ which keeps animals and patrons cool in the summer months will stretch across the new areas, which will also include a ‘Reptile & Amphibian House’, ‘Chimpanzee Park’ and ‘Parrot Park’. A new, Arabian fort-themed entrance and an expanded food court are also in the offing.
“We are unique among the UAE’s zoos in that kids get the chance to interact with the animals and actually feed them; we provide a very hands-on experience that is lacking in other zoos around the Middle East,” said Mark Wright, General Manager, Family & Kids Park Zoo – a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
“The educational emphasis will continue in the park’s new features when they come online. The expanded areas will allow us to accommodate more animals of different varieties, making us an even more attractive proposition for existing and new customers,” added Wright.
With the majority of the park’s custom stemming from
http://www.abudhabicityguide.com/news/news-details.asp?newsid=6987&newstype=Local%20News
Legendary turtle sunbathes
The turtle is suffering from a lot of wounds from fish hooks and pollution-related problems. The local authorities are trying to cure it.
The turtle is among the last four of its kind - the Rafeteus swinhoei – left in the world. Two are being kept in a zoo in China and the remaining one in Hanoi’s Dong Mo Lake.
Douglas Hendrie, technical adviser for nonprofit Education for Nature Vietnam and founder of the Asian Turtle Program, said that turtle experts estimate it is probably between 80 and 100-plus years old.
They also believe it is probably the most endangered freshwater turtle species in the world
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/environment/6633/legendary-turtle-sunbathes.html
'Sacred' turtle captured in Vietnam lake
Veterinarians examined a rare giant turtle considered sacred by many Vietnamese at a makeshift hospital in Hanoi on Monday to check mysterious lesions afflicting one of the last four known members of its species.
The giant softshell turtle, which has a shell the size of a desk and is estimated to weigh about 440 pounds (200 kilograms), was pulled from a lake in central Hanoi on Sunday.
Tests were being run to try to pinpoint what's ailing the creature, said Tim McCormack, program coordinator of the Asian Turtle Program. He said photos taken of it in a holding tank showed injuries on its legs and elsewhere, but it was not yet clear how serious they are.
The animal is believed to be about 80 to 100 years old, though many Vietnamese believe it is the same mythical creature said to have helped King Le Loi fend off the Chinese nearly six centuries ago.
It took 50 workers two hours Sunday to net the turtle, put it in a cage and pull it to a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake that was recently expanded and equipped with the small holding tank, known as the "turtle hospital."
It is the first time anyone has captured the creature, which escaped through two nets during a similar rescue attempt last month. Thousands of onlookers crammed around the lake for a glimpse, which is considered lucky. The crowed whooped and clapped when the turtle was finally captured, but they were pushed back when it was taken
http://www.sfexaminer.com/news/2011/04/sacred-turtle-captured-vietnam-lake
Circus show is 'cruel'
A ROW has erupted under the big top of an Abu Dhabi circus amid claims the show, which sees a lion tamer jam his head into the jaws of a big cat, is cruel to animals.
A number of spectators at the Mongolian Animals Circus walked out mid-performance last weekend and dozens of lobbyists have set up online protests against the travelling troupe after concerns were raised over the treatment of the cats, dogs, lions and tigers in the show.
Katy Lifei is among those who have written to show promoters Sky Events calling for the animals to be taken off the bill, whilst urging the public to boycott the event.
In an open letter to the firm she said: “You are promoting a practice that is not ethical or moral.
“Animals belong in their natural habitat. They suffer immeasurably in circuses like the one you support. Their life is lived in cages - moved from one place to another, through hot and cold.”
The Mongolian Animals Circus tours worldwide and a staple of its line-up is a boxing kangaroo made to don gloves, shorts and boots while it goes head-to-head in the ring with a handler.
However, a spokesman for Sky Events said the kangaroo section has been shelved for the twice-daily Abu Dhabi sell-out show.
The spokesman said: “It is not the only circus in the world that uses animals. We are fully booked every night.
The big cat show is the same as any other in any other circus. The people who are complaining have not seen it. If they attended they would know it is not cruel.”
But a number of people who did visit the circus at Zayed Sports City claim they witnessed lions being beaten with sticks when they deviated from the rehearsed show - allegations
http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=104037&page=local%20news&title=Circus%20show%20is%20'cruel'
Penguin rescue operation under way after south Atlantic oil spill
On an island chain located halfway between Africa and Argentina, local authorities say a massive penguin rescue operation is under way.
A mix of island officials and resident volunteers are struggling to save tens of thousands of Northern Rockhopper penguins threatened by an oil spill in the remote stretches of the south Atlantic, roughly 1,500 miles west of Cape Town, South Africa.
The islands' conservation director said at least 300 penguins have died after a cargo ship leaked thousands of tons of heavy oil, diesel fuel and soya bean near Nightingale Island, a British territory part of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago.
"I've seen about 15 to 20 dead penguins just today," director Trevor Glass said.
Thousands more are covered in the ships' oil and diesel fuel, according to local officials and
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/02/atlantic.penguin.rescue.operation/index.html?iref=allsearch
Zoo on mission to save rare crocs
TWO members of Australia Zoo’s rescue unit have had a major breakthrough during a mission in Cambodia, helping save and relocate a critically endangered siamese crocodile.
The head of the zoo’s rescue unit, Brian Coulter, and team member Toby Millyard are in the South-East Asian country in answer to a plea from Fauna and Flora International to rescue a group of the rare crocodiles which has become stranded in an isolated river system.
After months of planning the mission, they flew out of Australia on March 11 and have spent the past weeks deep in the jungle in search of the reptiles.
Having previously been declared extinct and then rediscovered, the siamese crocodile is considered critically endangered, with an estimated 250 individuals remaining in the wild.
An Australia Zoo spokesman said the crocodiles at the centre of the rescue mission were stranded in a 2km stretch of
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/03/27/zoo-on-rescue-mission-to-save-rare-crocs-australia/
Tiger census: What lies beneath the numbers (Long but interesting article)
It is never easy counting secretive, solitary predators. For decades, foresters studied pugmarks and usually counted more tigers per tiger. Then in 2002, Project Tiger (now National Tiger Conservation Authority) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) began replacing the human error-prone pugmark census method with a scientific estimation protocol.
It was a landmark initiative. Nine years later, however, India's tiger numbers remain equally suspect. So far, more than Rs 22 crore has been spent during two all-India estimation drives, in 2006-07 and 2010-11, to scientifically evaluate the status of the tiger. And yet all the government churned out were a few gospel figures for media consumption. When the subjective pugmark count method was junked, the promise was of moving away from banal number games towards effective monitoring.
Yet, the first all-India tiger estimation report said: "These population estimates have high variances, but since these estimates are not to be used for monitoring trends, they should suffice the need for converting a relevant ecological index to a more comprehensible concept of numbers."
Numbers make headlines, more so when spiced up by technical jargons. Sure enough, when minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh proudly announced the gain of 225 tigers last week, it made happy headlines. Accounting for the Sunderbans figures (70) that were not available in 2008, the minister preened, the population gain was a healthy 295.
Lack of scientific rigour
But the lack of due scientific rigour was soon evident when on March 31, three days after Ramesh had charmed the media, WII rushed to correct its own presentation. An email from a WII scientist to NTCA admitted that "there has been a mistake in the computation of the standard error for the tiger numbers for the state of Maharashtra", with a request for updating the MoEF website.
The Press Information Bureau website, however, is yet to drop the incorrect figures. To be fair, the WII-NTCA presentation, Status of Tigers in India, 2011, the one Ramesh appropriately put up on his ministry's website, does quote biologists Richard Hutto and Jock Young: "Any monitoring program is a compromise between science and logistic constraints." While the presentation stops at that cryptic disclaimer, the ministry's own records do not. Back in 2006, an international team of experts led by John Seidensticker from the department of conservation biology at Smithsonian's National Zoological Park in Washington, DC did a peer review of the new estimation method.
In its report, the team questioned the feasibility of the exercise given that more than 40,000 forest units would have to be sampled, adding that the new method, too, relied on the "integrity of the primary data collectors, data compilers and their supervisors."
The words strangely echoed the NTCA's own justification for discarding the old pugmark count method. The peer review also warned that the genetic methods proposed in the census were not "fully developed for this application" and that there were not even enough GPS (global positioning system) sets to map out the terrain. For the record, the new method breaks down the estimation process
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/tiger-census-what-lies-beneath-the-numbers/articleshow/7861903.cms
Cheetah may now come to Hadauti region
Despite the fate of the Cheetah project in the Shahgarh Bulge in Jaisalmer uncertain, the state can still hope to be a home for the cheetah.
And this time, the animal could come to the grasslands near Rawatbhata in Hadauti.
Union minister of forest and environment Jairam Ramesh assured that the cheetah would come to state. "I had a talk with chief minister Ashok Gehlot and he has assured me that he would talk to the local leaders at Jaisalmer so that the cheetah could be brought to the Shahgarh bulge in Jaisalmer," he said during a visit on Sunday.
The minister and Gehlot
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Cheetah-may-now-come-to-Hadauti-region/articleshow/7858867.cms
Russian Amur tiger saves face after successful operation
An Amur tiger, who nearly died two years ago after a failed operation on its cheek and jaw, has had extensive face surgery, a Russian animal preservation activist said on Monday.
Eduard Kruglov, head of the wild animals rehabilitation center Utyos, said Zhorik the tiger underwent surgery on Saturday but added that more operations were still needed.
"Their timing depends on how the healing goes along," he continued.
He said the 160,000 rubles ($5,600) raised by schoolchildren in Russia's Far East will be used to provide him with food and medicines.
Despite massive efforts
http://en.rian.ru/Environment/20110404/163362827.html
Animal Planet tells story of otter pup raised on dock of Monterey Harbor
While running his commercial dive company in Monterey over the past 15 years, Jim Capwell has had the unique opportunity to hang out with sea otters who live at Monterey Harbor in an area dubbed Millionaire's Row.
One in particular — a mother otter with a newborn pup who nurtured her baby to survive on the dock — caught the attention of Capwell and a film crew for "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom."
"Million Dollar Otter " is the title of tonight's season premier of the long-running nature show. It is scheduled to air at 4p.m. on the Animal Planet network.
Shot at the harbor, the episode follows the mother otter in the weeks after she delivers her pup on the dock, next to Capwell's slip.
Capwell, owner and operator of Central Dive in Monterey, is featured in the episode as the observant boat owner who takes a keen interest in the mother otter and her pup.
Capwell first took notice of the mother a few years ago.
"This particular mother otter, I've been with her for four pups. Two survived and two haven't," said Capwell. "The ones that have survived, I've been in position to spend a little time with them every day for the first months of their life."
Capwell, a self-described sea otter activist, said mothering an otter pup is a harrowing experience due to high infant mortality rates.
"When they're pregnant and you know the female is going to deliver, you're
http://www.montereyherald.com/entertainment/ci_17763354?nclick_check=1
Tourists to enter crocodile's den A Cairns tourism operator is taking the wildlife experience to the extreme, allowing tourists to dangle over a four-metre crocodile.
Those up for the challenge will face Goliath, Cairns Wildlife Dome's resident saltwater crocodile, while hanging from a flying fox-like apparatus.
Operator Charles Woodward said thrillseekers would be three or four metres above the animal, while an appropriately angled camera would ensure the gap appeared to be even closer.
"It will be an exhilarating experience," he said.
He expects visitor numbers to double to 100,000 annually when the attraction, part of a $1 million challenge course, opens at the end of the year.
Children as young
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/tourists-to-enter-crocodiles-den-20110331-1cidv.html
Turtles make a splash at sea life sanctuary
The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary hopes to be able to breed endangered species at its new facility in Oban.
The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary in Oban, which opened its turtle enclosure at the weekend, is the latest addition to a network of UK breeding centres designed to build captive stocks of endangered freshwater turtles.
Its initial residents will include Australian snake-necked turtles, yell-bellied sliders and 18 "illegal immigrants" - Mississippi Map Turtles that were seized by Customs officials after they arrived in the UK without the necessary documentation.
Another of the 35 reptiles is Grumpy Gordy, a 30lb snapper turtle, named after former Prime Minister Gordon Brown after he was put in solitary confinement for bullying other residents.
The turtle enclosure needs to be kept at a temperature
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/240740-turtles-make-a-splash-at-sea-life-sanctuary/
Two new tiger cubs arrive at Wingham Wildlife Park
A Kent wildlife park has welcomed two rare fluffy young residents who arrived in the county by ferry at Dover.
The three-week-old tiger cubs were rejected by their mother in a Belgian zoo, and Wingham Wildlife Park jumped at the chance to give them a home.
The two male cubs are being bottled-fed by park owner Tony Binskin and his staff.
"Taking care of these young cubs is hard work and much like having a baby," he said.
The cubs arrived on the ferry from Calais, and, after the passengers had disembarked, staff from the park collected the cubs in their Defra approved quarantine
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-12934882
Conditional permit issued for fledging zoo
The province has given operators of an embattled zoo a conditional permit while authorities probe further into the welfare of its animals, officials said Friday.
The 60-day permit for GuZoo was announced following a review leading into its annual renewal, a process that coincided this year with a vitriolic social media campaign spurred by photos distributed last week showing what appear to be many of the zoo’s denizens in distress.
“Albertans expect operating zoos to protect animals, visitors and staff and to take the care of animals seriously,” said Mel Knight, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development.
Officials will use the next 60 days to assess animal welfare at GuZoo Animal Farm - about 140 km northeast of Calgary - and seek “an independent third-party verification process” for animal health assessment.
Dave Ealey, a spokesman with Sustainable Resources and Development, said the measure is geared to satisfy demands among all involved parties that health standards are being met at private facilities such as GuZoo.
A meeting of the provincial zoo advisory committee is also expected to take place with a mandate to explore discrepancies of legal enforcement concerning zoo and non-zoo animals cohabiting the premises of such roadside facilities.
Meanwhile, an investigation into the welfare of GuZoo inhabitants will be ongoing and “will take some time to complete,” said Terra Johnston, executive director for the Alberta Society for the Protection of Animals.
“There are a number of different complex issues that need to be
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/alberta/2011/04/01/17847821.html
Time to close Kyiv Zoo
I'm not a animal right zealot by any stretch of the imagination. But I believe the cruelty being caused at the Kyiv Zoo needs to be faced head on. Rather than pretend there is no problem, directors and their executives need to be finding good homes for these animals and shutter this horrible place.
It is simply outrageous the level of care. Zoo management can blame budget problems, the financial crisis, animal medical issues, etc. Surely the directors of the zoo have enough clarity in this situation to recognize that animals need to be relocated for their own good. Does the national government need any more egg on its already dirty face? I don't think so!
Let's hope that the directors exercise integrity and realize that it's not necessary to have a zoo unless you are ready to take care of your principal assets – the animals, birds, reptiles, etc. I would urge the zoo directors to set out a 6 month plan to divest themselves of all their animals. Find them a good home in a different zoo, wild animal park or preserve.
This is about saving face, and not embarrassing
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/101440/
White tigers from China to arrive in Kaohsiung zoo as early as May
Two white tigers from China could settle into their new homes in a zoo in southern Taiwan as early as May, as aplan to import the tigers has been approved, said a zoo official.
The two tigers, which will be imported from Guangzhou Xiangjiang Safari Park to the Shou Shan Zoo in Kaohsiung City, are already being inspected by officials, said Chang Po-yu, director of the zoo's management center.
Chang said that the zoo will set up a better display area for the tigers and that after their arrival they will be taken care of by animal care specialists.
The zoo will also add nutrition into the tigers' diet,
http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aSOC&ID=201104020008
White lion fever takes a grip at Dreamworld's Tiger Island as rare siblings adapt to their new lair
DREAMWORLD has a new mane attraction - two rare white lions have arrived at the Gold Coast theme park for an autumn break from their regular home at Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium.
Park officials hope the arrival of Jake and his sister Mischka will generate interest throughout the school holidays.
The three-year-old siblings have wasted little time getting comfortable in their new enclosure even though it is just a few metres from the domain of the theme park's other big cats at Tiger Island.
National zoo senior cat keeper Ryan Brill, who has helped the lions settle in to their new digs, said they would be aware of the tigers but so far there have been no cat fights between the two species.
"They can smell scents from up to
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/white-lion-fever-takes-a-grip-at-dreamworlds-tiger-island-as-rare-siblings-adapt-to-their-new-lair/story-e6freoof-1226030954496
White Lion Breeding Is Not Conservation
How to conserve the Philippine eagle
FOR shamelessly demanding $50,000 from Singapore to showcase the Philippine Eagle in its bird park, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje succeeded in losing not only the pittance but also the scrapping of a memorandum of agreement for a bilateral cooperation on ecological preservation with our world famous eagle as the focal subject.
The proposed MOA should have been signed during President Aquino's visit to the city state, but this, so the story goes, did not take place because Paje had demanded that the amount be insured first.
What is the impact of this mercenary posturing of DENR? Well, President Aquino lost face as Paje made us look like mendicants. The efforts to draw attention to our majestic but endangered Philippine eagle vanished and so with the opportunity to generate more assistance and support for the propagation of the species not only from Singapore but the millions of tourists that visit that country.
That is the more direct blow on our conservation efforts. Singapore could have played an accessory role in conserving and propagating the most magnificent eagle in the world. Despite its very small area, Singapore is a veritable show window of ecological balance and upkeep. For every inch of property the owner has to dedicate a portion for environment conservation. About three decades ago, they planted their boulevards with acacia trees which they sourced out from Davao.
Today, they have more acacia trees standing than we do because they value trees as part of their existence while we mow them down for firewood. They have more wild animals in the woods than we do and they earn millions of dollars in revenues from tourists who pay quite a sum to view them during day or night time.
Secretary Paje should have thought out of the box. He thought of the $50k "like the bird in the hand that's worth two in the woods. Meaning it's better
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/opinion/2011/03/15/ledesma-how-conserve-philippine-eagle-145036
Trapped River Tay beaver Erica dies in captivity after 'cruel' capture
Concerns have again been raised about the project to trap 20 beavers after the only one captured died in captivity.
The beaver trapped on the River Tay as part of a controversial conservation project has died in captivity.
Campaigners against the trapping of the animals by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) claim the death of the one beaver caught emphasises the “cruelty” of the programme.
The beaver, dubbed Erica by members of the Scottish Wild Beaver Group, died in captivity in Edinburgh Zoo.
She had been trapped last year in Perthshire before being moved into captivity. Since her capture, the campaigners made her an honorary mascot for the 45th Perthshire beaver scouts.
SNH claimed that around 20 beavers that escaped or were deliberately released into the
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/tayside/240582-trapped-river-tay-beaver-erica-dies-in-captivity-after-cruel-capture/
‘Extinct’ Siamese crocodiles lay first eggs in Cambodia
Cambodia's critically endangered Siamese crocodile took a step back from the brink of extinction this week when a captive breeding pair in Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre built a nest and laid their first eggs.
Previously Cambodia was home to two crocodile species. The salt water crocodile is now believed to have vanished from the country, while the Siamese crocodile, long believed to also be extinct, was rediscovered a decade ago in the Cardamom Mountains by a team from Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Forestry Administration of Cambodia.
The Siamese crocodile has long been prized for its skin, and over hunting has caused numbers to decline drastically. Estimates currently put the total wild population at fewer than 250 individuals. Development of hydroelectric dams in current crocodile habitats look likely to create further threats for this species, leading conservationists to attempt a captive conservation breeding programme.
Crocodiles, unlike many reptiles, build a nest which the female guards throughout the incubation period. Generally, it takes a Siamese crocodile up to 15 years of age before it is sexually mature and able to breed. Keepers at the facility first noticed breeding activity in December 2010. On 12 March the female crocodile began gathering nesting material. Biologists quickly examined the top layer of the nest on 22 March, confirming there were at least 12 eggs; there is likely to be double this number. "This is great news", said Adam Starr, FFI's Project Manager of the Cambodia Crocodile Conservation Project. "If we can successfully breed Siamese crocodiles in captivity and release the young in to the wild once they are large enough to be safe from predators it gives the species a fighting chance."
A new captive breeding facility was opened in Phnom Tamao, outside
http://yubanet.com/enviro/Extinct-Siamese-crocodiles-lay-first-eggs-in-Cambodia.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Yubanet+%28YubaNet.com+Headlines%29
Anne the elephant gets new home as groom tells how she was beaten for decades
ABUSED circus elephant Anne took her first steps towards freedom this weekend after years of misery.
In a victory for Sunday Mirror readers, who backed our six-year campaign with Born Free for her release, Britain’s last circus elephant is to move to Longleat Safari Park.
Once an elephant house is refurbished, 59-year-old Anne, in constant pain from chronic arthritis, will set off on her 150-mile journey.
The move comes just days after a video of her being hit with a pitchfork was released by animal welfare group Animal Defenders International.
Her release was greeted with delight by Robert Sheret, 56, who repeatedly tried to stop Anne being abused while he worked at Bobby Roberts Super Circus from 1983 to 85.
He said: “When I complained she and the other elephants were being beaten, and weren’t getting enough exercise or food, Bobby Roberts told me: ‘I pay you to work, not to think. They’re my elephants and I can do what I like.’
ABUSED circus elephant Anne took her first steps towards freedom this weekend after years of misery.
In a victory for Sunday Mirror readers, who backed our six-year campaign with Born Free for her release, Britain’s last circus elephant is to move to Longleat Safari Park.
Once an elephant house is refurbished, 59-year-old Anne, in constant pain from chronic arthritis, will set off on her 150-mile journey.
The move comes just days after a video of her being hit with a pitchfork was released by animal welfare group Animal Defenders International.
Her release was greeted with delight by Robert Sheret, 56, who repeatedly tried to stop Anne being abused while he worked at Bobby Roberts Super Circus from 1983 to 85.
He said: “When I complained she and the other elephants were being beaten, and weren’t getting enough exercise or food, Bobby Roberts told me: ‘I pay you to work, not to think. They’re my elephants and I can do what I like.’
“After two years I couldn’t take any more and I left.”
This week Bobby and wife Moira claimed they’d been trying to find a retirement home for Anne for two years, surprising campaigners whose offers to rehome her have been refused.
Robert said: “The only reason he’s letting her go now is because she’s too sick
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/04/03/anne-the-elephant-gets-new-home-as-groom-tells-how-she-was-beaten-for-decades-115875-23033643/
Govt decides to set up zoo in Peshawar
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to establish an international standard zoo over a fifty acres area in Regi Lalma Town Peshawar very soon to heed the call of school students that had collected signatures to lobby Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti.
The approval was given by chief minister while presiding over a meeting on Saturday. He approved the recommendations of committee constituted for identifying suitable location for the proposed zoo at his office.
A group of students from Beaconhouse School System, Khyber Campus, Hayatabad, Peshawar had collected signatures to petition the chief minister to announce the construction of a zoo in Peshawar.
The student Asad, who spoke on behalf of the students, had conveyed to the chief minister the wishes of 1.7 million children of Peshawar to construct a zoo.
The chief minister had informed the students that the government had already earmarked Rs50 million for the project but
http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/03/govt-decides-to-set-up-zoo-in-peshawar.html
Zoo-museum tax district shows age after 40 years
None of the city's big, publicly funded cultural institutions seems to be hurting for cash.
The St. Louis Art Museum has nearly reached its $145 million goal to pay for a massive expansion already under way. At the St. Louis Science Center, workers are adding 12,000 square feet of exhibit space. The always-expanding St. Louis Zoo is planning new homes for its sea lions.
Those efforts rely on private dollars, but they wouldn't be possible without a stream of property tax money authorized by voters 40 years ago this week.
During its history, the zoo-museum district - officially known as the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District - has raised more than $1.3 billion, stabilized five once-struggling institutions and helped some of them develop international reputations.
The district can charge property owners in St. Louis and St. Louis County up to 28 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The money goes to the zoo, art museum, science center, Missouri Botanical Garden and Missouri History Museum
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_c0180fa4-08ff-581d-bd15-79649684d0dd.html
British royal wedding to aid elephants in Thailand
Endangered Asian elephants stand to benefit from Britain's royal wedding.
Charitable donations requested by Prince William and Kate Middleton instead of wedding gifts will help the London Zoological Society. It works in Thailand with the Elephant Conservation Network to reduce conflict between villagers and the animals in the western province of Kanchanaburi.
Network director Belinda Stewart-Cox said Thursday the gift would help ensure "we really make a difference to the lives of these amazing animals and the villagers who accommodate them."
Wild elephants in Thailand number probably
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110324/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_elephant_royal_wedding
WILD ANIMALS WILL BE BANNED FROM CIRCUS
WILD animals will be banned from Britain’s circuses under new Government plans, the Sunday Express can reveal.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has been persuaded that forcing elephants, tigers, lions, camels and other exotic creatures to perform tricks for audiences is wrong in modern Britain.
She is also said to believe that making them travel thousands of miles every year in cramped lorry trailers known as “beast wagons” is harmful to their welfare.
While Animal Welfare Minister Jim Paice told MPs last month that a new policy was “close to completion”, his boss Ms Spelman is now “minded” to introduce the ban, say senior sources. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also favours such a move.
Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are working on the final details to ensure there is no conflict with European legislation. An announcement is expected within weeks.
Dr Ros Clubb, senior scientist with the RSPCA, which has called for the ban, said last night: “It’s about time that in Britain we showed we really are a nation of animal lovers.” The development comes a week after undercover footage showed a Romanian groom at the Bobby Roberts circus beating 59-year-old Asian elephant Anne with a pitchfork and kicking her. Anne, who is severely arthritic, is now to be re-homed at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire where she will be protected from such cruelty.
The film, which provoked national outrage, spurred celebrities and ministers into action, with actor Brian Blessed leading a delegation to Downing Street last week.
Under existing laws, travelling circuses only have to comply with relatively simple guidelines under the Animal Welfare Act which governs how domestic pets must be treated. They are specifically excluded from tougher cruelty and welfare laws for zoos.
Although legislation was passed in 1976 to stop the unlicensed trade in animals such as lions, tigers and elephants for private collections or commercial organisations, travelling circuses were again excluded.
The only legal registration for circuses, applying to those people who train or exhibit their animals, is not intended to protect welfare and, according to a recent Government report, is widely regarded as
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/238387/Wild-animals-will-be-banned-from-circus
Thai customs seize two tonnes of ivory
Thai customs on Friday said they had seized two tonnes of ivory worth over $3.3 million hidden in a shipment of frozen fish -- equivalent to more than 120 elephants killed.
Officials found 247 tusks concealed among hundreds of boxes of mackerel apparently from Kenya, in a boat at Bangkok Port on the Chao Phraya river, the customs department said.
The haul -- which officials said was the biggest in a year and equated to at least 123 elephants killed -- weighed 2,033 kilos (4,472 pounds) and was displayed by authorities in the Thai capital.
Wildlife anti-trafficking group Freedland said it was the first time customs officials had found ivory coming into Thailand by boat and said it showed smugglers were being forced to change tactics.
"It is another sign that steady collaboration by Thai and African law enforcement is foiling ivory traffickers who are losing huge amounts of money, and that's where you have to hit them to stop them -- in the pocket," said the group's director, Steven Galster.
Freedland said the seizure marked the ninth major enforcement
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1120130/1/.html
Top 10 Zoo Escapes
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2041628,00.html
GoDaddy CEO explains elephant-killing 'safari'
CEO of web hosting giant GoDaddy, Bob Parsons, sparked outrage last week by releasing a video of himself killing an elephant. After it was written about, Parsons got in touch and asked to tell his side of the story.
“I’ve been going to Africa for six years,” he says, “and I progressively became aware of the elephant situation and what a problem it is for
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/godaddy-ceo-explains-elephantkilling-safari-20110404-1ctn8.html
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Abu Dhabi’s Family and Kids Park Zoo In Expansion Phase
The Family and Kids Park Zoo in Al Bahia, a north-east suburb of the UAE capital, is undergoing significant expansion that will eventually see 35 motel-style chalets, a full-size ice-rink, an indoor Marine Zone with 26 salt water and four fresh water tanks, Butterfly Park, Play and Gaming Zone and increased ‘natural’ outdoor animal enclosures added to the four-hectare park’s existing attractions.
With 660 animals, including a majestic pair of white tigers, a 31-year-old, 300kg-plus Siberian bear, lions, cheetahs and dozens of zebras already housed in the zoo’s ‘Predators’ and ‘Wild Animals’ enclosures, the under-construction additions will double the park’s total size as they are phased in over the next 12 months.
The existing park-wide ‘misting system’ which keeps animals and patrons cool in the summer months will stretch across the new areas, which will also include a ‘Reptile & Amphibian House’, ‘Chimpanzee Park’ and ‘Parrot Park’. A new, Arabian fort-themed entrance and an expanded food court are also in the offing.
“We are unique among the UAE’s zoos in that kids get the chance to interact with the animals and actually feed them; we provide a very hands-on experience that is lacking in other zoos around the Middle East,” said Mark Wright, General Manager, Family & Kids Park Zoo – a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
“The educational emphasis will continue in the park’s new features when they come online. The expanded areas will allow us to accommodate more animals of different varieties, making us an even more attractive proposition for existing and new customers,” added Wright.
With the majority of the park’s custom stemming from
http://www.abudhabicityguide.com/news/news-details.asp?newsid=6987&newstype=Local%20News
Legendary turtle sunbathes
The turtle is suffering from a lot of wounds from fish hooks and pollution-related problems. The local authorities are trying to cure it.
The turtle is among the last four of its kind - the Rafeteus swinhoei – left in the world. Two are being kept in a zoo in China and the remaining one in Hanoi’s Dong Mo Lake.
Douglas Hendrie, technical adviser for nonprofit Education for Nature Vietnam and founder of the Asian Turtle Program, said that turtle experts estimate it is probably between 80 and 100-plus years old.
They also believe it is probably the most endangered freshwater turtle species in the world
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/environment/6633/legendary-turtle-sunbathes.html
'Sacred' turtle captured in Vietnam lake
Veterinarians examined a rare giant turtle considered sacred by many Vietnamese at a makeshift hospital in Hanoi on Monday to check mysterious lesions afflicting one of the last four known members of its species.
The giant softshell turtle, which has a shell the size of a desk and is estimated to weigh about 440 pounds (200 kilograms), was pulled from a lake in central Hanoi on Sunday.
Tests were being run to try to pinpoint what's ailing the creature, said Tim McCormack, program coordinator of the Asian Turtle Program. He said photos taken of it in a holding tank showed injuries on its legs and elsewhere, but it was not yet clear how serious they are.
The animal is believed to be about 80 to 100 years old, though many Vietnamese believe it is the same mythical creature said to have helped King Le Loi fend off the Chinese nearly six centuries ago.
It took 50 workers two hours Sunday to net the turtle, put it in a cage and pull it to a small island in Hoan Kiem Lake that was recently expanded and equipped with the small holding tank, known as the "turtle hospital."
It is the first time anyone has captured the creature, which escaped through two nets during a similar rescue attempt last month. Thousands of onlookers crammed around the lake for a glimpse, which is considered lucky. The crowed whooped and clapped when the turtle was finally captured, but they were pushed back when it was taken
http://www.sfexaminer.com/news/2011/04/sacred-turtle-captured-vietnam-lake
Circus show is 'cruel'
A ROW has erupted under the big top of an Abu Dhabi circus amid claims the show, which sees a lion tamer jam his head into the jaws of a big cat, is cruel to animals.
A number of spectators at the Mongolian Animals Circus walked out mid-performance last weekend and dozens of lobbyists have set up online protests against the travelling troupe after concerns were raised over the treatment of the cats, dogs, lions and tigers in the show.
Katy Lifei is among those who have written to show promoters Sky Events calling for the animals to be taken off the bill, whilst urging the public to boycott the event.
In an open letter to the firm she said: “You are promoting a practice that is not ethical or moral.
“Animals belong in their natural habitat. They suffer immeasurably in circuses like the one you support. Their life is lived in cages - moved from one place to another, through hot and cold.”
The Mongolian Animals Circus tours worldwide and a staple of its line-up is a boxing kangaroo made to don gloves, shorts and boots while it goes head-to-head in the ring with a handler.
However, a spokesman for Sky Events said the kangaroo section has been shelved for the twice-daily Abu Dhabi sell-out show.
The spokesman said: “It is not the only circus in the world that uses animals. We are fully booked every night.
The big cat show is the same as any other in any other circus. The people who are complaining have not seen it. If they attended they would know it is not cruel.”
But a number of people who did visit the circus at Zayed Sports City claim they witnessed lions being beaten with sticks when they deviated from the rehearsed show - allegations
http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=104037&page=local%20news&title=Circus%20show%20is%20'cruel'
Penguin rescue operation under way after south Atlantic oil spill
On an island chain located halfway between Africa and Argentina, local authorities say a massive penguin rescue operation is under way.
A mix of island officials and resident volunteers are struggling to save tens of thousands of Northern Rockhopper penguins threatened by an oil spill in the remote stretches of the south Atlantic, roughly 1,500 miles west of Cape Town, South Africa.
The islands' conservation director said at least 300 penguins have died after a cargo ship leaked thousands of tons of heavy oil, diesel fuel and soya bean near Nightingale Island, a British territory part of the Tristan da Cunha archipelago.
"I've seen about 15 to 20 dead penguins just today," director Trevor Glass said.
Thousands more are covered in the ships' oil and diesel fuel, according to local officials and
http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/04/02/atlantic.penguin.rescue.operation/index.html?iref=allsearch
Zoo on mission to save rare crocs
TWO members of Australia Zoo’s rescue unit have had a major breakthrough during a mission in Cambodia, helping save and relocate a critically endangered siamese crocodile.
The head of the zoo’s rescue unit, Brian Coulter, and team member Toby Millyard are in the South-East Asian country in answer to a plea from Fauna and Flora International to rescue a group of the rare crocodiles which has become stranded in an isolated river system.
After months of planning the mission, they flew out of Australia on March 11 and have spent the past weeks deep in the jungle in search of the reptiles.
Having previously been declared extinct and then rediscovered, the siamese crocodile is considered critically endangered, with an estimated 250 individuals remaining in the wild.
An Australia Zoo spokesman said the crocodiles at the centre of the rescue mission were stranded in a 2km stretch of
http://www.sunshinecoastdaily.com.au/story/2011/03/27/zoo-on-rescue-mission-to-save-rare-crocs-australia/
Tiger census: What lies beneath the numbers (Long but interesting article)
It is never easy counting secretive, solitary predators. For decades, foresters studied pugmarks and usually counted more tigers per tiger. Then in 2002, Project Tiger (now National Tiger Conservation Authority) and Wildlife Institute of India (WII) began replacing the human error-prone pugmark census method with a scientific estimation protocol.
It was a landmark initiative. Nine years later, however, India's tiger numbers remain equally suspect. So far, more than Rs 22 crore has been spent during two all-India estimation drives, in 2006-07 and 2010-11, to scientifically evaluate the status of the tiger. And yet all the government churned out were a few gospel figures for media consumption. When the subjective pugmark count method was junked, the promise was of moving away from banal number games towards effective monitoring.
Yet, the first all-India tiger estimation report said: "These population estimates have high variances, but since these estimates are not to be used for monitoring trends, they should suffice the need for converting a relevant ecological index to a more comprehensible concept of numbers."
Numbers make headlines, more so when spiced up by technical jargons. Sure enough, when minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh proudly announced the gain of 225 tigers last week, it made happy headlines. Accounting for the Sunderbans figures (70) that were not available in 2008, the minister preened, the population gain was a healthy 295.
Lack of scientific rigour
But the lack of due scientific rigour was soon evident when on March 31, three days after Ramesh had charmed the media, WII rushed to correct its own presentation. An email from a WII scientist to NTCA admitted that "there has been a mistake in the computation of the standard error for the tiger numbers for the state of Maharashtra", with a request for updating the MoEF website.
The Press Information Bureau website, however, is yet to drop the incorrect figures. To be fair, the WII-NTCA presentation, Status of Tigers in India, 2011, the one Ramesh appropriately put up on his ministry's website, does quote biologists Richard Hutto and Jock Young: "Any monitoring program is a compromise between science and logistic constraints." While the presentation stops at that cryptic disclaimer, the ministry's own records do not. Back in 2006, an international team of experts led by John Seidensticker from the department of conservation biology at Smithsonian's National Zoological Park in Washington, DC did a peer review of the new estimation method.
In its report, the team questioned the feasibility of the exercise given that more than 40,000 forest units would have to be sampled, adding that the new method, too, relied on the "integrity of the primary data collectors, data compilers and their supervisors."
The words strangely echoed the NTCA's own justification for discarding the old pugmark count method. The peer review also warned that the genetic methods proposed in the census were not "fully developed for this application" and that there were not even enough GPS (global positioning system) sets to map out the terrain. For the record, the new method breaks down the estimation process
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/et-cetera/tiger-census-what-lies-beneath-the-numbers/articleshow/7861903.cms
Cheetah may now come to Hadauti region
Despite the fate of the Cheetah project in the Shahgarh Bulge in Jaisalmer uncertain, the state can still hope to be a home for the cheetah.
And this time, the animal could come to the grasslands near Rawatbhata in Hadauti.
Union minister of forest and environment Jairam Ramesh assured that the cheetah would come to state. "I had a talk with chief minister Ashok Gehlot and he has assured me that he would talk to the local leaders at Jaisalmer so that the cheetah could be brought to the Shahgarh bulge in Jaisalmer," he said during a visit on Sunday.
The minister and Gehlot
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Cheetah-may-now-come-to-Hadauti-region/articleshow/7858867.cms
Russian Amur tiger saves face after successful operation
An Amur tiger, who nearly died two years ago after a failed operation on its cheek and jaw, has had extensive face surgery, a Russian animal preservation activist said on Monday.
Eduard Kruglov, head of the wild animals rehabilitation center Utyos, said Zhorik the tiger underwent surgery on Saturday but added that more operations were still needed.
"Their timing depends on how the healing goes along," he continued.
He said the 160,000 rubles ($5,600) raised by schoolchildren in Russia's Far East will be used to provide him with food and medicines.
Despite massive efforts
http://en.rian.ru/Environment/20110404/163362827.html
Animal Planet tells story of otter pup raised on dock of Monterey Harbor
While running his commercial dive company in Monterey over the past 15 years, Jim Capwell has had the unique opportunity to hang out with sea otters who live at Monterey Harbor in an area dubbed Millionaire's Row.
One in particular — a mother otter with a newborn pup who nurtured her baby to survive on the dock — caught the attention of Capwell and a film crew for "Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom."
"Million Dollar Otter " is the title of tonight's season premier of the long-running nature show. It is scheduled to air at 4p.m. on the Animal Planet network.
Shot at the harbor, the episode follows the mother otter in the weeks after she delivers her pup on the dock, next to Capwell's slip.
Capwell, owner and operator of Central Dive in Monterey, is featured in the episode as the observant boat owner who takes a keen interest in the mother otter and her pup.
Capwell first took notice of the mother a few years ago.
"This particular mother otter, I've been with her for four pups. Two survived and two haven't," said Capwell. "The ones that have survived, I've been in position to spend a little time with them every day for the first months of their life."
Capwell, a self-described sea otter activist, said mothering an otter pup is a harrowing experience due to high infant mortality rates.
"When they're pregnant and you know the female is going to deliver, you're
http://www.montereyherald.com/entertainment/ci_17763354?nclick_check=1
Tourists to enter crocodile's den A Cairns tourism operator is taking the wildlife experience to the extreme, allowing tourists to dangle over a four-metre crocodile.
Those up for the challenge will face Goliath, Cairns Wildlife Dome's resident saltwater crocodile, while hanging from a flying fox-like apparatus.
Operator Charles Woodward said thrillseekers would be three or four metres above the animal, while an appropriately angled camera would ensure the gap appeared to be even closer.
"It will be an exhilarating experience," he said.
He expects visitor numbers to double to 100,000 annually when the attraction, part of a $1 million challenge course, opens at the end of the year.
Children as young
http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/tourists-to-enter-crocodiles-den-20110331-1cidv.html
Turtles make a splash at sea life sanctuary
The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary hopes to be able to breed endangered species at its new facility in Oban.
The Scottish Sea Life Sanctuary in Oban, which opened its turtle enclosure at the weekend, is the latest addition to a network of UK breeding centres designed to build captive stocks of endangered freshwater turtles.
Its initial residents will include Australian snake-necked turtles, yell-bellied sliders and 18 "illegal immigrants" - Mississippi Map Turtles that were seized by Customs officials after they arrived in the UK without the necessary documentation.
Another of the 35 reptiles is Grumpy Gordy, a 30lb snapper turtle, named after former Prime Minister Gordon Brown after he was put in solitary confinement for bullying other residents.
The turtle enclosure needs to be kept at a temperature
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/west-central/240740-turtles-make-a-splash-at-sea-life-sanctuary/
Two new tiger cubs arrive at Wingham Wildlife Park
A Kent wildlife park has welcomed two rare fluffy young residents who arrived in the county by ferry at Dover.
The three-week-old tiger cubs were rejected by their mother in a Belgian zoo, and Wingham Wildlife Park jumped at the chance to give them a home.
The two male cubs are being bottled-fed by park owner Tony Binskin and his staff.
"Taking care of these young cubs is hard work and much like having a baby," he said.
The cubs arrived on the ferry from Calais, and, after the passengers had disembarked, staff from the park collected the cubs in their Defra approved quarantine
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-12934882
Conditional permit issued for fledging zoo
The province has given operators of an embattled zoo a conditional permit while authorities probe further into the welfare of its animals, officials said Friday.
The 60-day permit for GuZoo was announced following a review leading into its annual renewal, a process that coincided this year with a vitriolic social media campaign spurred by photos distributed last week showing what appear to be many of the zoo’s denizens in distress.
“Albertans expect operating zoos to protect animals, visitors and staff and to take the care of animals seriously,” said Mel Knight, Minister of Sustainable Resource Development.
Officials will use the next 60 days to assess animal welfare at GuZoo Animal Farm - about 140 km northeast of Calgary - and seek “an independent third-party verification process” for animal health assessment.
Dave Ealey, a spokesman with Sustainable Resources and Development, said the measure is geared to satisfy demands among all involved parties that health standards are being met at private facilities such as GuZoo.
A meeting of the provincial zoo advisory committee is also expected to take place with a mandate to explore discrepancies of legal enforcement concerning zoo and non-zoo animals cohabiting the premises of such roadside facilities.
Meanwhile, an investigation into the welfare of GuZoo inhabitants will be ongoing and “will take some time to complete,” said Terra Johnston, executive director for the Alberta Society for the Protection of Animals.
“There are a number of different complex issues that need to be
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/alberta/2011/04/01/17847821.html
Time to close Kyiv Zoo
I'm not a animal right zealot by any stretch of the imagination. But I believe the cruelty being caused at the Kyiv Zoo needs to be faced head on. Rather than pretend there is no problem, directors and their executives need to be finding good homes for these animals and shutter this horrible place.
It is simply outrageous the level of care. Zoo management can blame budget problems, the financial crisis, animal medical issues, etc. Surely the directors of the zoo have enough clarity in this situation to recognize that animals need to be relocated for their own good. Does the national government need any more egg on its already dirty face? I don't think so!
Let's hope that the directors exercise integrity and realize that it's not necessary to have a zoo unless you are ready to take care of your principal assets – the animals, birds, reptiles, etc. I would urge the zoo directors to set out a 6 month plan to divest themselves of all their animals. Find them a good home in a different zoo, wild animal park or preserve.
This is about saving face, and not embarrassing
http://www.kyivpost.com/news/opinion/op_ed/detail/101440/
White tigers from China to arrive in Kaohsiung zoo as early as May
Two white tigers from China could settle into their new homes in a zoo in southern Taiwan as early as May, as aplan to import the tigers has been approved, said a zoo official.
The two tigers, which will be imported from Guangzhou Xiangjiang Safari Park to the Shou Shan Zoo in Kaohsiung City, are already being inspected by officials, said Chang Po-yu, director of the zoo's management center.
Chang said that the zoo will set up a better display area for the tigers and that after their arrival they will be taken care of by animal care specialists.
The zoo will also add nutrition into the tigers' diet,
http://focustaiwan.tw/ShowNews/WebNews_Detail.aspx?Type=aSOC&ID=201104020008
White lion fever takes a grip at Dreamworld's Tiger Island as rare siblings adapt to their new lair
DREAMWORLD has a new mane attraction - two rare white lions have arrived at the Gold Coast theme park for an autumn break from their regular home at Canberra's National Zoo and Aquarium.
Park officials hope the arrival of Jake and his sister Mischka will generate interest throughout the school holidays.
The three-year-old siblings have wasted little time getting comfortable in their new enclosure even though it is just a few metres from the domain of the theme park's other big cats at Tiger Island.
National zoo senior cat keeper Ryan Brill, who has helped the lions settle in to their new digs, said they would be aware of the tigers but so far there have been no cat fights between the two species.
"They can smell scents from up to
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/white-lion-fever-takes-a-grip-at-dreamworlds-tiger-island-as-rare-siblings-adapt-to-their-new-lair/story-e6freoof-1226030954496
White Lion Breeding Is Not Conservation
How to conserve the Philippine eagle
FOR shamelessly demanding $50,000 from Singapore to showcase the Philippine Eagle in its bird park, Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje succeeded in losing not only the pittance but also the scrapping of a memorandum of agreement for a bilateral cooperation on ecological preservation with our world famous eagle as the focal subject.
The proposed MOA should have been signed during President Aquino's visit to the city state, but this, so the story goes, did not take place because Paje had demanded that the amount be insured first.
What is the impact of this mercenary posturing of DENR? Well, President Aquino lost face as Paje made us look like mendicants. The efforts to draw attention to our majestic but endangered Philippine eagle vanished and so with the opportunity to generate more assistance and support for the propagation of the species not only from Singapore but the millions of tourists that visit that country.
That is the more direct blow on our conservation efforts. Singapore could have played an accessory role in conserving and propagating the most magnificent eagle in the world. Despite its very small area, Singapore is a veritable show window of ecological balance and upkeep. For every inch of property the owner has to dedicate a portion for environment conservation. About three decades ago, they planted their boulevards with acacia trees which they sourced out from Davao.
Today, they have more acacia trees standing than we do because they value trees as part of their existence while we mow them down for firewood. They have more wild animals in the woods than we do and they earn millions of dollars in revenues from tourists who pay quite a sum to view them during day or night time.
Secretary Paje should have thought out of the box. He thought of the $50k "like the bird in the hand that's worth two in the woods. Meaning it's better
http://www.sunstar.com.ph/davao/opinion/2011/03/15/ledesma-how-conserve-philippine-eagle-145036
Trapped River Tay beaver Erica dies in captivity after 'cruel' capture
Concerns have again been raised about the project to trap 20 beavers after the only one captured died in captivity.
The beaver trapped on the River Tay as part of a controversial conservation project has died in captivity.
Campaigners against the trapping of the animals by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) claim the death of the one beaver caught emphasises the “cruelty” of the programme.
The beaver, dubbed Erica by members of the Scottish Wild Beaver Group, died in captivity in Edinburgh Zoo.
She had been trapped last year in Perthshire before being moved into captivity. Since her capture, the campaigners made her an honorary mascot for the 45th Perthshire beaver scouts.
SNH claimed that around 20 beavers that escaped or were deliberately released into the
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/tayside/240582-trapped-river-tay-beaver-erica-dies-in-captivity-after-cruel-capture/
‘Extinct’ Siamese crocodiles lay first eggs in Cambodia
Cambodia's critically endangered Siamese crocodile took a step back from the brink of extinction this week when a captive breeding pair in Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre built a nest and laid their first eggs.
Previously Cambodia was home to two crocodile species. The salt water crocodile is now believed to have vanished from the country, while the Siamese crocodile, long believed to also be extinct, was rediscovered a decade ago in the Cardamom Mountains by a team from Fauna & Flora International (FFI) and the Forestry Administration of Cambodia.
The Siamese crocodile has long been prized for its skin, and over hunting has caused numbers to decline drastically. Estimates currently put the total wild population at fewer than 250 individuals. Development of hydroelectric dams in current crocodile habitats look likely to create further threats for this species, leading conservationists to attempt a captive conservation breeding programme.
Crocodiles, unlike many reptiles, build a nest which the female guards throughout the incubation period. Generally, it takes a Siamese crocodile up to 15 years of age before it is sexually mature and able to breed. Keepers at the facility first noticed breeding activity in December 2010. On 12 March the female crocodile began gathering nesting material. Biologists quickly examined the top layer of the nest on 22 March, confirming there were at least 12 eggs; there is likely to be double this number. "This is great news", said Adam Starr, FFI's Project Manager of the Cambodia Crocodile Conservation Project. "If we can successfully breed Siamese crocodiles in captivity and release the young in to the wild once they are large enough to be safe from predators it gives the species a fighting chance."
A new captive breeding facility was opened in Phnom Tamao, outside
http://yubanet.com/enviro/Extinct-Siamese-crocodiles-lay-first-eggs-in-Cambodia.php?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Yubanet+%28YubaNet.com+Headlines%29
Anne the elephant gets new home as groom tells how she was beaten for decades
ABUSED circus elephant Anne took her first steps towards freedom this weekend after years of misery.
In a victory for Sunday Mirror readers, who backed our six-year campaign with Born Free for her release, Britain’s last circus elephant is to move to Longleat Safari Park.
Once an elephant house is refurbished, 59-year-old Anne, in constant pain from chronic arthritis, will set off on her 150-mile journey.
The move comes just days after a video of her being hit with a pitchfork was released by animal welfare group Animal Defenders International.
Her release was greeted with delight by Robert Sheret, 56, who repeatedly tried to stop Anne being abused while he worked at Bobby Roberts Super Circus from 1983 to 85.
He said: “When I complained she and the other elephants were being beaten, and weren’t getting enough exercise or food, Bobby Roberts told me: ‘I pay you to work, not to think. They’re my elephants and I can do what I like.’
ABUSED circus elephant Anne took her first steps towards freedom this weekend after years of misery.
In a victory for Sunday Mirror readers, who backed our six-year campaign with Born Free for her release, Britain’s last circus elephant is to move to Longleat Safari Park.
Once an elephant house is refurbished, 59-year-old Anne, in constant pain from chronic arthritis, will set off on her 150-mile journey.
The move comes just days after a video of her being hit with a pitchfork was released by animal welfare group Animal Defenders International.
Her release was greeted with delight by Robert Sheret, 56, who repeatedly tried to stop Anne being abused while he worked at Bobby Roberts Super Circus from 1983 to 85.
He said: “When I complained she and the other elephants were being beaten, and weren’t getting enough exercise or food, Bobby Roberts told me: ‘I pay you to work, not to think. They’re my elephants and I can do what I like.’
“After two years I couldn’t take any more and I left.”
This week Bobby and wife Moira claimed they’d been trying to find a retirement home for Anne for two years, surprising campaigners whose offers to rehome her have been refused.
Robert said: “The only reason he’s letting her go now is because she’s too sick
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/04/03/anne-the-elephant-gets-new-home-as-groom-tells-how-she-was-beaten-for-decades-115875-23033643/
Govt decides to set up zoo in Peshawar
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has decided to establish an international standard zoo over a fifty acres area in Regi Lalma Town Peshawar very soon to heed the call of school students that had collected signatures to lobby Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti.
The approval was given by chief minister while presiding over a meeting on Saturday. He approved the recommendations of committee constituted for identifying suitable location for the proposed zoo at his office.
A group of students from Beaconhouse School System, Khyber Campus, Hayatabad, Peshawar had collected signatures to petition the chief minister to announce the construction of a zoo in Peshawar.
The student Asad, who spoke on behalf of the students, had conveyed to the chief minister the wishes of 1.7 million children of Peshawar to construct a zoo.
The chief minister had informed the students that the government had already earmarked Rs50 million for the project but
http://www.dawn.com/2011/04/03/govt-decides-to-set-up-zoo-in-peshawar.html
Zoo-museum tax district shows age after 40 years
None of the city's big, publicly funded cultural institutions seems to be hurting for cash.
The St. Louis Art Museum has nearly reached its $145 million goal to pay for a massive expansion already under way. At the St. Louis Science Center, workers are adding 12,000 square feet of exhibit space. The always-expanding St. Louis Zoo is planning new homes for its sea lions.
Those efforts rely on private dollars, but they wouldn't be possible without a stream of property tax money authorized by voters 40 years ago this week.
During its history, the zoo-museum district - officially known as the Metropolitan Zoological Park and Museum District - has raised more than $1.3 billion, stabilized five once-struggling institutions and helped some of them develop international reputations.
The district can charge property owners in St. Louis and St. Louis County up to 28 cents per $100 assessed valuation. The money goes to the zoo, art museum, science center, Missouri Botanical Garden and Missouri History Museum
http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metro/article_c0180fa4-08ff-581d-bd15-79649684d0dd.html
British royal wedding to aid elephants in Thailand
Endangered Asian elephants stand to benefit from Britain's royal wedding.
Charitable donations requested by Prince William and Kate Middleton instead of wedding gifts will help the London Zoological Society. It works in Thailand with the Elephant Conservation Network to reduce conflict between villagers and the animals in the western province of Kanchanaburi.
Network director Belinda Stewart-Cox said Thursday the gift would help ensure "we really make a difference to the lives of these amazing animals and the villagers who accommodate them."
Wild elephants in Thailand number probably
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110324/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_elephant_royal_wedding
WILD ANIMALS WILL BE BANNED FROM CIRCUS
WILD animals will be banned from Britain’s circuses under new Government plans, the Sunday Express can reveal.
Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman has been persuaded that forcing elephants, tigers, lions, camels and other exotic creatures to perform tricks for audiences is wrong in modern Britain.
She is also said to believe that making them travel thousands of miles every year in cramped lorry trailers known as “beast wagons” is harmful to their welfare.
While Animal Welfare Minister Jim Paice told MPs last month that a new policy was “close to completion”, his boss Ms Spelman is now “minded” to introduce the ban, say senior sources. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg also favours such a move.
Officials at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs are working on the final details to ensure there is no conflict with European legislation. An announcement is expected within weeks.
Dr Ros Clubb, senior scientist with the RSPCA, which has called for the ban, said last night: “It’s about time that in Britain we showed we really are a nation of animal lovers.” The development comes a week after undercover footage showed a Romanian groom at the Bobby Roberts circus beating 59-year-old Asian elephant Anne with a pitchfork and kicking her. Anne, who is severely arthritic, is now to be re-homed at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire where she will be protected from such cruelty.
The film, which provoked national outrage, spurred celebrities and ministers into action, with actor Brian Blessed leading a delegation to Downing Street last week.
Under existing laws, travelling circuses only have to comply with relatively simple guidelines under the Animal Welfare Act which governs how domestic pets must be treated. They are specifically excluded from tougher cruelty and welfare laws for zoos.
Although legislation was passed in 1976 to stop the unlicensed trade in animals such as lions, tigers and elephants for private collections or commercial organisations, travelling circuses were again excluded.
The only legal registration for circuses, applying to those people who train or exhibit their animals, is not intended to protect welfare and, according to a recent Government report, is widely regarded as
http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/238387/Wild-animals-will-be-banned-from-circus
Thai customs seize two tonnes of ivory
Thai customs on Friday said they had seized two tonnes of ivory worth over $3.3 million hidden in a shipment of frozen fish -- equivalent to more than 120 elephants killed.
Officials found 247 tusks concealed among hundreds of boxes of mackerel apparently from Kenya, in a boat at Bangkok Port on the Chao Phraya river, the customs department said.
The haul -- which officials said was the biggest in a year and equated to at least 123 elephants killed -- weighed 2,033 kilos (4,472 pounds) and was displayed by authorities in the Thai capital.
Wildlife anti-trafficking group Freedland said it was the first time customs officials had found ivory coming into Thailand by boat and said it showed smugglers were being forced to change tactics.
"It is another sign that steady collaboration by Thai and African law enforcement is foiling ivory traffickers who are losing huge amounts of money, and that's where you have to hit them to stop them -- in the pocket," said the group's director, Steven Galster.
Freedland said the seizure marked the ninth major enforcement
http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/afp_asiapacific/view/1120130/1/.html
Top 10 Zoo Escapes
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/completelist/0,29569,2041628,00.html
GoDaddy CEO explains elephant-killing 'safari'
CEO of web hosting giant GoDaddy, Bob Parsons, sparked outrage last week by releasing a video of himself killing an elephant. After it was written about, Parsons got in touch and asked to tell his side of the story.
“I’ve been going to Africa for six years,” he says, “and I progressively became aware of the elephant situation and what a problem it is for
http://www.smh.com.au/technology/technology-news/godaddy-ceo-explains-elephantkilling-safari-20110404-1ctn8.html
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