Zoo News Digest 3rd - 5th June 2011 (Zoo News 757)
Dear Colleague,
Can you imagine your zoo getting 35,000 people through the gates on a single day? Ragunan zoo has done just that and expect 200,000 by the end of the week. As zoos go it is a bit of a mix (See Ragunan Zoo). There is some good and some bad. The pity is that with so many people passing through the gates that a positive educational conservation message is not driven home. That is not going to be done whilst some of the delights include "playing words parrot, cycling ape, dancing bear, and raising flag linsang."
It is reassuring to see that the latest report on China preparing Pandas for release into the wild make no mention of people prancing around in Panda costumes.
There is a place for costumes though and I quite favour Chengdu Zoos Tiger escape drill. A copy of the Japanese drill of course but that is no matter as neither is how the costume looks. Escape drills are important. I believe that they should fall into three categories (a)Talked through (b)Acted out with prior knowledge (c)Acted out without prior knowledge. This way everybody is ready if the real thing ever happens.
No news from Abidjan Zoo. I just hope that the situation is improving.
See Update on Abidjan Zoo
If I had a peacock egg I would not send it to another zoo. As it would be unique I would lavish care and attention upon it. Peafowl eggs on the other hand can easily be transported, though with care, incubated and the chicks reared quite easily.
I was interested to learn that the Ankus was illegal in Rajasthan. In the news of course because of debates in the US. Much more of a difficult situation in Rajastan of course. Can you imagine an animal in its forties or fifties which has known the ankus and nothing else. Now the mahout cannot use it. I imagine that there are going to be a lot of animals chained to trees for the remainder of their days because of such an ill thought out law. In all seriousness you cannot make and implement such a law overnight or overweek or overyear. A whole mindset and way of doing things has to be changed. I still maintain that the ankus is a harmless but effective and well designed tool. It is only when that it is in the wrong hands that it is dangerous in the same way as is a screwdriver, penknife, beer glass or biro.
What about GuZoo? The owner has stated "he is considering offers from taxidermists to kill and mount one of each species — including a lion, tiger, bear and lynx — if the permit is denied". I am not against specimens which have died or been culled being used for such purposes but this is a sick threat and I don't like it. It does not stir up any sympathy in me.
Can you imagine your zoo getting 35,000 people through the gates on a single day? Ragunan zoo has done just that and expect 200,000 by the end of the week. As zoos go it is a bit of a mix (See Ragunan Zoo). There is some good and some bad. The pity is that with so many people passing through the gates that a positive educational conservation message is not driven home. That is not going to be done whilst some of the delights include "playing words parrot, cycling ape, dancing bear, and raising flag linsang."
It is reassuring to see that the latest report on China preparing Pandas for release into the wild make no mention of people prancing around in Panda costumes.
There is a place for costumes though and I quite favour Chengdu Zoos Tiger escape drill. A copy of the Japanese drill of course but that is no matter as neither is how the costume looks. Escape drills are important. I believe that they should fall into three categories (a)Talked through (b)Acted out with prior knowledge (c)Acted out without prior knowledge. This way everybody is ready if the real thing ever happens.
No news from Abidjan Zoo. I just hope that the situation is improving.
See Update on Abidjan Zoo
If I had a peacock egg I would not send it to another zoo. As it would be unique I would lavish care and attention upon it. Peafowl eggs on the other hand can easily be transported, though with care, incubated and the chicks reared quite easily.
I was interested to learn that the Ankus was illegal in Rajasthan. In the news of course because of debates in the US. Much more of a difficult situation in Rajastan of course. Can you imagine an animal in its forties or fifties which has known the ankus and nothing else. Now the mahout cannot use it. I imagine that there are going to be a lot of animals chained to trees for the remainder of their days because of such an ill thought out law. In all seriousness you cannot make and implement such a law overnight or overweek or overyear. A whole mindset and way of doing things has to be changed. I still maintain that the ankus is a harmless but effective and well designed tool. It is only when that it is in the wrong hands that it is dangerous in the same way as is a screwdriver, penknife, beer glass or biro.
What about GuZoo? The owner has stated "he is considering offers from taxidermists to kill and mount one of each species — including a lion, tiger, bear and lynx — if the permit is denied". I am not against specimens which have died or been culled being used for such purposes but this is a sick threat and I don't like it. It does not stir up any sympathy in me.
Some Articles You May Have Missed
Lonely Gorillas
A Bouncing Baby Boy, Elephant Born at the Toledo Zoo
Giza Zoo Statement - June 2011
World Environment Day
The Ocean Project and the Importance of Zoos and Aquariums
Lonely Gorillas
A Bouncing Baby Boy, Elephant Born at the Toledo Zoo
Giza Zoo Statement - June 2011
World Environment Day
The Ocean Project and the Importance of Zoos and Aquariums
****
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Flooding fills up parks, moves zoo animals
Parts of Clay Center felt a little like Venice early Thursday morning.
Last night's rain and 6.6 inches of rainfall in Clay Center caused extensive flooding in the city. Several streets were under water early Thursday morning as water from Wednesday night's storm began to drain away.
Flooding at Utility Park prompted Public Utilities staff to move animals out of the Clay Center Zoo Wednesday night. The zoo, the fountain, and much of the park was under water as of Thursday morning, though the water had not reached the playground in the park.
About a dozens animals had to be relocated, including the bobcat, groundhogs squirrels, raccoons and others, said Public Utilities Superintendent Bill Callaway.
"We put them in pet carriers and took them out and relocated them," he said Thursday. "The water
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20462354&BRD=1160&PAG=461&dept_id=190958&rfi=6
Flooding, Fire, Disaster....Whenever I read of such things I remember that excellent book:
Resources for Crisis Management in Zoos and Other Animal Care Facilities
Essential for every zoo library. Every Zoo Professional will have taken the time to read it and ensure that trainees do the same. The only sure thing about a crisis is that it is unexpected. It is best to have some advance knowledge of how to cope. Is there a copy in your Zoo Library?
Dead zoo rhino found in backyard
Dozens of other carcasses also discovered
Dozens of sheep, three horses and a rhino were found rotting in a South Valley backyard for months, according to officials at the Bernalillo County Environmental Department. City officials conrfirmed the rhino was the body of the Biopark's beloved rhino, Sally.
Albuquerque Police and Bernalillo County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to Reuben Saavedra's home near Coors and Arenal SW on Wednesday night in reference to the smell of something dead.
"It's just that dead rotting flesh smell," said neighbor Julie Evans. "I don't know where it was coming from. I was concerned it was a dead animal under my deck."
County environmental specialist Lucas Tafoya said it was hard to determine the exact number of dead animals found on Saavedra's property but many of the animals have been left decaying for months. He said there was no immediate health risk to the public.
"We can't give you an accurate number on that because of the stages of decomposition," Tafoya said. "They're in piles, so we're not going to dig through and find out how many animals there are."
Tafoya said Saavedra is a licensed contractor who is hired by different agencies to pick up animal carcasses and drop them off at the Cerro Colorado Landfill.
Albuquerque City Spokesman Chris Ramirez confirmed the dead rhino was the beloved zoo animal named Sally that was euthanized at age 44 last December. Ramirez said city officials turned Sally's body over to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to make
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/dead-zoo-rhino-found-in-backyard
Easy tiger (see Photos)
Zoo practises catching big cat..with man in suit
ARMED zookeepers looked Tigger-happy yesterday after practising hunting down an escaped tiger - with a man dressed up as one of the beasts.
Onlookers were stunned as the crack team pounded through the
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3615483/Chengdu-Zoo-in-China-practises-catching-big-catwith-man-in-suit.html
Don't send peacock eggs to other zoos: Experts
Chhatbir zoo's move of transporting at least 50 eggs of peacocks to a mini-zoo in Beehar Talab, Bathinda, will not just leave the mothers-to-be heartbroken. Wildlife experts say it may also not leave the right impression on tender minds of the chicks.
They said that without their mothers' care, chicks would find themselves under stress on the very first day of their lives. Transporting the eggs itself was a risky affair, they added.
Founder president of Wildlife Conservation Society, Nawanshahr, Nikhil Sangar stated that it would be not easy for the chicks to grow without their mothers. ''How will they learn about predators and feeding schedules? Peacock is our national bird and needs extra care,'' he added.
Officials at Chhatbir zoo have been claiming that they have a dense peacock population. However, wildlife experts say the wildlife department had not conducted a census to get an estimate of the number of birds. ''We cannot understand how this programme is being carried out. They have not conducted a census of the peacock population and it would be risky to take these eggs to the zoo in Bathinda,'' said Punjab State Wildlife Board member Sandeep Jain.
Zoo officials said there are over 100 peacocks in the Lion Safari of Chhatbir zoo. This is considered the heaviest peacock population among zoological parks of Punjab. The decision for taking eggs from here for breeding purposes was taken during a recent meeting between Punjab's wildlife department and Centre.
Officials said the department was coordinating with experts from Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) to initiate peacock breeding.
Quoting some studies, officials of Punjab wildlife department said urbanization and use of pesticides had led to a decline in the bird population in Malwa region of Punjab.
One of them stated that they were coordinationg with poultry experts for successful hatching of these eggs.
The department intends to release the peacocks in Malwa's forests. ''The peacock population is dense here. In future, it may be difficult to keep such a big number of peacocks here and we cannot transfer live peacocks to the other locations that is very difficult
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Dont-send-peacock-eggs-to-other-zoos-Experts/articleshow/8701770.cms
Illegal ankush' used on jumbos at Amber
Gross neglect in caring of elephants was exposed on Wednesday here, when six mahouts were allegedly found carrying banned traditional goads, sharp-edged iron rods commonly known as ankush, while riding elephants in Amber locality of the city.
Wildlife activists, along with the representatives of Jaipur Association of Elephant Owner,s found the ankush, used to control' elephants while riding, with six mahouts, who were on their way back to Hathi Gaon' from the Amber fort.
"On a sudden check of elephant riders the ankush, which has been banned by the Rajasthan High Court, was found. We seized the goads and warned them to not
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-27/jaipur/29590979_1_mahouts-iron-ankush-elephants
Wildlife bureau against feeding tainted ‘bangus’ to zoo crocodiles
An official of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau frowned on the decision of zoo officials to feed seized “bangus” (milkfish) suspected of coming from areas affected by a massive fishkill in Batangas and Pangasinan provinces to crocodiles at the Crocodile Park in Pasay City.
Theresa Mundita Lim, PAWB national director, on Friday said like humans, animals were also at risk if they were fed so-called “botcha” or spoiled fish.
“We are issuing an advisory against this and we are writing a letter to the Crocodile Park to stop feeding the wildlife animals with dead fish from fishkills,” said Lim, who arrived here from Manila in connection with the investigation on coral smuggling.
Lim said that thiaminate developed in the gut of spoiled fish. Thiaminate, Lim said, destroyed vitamin B in the body of humans or animals.
“Once animals ingest fish with thiaminate substance, they will suffer from nervous system related problems,” she warned.
Lim said ingestion of thiaminate could lead to convulsion
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/11750/wildlife-bureau-against-feeding-tainted-bangus-to-zoo-crocodiles
Thailand seizes hundreds of turtles in air luggage
Thai customs have discovered hundreds of live turtles and other rare animals in luggage at Bangkok's main airport, the latest in a series of wildlife seizures in the kingdom, an official said on Thursday.
The haul, which included 35 star tortoises and is worth an estimated one million baht ($33,000), was discovered in suitcases from Bangladesh in transit at Suvarnabhumi Airport on the way to India.
The owner of the luggage, which also included gavials, a reptile related to crocodiles, escaped before police could arrest him.
The star tortoise, which is popular in Asia as an exotic pet, is listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and a permit is required to export them.
Last September Thailand -- home to some of the world's largest wildlife trafficking operations -- seized more than 1,000 star tortoises
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jZNdvdvhkAPhkZoYG_yu8_A8NpSw?docId=CNG.1a110a4a421a7358125f6f5f221a6179.401
Considerable dip in mortality rate at Vandalur zoo, says Director
There has been a considerable reduction in the mortality rate of animals in captivity at Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur.
Giving the details, K.S.S.V.P. Reddy, Chief Conservator of Forests and Zoo Director, told The Hindu that the zoo housed mammals, reptiles and birds totalling 1,342 belonging to 148 species.
Between April 2010 and March 2011 only 22 animals were reported dead. Of this nine died due to old age and the remaining owing to other health related problems and infighting.
Environment enrichment, psychological well being and animal husbandry and veterinary care were the three important captive management practices that contributed to the longevity of animals.
Similarly, the zoo authorities ensured hygienic feed and clean water to the housed animals. Apart from this maintaining the enclosures hygienically by cleaning them periodically had provided a safe
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2071743.ece
Zoo of death uncovered in St Helens as cops raid reveals stuffed bears, Canadian lynx and red squirrels
A FREAKISH farm of horrors was uncovered as a Merseyside police raid netted a haul of stuffed rare animals and illegal skins.
A team of 30 animal crime experts yesterday stormed a farm, arresting a 45-year-old man.
The macabre collection included three stuffed black bears, two stuffed Canadian lynx, baboon skins and a frozen dead red squirrel, ready to be stuffed.
Horrified officers were also confronted with a stuffed spitting cobra, the skin of an ocelot, bobcat and a rare caracal cat and a stuffed
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/06/03/zoo-of-death-uncovered-in-st-helens-as-cops-raid-reveals-stuffed-bears-canadian-lynx-and-red-squirrels-100252-28813062/
Rare dolphins found tied to concrete slab
Authorities are disgusted by the discovery of two rare dolphins found dead, tied to mangroves, and weighed down by a slab of concrete in north Queensland.
A local recreational fisherman found the rare snubfin dolphins near the mouth of Two Mile Creek, north of Townsville.
Authorities say the dolphins were hand-tied to the mangroves and they are appealing for leads to find those responsible.
Richard Leck from the World Wildlife Fund says he is incensed.
"The killing and concealing of these two dolphins is totally reprehensible
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/03/3234497.htm
Bid to save sandpiper at risk of extinction in Russia
Conservationists have embarked on a mission to save one of the world's rarest birds, the spoon-billed sandpiper, from extinction.
Fewer than 200 pairs of spoon-billed sandpipers were thought to exist in 2009, and since then, the population has thought to have declined by a quarter each year.
So a specialist team of bird experts are flying to the sandpiper's home in northeast Russia to collect and incubate eggs and set up a captive breeding population.
The captive population of spoon-billed sandpipers will be housed in Moscow Zoo for quarantine purposes, then moved to a specially built unit at the headquarters of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK.
The emergency mission is being undertaken by the WWT and Birds Russia, working with colleagues from the
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13627796
Ice sculpture in Sydney raises polar bear plight
A huge ice sculpture of a polar bear designed to raise awareness about global warming and the plight of the endangered creature was unveiled in Sydney.
A whopping four metres (13 feet) high and 2.2 metres wide, the bear was carved from a ten-tonne block of ice on the city's harbourfront and will melt over three to four days, revealing a bronze sculpture of its skeleton.
Now on its sixth global stop since being launched by British artist Mark Coreth in 2009, the bear was whittled into shape in the pre-dawn hours after a giant crane dropped the ice beside the harbour.
Bypassers can pay Aus$2 to touch the creature, feeling "the ice melting under your hand," said Coreth, who hopes to raise awareness about global warming and its effect on polar bears, an endangered species.
"This is the human impact," he said.
"When the ice goes from the ice bear, there will always be a bear, but it will be very different bear. It will be a skeleton, a pool of water
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hyrFONvbLZz665Icnbkz43qWmgRg?docId=CNG.d8595bca5666c62acd2c4571b115f96d.ab1
Alberta zoo owner vows to have animals stuffed
As Alberta officials formulate a decommission plan for GuZoo, its embattled owner remains hopeful he will reopen — with all his exotic animals on display.
Lynn Gustafson, who has run the controversial zoo near Three Hills, Alta., for more than 20 years, said he'll ask officials with Sustainable Resource Development for a new permit — with conditions he make improvements to the facility — so he can remain open.
"You have to have a permit to keep the animals and every permit is issued with some conditions," he said. "Hopefully the conditions will be to make certain improvements, maybe it won't be, we'll see. ... Maybe I'm in denial."
Gustafson has said he is considering offers from taxidermists to kill and mount one of each species — including a lion, tiger, bear and lynx — if the permit is denied.
The GuZoo permit was revoked Wednesday and replaced with a temporary, seven-day licence to begin the decommission process after a recent independent review
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/03/controversial-alberta-zoo-owner-vows-to-have-animals-stuffed
German police train vulture 'detectives' to find bodies
German police are trying out a new weapon in the fight against crime - vultures that can find hidden corpses.
Three feathered detectives - called Sherlock, Miss Marple and Columbo - are being trained in Walsrode bird park in northern Germany.
The birds' keen eyesight and acute sense of smell might make them as skilful as their fictional namesakes.
But worryingly Sherlock sometimes prefers to hunt on foot, rather than scan the ground from above.
Police used a piece of shroud from a mortuary for the training exercise, German media report.
The vultures are thought to be better than sniffer dogs at finding bodies when a large area has to be searched and the terrain is difficult, for example if it is densely overgrown.
But the experiment raises ethical concerns because of the risk that a vulture could start pecking at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13629772
Climate scientists receive death threats
A Canberra university has increased security following death threats to its climate scientists.
The Australian National University has received a large number of emails with threatening and abusive language directed at some of its scientists.
Some of the scientists have been moved to a safer location.
"Obviously, climate research is an emotive issue at the present time, but these are issues where we should have a logical public debate," Professor Young told ABC News 24.
"In fact it's completely intolerable that people be subjected to this sort of abuse and to threats like this."
Professor Young said the threats had unsettled the scientists.
"Academics and scientists are actually really not equipped to be treated in this way," he said.
"The concept that you would be threatened for your scientific views and work is something that is completely foreign to them."
The Australian Federal Poli
http://news.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/climate-scientists-receive-death-threats-20110604-1flwf.html
China expands program to prep giant pandas for life in wild
After the completion of the initial stage of the Wolong panda wild training program, the giant panda research center in southwest China's Sichuan province is planning to release six more breeding female pandas into wildness this year, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The move aims to expand a wild training program for captive-bred pandas to adapt to the wild environment.
It has been proven that the first phase of wild training has equipped Cao Cao and its cub Tao Tao with basic skills to survive in the wild. Tao Tao, the first-ever panda baby born under wild training, has successfully endured the heavy snow that hit the Wolong Nature Reserve in March. The stronger and more independent Tao Tao has started to develop a sense of territoriality
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7400339.html
Killing Fields: Africa's Rhinos Under Threat
Nestled in the golden bush grass of an open savanna, a black rhinoceros lies on her side. Her head is haloed by a dried pool of blood. The animal's horns have been sawed off at the stump. Her eyes have been gouged out. "That's a new thing," notes Rusty Hustler, the manager of South Africa's North West Parks and Tourism Board, whose job includes tracking the escalating number of endangered rhinos poached for their body parts. "The Vietnamese have started keeping the eyes for medicine."
Hustler and an animal pathologist begin the postmortem. The stench and the proliferation of flies and maggots indicate that the beast, which was found at the Shingalana private game reserve by a local guide, has been dead at least a week. Eight bullet cartridges are scattered near the carcass. Wearing white boots and blue latex gloves, the pair get to work, sharpening a series of butcher's knives, then ripping into the rhino. A metal detector is passed over the exposed flesh. After an hour, the metal detector squeaks, then emits a louder shriek. The pathologist reaches the heart. "That's the kill shot," says Hustler, slicing the heart to uncover an inch-long slug.
(See pictures of 10 species near extinction).
The South Africans rest and survey their grisly work. In 1993 international trade in rhino horn was banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which now includes 175 member countries and regions. But somewhere, almost assuredly on an illicit route to Asia, the horns and eyes of a 9-year-old female Diceros bicornis are traveling, destined for often desperate people who believe in the mystical curative powers of the rhinoceros.
Unlike the elephant, its pachyderm cousin, the rhinoceros possesses little of the majesty needed to evoke worldwide sympathy. It is shy, low-slung, seriously nearsighted. It does not dazzle with its intelligence. Yet for millennia, these bulky lawn mowers have entranced humans with the agglutinated hair that makes up their horns. Ancient Arabs carved dagger handles from it; Yemen was a popular destination for the animal's parts through the 1980s. Western colonialists in Asia and Africa lined their parlors with rhino-horn trophies and sometimes fashioned ashtrays out of the beasts' feet. Most of all, though, rhino horn was prized in Asia for its purported medicinal value. Ancient traditional Chinese medicine texts recommended the powdered horn for ailments like fever and arthritis, and modern-day practitioners have prescribed it for
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2075283,00.html
Hey, I think that's our kid, 3,233rd from the left: Stunning pictures of island where penguins have created the world's largest crèche
These stunning aerial images of a King Penguin colony in South Georgia show just how extraordinary penguin parenting really is.
In what looks to be the world's largest creche, thousands of King Penguins instinctively herd their recently born young into giant huddles to stop them freezing to death
Parental instinct takes over in the inhospitable climate of the South Atlantic and the chicks with their long, brown, downy coats are made to crowd together to retain their body warmth in the equivalent of bird creches - visible as brown swathes on our photo.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1393379/King-Penguin-colony-South-Georgia-Stunning-pictures-worlds-largest-cr-che.html
35.000 People Visit Ragunan Zoo Today
Ragunan Zoo (TMR) in South Jakarta visited by 35 thousand people today, (Friday, 6/3). This number decreased, since yesterday (Thursday, 6/2) 50 thousand people visited the cheap yet fun recreation place.
To beritajakarta.com TMR Public Relation officer Wahyudi Bambang said it is normal because not all companies use the public leave policy for their employees. He optimists TMR will be visited by 200 thousand people by the end of this week.
According to him, residents are enthusiast to visit the zoo because of its affordable entrance fee, which are Rp 4.000 for adult and Rp 3.000 for children. While for toddler age of below 3 years, the ticket fee is free.
In order to create secure and comfortable recreation for its visitors, TMR cooperates with the police, Transportation Department, Marines, and local resident wich total of 200 people. They also provided one unit of ambulance and three medical posts along with paramedics from Indonesian Red Cross (PMI). The three medical posts are located near TMR office, information center, and primate center.
Bambang explained TMR has various entertainment shows
http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=19164
Noel the turtle proves amputees survive in wild
Grave fears were held for "Noel" when she was released back into the wild after having a flipper amputated.
But the resilient 93 kilogram (204 pound) green sea turtle, who was fitted with a tracking device, has proved it is no handicap by swimming more than 2,600 kilometres (1,612 miles) since last December.
"This is a mindblowing achievement, given she only has three flippers," the head of Australia Zoo's rescue unit, Brian Coulter, told the Courier-Mail newspaper.
"It is very important research because it shows that amputee turtles can survive. Some institutions have euthanased them in the past, thinking they would not make it."
"Noel" was taken to Australia Zoo's Wildlife Hospital, established by 'Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, after being found entangled in
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g2mD-DtaGMWrYXOU7mfFoM4RhgxQ?docId=CNG.52967ceaf24910be8108a999ac7262df.471
Roman shipwreck: Giant fish tank in a 2,000-year-old ship?
Roman shipwreck: Scientists say that an ancient Roman shipwreck had the plumbing for a salt-water aquarium.
An ancient Roman shipwreck nearly 2,000 years old may once have held an aquarium onboard capable of carrying live fish, archaeologists suggest.
The shipwreck, which lay 6 miles (nearly 10 kilometers) off the town of Grado in Italy, was discovered by accident in 1986. Approximately 55 feet (16.5 meters) long, it dated back to the mid-second century and had a cargo of about 600 large vases known as amphoras that contained sardines, salted mackerel and other fish products.
Curiously, its hull possessed a unique feature — near its keel was a lead pipe at least 2.7 inches (7 cm) wide and 51 inches (1.3 meters) long. Why pierce
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0603/Roman-shipwreck-Giant-fish-tank-in-a-2-000-year-old-ship
Orang utan gets unprecedented genital surgery
A BABY Bornean orang utan at a South Korean zoo underwent surgery last month to lace up one of his testicles where it should be after it had been found abnormally stuck inside the anthropoid's abdomen, a zoo official said on Friday.
The two-hour surgery was the first of its kind in the world and drew a team of six local urologists and veterinarians, according to Mr Kang Hyung Uk, a public relations official at Seoul Zoo, located just outside of Seoul. Mr Kang said he had checked with other zoo associations abroad to see if a similar surgery had ever been done.
The orang utan, barely 3 years old, was too young to undergo surgery when one of his testicles was found hidden inside his belly during a medical checkup last year, a potentially deadly case that could have developed into cancer and caused infertility, Mr Kang said.
'So we waited until Baekseok was strong enough, and a team of local urologists came forward in the meantime to help bring the testicle down to
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_675748.html
Saving a Living Treasure of Asia
China has emerged as the world's largest market for smuggled endangered animal species. Just as some of our own environmental transgressions are born of the Western notion of man's hegemony over the natural world, China's destruction of its natural heritage is rooted in social and cultural mores that include the role of animal parts in traditional Chinese medicine. The freedom to spend currency abroad and the rise of the Chinese middle class have, despite government avowals to the contrary, increased trade on protected and threatened species worldwide. Tigers, rhinos, and bears are some of the most publicized and emblematic victims of smuggling and butchery, but there is another, nearly silent extinction epidemic underway in Asia -- the decimation of Asian turtles.
Included among these is the Giant Asian Forest Tortoise, Manouria emys, which occurs as far south as the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, and as far north as the Chinese border with Burma. Reaching as much as 100 lbs., but more typically half that, the Giant Asian Forest Tortoise -- the largest tortoise in Asia and fourth largest terrestrial turtle in the world -- is losing habitat daily, and is wantonly slaughtered for both medicine and food. Despite its bleak outlook, the species (both the smaller, southern, lowland race and the rarer, darker, larger, mountain variety) may ultimately owe their survival not to sweeping law enforcement or local fieldwork, but to the passion of unlikely conservation hero living not in Asia, but in a small town in North Florida.
63-year-old Vic Morgan has no idea where his love of animals came from. As far as he knows, he's the first in his family tree to be happier in the woods than in town -- his father sold insurance -- but after moving from Virginia to Florida when he was six
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-rosenfeld/saving-a-living-treasure-_b_870685.html
Saving bears is a necessity
The death this week of a mother grizzly on the train tracks near Lake Louise - leaving two cubs orphaned - has renewed calls for Canadian Pacific and Parks Canada to do something about the problem of bear deaths.
A number of initiatives have been in place for years, including vegetation management along the right-of-way and the vacuuming up of grain fallen from passing railcars. As well, crews report bear sightings to the rail traffic controller, and other crews are thus alerted to the bear's presence. It's heartening, however, to learn that new initiatives will be unveiled in a joint announcement in the next few months by CP and Parks Canada, and that future efforts arising from CP's five-year, $1-million research program will begin to focus on the science around bear behaviour.
Parks Canada estimated in 2009 that between Field and Revelstoke, B.C., alone, 17 bears -blacks and grizzlies -were dying annually from collisions, with 9,000 vehicles and
http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Saving+bears+necessity/4886211/story.html
Never-before-seen video reveals how penguins stay warm
A brilliantly choreographed wave made up of little penguin shuffles every 60 seconds, in unison for hours, keeps them warm and alive in the Antarctic winter, says the physicist who captured the dance on film for the first time.
The circumstances are dire:
Two thousand Emperor penguins are stuck in desolate Dronning Maud Land. It’s minus 50 with winds gusting to 180 kilometres per hour. All the female penguins are off hunting for food.
The males have nothing to eat for 110 days. Most of them are carrying an egg.
“If you would put thousands of people together like that they wouldn’t be able to move,” Daniel Zitterbart of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg told the Star on Thursday.
But these penguins do. Every 60 seconds, they waddle 12 centimetres. The penguins in the toasty middle, where temperatures can zoom to plus 37, rotate to the outer edges to give the chilly birds on the outside a turn.
The shift is imperceptible to the naked eye. Zitterbart captured the undulating penguin mass with high-resolution, time-lapse photography over four hours.
“If it’s pretty warm, a huddle doesn’t last longer than two hours. From what I could see, this huddle was at least eight hours.”
As the temperature drops, “some penguins start to gather,” said Zitterbart. “More penguins come from behind and the huddle gets more
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1001665--never-before-seen-video-reveals-how-penguins-stay-warm
Infants in groups must pay to enter Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Park
All children below three used to enter for free
A tweak to Wildlife Reserves Singapore's admission policy for children that began this month has already caused some confusion among visitors.
A 51-year-old visitor who only wanted to be known as Mr Lim discovered this new policy yesterday when he accompanied a group of about 20 from overseas to the Jurong Bird Park. The two-year-old infant in the group required a children's ticket to enter the attraction. "When I heard this, I felt it was ridiculous ... at one or two years old, do they know anything? They won't cause any inconvenience," said Mr Lim.
Clarifying its new policy yesterday in response to MediaCorp's queries, WRS said only infants aged one and above who visit the Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park as part of a group need to purchase children's tickets to enter. This includes tour groups as well as groups from childcare centres.
Previously, any child below the age of three could enter for free.
For independent travellers, each child below three still gets to enter for free - provided the child is accompanied by an adult, said Ms Isabel Cheng, WRS director of sales, marketing and communications. For example, if there is one adult accompanying two children aged above one, the adult has to buy one children's
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110604-0000076/Infants-in-groups-must-pay-to-enter-Zoo,-Night-Safari-and-Bird-Park
Chimps go ape over Sydney zoo donation
It was an announcement that was greeted with a hoots of approval.
The chimpanzees of Taronga Zoo in Sydney seemed delighted to hear the zoo's conservation society will donate $150,000 to help their fellow creatures in Africa.
Either that or they were just pleased with their Sunday morning breakfast.
Making the announcement on World Environment Day, Taronga Zoo director Cameron Kerr said the donation to the Tchimpounga chimpanzee sanctuary in the Congo would make a big difference in protecting the endangered species.
"The backdrop to all the sound that you hear ... is one of the greatest mass extinctions since the loss of the dinosaurs," Mr Kerr said, over the chimpanzees' hullabaloo.
"This is something we really need to think about."
The zoo's tribe of 17 chimpanzees
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8257537/chimps-go-ape-over-sydney-zoo-donation
A secret oasis for the world's most endangered turtles
The Turtle Conservancy, tucked in the foothills of Ventura County, cares for species ravaged by habitat loss, wildfires, hunting and black markets. Its latest project: breeding the rare ploughshare tortoise.
When it comes to caring for the world's rarest cold-blooded animals, few places match the pampering and security provided to hundreds of critically endangered turtles and tortoises at a secret compound in the foothills of Los Padres National Forest.
In paddocks and aquariums protected by surveillance cameras and electric wire, Okinawa leaf turtles feast on silkworms and mulberries in a temperature-controlled greenhouse. Nest-building Burmese black mountain tortoises relax in piles of freshly cut oak, sycamore and bamboo. Forest-dwelling impressed tortoises dine exclusively on organically grown oyster mushrooms. Philippine pond turtles spend the night in snug tunnels made of cork bark.
But Saturday's VIPs were eight ploughshare tortoises flown in from Hong Kong in padded crates. Among them is a female of breeding age, which Eric Goode and his associates at the nonprofit Turtle Conservancy's Behler Chelonian Center hope to mate with the only male ploughshare tortoise of breeding age in North America.
"That male, which is en route from a zoo in Texas, hasn't seen a female ploughshare tortoise of breeding age in more than 25 years," Goode said as he marveled at the new arrivals in a quarantined pen. "We're hoping for the best. These creatures have seen nothing but bad luck, corruption and greed in captivity."
Some would call that an understatement. With fewer than 300 left in the wilds of Madagascar, the ploughshare tortoise holds the dubious distinction of being the rarest tortoise on Earth. They are heavily targeted by global animal traffickers, and the high-domed creatures fetch
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tortoise-20110605,0,7251385.story
Rare cat, antelope sighted in state sanctuaries
Two rare sightings ahead of the World Environment Day at state sanctuaries have brought cheer among wildlife lovers. While a fishing cat, an endangered species, was sighted at the Keoladeo bird sanctuary, the Sariska tiger reserve had a rare glimpse of the four-horned antelope believed to be extinct for years.
According to state wildlife board member Rajpal Singh, "The two sightings are definitely a thing to rejoice for any wildlife enthusiast. The four-horned antelope was last seen at Sariska about four years ago while the fishing cat that was sighted at the Keoladeo sanctuary has confirmed
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Rare-cat-antelope-sighted-in-state-sanctuaries/articleshow/8729034.cms
The dive of the tiger: Big cat makes a splash in animal park waterfall (GREAT PHOTOS)
In the searing heat, this tiger was looking for a novel way to cool off as it endured the rising temperature.
The graceful but deadly cat first surveys the drop below before using her huge paws to launched herself into the water.
However, this is no tropical waterfall in the depths of the Indian jungle. Sayan is an endangered Amur Siberian Tiger and is a new arrival at Yorkshire Wildlife Park - and staff say she is proving to be quite the water
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394230/Tiger-cools-waterfall-Yorkshire-Wildlife-Park.html
The Bear Necessities
The shooting and killing of a black bear at the Piedmont Triad International Airport this week prompted a lot of questions about the NC Wildlife Commission's bear policy. Specifically, under what circumstances are bears trapped, euthanized (i.e., killed), or left to roam.
It is important to keep in mind that it was not a wildlife officer who shot the bear in the first instance. It was an airport worker.
Nevertheless, the folks over at the Wildlife Commission have issued a press release clarifying the bear policy and listing some helpful
http://greensboro.injuryboard.com/miscellaneous/the-bear-necessities.aspx?googleid=291062
Tortoise cam to be featured on knoxnews.com
Tortoise lovers can get a closer look at the Knoxville Zoo's male giant tortoises Al and Tex today with the "Al Cam," a camera attached to Al's shell.
Live streaming video will play 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the News Sentinel's website at http://www.knoxnews.com/zoo/tortoise/ .
Al and Tex met loaned female tortoises Patches and Corky last week, the first time the male tortoises have encountered females since the 1980s.
Public response to the event, covered in the News Sentinel and on knoxnews.com, has been enthusiastic.
"Because they are so rarely bred in the U.S., we want to make sure zoo visitors have the chance to continue seeing Aldabra giant tortoises. And everyone loves a good romance story where the guy gets the girl," said Michael
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jun/03/tortoise-cam-on-knoxnewscom/
Barges allowed to pass through accident area, sunken sugar vessel to be refloated
The Office of Water Transport in Ayutthaya yesterday allowed cargo barges to pass through the area where a sugar barge sank and expressed confidence that the barge would be refloated on Wednesday
... discovery of dead fish in the river, Pathum Thani Fishery officer Thanong Thaklaewtossapon said four mantra rays were found dead so far in the Chao Phraya passing through the province. He said he suspected several more rays were dead but hadn't floated to the surface yet and that their deaths might...
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/06/05/national/Barges-allowed-to-pass-through-accident-area-sunke-30157047.html
Biodiversity a huge asset for tourism development in Oman
The biodiversity of Earth is declining at an “unprecedented rate”. Many plants and animals are threatened for extinction. The numbers of threatened species are increasing across almost all major taxonomic groups. There is growing global concern about the status of the biological resources.
The world’s oldest and largest global environmental network — IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) — helps the world find pragmatic solutions to most pressing environment and development challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organisations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice.
Dr Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy director of IUCN’s species programme leads all the diverse aspects of the Programme, including biodiversity assessments, the Red List of Threatened Species, and gives inputs to international agreements, and supports the Species Survival Commission (SSC) as well as the Water and Nature Initiative. On the occasion of Environment Day 2011, he speaks to Seema Sangra about the concerns of loss of biodiversity, contradictory studies about extinction rates and reintroduction of the Arabian Oryx.
Excerpts from the interview:
According to a recently published study, the extinction rates are overestimated, what is your take on it?
The new study you are referring too has been misinterpreted
http://main.omanobserver.om/node/53568
Buffer habitats for Persian leopard
An investigation on Persian leopard was carried out from September 2007 to October 2008 in Ghorkhod & Behkadeh Reserve, northeastern Iran. The area is the main buffer habitat around the core (source) population in Golestan National Park, but it suffers severe depletion of natural prey species due to lower level of protection measures, and is probably a sink population. We conclude that to ensure corridors and buffer zones, the most urgent and achievable solution is perhaps to designate additional “No Hunting Areas”and
http://www.wildlife.ir/ShowInfo.aspx?Lang=2&InfoId=123
Egypt arrests “lion fight” man
The Egyptian government has intervened and arrested a man who had attempted to promote tourism through a public battle between himself and a lion. According to the country’s ministry of tourism and Egyptian animal welfare activists who had been following the ordeal, El-Sayad al-Essawy has been arrested and is currently under investigation.
Early indications from the ministry are that the man is mentally ill. It is unclear what exactly will happen to him and if he will be charged with a crime. According to activists, the man had not actually bought a lion on the black market.
Minister of Tourism Munir Fakhry Abdel-Nour said in public statements that “under no circumstance will the Ministry of Tourism tolerate any degree of inhumane acts against animals.”
His comments come as a number of foreign nationals, and potential tourists, had spoken out against the “battle” saying they would not come to Egypt if the event went as planned.
“This is disgusting, to fight a lion to death to raise public attention is so wrong,” one animal rights activist in Egypt said in an email to Bikya Masr detailing the situation.
According to local reports, an Egyptian citizen purchased a lion for around 25,000 Egyptian pounds – in violation of stated international wildlife regulations – and is “”to fight the lion to death with swords.” It has been learned that the lion was in fact not purchased.
Egyptian Arabic newspaper al-Youm al-Saba’a said the idea was to “raise
http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=34306
See Hacking a Lion To Death To Promote Tourism
Elephant Poachers Are Back in Mara Siana!
What a tragedy a majestic Bull Elephant was poached yesterday. He was poisoned with a spear and arrow by poachers.He was trying to reach some heavy bush but died in the open about 100 metres from the thick bush.The poachers were chasing him on piki pikis (motorcycles) but he could go no further before collapsing. The poachers had to abandon the scene as it was daylight and they were in the open. They were not able to take the tusks and got away.A herdsman reported this activity and our Simba Scouts went to the incident along with Narok county Council Rangers and the Kenya Wildlife Service Rangers. It was terribly upsetting to all and believe it or not this was the second Elephant killed in 24 hours in this area.This just highlights that the Mara region is being targeted
http://predatoraware.wildlifedirect.org/2011/06/05/elephant-poachers-are-back-in-mara-siana/
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A magazine for the exchange of news, information and ideas between the zoos and
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FEATURE ARTICLES
Oceanic Birds in Japanese Collections, 2006
Ken Kawata
California Sea Lion Development at Blackpool Zoo
Sarah Thomas and Khaled Fawzy
Reading the Tea-leaves: Zoos and Their Future Role in Conservation
Pauline Clegg
Some Notes on Orang-utan Captive History and Longevity
Richard Weigl
Book Reviews
Conservation
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International Zoo News
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Flooding fills up parks, moves zoo animals
Parts of Clay Center felt a little like Venice early Thursday morning.
Last night's rain and 6.6 inches of rainfall in Clay Center caused extensive flooding in the city. Several streets were under water early Thursday morning as water from Wednesday night's storm began to drain away.
Flooding at Utility Park prompted Public Utilities staff to move animals out of the Clay Center Zoo Wednesday night. The zoo, the fountain, and much of the park was under water as of Thursday morning, though the water had not reached the playground in the park.
About a dozens animals had to be relocated, including the bobcat, groundhogs squirrels, raccoons and others, said Public Utilities Superintendent Bill Callaway.
"We put them in pet carriers and took them out and relocated them," he said Thursday. "The water
http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=20462354&BRD=1160&PAG=461&dept_id=190958&rfi=6
Flooding, Fire, Disaster....Whenever I read of such things I remember that excellent book:
Resources for Crisis Management in Zoos and Other Animal Care Facilities
Essential for every zoo library. Every Zoo Professional will have taken the time to read it and ensure that trainees do the same. The only sure thing about a crisis is that it is unexpected. It is best to have some advance knowledge of how to cope. Is there a copy in your Zoo Library?
Dead zoo rhino found in backyard
Dozens of other carcasses also discovered
Dozens of sheep, three horses and a rhino were found rotting in a South Valley backyard for months, according to officials at the Bernalillo County Environmental Department. City officials conrfirmed the rhino was the body of the Biopark's beloved rhino, Sally.
Albuquerque Police and Bernalillo County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to Reuben Saavedra's home near Coors and Arenal SW on Wednesday night in reference to the smell of something dead.
"It's just that dead rotting flesh smell," said neighbor Julie Evans. "I don't know where it was coming from. I was concerned it was a dead animal under my deck."
County environmental specialist Lucas Tafoya said it was hard to determine the exact number of dead animals found on Saavedra's property but many of the animals have been left decaying for months. He said there was no immediate health risk to the public.
"We can't give you an accurate number on that because of the stages of decomposition," Tafoya said. "They're in piles, so we're not going to dig through and find out how many animals there are."
Tafoya said Saavedra is a licensed contractor who is hired by different agencies to pick up animal carcasses and drop them off at the Cerro Colorado Landfill.
Albuquerque City Spokesman Chris Ramirez confirmed the dead rhino was the beloved zoo animal named Sally that was euthanized at age 44 last December. Ramirez said city officials turned Sally's body over to the New Mexico Department of Agriculture to make
http://www.krqe.com/dpp/news/dead-zoo-rhino-found-in-backyard
Easy tiger (see Photos)
Zoo practises catching big cat..with man in suit
ARMED zookeepers looked Tigger-happy yesterday after practising hunting down an escaped tiger - with a man dressed up as one of the beasts.
Onlookers were stunned as the crack team pounded through the
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/3615483/Chengdu-Zoo-in-China-practises-catching-big-catwith-man-in-suit.html
Don't send peacock eggs to other zoos: Experts
Chhatbir zoo's move of transporting at least 50 eggs of peacocks to a mini-zoo in Beehar Talab, Bathinda, will not just leave the mothers-to-be heartbroken. Wildlife experts say it may also not leave the right impression on tender minds of the chicks.
They said that without their mothers' care, chicks would find themselves under stress on the very first day of their lives. Transporting the eggs itself was a risky affair, they added.
Founder president of Wildlife Conservation Society, Nawanshahr, Nikhil Sangar stated that it would be not easy for the chicks to grow without their mothers. ''How will they learn about predators and feeding schedules? Peacock is our national bird and needs extra care,'' he added.
Officials at Chhatbir zoo have been claiming that they have a dense peacock population. However, wildlife experts say the wildlife department had not conducted a census to get an estimate of the number of birds. ''We cannot understand how this programme is being carried out. They have not conducted a census of the peacock population and it would be risky to take these eggs to the zoo in Bathinda,'' said Punjab State Wildlife Board member Sandeep Jain.
Zoo officials said there are over 100 peacocks in the Lion Safari of Chhatbir zoo. This is considered the heaviest peacock population among zoological parks of Punjab. The decision for taking eggs from here for breeding purposes was taken during a recent meeting between Punjab's wildlife department and Centre.
Officials said the department was coordinating with experts from Wildlife Institute of India (Dehradun) to initiate peacock breeding.
Quoting some studies, officials of Punjab wildlife department said urbanization and use of pesticides had led to a decline in the bird population in Malwa region of Punjab.
One of them stated that they were coordinationg with poultry experts for successful hatching of these eggs.
The department intends to release the peacocks in Malwa's forests. ''The peacock population is dense here. In future, it may be difficult to keep such a big number of peacocks here and we cannot transfer live peacocks to the other locations that is very difficult
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Dont-send-peacock-eggs-to-other-zoos-Experts/articleshow/8701770.cms
Illegal ankush' used on jumbos at Amber
Gross neglect in caring of elephants was exposed on Wednesday here, when six mahouts were allegedly found carrying banned traditional goads, sharp-edged iron rods commonly known as ankush, while riding elephants in Amber locality of the city.
Wildlife activists, along with the representatives of Jaipur Association of Elephant Owner,s found the ankush, used to control' elephants while riding, with six mahouts, who were on their way back to Hathi Gaon' from the Amber fort.
"On a sudden check of elephant riders the ankush, which has been banned by the Rajasthan High Court, was found. We seized the goads and warned them to not
http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-05-27/jaipur/29590979_1_mahouts-iron-ankush-elephants
Wildlife bureau against feeding tainted ‘bangus’ to zoo crocodiles
An official of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau frowned on the decision of zoo officials to feed seized “bangus” (milkfish) suspected of coming from areas affected by a massive fishkill in Batangas and Pangasinan provinces to crocodiles at the Crocodile Park in Pasay City.
Theresa Mundita Lim, PAWB national director, on Friday said like humans, animals were also at risk if they were fed so-called “botcha” or spoiled fish.
“We are issuing an advisory against this and we are writing a letter to the Crocodile Park to stop feeding the wildlife animals with dead fish from fishkills,” said Lim, who arrived here from Manila in connection with the investigation on coral smuggling.
Lim said that thiaminate developed in the gut of spoiled fish. Thiaminate, Lim said, destroyed vitamin B in the body of humans or animals.
“Once animals ingest fish with thiaminate substance, they will suffer from nervous system related problems,” she warned.
Lim said ingestion of thiaminate could lead to convulsion
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/11750/wildlife-bureau-against-feeding-tainted-bangus-to-zoo-crocodiles
Thailand seizes hundreds of turtles in air luggage
Thai customs have discovered hundreds of live turtles and other rare animals in luggage at Bangkok's main airport, the latest in a series of wildlife seizures in the kingdom, an official said on Thursday.
The haul, which included 35 star tortoises and is worth an estimated one million baht ($33,000), was discovered in suitcases from Bangladesh in transit at Suvarnabhumi Airport on the way to India.
The owner of the luggage, which also included gavials, a reptile related to crocodiles, escaped before police could arrest him.
The star tortoise, which is popular in Asia as an exotic pet, is listed under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species and a permit is required to export them.
Last September Thailand -- home to some of the world's largest wildlife trafficking operations -- seized more than 1,000 star tortoises
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jZNdvdvhkAPhkZoYG_yu8_A8NpSw?docId=CNG.1a110a4a421a7358125f6f5f221a6179.401
Considerable dip in mortality rate at Vandalur zoo, says Director
There has been a considerable reduction in the mortality rate of animals in captivity at Arignar Anna Zoological Park, Vandalur.
Giving the details, K.S.S.V.P. Reddy, Chief Conservator of Forests and Zoo Director, told The Hindu that the zoo housed mammals, reptiles and birds totalling 1,342 belonging to 148 species.
Between April 2010 and March 2011 only 22 animals were reported dead. Of this nine died due to old age and the remaining owing to other health related problems and infighting.
Environment enrichment, psychological well being and animal husbandry and veterinary care were the three important captive management practices that contributed to the longevity of animals.
Similarly, the zoo authorities ensured hygienic feed and clean water to the housed animals. Apart from this maintaining the enclosures hygienically by cleaning them periodically had provided a safe
http://www.thehindu.com/news/states/tamil-nadu/article2071743.ece
Zoo of death uncovered in St Helens as cops raid reveals stuffed bears, Canadian lynx and red squirrels
A FREAKISH farm of horrors was uncovered as a Merseyside police raid netted a haul of stuffed rare animals and illegal skins.
A team of 30 animal crime experts yesterday stormed a farm, arresting a 45-year-old man.
The macabre collection included three stuffed black bears, two stuffed Canadian lynx, baboon skins and a frozen dead red squirrel, ready to be stuffed.
Horrified officers were also confronted with a stuffed spitting cobra, the skin of an ocelot, bobcat and a rare caracal cat and a stuffed
http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/liverpool-news/local-news/2011/06/03/zoo-of-death-uncovered-in-st-helens-as-cops-raid-reveals-stuffed-bears-canadian-lynx-and-red-squirrels-100252-28813062/
Rare dolphins found tied to concrete slab
Authorities are disgusted by the discovery of two rare dolphins found dead, tied to mangroves, and weighed down by a slab of concrete in north Queensland.
A local recreational fisherman found the rare snubfin dolphins near the mouth of Two Mile Creek, north of Townsville.
Authorities say the dolphins were hand-tied to the mangroves and they are appealing for leads to find those responsible.
Richard Leck from the World Wildlife Fund says he is incensed.
"The killing and concealing of these two dolphins is totally reprehensible
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2011/06/03/3234497.htm
Bid to save sandpiper at risk of extinction in Russia
Conservationists have embarked on a mission to save one of the world's rarest birds, the spoon-billed sandpiper, from extinction.
Fewer than 200 pairs of spoon-billed sandpipers were thought to exist in 2009, and since then, the population has thought to have declined by a quarter each year.
So a specialist team of bird experts are flying to the sandpiper's home in northeast Russia to collect and incubate eggs and set up a captive breeding population.
The captive population of spoon-billed sandpipers will be housed in Moscow Zoo for quarantine purposes, then moved to a specially built unit at the headquarters of the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge, Gloucestershire, UK.
The emergency mission is being undertaken by the WWT and Birds Russia, working with colleagues from the
http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/13627796
Ice sculpture in Sydney raises polar bear plight
A huge ice sculpture of a polar bear designed to raise awareness about global warming and the plight of the endangered creature was unveiled in Sydney.
A whopping four metres (13 feet) high and 2.2 metres wide, the bear was carved from a ten-tonne block of ice on the city's harbourfront and will melt over three to four days, revealing a bronze sculpture of its skeleton.
Now on its sixth global stop since being launched by British artist Mark Coreth in 2009, the bear was whittled into shape in the pre-dawn hours after a giant crane dropped the ice beside the harbour.
Bypassers can pay Aus$2 to touch the creature, feeling "the ice melting under your hand," said Coreth, who hopes to raise awareness about global warming and its effect on polar bears, an endangered species.
"This is the human impact," he said.
"When the ice goes from the ice bear, there will always be a bear, but it will be very different bear. It will be a skeleton, a pool of water
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hyrFONvbLZz665Icnbkz43qWmgRg?docId=CNG.d8595bca5666c62acd2c4571b115f96d.ab1
Alberta zoo owner vows to have animals stuffed
As Alberta officials formulate a decommission plan for GuZoo, its embattled owner remains hopeful he will reopen — with all his exotic animals on display.
Lynn Gustafson, who has run the controversial zoo near Three Hills, Alta., for more than 20 years, said he'll ask officials with Sustainable Resource Development for a new permit — with conditions he make improvements to the facility — so he can remain open.
"You have to have a permit to keep the animals and every permit is issued with some conditions," he said. "Hopefully the conditions will be to make certain improvements, maybe it won't be, we'll see. ... Maybe I'm in denial."
Gustafson has said he is considering offers from taxidermists to kill and mount one of each species — including a lion, tiger, bear and lynx — if the permit is denied.
The GuZoo permit was revoked Wednesday and replaced with a temporary, seven-day licence to begin the decommission process after a recent independent review
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/06/03/controversial-alberta-zoo-owner-vows-to-have-animals-stuffed
German police train vulture 'detectives' to find bodies
German police are trying out a new weapon in the fight against crime - vultures that can find hidden corpses.
Three feathered detectives - called Sherlock, Miss Marple and Columbo - are being trained in Walsrode bird park in northern Germany.
The birds' keen eyesight and acute sense of smell might make them as skilful as their fictional namesakes.
But worryingly Sherlock sometimes prefers to hunt on foot, rather than scan the ground from above.
Police used a piece of shroud from a mortuary for the training exercise, German media report.
The vultures are thought to be better than sniffer dogs at finding bodies when a large area has to be searched and the terrain is difficult, for example if it is densely overgrown.
But the experiment raises ethical concerns because of the risk that a vulture could start pecking at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13629772
Climate scientists receive death threats
A Canberra university has increased security following death threats to its climate scientists.
The Australian National University has received a large number of emails with threatening and abusive language directed at some of its scientists.
Some of the scientists have been moved to a safer location.
"Obviously, climate research is an emotive issue at the present time, but these are issues where we should have a logical public debate," Professor Young told ABC News 24.
"In fact it's completely intolerable that people be subjected to this sort of abuse and to threats like this."
Professor Young said the threats had unsettled the scientists.
"Academics and scientists are actually really not equipped to be treated in this way," he said.
"The concept that you would be threatened for your scientific views and work is something that is completely foreign to them."
The Australian Federal Poli
http://news.theage.com.au/environment/climate-change/climate-scientists-receive-death-threats-20110604-1flwf.html
China expands program to prep giant pandas for life in wild
After the completion of the initial stage of the Wolong panda wild training program, the giant panda research center in southwest China's Sichuan province is planning to release six more breeding female pandas into wildness this year, according to the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda. The move aims to expand a wild training program for captive-bred pandas to adapt to the wild environment.
It has been proven that the first phase of wild training has equipped Cao Cao and its cub Tao Tao with basic skills to survive in the wild. Tao Tao, the first-ever panda baby born under wild training, has successfully endured the heavy snow that hit the Wolong Nature Reserve in March. The stronger and more independent Tao Tao has started to develop a sense of territoriality
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90882/7400339.html
Killing Fields: Africa's Rhinos Under Threat
Nestled in the golden bush grass of an open savanna, a black rhinoceros lies on her side. Her head is haloed by a dried pool of blood. The animal's horns have been sawed off at the stump. Her eyes have been gouged out. "That's a new thing," notes Rusty Hustler, the manager of South Africa's North West Parks and Tourism Board, whose job includes tracking the escalating number of endangered rhinos poached for their body parts. "The Vietnamese have started keeping the eyes for medicine."
Hustler and an animal pathologist begin the postmortem. The stench and the proliferation of flies and maggots indicate that the beast, which was found at the Shingalana private game reserve by a local guide, has been dead at least a week. Eight bullet cartridges are scattered near the carcass. Wearing white boots and blue latex gloves, the pair get to work, sharpening a series of butcher's knives, then ripping into the rhino. A metal detector is passed over the exposed flesh. After an hour, the metal detector squeaks, then emits a louder shriek. The pathologist reaches the heart. "That's the kill shot," says Hustler, slicing the heart to uncover an inch-long slug.
(See pictures of 10 species near extinction).
The South Africans rest and survey their grisly work. In 1993 international trade in rhino horn was banned by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna (CITES), which now includes 175 member countries and regions. But somewhere, almost assuredly on an illicit route to Asia, the horns and eyes of a 9-year-old female Diceros bicornis are traveling, destined for often desperate people who believe in the mystical curative powers of the rhinoceros.
Unlike the elephant, its pachyderm cousin, the rhinoceros possesses little of the majesty needed to evoke worldwide sympathy. It is shy, low-slung, seriously nearsighted. It does not dazzle with its intelligence. Yet for millennia, these bulky lawn mowers have entranced humans with the agglutinated hair that makes up their horns. Ancient Arabs carved dagger handles from it; Yemen was a popular destination for the animal's parts through the 1980s. Western colonialists in Asia and Africa lined their parlors with rhino-horn trophies and sometimes fashioned ashtrays out of the beasts' feet. Most of all, though, rhino horn was prized in Asia for its purported medicinal value. Ancient traditional Chinese medicine texts recommended the powdered horn for ailments like fever and arthritis, and modern-day practitioners have prescribed it for
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2075283,00.html
Hey, I think that's our kid, 3,233rd from the left: Stunning pictures of island where penguins have created the world's largest crèche
These stunning aerial images of a King Penguin colony in South Georgia show just how extraordinary penguin parenting really is.
In what looks to be the world's largest creche, thousands of King Penguins instinctively herd their recently born young into giant huddles to stop them freezing to death
Parental instinct takes over in the inhospitable climate of the South Atlantic and the chicks with their long, brown, downy coats are made to crowd together to retain their body warmth in the equivalent of bird creches - visible as brown swathes on our photo.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1393379/King-Penguin-colony-South-Georgia-Stunning-pictures-worlds-largest-cr-che.html
35.000 People Visit Ragunan Zoo Today
Ragunan Zoo (TMR) in South Jakarta visited by 35 thousand people today, (Friday, 6/3). This number decreased, since yesterday (Thursday, 6/2) 50 thousand people visited the cheap yet fun recreation place.
To beritajakarta.com TMR Public Relation officer Wahyudi Bambang said it is normal because not all companies use the public leave policy for their employees. He optimists TMR will be visited by 200 thousand people by the end of this week.
According to him, residents are enthusiast to visit the zoo because of its affordable entrance fee, which are Rp 4.000 for adult and Rp 3.000 for children. While for toddler age of below 3 years, the ticket fee is free.
In order to create secure and comfortable recreation for its visitors, TMR cooperates with the police, Transportation Department, Marines, and local resident wich total of 200 people. They also provided one unit of ambulance and three medical posts along with paramedics from Indonesian Red Cross (PMI). The three medical posts are located near TMR office, information center, and primate center.
Bambang explained TMR has various entertainment shows
http://www.beritajakarta.com/2008/en/newsview.aspx?idwil=0&id=19164
Noel the turtle proves amputees survive in wild
Grave fears were held for "Noel" when she was released back into the wild after having a flipper amputated.
But the resilient 93 kilogram (204 pound) green sea turtle, who was fitted with a tracking device, has proved it is no handicap by swimming more than 2,600 kilometres (1,612 miles) since last December.
"This is a mindblowing achievement, given she only has three flippers," the head of Australia Zoo's rescue unit, Brian Coulter, told the Courier-Mail newspaper.
"It is very important research because it shows that amputee turtles can survive. Some institutions have euthanased them in the past, thinking they would not make it."
"Noel" was taken to Australia Zoo's Wildlife Hospital, established by 'Crocodile Hunter" Steve Irwin, after being found entangled in
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g2mD-DtaGMWrYXOU7mfFoM4RhgxQ?docId=CNG.52967ceaf24910be8108a999ac7262df.471
Roman shipwreck: Giant fish tank in a 2,000-year-old ship?
Roman shipwreck: Scientists say that an ancient Roman shipwreck had the plumbing for a salt-water aquarium.
An ancient Roman shipwreck nearly 2,000 years old may once have held an aquarium onboard capable of carrying live fish, archaeologists suggest.
The shipwreck, which lay 6 miles (nearly 10 kilometers) off the town of Grado in Italy, was discovered by accident in 1986. Approximately 55 feet (16.5 meters) long, it dated back to the mid-second century and had a cargo of about 600 large vases known as amphoras that contained sardines, salted mackerel and other fish products.
Curiously, its hull possessed a unique feature — near its keel was a lead pipe at least 2.7 inches (7 cm) wide and 51 inches (1.3 meters) long. Why pierce
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2011/0603/Roman-shipwreck-Giant-fish-tank-in-a-2-000-year-old-ship
Orang utan gets unprecedented genital surgery
A BABY Bornean orang utan at a South Korean zoo underwent surgery last month to lace up one of his testicles where it should be after it had been found abnormally stuck inside the anthropoid's abdomen, a zoo official said on Friday.
The two-hour surgery was the first of its kind in the world and drew a team of six local urologists and veterinarians, according to Mr Kang Hyung Uk, a public relations official at Seoul Zoo, located just outside of Seoul. Mr Kang said he had checked with other zoo associations abroad to see if a similar surgery had ever been done.
The orang utan, barely 3 years old, was too young to undergo surgery when one of his testicles was found hidden inside his belly during a medical checkup last year, a potentially deadly case that could have developed into cancer and caused infertility, Mr Kang said.
'So we waited until Baekseok was strong enough, and a team of local urologists came forward in the meantime to help bring the testicle down to
http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/Asia/Story/STIStory_675748.html
Saving a Living Treasure of Asia
China has emerged as the world's largest market for smuggled endangered animal species. Just as some of our own environmental transgressions are born of the Western notion of man's hegemony over the natural world, China's destruction of its natural heritage is rooted in social and cultural mores that include the role of animal parts in traditional Chinese medicine. The freedom to spend currency abroad and the rise of the Chinese middle class have, despite government avowals to the contrary, increased trade on protected and threatened species worldwide. Tigers, rhinos, and bears are some of the most publicized and emblematic victims of smuggling and butchery, but there is another, nearly silent extinction epidemic underway in Asia -- the decimation of Asian turtles.
Included among these is the Giant Asian Forest Tortoise, Manouria emys, which occurs as far south as the Indonesian Island of Sumatra, and as far north as the Chinese border with Burma. Reaching as much as 100 lbs., but more typically half that, the Giant Asian Forest Tortoise -- the largest tortoise in Asia and fourth largest terrestrial turtle in the world -- is losing habitat daily, and is wantonly slaughtered for both medicine and food. Despite its bleak outlook, the species (both the smaller, southern, lowland race and the rarer, darker, larger, mountain variety) may ultimately owe their survival not to sweeping law enforcement or local fieldwork, but to the passion of unlikely conservation hero living not in Asia, but in a small town in North Florida.
63-year-old Vic Morgan has no idea where his love of animals came from. As far as he knows, he's the first in his family tree to be happier in the woods than in town -- his father sold insurance -- but after moving from Virginia to Florida when he was six
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/arthur-rosenfeld/saving-a-living-treasure-_b_870685.html
Saving bears is a necessity
The death this week of a mother grizzly on the train tracks near Lake Louise - leaving two cubs orphaned - has renewed calls for Canadian Pacific and Parks Canada to do something about the problem of bear deaths.
A number of initiatives have been in place for years, including vegetation management along the right-of-way and the vacuuming up of grain fallen from passing railcars. As well, crews report bear sightings to the rail traffic controller, and other crews are thus alerted to the bear's presence. It's heartening, however, to learn that new initiatives will be unveiled in a joint announcement in the next few months by CP and Parks Canada, and that future efforts arising from CP's five-year, $1-million research program will begin to focus on the science around bear behaviour.
Parks Canada estimated in 2009 that between Field and Revelstoke, B.C., alone, 17 bears -blacks and grizzlies -were dying annually from collisions, with 9,000 vehicles and
http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/Saving+bears+necessity/4886211/story.html
Never-before-seen video reveals how penguins stay warm
A brilliantly choreographed wave made up of little penguin shuffles every 60 seconds, in unison for hours, keeps them warm and alive in the Antarctic winter, says the physicist who captured the dance on film for the first time.
The circumstances are dire:
Two thousand Emperor penguins are stuck in desolate Dronning Maud Land. It’s minus 50 with winds gusting to 180 kilometres per hour. All the female penguins are off hunting for food.
The males have nothing to eat for 110 days. Most of them are carrying an egg.
“If you would put thousands of people together like that they wouldn’t be able to move,” Daniel Zitterbart of the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg told the Star on Thursday.
But these penguins do. Every 60 seconds, they waddle 12 centimetres. The penguins in the toasty middle, where temperatures can zoom to plus 37, rotate to the outer edges to give the chilly birds on the outside a turn.
The shift is imperceptible to the naked eye. Zitterbart captured the undulating penguin mass with high-resolution, time-lapse photography over four hours.
“If it’s pretty warm, a huddle doesn’t last longer than two hours. From what I could see, this huddle was at least eight hours.”
As the temperature drops, “some penguins start to gather,” said Zitterbart. “More penguins come from behind and the huddle gets more
http://www.thestar.com/news/world/article/1001665--never-before-seen-video-reveals-how-penguins-stay-warm
Infants in groups must pay to enter Zoo, Night Safari and Bird Park
All children below three used to enter for free
A tweak to Wildlife Reserves Singapore's admission policy for children that began this month has already caused some confusion among visitors.
A 51-year-old visitor who only wanted to be known as Mr Lim discovered this new policy yesterday when he accompanied a group of about 20 from overseas to the Jurong Bird Park. The two-year-old infant in the group required a children's ticket to enter the attraction. "When I heard this, I felt it was ridiculous ... at one or two years old, do they know anything? They won't cause any inconvenience," said Mr Lim.
Clarifying its new policy yesterday in response to MediaCorp's queries, WRS said only infants aged one and above who visit the Zoo, Night Safari and Jurong Bird Park as part of a group need to purchase children's tickets to enter. This includes tour groups as well as groups from childcare centres.
Previously, any child below the age of three could enter for free.
For independent travellers, each child below three still gets to enter for free - provided the child is accompanied by an adult, said Ms Isabel Cheng, WRS director of sales, marketing and communications. For example, if there is one adult accompanying two children aged above one, the adult has to buy one children's
http://www.todayonline.com/Singapore/EDC110604-0000076/Infants-in-groups-must-pay-to-enter-Zoo,-Night-Safari-and-Bird-Park
Chimps go ape over Sydney zoo donation
It was an announcement that was greeted with a hoots of approval.
The chimpanzees of Taronga Zoo in Sydney seemed delighted to hear the zoo's conservation society will donate $150,000 to help their fellow creatures in Africa.
Either that or they were just pleased with their Sunday morning breakfast.
Making the announcement on World Environment Day, Taronga Zoo director Cameron Kerr said the donation to the Tchimpounga chimpanzee sanctuary in the Congo would make a big difference in protecting the endangered species.
"The backdrop to all the sound that you hear ... is one of the greatest mass extinctions since the loss of the dinosaurs," Mr Kerr said, over the chimpanzees' hullabaloo.
"This is something we really need to think about."
The zoo's tribe of 17 chimpanzees
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/8257537/chimps-go-ape-over-sydney-zoo-donation
A secret oasis for the world's most endangered turtles
The Turtle Conservancy, tucked in the foothills of Ventura County, cares for species ravaged by habitat loss, wildfires, hunting and black markets. Its latest project: breeding the rare ploughshare tortoise.
When it comes to caring for the world's rarest cold-blooded animals, few places match the pampering and security provided to hundreds of critically endangered turtles and tortoises at a secret compound in the foothills of Los Padres National Forest.
In paddocks and aquariums protected by surveillance cameras and electric wire, Okinawa leaf turtles feast on silkworms and mulberries in a temperature-controlled greenhouse. Nest-building Burmese black mountain tortoises relax in piles of freshly cut oak, sycamore and bamboo. Forest-dwelling impressed tortoises dine exclusively on organically grown oyster mushrooms. Philippine pond turtles spend the night in snug tunnels made of cork bark.
But Saturday's VIPs were eight ploughshare tortoises flown in from Hong Kong in padded crates. Among them is a female of breeding age, which Eric Goode and his associates at the nonprofit Turtle Conservancy's Behler Chelonian Center hope to mate with the only male ploughshare tortoise of breeding age in North America.
"That male, which is en route from a zoo in Texas, hasn't seen a female ploughshare tortoise of breeding age in more than 25 years," Goode said as he marveled at the new arrivals in a quarantined pen. "We're hoping for the best. These creatures have seen nothing but bad luck, corruption and greed in captivity."
Some would call that an understatement. With fewer than 300 left in the wilds of Madagascar, the ploughshare tortoise holds the dubious distinction of being the rarest tortoise on Earth. They are heavily targeted by global animal traffickers, and the high-domed creatures fetch
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-tortoise-20110605,0,7251385.story
Rare cat, antelope sighted in state sanctuaries
Two rare sightings ahead of the World Environment Day at state sanctuaries have brought cheer among wildlife lovers. While a fishing cat, an endangered species, was sighted at the Keoladeo bird sanctuary, the Sariska tiger reserve had a rare glimpse of the four-horned antelope believed to be extinct for years.
According to state wildlife board member Rajpal Singh, "The two sightings are definitely a thing to rejoice for any wildlife enthusiast. The four-horned antelope was last seen at Sariska about four years ago while the fishing cat that was sighted at the Keoladeo sanctuary has confirmed
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/jaipur/Rare-cat-antelope-sighted-in-state-sanctuaries/articleshow/8729034.cms
The dive of the tiger: Big cat makes a splash in animal park waterfall (GREAT PHOTOS)
In the searing heat, this tiger was looking for a novel way to cool off as it endured the rising temperature.
The graceful but deadly cat first surveys the drop below before using her huge paws to launched herself into the water.
However, this is no tropical waterfall in the depths of the Indian jungle. Sayan is an endangered Amur Siberian Tiger and is a new arrival at Yorkshire Wildlife Park - and staff say she is proving to be quite the water
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1394230/Tiger-cools-waterfall-Yorkshire-Wildlife-Park.html
The Bear Necessities
The shooting and killing of a black bear at the Piedmont Triad International Airport this week prompted a lot of questions about the NC Wildlife Commission's bear policy. Specifically, under what circumstances are bears trapped, euthanized (i.e., killed), or left to roam.
It is important to keep in mind that it was not a wildlife officer who shot the bear in the first instance. It was an airport worker.
Nevertheless, the folks over at the Wildlife Commission have issued a press release clarifying the bear policy and listing some helpful
http://greensboro.injuryboard.com/miscellaneous/the-bear-necessities.aspx?googleid=291062
Tortoise cam to be featured on knoxnews.com
Tortoise lovers can get a closer look at the Knoxville Zoo's male giant tortoises Al and Tex today with the "Al Cam," a camera attached to Al's shell.
Live streaming video will play 10 a.m.-5 p.m. on the News Sentinel's website at http://www.knoxnews.com/zoo/tortoise/ .
Al and Tex met loaned female tortoises Patches and Corky last week, the first time the male tortoises have encountered females since the 1980s.
Public response to the event, covered in the News Sentinel and on knoxnews.com, has been enthusiastic.
"Because they are so rarely bred in the U.S., we want to make sure zoo visitors have the chance to continue seeing Aldabra giant tortoises. And everyone loves a good romance story where the guy gets the girl," said Michael
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jun/03/tortoise-cam-on-knoxnewscom/
Barges allowed to pass through accident area, sunken sugar vessel to be refloated
The Office of Water Transport in Ayutthaya yesterday allowed cargo barges to pass through the area where a sugar barge sank and expressed confidence that the barge would be refloated on Wednesday
... discovery of dead fish in the river, Pathum Thani Fishery officer Thanong Thaklaewtossapon said four mantra rays were found dead so far in the Chao Phraya passing through the province. He said he suspected several more rays were dead but hadn't floated to the surface yet and that their deaths might...
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/06/05/national/Barges-allowed-to-pass-through-accident-area-sunke-30157047.html
Biodiversity a huge asset for tourism development in Oman
The biodiversity of Earth is declining at an “unprecedented rate”. Many plants and animals are threatened for extinction. The numbers of threatened species are increasing across almost all major taxonomic groups. There is growing global concern about the status of the biological resources.
The world’s oldest and largest global environmental network — IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) — helps the world find pragmatic solutions to most pressing environment and development challenges. It supports scientific research, manages field projects all over the world and brings governments, non-government organisations, United Nations agencies, companies and local communities together to develop and implement policy, laws and best practice.
Dr Jean-Christophe Vié, Deputy director of IUCN’s species programme leads all the diverse aspects of the Programme, including biodiversity assessments, the Red List of Threatened Species, and gives inputs to international agreements, and supports the Species Survival Commission (SSC) as well as the Water and Nature Initiative. On the occasion of Environment Day 2011, he speaks to Seema Sangra about the concerns of loss of biodiversity, contradictory studies about extinction rates and reintroduction of the Arabian Oryx.
Excerpts from the interview:
According to a recently published study, the extinction rates are overestimated, what is your take on it?
The new study you are referring too has been misinterpreted
http://main.omanobserver.om/node/53568
Buffer habitats for Persian leopard
An investigation on Persian leopard was carried out from September 2007 to October 2008 in Ghorkhod & Behkadeh Reserve, northeastern Iran. The area is the main buffer habitat around the core (source) population in Golestan National Park, but it suffers severe depletion of natural prey species due to lower level of protection measures, and is probably a sink population. We conclude that to ensure corridors and buffer zones, the most urgent and achievable solution is perhaps to designate additional “No Hunting Areas”and
http://www.wildlife.ir/ShowInfo.aspx?Lang=2&InfoId=123
Egypt arrests “lion fight” man
The Egyptian government has intervened and arrested a man who had attempted to promote tourism through a public battle between himself and a lion. According to the country’s ministry of tourism and Egyptian animal welfare activists who had been following the ordeal, El-Sayad al-Essawy has been arrested and is currently under investigation.
Early indications from the ministry are that the man is mentally ill. It is unclear what exactly will happen to him and if he will be charged with a crime. According to activists, the man had not actually bought a lion on the black market.
Minister of Tourism Munir Fakhry Abdel-Nour said in public statements that “under no circumstance will the Ministry of Tourism tolerate any degree of inhumane acts against animals.”
His comments come as a number of foreign nationals, and potential tourists, had spoken out against the “battle” saying they would not come to Egypt if the event went as planned.
“This is disgusting, to fight a lion to death to raise public attention is so wrong,” one animal rights activist in Egypt said in an email to Bikya Masr detailing the situation.
According to local reports, an Egyptian citizen purchased a lion for around 25,000 Egyptian pounds – in violation of stated international wildlife regulations – and is “”to fight the lion to death with swords.” It has been learned that the lion was in fact not purchased.
Egyptian Arabic newspaper al-Youm al-Saba’a said the idea was to “raise
http://bikyamasr.com/wordpress/?p=34306
See Hacking a Lion To Death To Promote Tourism
Elephant Poachers Are Back in Mara Siana!
What a tragedy a majestic Bull Elephant was poached yesterday. He was poisoned with a spear and arrow by poachers.He was trying to reach some heavy bush but died in the open about 100 metres from the thick bush.The poachers were chasing him on piki pikis (motorcycles) but he could go no further before collapsing. The poachers had to abandon the scene as it was daylight and they were in the open. They were not able to take the tusks and got away.A herdsman reported this activity and our Simba Scouts went to the incident along with Narok county Council Rangers and the Kenya Wildlife Service Rangers. It was terribly upsetting to all and believe it or not this was the second Elephant killed in 24 hours in this area.This just highlights that the Mara region is being targeted
http://predatoraware.wildlifedirect.org/2011/06/05/elephant-poachers-are-back-in-mara-siana/
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INTERNATIONAL ZOO NEWS
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Animals on Film
This is a call out to all enthusiastic wildlife photographers and zoo keepers out there!
Animals on Film is about to begin editing the Ratite & Macropod DVD programs if you have any photographic/Video/DVD footage that you think we could use in this series.
Please contact Jo Gosatti at jo@animalsonfilm.com
Both programs will cover capture and trapping procedures/equipment (Field and captive environments) ,safety equipment, animal husbandry and veterinary procedures specific for both Ratite & Macropod species. We will also be including a section on zoonoses too! If you have any photographs of injuries to yourself that demonstrates how potentially dangerous these animals can be, I think this would be also useful.
Each individual will be recognized in the credits and receive a copy of the program for their personal use. Please don't forget to get approvals from your organization that you work for prior to sending the footage in.
I would also like to give a big thank you to everyone who has been involved in developing this series as it could not have been done without you all.
General updates
The “Best Practice” Capture Handling and Restraint Programs are now been used in these existing course units:-
Universities
TV1200 Veterinary Professional Life 2.
NH002 Veterinary Science
VET631 Wildlife Medicine
VET530 Clinical Rotations (undergraduate program)
TAFES
RUV3410A “Capture, restrain and assist in moving animals
S441 Certificate III in Companion Animals Studies
Certificate II Animal Studies
RUV2103A Assist with general animal care
RUV3501A Provide advice on companion animal selection and care
RUV3506A Capture, handle and transport companion animals
RUV30304 Certificate III in Companion Animal Services
RUV30204 Certificate III in Captive Animals Management
39132QLD Native Animal Rehabilitation Certificate III
ACM20110 Certificate II in Animal Studies
RUV30204 Certificate III in Animal Studies
1085 Captive Animals
Wildlife Rehabilitation Organizations
Wildlife Rescue Training Courses (Zoonoses Vol 9)
Library information
IT Mediums–All three programs have now been successfully loaded onto The Black Board Learning Management System, called locally Learnline in Australia
AWARDS
2007 Highly Commended Institutional Award Presented by ASZK Australasian Society of Zoo keeping, Inc. to Animals on Film
2008 Nominated Pride of Australia – Environmental Category
2009 Heidi Hellingman Award - Professional Achievement Award Presented by ASZK Australasian Society of Zoo keeping, Inc. to Mrs Jo Gosatti for Animals on Film
This award is open to individual members of ASZK or institutions for outstanding achievement in the Zoo industry. This can be either within the past year or for individuals who have contributed to the industry over a long period of time. Examples of achievements include developing husbandry techniques, training, breeding programs, educational programs, facility development.
2011 Small Business Awards
Nominated for Best Home Business Award
Finalist for Employee of the Year (Mrs Jo Gosatti)
Thankyou again
Mrs Jo Gosatti (Cowie)
Technical Director
Animals on Film
Hm Ph: 08 9301 5862
Mobile: 0403648402
Email: jo@animalsonfilm.com
Address: 32 Woodlea Crescent
Joondalup, 6027
W.A, Australia
Website: http://www.animalsonfilm.com/
Animals on Film is about to begin editing the Ratite & Macropod DVD programs if you have any photographic/Video/DVD footage that you think we could use in this series.
Please contact Jo Gosatti at jo@animalsonfilm.com
Both programs will cover capture and trapping procedures/equipment (Field and captive environments) ,safety equipment, animal husbandry and veterinary procedures specific for both Ratite & Macropod species. We will also be including a section on zoonoses too! If you have any photographs of injuries to yourself that demonstrates how potentially dangerous these animals can be, I think this would be also useful.
Each individual will be recognized in the credits and receive a copy of the program for their personal use. Please don't forget to get approvals from your organization that you work for prior to sending the footage in.
I would also like to give a big thank you to everyone who has been involved in developing this series as it could not have been done without you all.
General updates
The “Best Practice” Capture Handling and Restraint Programs are now been used in these existing course units:-
Universities
TV1200 Veterinary Professional Life 2.
NH002 Veterinary Science
VET631 Wildlife Medicine
VET530 Clinical Rotations (undergraduate program)
TAFES
RUV3410A “Capture, restrain and assist in moving animals
S441 Certificate III in Companion Animals Studies
Certificate II Animal Studies
RUV2103A Assist with general animal care
RUV3501A Provide advice on companion animal selection and care
RUV3506A Capture, handle and transport companion animals
RUV30304 Certificate III in Companion Animal Services
RUV30204 Certificate III in Captive Animals Management
39132QLD Native Animal Rehabilitation Certificate III
ACM20110 Certificate II in Animal Studies
RUV30204 Certificate III in Animal Studies
1085 Captive Animals
Wildlife Rehabilitation Organizations
Wildlife Rescue Training Courses (Zoonoses Vol 9)
Library information
IT Mediums–All three programs have now been successfully loaded onto The Black Board Learning Management System, called locally Learnline in Australia
AWARDS
2007 Highly Commended Institutional Award Presented by ASZK Australasian Society of Zoo keeping, Inc. to Animals on Film
2008 Nominated Pride of Australia – Environmental Category
2009 Heidi Hellingman Award - Professional Achievement Award Presented by ASZK Australasian Society of Zoo keeping, Inc. to Mrs Jo Gosatti for Animals on Film
This award is open to individual members of ASZK or institutions for outstanding achievement in the Zoo industry. This can be either within the past year or for individuals who have contributed to the industry over a long period of time. Examples of achievements include developing husbandry techniques, training, breeding programs, educational programs, facility development.
2011 Small Business Awards
Nominated for Best Home Business Award
Finalist for Employee of the Year (Mrs Jo Gosatti)
Thankyou again
Mrs Jo Gosatti (Cowie)
Technical Director
Animals on Film
Hm Ph: 08 9301 5862
Mobile: 0403648402
Email: jo@animalsonfilm.com
Address: 32 Woodlea Crescent
Joondalup, 6027
W.A, Australia
Website: http://www.animalsonfilm.com/
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