Friday, September 30, 2011

Your Chance To Win A Gorilla



The auction of Bristol Zoo’s Wow! Gorillas sculptures has raised £427,300 for charity.

It was a full house at the Victoria Rooms in Clifton tonight (Thursday) as over 550 people filled the auditorium to place their bids and watch the drama unfold.

The sculpture entitled ‘Gorizambard’ proved to be the most popular, fetching the highest amount of the evening at £23,000.

Wow! Gorillas ‘Still Life: Alfred’ and ‘Elvis’ also proved popular with bidders, fetching £12,000 and £10,200 respectively.

Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies MBE showed her generosity when she successfully bid £7,500 for ‘Distinctly Different’.

The amount raised reflects the popularity of Wow! Gorillas, which saw 61 life-size silverback gorilla sculptures placed around Greater Bristol and beyond this summer.

Director of Bristol Zoo, Dr Bryan Carroll, is thrilled with the success of the auction. He said: “We never could have predicted how successful Wow! Gorillas has been and the total raised at the auction has further demonstrated that; we are absolutely delighted and thankful for everyone’s generosity.

“Wow! Gorillas has been a fantastic way to celebrate Bristol Zoo’s 175th birthday this year as well as being a great way to raise funds for two very important causes - our conservation projects for critically endangered gorillas here and in Cameroon, as well as Wallace & Gromit’s Grand Appeal which is raising funds for the cardiology unit at Bristol Children’s Hospital.”

Nicola Masters, Director of the Grand Appeal, added: “We are absolutely thrilled with the fantastic amount that has been raised at auction this evening. We are so thankful to Bristol Zoo for choosing to work with us on this project which has been enjoyed by so many people over the summer. The money raised tonight will have a huge impact on our Cardiology Appeal.”

Auctioneer Andrew Morgan said the Wow! Gorillas are a lasting work of art and memento of Bristol Zoo’s milestone year. “These wonderful gorillas have been a spectacular success and I was delighted and honored to be asked to auction them,” he said. The lucky bidders who bought a Wow! Gorilla will, not only be directly supporting two excellent charities, but will be acquiring a lasting and valuable work of art.”

The 101 small gorillas which have also appeared around the city this summer will be returned to the schools and nurseries which sponsored and decorated them.

Bristol Zoo is also holding a raffle offering the chance to win limited edition Wow! Gorillas prizes. First prize is an unpainted, small gorilla, the same size as the schools’ gorillas.

Second prize is a small piece of a Formula One Marussia Virgin racing car engine in a presentation display box. Earlier this summer the Wow! Gorillas logo featured on the nosecone of the Marussia Virgin Racing Formula One team car at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Third prize is a limited edition, small ceramic Wow! Gorilla, painted in the style of one of the 61 Wow! Gorilla designs.

Raffle tickets cost £1 each, available from Bristol Zoo until Friday, October 28, when the winners will be drawn. Tickets are also available online at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/win-a-wow-gorilla

Wow! Gorillas has been created by Bristol Zoo Gardens in partnership with Bristol City Council and Wild in Art which promotes art through the use of unique animal sculptures as three dimensional artist’s canvas.




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Thursday, September 29, 2011

Project Management skills for Conservation Professionals



Project Management skills for Conservation Professionals

28/11/11 - 02/12/11

This course has been designed for mid to senior level conservation professionals responsible for the management of endangered species and habitat conservation projects.

By drawing on the principles of project management theory and the practice of project delivery within the conservation world, the course equips you with the knowledge and problem-solving skills you need to run your own conservation projects.

To learn more please click






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Emerging Infectious Disease and Endangered Populations




Emerging Infectious Disease and Endangered Populations

31/10/11 - 04/11/11


This five day course provides an overview of emerging infectious diseases, their connection to humans and thier impact on wildlife health. The course considers the relationship between ecosystems, biodiversity and human health, and how anthropogenic change is driving the emergence of new diseases of concern to wildlife.


The course is designed for veterinary students and practitioners considering a shift into a career in conservation, and for biologists with an interest in wildlife health and its management.

To learn more please click


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Tuesday, September 27, 2011

The Tasmanian Tiger Hunter



A new movie for those of us who would like to think they still live.

"The Hunter" 2011 Movie Trailer - set in Tasmania








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Carnivores Of The World



Product Description


Carnivores are among the most spectacular creatures in the natural world, and also the most feared. Carnivores of the World is the first comprehensive field guide to all 245 terrestrial species of true carnivores, from the majestic polar bear and predatory wild cats to the tiny least weasel. This user-friendly illustrated guide features 86 color plates by acclaimed wildlife artist Priscilla Barrett that depict every species and numerous subspecies, as well as about 400 line drawings of skulls and footprints. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, distribution and habitat, feeding ecology, behavior, social patterns, reproduction and demography, status, threats, lifespan, and mortality. Carnivores of the World includes an introduction that provides a concise overview of taxonomy, conservation, and the distinct families within the order Carnivora.

Covers all 245 terrestrial species of true carnivores

Includes 86 color plates by acclaimed wildlife artist Priscilla Barrett

Features detailed species accounts and hundreds of line drawings

The first field guide of its kind

To order/pre order
Please click



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Friday, September 23, 2011

Zoo News Digest 18th - 23rd September 2011 (Zoo News 787)

Zoo News Digest 18th - 23rd September 2011 (Zoo News 787)



Peter Dickinson


Dear Colleague,

We have just celebrated World Rhino Day. It wasn't really a celebration but more of a reminder of what a dire situation our Rhinos are in. Now next month we have thirty white rhinos to be auctioned. "surplus to the ecological requirements of the various protected areas" they say... Ha! I actually do understand the statement but can you imagine if they were to do the same with Orangutans or Gorillas? So this is going to be yet another legal sale of Rhinoceros Horn on the hoof. I say we should/must sedate the rhinos, remove the horns under veterinary supervision, burn the horn and only then auction the Rhinos. Fair enough the horn will grow again in time but lets stop the sale of horn on the hoof.


The 'White Tiger Cubs Need Names at Chinese Wildlife Park' is all nonsense of course but there is an interesting video clip attached.

I am very much in favour of the 'rescue' of circus bears and I hope the Five Sisters succeed with their plans but I am a little worried about Libby Anderson's statement "Many of these animals are actually captured from the wild"...really?

I am surprised that the story of the Cornwall Tortoise Zoo is continuing to rumble on. It must be well over a year now. They have had plenty of time to comply with the law. Whereas I sympathise we cannot bend the rules to sort one collection. Arguments put forward like "to be micro-chipped for identification and she feared the procedure could trigger stress in the animals and possibly kill them."are ridiculous and to me statements like "They couldn't survive in the British countryside without human help, they would die in the winters, that makes it a domestic animal." actually prove they are exotic not domestic.



I was interested to learn how many tigers there were in the USA. Not as many as everybody thought it would seem. However this means there is not nearly as many viable Tigers, real tigers, important tigers because of the stupid 'Generic Tiger Rule'

"In 1998 the Fish and Wildlife Service enacted the Generic Tiger Rule, legalizing interstate commerce of mixed sub-species and non-pedigreed tigers. This exemption allowed tiger breeders to purchase unrelated bloodlines, which improved the health and genetic diversity of tigers. Ms. Culver says the benefits of the CBW exemption are "right before our eyes", noting that decades of out crossing have created perfect white tigers, a public favorite at zoological parks and in animal shows."

I really don't know anybody can proclaim proudly that they have "created the perfect white tiger". Hybrids, subspecific hybrids, colour mutations and freaks may well be genetically diverse but they are totally wrong and go against everything that conservation, real conservation stands for. We were not meant to have Snow Tigers, Marmalade Tigers, Ligers or their ilk. It is not clever, it is not difficult it is quite simply stupid.
White Tiger Breeding is Not Conservation

Protest on the Care2 Petition site by a bunch of well meaning but totally ignorant people who have not the faintest idea about elephants, elephants in the wild, elephants in captivity, sanctuaries or good zoos. They object to elephants being compared to big cows....but they are like that......I've worked with them....protest away in your bewilderment.


Read about the Belugas...there is another angle. If they can't go to a zoo....a good and caring zoo, in this case Hong Kong's Ocean Park they well end up being killed in the wild "It makes me cry that when they harvest belugas, they sometimes kill them and just throw them back into the sea. I don't want to dramatize the situation but that is what happens.""Beluga whales that are not sent to dolphinariums are simply being given to locals to harvest and welfare organizations do not talk about this,". It is just like Happy Feet all over again. The blinkered anti-zooers really have not got a clue. They should take the blinkers off once in a while and read and research.

Zuohai Sea World Jellyfish Aquarium sounds neat. I love jellyfish. This would be my top place to visit if I had a choice right now.

'Captive breeding of aquarium fish urged'....at last somebody else has said it. All aquariums should be breeding for other aquariums. Most aquariums are light years behind good zoos. They need to catch up.

****

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Ezemvelo to auction white rhinos
Thirty white rhinos will be auctioned next month at the iMfolozi game reserve, says Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife.
"The auction is aimed at disposing white rhino that are surplus to the ecological requirements of the various protected areas," Ezemvelo's rhino security strategist Jabulani Ngubane said.
The auction on October 1 was part of a larger "disposal strategy" which incorporated internal translocations and donations to private and communal land owners, he said.
"The sale of rhino to private land owners has been an essential ingredient in saving the species from extinction and remains an important part of its continued survival," he said.
Ngubane said rhino conservation successes were being undermined by poaching. He said 23 rhinos had been poached in KwaZulu-Natal reserves so far this year. The
http://www.timeslive.co.za/local/2011/09/22/ezemvelo-to-auction-white-rhinos



Rhinoceros Farming in China



China must help S. Africa halt rhino poaching surge, WWF says
China, Vietnam and Thailand, where rhinoceros horns are used for supposed medicinal properties, need to match South Africa’s efforts to end a surge in poaching of the endangered animals, WWF International said.
South Africa, home to 93 percent of Africa’s rhino population, has arrested 165 people this year in connection with rhino killings. At least 287 rhinos have been killed by poachers in South Africa in 2011 compared with 181 during the same period a year earlier, Joseph Okori, the African Rhino Programme manager for the Gland, Switzerland
http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/Pages/20110922173524.aspx




‘Happy 100th birthday, Admiral’
Durban’s oldest tortoise, Admiral (pictured), has a lot to celebrate. He’s seen two World Wars, the dawn of democracy in South African and on Saturday, he’ll be turning 100-years-old.
Admiral, carefully strolls up to Mitchell Park zoo assistant Deva Pillay. It’s been a big week for the four-legged centenarian-to-be. With a party that’s to be hosted at the zoo and an estimated guest list of an expected 4 000 people, according to zoo spokesman Karl Westphal, the pressure will certainly be on.
The Mitchell Park Trust has organised birthday celebrations on the paddock
http://www.iol.co.za/news/south-africa/kwazulu-natal/happy-100th-birthday-admiral-1.1143372




Feline Conservation Federation Census Documents Less than 3,000 Tigers in America
The Feline Conservation Federation used the Freedom of Information Act to gain USDA and state wildlife agency inventories of all wild cats
Contrary to the wild guesses of five to ten thousand tigers in the U.S.,a nation-wide survey of tigers and tiger habitat, conducted by the FCF, has revealed less than 3,000 tigers live in America.
"We have suspected this for a long time, but now we know for a fact that the pitiful, dwindling number of tigers living in nature exceeds those protected in state and federally licensed animal facilities in the US", says Lynn Culver, executive director for the Feline Conservation Federation (FCF).
“The FCF survey also proved the so-called “pet tiger” in your neighbor’s back yard, is an overblown urban legend. The majority of tigers live in licensed exhibits such as zoos, nature centers, and sanctuaries.”
In 2011 the Feline Conservation Federation used the Freedom of Information Act to gain USDA and state wildlife agency inventories of all wild cats. The project also worked to identify non-exhibiting sanctuaries, and non-licensed wild feline owners
The FCF census has documented 2,884 tigers, which is less than the estimated number of tigers in nature. The FCF census revealed that the licensed tiger habitat in America consists of 468 facilities. Of these facilities, at least 226 have been identified by the FCF as USDA Class C exhibitors that operate city, county, or private zoological parks. These facilities hold at least 809 tigers, including the nearly 400 tigers maintained in AZA member zoos. Another 91 sanctuaries hold 1,544 tigers. At least 22 educational facilities provide habitat for 68 tigers. The remaining 585 tigers held by 129 USDA or state licensed entities, reside in commercial breeding facilities, nature centers, are owned by small exhibitors, are owned by individuals, or are part of retired commercial operations, or are school or university mascots, are used in circus, stage, and other traveling exhibits, or could be tigers in zoos and sanctuaries not identified by the FCF.
Speculation by animal rights organizations that the state of Texas holds more tigers than the country of India has been proven completely false by the Feline Conservation Federation census. “Actually only about 300 tigers live in Texas, and most are in zoos or sanctuaries,” says Ms. Culver.
In 1998 the Fish and Wildlife Service enacted the Generic Tiger Rule, legalizing interstate commerce of mixed sub-species and non-pedigreed tigers. This exemption allowed tiger breeders to purchase unrelated bloodlines, which improved the health and genetic diversity of tigers. Ms. Culver says the benefits of the CBW exemption are "right before our eyes", noting that decades of out crossing have created perfect white tigers, a public favorite at zoological parks and in animal shows.
The World Wildlife Fund and TRAFFIC, the wildlife trade monitoring network, have pressured the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to rescind the Captive Bred Wildlife registration exemption for generic tigers. A 2008 report by TRAFFIC titled “Paper Tigers,” examined whether U.S. tigers were involved in the illegal trade in tiger parts and could not find any evidence. TRAFFIC did however, speculate that U.S. captive tigers could potentially, someday, enter the body parts black market, and fuel the demand and cause an increase in poaching in range
http://www.prweb.com/releases/2011/9/prweb8805806.htm




Between the devil and the deep blue sea
The marine mammal scientist who spent four years conducting a study into beluga whales in Russia's Okhotsk Sea says the decision not to import them to Hong Kong may do more harm than good to the near-threatened species. Simon Parry reports.
Few people in the world know and love beluga whales as well as Olga Shpak. The marine mammal scientist has devoted years of her life to studying and understanding the species in the icy waters of the Okhotsk Sea in Russia. And few people are as disappointed as Shpak by the decision not to import wild-caught belugas to Hong Kong for Ocean Park's new Polar Adventure attraction - something she believes will do more harm than good not only for the six whales in question but for the species in general.
"This decision is nothing to do with science," she said in a phone interview with the China Daily from Moscow. "It's about politics, and to me it is just incredible."
Shpak, more than most people who supported the import, has good cause to feel crestfallen by the events of recent weeks. She spent four years conducting a study commissioned and funded by Ocean Park into the sustainability of beluga whales in the Okhotsk Sea.
That study, verified by a panel of independent international experts, concluded that 29 beluga whales a year could be removed from the part of the sea she studied over the next five years without adversely affecting the population.
When Shpak flew to Hong Kong for her first ever visit in June and was shown the giant tank being prepared at Ocean Park for the six beluga whales, currently in a holding facility in Russia, it must have seemed only a matter of time before they were on their way to Hong Kong.
"I have to say I really liked what I saw," she said. "I've seen different facilities in different countries and Ocean Park is a nice facility. It looks like the same level as the high-standard facilities in the United States. It looked a rich environment for the belugas."
On Aug 29, however, the tide turned decisively against the import. With opposition to the import continuing from animal welfare groups and a coalition of groups preparing within days to stage a protest outside Ocean Park, the park's Chairman Allan Zeman and his executives decided to abandon the project.
The biggest losers, as Shpak sees it, will be the beluga whales. "I am a little bit surprised that public opinion went this way, because I have seen how many visitors come to Ocean Park," she said. "I saw how popular it is and the educational side of it. So to me it is surprising that public opinion was so critical.
"The park is popular and you can see from the dolphin show that people want to see animals in the park. It's not my business but I believe what has happened is more about politics than a real reflection of the situation."
The decision, she argues, is bad not just for the six belugas once bound for Ocean Park but for the near-threatened species at large because, she said, if wild-caught whales do not go to overseas aquariums, it increases the chance of them being harvested by local fishermen.
"The population is doing well at the moment," she said. "It is increasing and there is huge overfishing and locals keep saying there are more and more belugas, so the situation in the area is not good for belugas.
"It makes me cry that when they harvest belugas, they sometimes kill them and just throw them back into the sea. I don't want to dramatize the situation but that is what happens.
"What is most disappointing (about Ocean Park's decision) is that more animals will be harvested? Will the public be more satisfied with this? Unfortunately this is how the world works."
Shpak said that a limit was already set by Russian officials on the number of beluga whales that can be harvested by locals and captured either for scientific research or for public display. Reducing the number that went on public display meant more beluga whales would be harvested.
In recent years, no requests had been made by fishing communities to harvest beluga whales but this year, as their perceived numbers rose, requests had been submitted by local fishermen, she said.
"Beluga whales that are not sent to dolphinariums are simply being given to locals to harvest and welfare organizations do not talk about this," Shpak said.
Shpak was especially critical of the suggestion put forward by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of the famous oceanographer Jacques Cousteau, that the six beluga whales Ocean Park was considering importing released back into the wild.
"I would be totally, totally against it," she said. "There is no way the animals would survive. For young animals to be extracted (from the wild) and after one year or so in captivity to be transported back to the wild, what will they do?
"Do they know how to catch fish? Will they rejoin their group? These animals have spent one year or two years in captivity. There is no way this would happen.
"Belugas migrate at around this time of year and it is highly unlikely the whales would find their adult relatives, and it will be cold for them at migration time. How can a biologist suggest this? They would certainly die."
Cousteau's argument was in reality more broad-ranging than a simple appeal for the release of the beluga whales back into the wild. In a letter to Ocean Park Chairman Allan Zeman seen by the China Daily, he summed up the core objection of animal welfare groups to putting the magnificent creatures into captivity in the first place.
"Marine parks and aquariums claim to educate, but in reality they teach people that the capture and exploitation of these intelligent and complex creatures is acceptable," wrote Cousteau, who is president of the California-based Ocean Futures Society.
"They send a message that the whole of nature is ours to exploit, for a reason as frivolous as sheer entertainment. That's why many scientists and experts, such as my late father, Jacques Cousteau, and myself oppose all captivity of marine mammals.
"It is time that we humans, as a species, have outgrown the need to keep such wild, large, complex, intelligent and free-ranging animals in captivity, where their behavior is not only unnatural, it can become pathological."
Cousteau argued: "In captivity, whales can't even echolocate (find their way around using sound). They live in a world of sound, and confining them between walls and glass is like blindfolding a person - putting them in a jail and expecting to learn something about them. I find it distressing to think that people can continue to treat animals in such a way."
Jill Robinson, founder and executive director of Animals Asia which campaigned against the import of the beluga whales to Ocean Park, said: "While we believe that the right decision has been made in terms of the Beluga whales, there is the rather bitter taste of acknowledging that the six belugas slated for the park now have a fate unknown.
"I think that Jean-Michel Cousteau's request that Ocean Park explore the options of releasing these cetaceans back into the wild, considering that they originally held an option on bringing them into Hong Kong, would be the rational and right decision to take.
"The truth is that no-one really knows the success of such an exercise but, if tagged and monitored, these mammals can be part of a scientific study which will potentially benefit the conservation and welfare of the species into the future."
Robinson believes that despite the uncertain fate of the six beluga whales, the decision not to bring them to Hong Kong had achieved a bigger objective for beluga whales and other sea mammals.
"We stand behind our original protests acknowledging that the import of such marine mammals sends a negative message to the public and to other aquaria that it is perfectly acceptable to remove threatened, free-ranging animals from their family members and social groups, and to place them in an artificial environment contrary to their physical and psychological needs," she said.
"All aquaria lack the size and means to manage such cetaceans appropriately. The stress of capture and confinement, forcing them to adapt
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/hkedition/2011-09/21/content_13744934.htm





Lawyers clash in SeaWorld killer-whale case
Lawyers for the federal government said in opening arguments that SeaWorld animal trainers cannot safely work in close contact with killer whales.
"Killer whales are large, powerful and non-domesticated animals. They have the potential to cause serious physical harm or death to people who get near them," said John Black, an attorney for the U.S. Department of Labor.
But lawyers for SeaWorld defended the company's safety program.
"There's a lot of training of the killer whales themselves … that goes hand-in-hand with the training of killer-whale trainers," said Carla Gunnin, an attorney representing SeaWorld. "They have a lot of safety procedures in place. You don't start Day 1 at Shamu Stadium and go train a killer
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2011/09/stakes-are-high-in-seaworlds-killer-whale-case/1




Fellsmere city manager: 'We look at elephants as just big cows'
A 225-acre private elephant ranch proposed for just south of the C-54 Canal is expected to get city Community Development Director Mark Mathes' approval Friday, the only local review it needs before regional water managers look over the National Elephant Center's plans.
"I took a look at it today and I don't see much of a problem," Mathes said Thursday.
The National Elephant Center is a collaborative effort with the support of 73 zoos accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
"The folks associated with this are top-quality folks," City Manager Jason Nunemaker said. "This is not some sort of carnival show. We're excited."
The center won't be open to the public. But Nunemaker said he stressed allowing access for school groups on an educational visit.
A site plan filed with the city Thursday shows the elephant compound straddling a north-south irrigation canal at the northernmost end of the Fellsmere Joint Venture's agricultural property, which the city annexed in 2007. The property would be reached on
http://www.tcpalm.com/news/2011/sep/08/fellsmere-city-manager-we-look-at-elephants-as/





Armed man escorted from zoo by police sues city of Evansville
A lawsuit has been filed against the city on behalf of a man Evansville Police Department officers physically escorted out of Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden after police said he refused to cover up a gun he was carrying on his hip.
The lawsuit, filed in Vanderburgh Circuit Court on Friday by attorney Guy Relford of Zionsville, Ind., names Evansville and its Department of Parks & Recreation. It alleges the actions of zoo employees and police officers violated an Indiana law effective July 1 that pre-empts the regulation, with a few exceptions, of firearms by local governments.
The lawsuit seeks financial damages, including triple attorney fees; a court declaration finding the city’s actions were illegal; and an injunction preventing future actions by the city — all of which the state law spells out.
“It’s a clear violation of Indiana law,” Relford said. “As of July 1, the state law pre-empts local regulation of firearms, including the carrying of
http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/sep/19/armed-man-escorted-zoo-police-sues-city-evansville/






Saint Louis Zoo Launches Institute for Conservation Medicine
Zoo will form major consortium to work for healthy animals, healthy people
ST. LOUIS, Sept. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A leader in wildlife conservation medicine for the past 20 years, the Saint Louis Zoo will establish an Institute for Conservation Medicine and take its conservation work to a new level, it was announced today. The Institute will focus its research on diseases known to affect threatened and endangered wildlife, as well as how disease relates to domestic animals and public health.
Though infectious diseases have always been of concern for human survival - black plague, influenza go back centuries - it is only in the latter part of the twentieth century that emerging infectious diseases were noted to be increasing in incidence and geographic range.
"Many of these emerging diseases are now common household terms," says Dr. Sharon Deem, director of the Zoo's new institute. "Avian flu, West Nile virus, SARS, Ebola and monkeypox are all newsworthy today. Unfortunately, because these diseases may be transmitted from animals to humans, it is possible that wildlife may be seen as the 'bad guys,' threatening human health. In reality, wild animals are not the bad guys. Rather, growing human
http://www.sacbee.com/2011/09/19/3921970/saint-louis-zoo-launches-institute.html




Denver Zoo the greenest
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has awarded its first Green Award to the Denver Zoo for its sustainability practices.
Among the zoo's conservation achievements are the reduction of electricity usage by 13 percent from 2008 levels and a 60 percent reduction in annual water usage since 1999.
Craig Piper, the zoo's chief executive, and Jennifer Hale, the zoo's sustainability coordinator, accepted the award at the group's annual
http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_18929152





NARCO PETS: Mexico's zoos strained by drug kingpins' exotic animals
For years, three tiny squirrel monkeys led a life of luxury on a 16-acre ranch surrounded by extravagant gardens and barns built for purebred horses.
More than 200 animals, ranging from mules to peacocks and ostricheslived on the ranch in central Mexico and hundreds more stayed on two related properties, many in opulent enclosures. Also kept on the grounds were less furry fare: AK-47 assault rifles, Berrettas, hundreds of other weapons and cocaine.
The ranch's owner was Jesus "The King" Zambada, a leader of the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel. He had developed a love for exotic species shared with other kingpins. Just two days before Zambada's arrest, police confiscated two tigers and two
http://www.contracostatimes.com/california/ci_18930086?nclick_check=1





Living Coasts fish at Torquay's coastal zoo raises family – of 65!
A fish just a few inches long has raised a family of 65 youngsters on her own.
The female orange chromide has managed to rear the fry despite her mate dying shortly after the youngsters hatched.
Living Coasts exhibit manager Clare Rugg said: "This is the first time we have bred orange chromides at Living Coasts. We believe that approximately 65 hatched in June. They were around 5 millimetres long when they emerged. We have had no deaths as far as we know."
Clare added: "One parent has raised them, which is a huge feat! They share their tank with banded archer fish, scats, and Atlantic mudskippers. The scats are much larger and are omnivorous, so we were worried they would eat the young, but when we tried to remove the scats, it was impossible because they are so quick.
"We had to leave the fry with the parent, as they feed off a mucus the parents produce on their skin for the first few weeks of their lives, which obviously we are unable to replicate. We could have taken some of them away to help the parent fish cope, but it was doing well, so we let nature take its course. We are all very proud of her!"
The orange chromide, Etroplus maculatus, lives in brackish water in India and Sri Lanka. It is wary and sensitive to changes in water chemistry. It is not uncommon in zoos and aquariums and is kept by private aquarists.
Females can lay up to 300 eggs on rocks, wood, and roots. Both parents guard them until they
http://www.paigntonpeople.co.uk/Living-Coasts-fish-Torquay-s-coastal-zoo-raises/story-13360205-detail/story.html





Nest efforts in a large-scale iguana project produce a baby boom
A baby boom is underway at the San Diego Zoo among the Grand Cayman blue iguanas, one of the world's most endangered lizards.
Since 2007, the zoo has been part of an international effort to save the blue iguana. Despite elaborate efforts at providing the right environment, results have been modest: three or four hatchlings a year.
But in the past week, nine blue iguana hatchlings were reported at the zoo's Anne and Kenneth
http://www.latimes.com/features/image/la-me-blue-iguanas-20110920,0,1802864.story






Zoos criticised by animal group "Animal Equality"
SPANISH zoos ill-treated animals, claimed international animal rights group Animal Equality.
The animals’ living conditions were not good and the group called for eight zoos, including those of Madrid and Barcelona, to be shut down.
In contrast to earlier occasions, the group lodged formal complaints as a result of their investigations. In the past, they had limited action to releasing photographs to the media as had happened with mink farms and pig-raising plants, explained Animal Equality’s Sharon NuƱez.
Named and shamed were zoos in Madrid, Barcelona, Castellar (Jaen), Cordoba, and Guillena (Sevilla), together with Zoobotanico in Jerez and Bioparc and Rio Safari in the Valencian Community.
“We did not score them but conditions at Madrid Zoo were very bad indeed,” NuƱez said.
Self-harming and violent behaviour amongst the animals were among situations denounced by Animal Equality. This, she claimed, was the result of stress caused by confinement in small spaces not adapted to their needs.
“We can’t allow animals to be used as mere entertainment,” argued NuƱez who also complained about visitors throwing objects into cages or, when animals were kept behind glass, banging on windows.
Ill-treatment by employees ranged from rough handling to obliging the animals to perform. Dolphins were frequently seen with grazed heads “probably as a result of trainers standing on them during training and performances.”
Animal Equality footage also showed the suffering and death of a lioness when zoo refused to go to the expense of paying a vet to treat her.
Zoos served no educational purpose, accordin
http://www.euroweeklynews.com/2011091989237/news/spain/zoos-criticised-by-animal-group-qanimal-equalityq.html





Zuohai Jellyfish Aquarium to open on Oct.1
Zuohai Sea World Jellyfish Aquarium, the first jellyfish aquarium in Fujian province, will be put into service on Oct. 1.
It is reported the aquarium made of acrylic glass costs about five million yuan and covers an area of more than 160 square meters. Construction has been completed and the aquarium is now undergoing water quality testing and exterior finishing.
Also known as the “invisible killer”, most jellyfish are poisonous. There are now more than 250 species of jellyfish in the world and eight of them are very common to sea on the coastline of China, including moon jellyfish and freshwater jellyfish. The aquarium accommodates nearly ten species of jellyfish, including a large jellyfish called the Pacific sea nettle from America, brown jellyfish from Japan, and pearl-like Australian spotted jellyfish. The biggest jellyfish is the 24-tentacled Pacific sea nettle, while the Australian spotted jellyfish has a blue “umbrella” dotted with white spots.
Given the very high demand for the living environment of jellyfish and their short life with an average life expectancy of only couple of months, Zuohai
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/m/fuzhou/e/2011-09/19/content_13735733.htm




Court date set for Lion Man and mum
The Lion Man and his mother are set to go head-to-head in the High Court.
Craig Busch has applied to have Zion Wildlife Park director Patricia Busch declared bankrupt for failing to pay almost $4000 for previous court costs owed to him.
Mrs Busch has entered a counter-claim through her lawyer, saying she gave financial
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10753023





Captive breeding of aquarium fish urged
Breeding saltwater aquarium fish, seahorses and invertebrates in captivity could preserve the ecosystems of the world's coral reefs, U.S. researchers say.
Marine biologists at the University of Texas at Austin say their research into captive breeding could help move much of the $1 billion marine ornamental industry toward entrepreneurs working to sustainably raise fish for the aquarium trade, a university release reported Tuesday.
"It's the kind of thing that could transform the industry in the way that the idea of 'organic' has changed the way people grow and buy fruits and vegetables," Joan Holt, UT professor of marine science, said.
"We want enthusiasts to be able to stock their saltwater tanks with sustainably raised, coral-safe species."
Holt, a pioneer in developing food sources and tank designs that enable fragile larvae to survive to adulthood, is a vocal critic of current methods used to bring sea creatures from the oceans to pet store tanks.
"One popular method is to use a cyanide solution," Holt said. "It's squirted into the holes and crevices of the reef and it anesthetizes the fish. They float to the surface. Then the collectors can just scoop them up, and the ones that wake up are shipped out."
This method damages coral and contributes to 80 percent of traded animals dying before ever reaching a tank, she said.
Holt said she believes fish raised in captivity will live longer, be healthier and be easier to care for.
"Species that are bred in captivity should
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2011/09/20/Captive-breeding-of-aquarium-fish-urged/UPI-97691316558120/




Penguins identify mates, kin by smell, study finds
Penguins can sniff out the odor of lifelong mates, helping them reunite in crowded colonies, and also can identify the scent of close kin to avoid inbreeding, scientists said on Wednesday.
Some seabirds have previously been known to use their sense of smell to find food or locate nesting sites but the experiments with captive Humboldt Penguins at Brookfield Zoo near Chicago proved, for the first time, that the birds use scent to discriminate between close relatives and strangers.
"Other animals do it, we do it, so why can't birds?" said Jill Mateo, a biopsychologist at the University of Chicago, who worked with graduate student Heather Coffin on the research published in the journal PLoS ONE.
"Their sense of smell can help them find their mates and perhaps choose their mates," Mateo said.
"Seafaring birds that travel long distances in the ocean use odors to find food and use odors to recognize nests but we didn't know what odors or the
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/09/22/us-penguins-smell-idUSTRE78K6UV20110922




Anger at zoo appeal move
COUNCILLORS voiced their anger that a decision over the proposed extension of Dalton zoo has been taken out of their hands.
Members of Barrow Borough Council’s planning committee spoke out over an appeal lodged by South Lakes Animal Park boss David Gill at a meeting at Barrow Town Hall yesterday.
Mr Gill appealed to the Planning Inspectorate due to the delay in a decision being made over a proposed extension. This means the decision over whether to give plans the go-ahead will now be made by the government.
In July, Barrow Borough Council’s planning committee members said they were minded to refuse plans to expand the Dalton zoo by nine hectares. The committee had been due to issue a final decision on whether or not to reject the plans.
But Mr Gill appealed on the basis of non-determination, as he was unhappy that the council failed to issue a decision within an eight-week timescale.
But councillors blamed the delay on ‘sketchy’ plans.
Councillor Ernie Wilson said: “I think the information Mr Gill provided us with was very sketchy
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/anger-at-zoo-appeal-move-1.880060?referrerPath=news/





Zookeepers baffled by mysterious critter
Zookeepers from the city of Wenling have not been able to identify the creature and now believe they may have stumbled across a new type of monkey or possum, Daily Mail reports.
The rat-like animal has a marbled tortoise-shell coloured fur with pointy paws and a bushy tail.
The zoo said the animal measures about 25cm in length and liked to eat grass.
Wenling Zoo
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/8335944/chinese-zookeepers-baffled-by-mysterious-critter




Malacca Zoo getting crowded
The Malacca Zoo cannot accept a high number of animals sent there for keeping due to a lack of space.
Malacca Zoo director Ahmad Azhar Mohammed said seized wild animals could still be placed at the zoo as a temporary measure until court cases or other disputes involving them are settled.
“The zoo has adequate facilities to accept them. However, it will not be able to accommodate a high number of animals at any one time due to space constraints.
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/9/23/nation/9556914&sec=nation





White Tiger Cubs Need Names at Chinese Wildlife Park
They are the first white tiger cubs being successfully raised by humans in the region.
http://www.wltx.com/video/1163363311001/0/White-Tiger-Cubs-Need-Names-at-Chinese-Wildlife-Park




Unbanning trade in rhino could curb poaching
Increase in rhino poaching is laid at the door of growing economic prosperity in some Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and China, and an unfounded belief that it has medicinal properties
WATER and Environmental Affairs Minister Edna Molewa should "seriously consider" lifting the ban on national rhino horn trade, which could free up more than R1-billion in stockpiled rhino horn that could be used to combat poaching, the SA Hunters and Game Conservation Association said yesterday.
SA, home to almost 90% of the world’s estimated 22800 rhinos, has lost at least 290 of the pachyderms to poachers this year, 335 last year and 122 in 2009.
The increase in rhino poaching is laid at the door of growing economic prosperity in some Asian countries, particularly Vietnam and China, and an unfounded belief that it has medicinal properties.
World Wide Fund for Nature African Rhino Programme coordinator Joseph Okori said there was no legal rhino horn market anywhere in the world, and neither the fund nor the South African government could condone black market trade.
SA Hunters’ hunting and conservation manager Herman Els said trade partners would have to be vetted and a legal trade route established.
"It wouldn’t start tomorrow ...we would have to go there
http://www.businessday.co.za/articles/Content.aspx?id=154100




Happily feather after: The bald baby penguin rejected by its parents who grew a new coat
This dejected little chap didn't have a lot going for him.
Born without feathers and rejected by his parents, his chances of survival looked grim.
But now, thanks to the efforts of keepers at an aquarium in China's Liaoning Province, the five-day-old has been reunited with his family.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2040122/Bald-baby-penguin-rejected-parents-grows-new-coat.html?ITO=1490




Zoo builds ‘fang shui’ habitat for python
Eight months of remodeling dust has settled and an 18-foot python is settling into her new digs at the Detroit Zoo.
The 85-pound female reticulated python was rescued from a private owner in July 2010 and now has an enclosure full of features she would find in her native habitat, such as plants, trees and a basking pool that provides underwater viewing for visitors.
“Pythons are exceptional swimmers, so the pool was vital to replicating a habitat synonymous with the wild,” Detroit Zoological Society Curator of Reptiles Jeff Jundt said.
http://www.dailytribune.com/articles/2011/09/21/news/doc4e79fec2e4522589963295.txt




Aquarium says its dolphins aren’t from drive fisheries
The Vancouver aquarium is a member of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, an international organization that condemns the inhumane killing of dolphins and other cetaceans in the Japanese drive fisheries [“The Cove comes downtown”, September 15-22]. The message of The Cove—that drive fisheries must stop—echoes our position and that of like-minded, credible institutions.
Members of the alliance do not support, fund, or acquire animals from drive fisheries. It is completely false that any of these animals are being exported to North America. There is not a single dolphin from the drive fishery in any aquarium accredited by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums or the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums.
Our three Pacific white-sided dolphins did not come from the Japanese drive fishery, nor were they purchased. They were rescued as badly injured animals from fixed fishing nets along the east coast of
http://www.straight.com/article-465771/vancouver/aquarium-says-its-dolphins-arent-drive-fisheries




Zoo appeals for help saving rescued bears
Bid to rehome bears that were held in small cages for 20 years as part of a circus.
A West Lothian zoo has just under 12 weeks to raise £60,000 to save three former circus bears.
The animals are currently being held in a holding pen in Belgium.
In their new enclosured in Belgium, Carmen, Suzi and Peggy can turn and move around. For the last 20 years they have been held in cages barely bigger than themselves and transported around Europe as part of a circus troupe.
However, if the Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian zoo can raise enough cash, the bears will be brought there to live out the final years.
Brian Curran from Five Sisters Zoo said: "We have a bit of ground at the back here which is ideal for bears. It's nearer their natural living conditions as you would get.
"We're keeping it as natural as possible. We're keeping the trees that are already there.
"There's a pond that we've
http://local.stv.tv/edinburgh/news/271258-zoo-appeals-for-help-saving-rescued-bears/




New plan for Byculla zoo makeover ready
Four months after the central zoo authority rejected the civic body's master plan for the renovation of the Veermata Jijabai Bhosle Udyan and Zoo, a new plan has been prepared.
Thailand-based firm HKS Designers & Consultants International has prepared the new makeover plan for the 150-year-old Byculla zoo, which has a Grade II B heritage tag.
“The consultant will make an official presentation to the civic administration. Only after the municipal commissioner approves the plan, we will submit it to the central zoo authority next week,” said Aseem Gupta, additional municipal commissioner.
Despite several revisions in the first master plan, the central zoo authority had rejected it saying it was “impractical” and will reduce the green cover on the premises.
“In the new plan, we have adhered to all the directions of the authority. Minimal changes will be carried out, so that the vegetation is not destroyed,”said Anil Anjankar, director of the Byculla zoo.
Under the new plan, only three exotic animal species will be housed in the zoo —humboldt penguins from Chile, zebra and emus from Australia. Earlier, the BMC had wanted to bring in many
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_new-plan-for-byculla-zoo-makeover-ready_1590429




Zoo stories gone bad ...starved of funds, Ranchi park ails
Bhagwan Birsa Biological Park, spread over 104 hectares of sprawling natural forest in Ormanjhi, could have been a green oasis for its 1,000-odd animals and birds, but for the stranglehold of red tape which has squeezed funds for this financial year dry.
Its 80-odd daily-wage workers have threatened to strike from early next week as they haven’t been paid since April. They’re fuming more because 18 government employees — from class IV to class I — get monthly salaries on time, including the zoo director, assistant conservator of forests, doctor, two foresters, office assistants and peons each, three rangers and six forest guards.
Zoo sources said cleaning and sanitation activities had already taken a beating. Worst, stockists stopped supplying medicines, as outstanding bills amount in excess of Rs 50,000, and food supplies are depleting.
The worst victims of this cash crunch are the animals and birds of the zoo, 15 km from the state capital. For, resentment among workers
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110923/jsp/jharkhand/story_14542415.jsp




Educational zoos receive good marks
Swiss Animal Protection (SAP) is generally satisfied with animal parks and zoos in Switzerland, although some animals still don’t have adequate space.
In its latest report, the organisation noted an “upwards trend” in zoo animal care, picking out for particular praise large zoos and wild parks which end up being education centres for the protection of species.
Successful models included the elephant enclosure and tropical wetland at Zurich Zoo, the ape house at Basel Zoo, the DƤhlhƶlzli animal park in Bern and the children’s zoo in Rapperswil.
But poor marks were given to the Hotel Restaurant Grimselback in canton Valais and the Connyland dolphinarium in Thurgau “where ignorance about animals’ specific requirements is joined by a fundamental misunderstanding of the aim of zoos, using animals as crowd pullers”.
SAP also criticised otherwise praiseworthy institutions where animal care “harked back to the beginning of the last century”: tiny owleries, bleak wolf or bear enclosures and ape cages that are legal but unsuitable for the species.
SAP, the largest organisation of its kind in Switzerland, was founded in 1861. In 2010, its 70 sections across the country lo
http://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/swiss_news/Educational_zoos_receive_good_marks.html?cid=31194782




Bisexual Squid? Not Exactly — Just Lonely
Male deep-sea squid will get it on with just about anything with tentacles.
A team of researchers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute observed nearly 20 years of mating behavior of Octopoteuthis deletron, recorded on video by remote-controlled vehicles up to half a mile below the surface of the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. Male squid were just as likely to try to mate with other males as with other females, the researchers found.
It's not the first time same-sex sex has been noted among squid and octopus species, but it's the first time it's been found to be equally as common
http://healthland.time.com/2011/09/22/bisexual-squid-not-exactly-Ć¢€”-just-lonely/?iid=pf-main-mostpop2




Sticker Tortoise Garden sanctuary given 24 hours
Threat to 'reclassified' tortoises
A tortoise sanctuary in Cornwall has been told it has 24 hours to apply for a zoo licence or face closure.
Joy Bloor, who has run the Tortoise Garden, in Sticker, St Austell, for 20 years, said she could not afford to pay for a licence.
Council officers said tortoises were "wild animals" and needed to be covered by the licence.
They said that after Friday Mrs Bloor would be in breach of the law and could face prosecution.
'Really worried'
The zoo licence costs licensees £275 for the first four years.
On top of that, they have to pay fees for government-appointed inspectors to assess their site when they apply for a licence, along with any subsequent formal inspections.
Anyone found without a licence can be fined.
Mrs Bloor said the sanctuary, which houses about 400 tortoises whose owners have died or are no longer able to look after them, would be unable to meet the extra costs.
She said she already struggled to meet the £25,000 annual cost of caring for and feeding the animals and said she was "really worried" about the future.
'Moral promise'
Mrs Bloor said: "I'm going to have try and find other ways of raising funds to keep them.
"I've made them a moral promise that I will have them for life and I am going to keep that."
Allan Hampshire, Cornwall Council's head of public health and protection, said the authority had spoken to experts who considered tortoises to be "wild animals, in that they are not normally domesticated in this country".
Born Free Foundation chief executive Will Travers said not complying with the law was "unacceptable".
Mr Travers said: "Any facility that contains a specie or species that are not normally domestica
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cornwall-15019104




Calgary Zoo gets nod for preserving rare marmot
The Calgary Zoo and Toronto Zoo have been recognized for their role in the preservation of the endangered Vancouver Island Marmot.
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums recognized both zoos for their work in helping the endangered animal recover as a result of their captive breeding programs.
The Vancouver Island Marmot is one of North America's most endangered mammals. The Calgary Zoo was also recognized in 2006 for similar work in the recovery of the swift fox.
"We are honoured to receive this award along with our colleagues for our work with the Vancouver Island Marmots," said Dr. Doug Whiteside of the Calgary Zoo. "From 2000 to 2011, the Calgary Zoo has contributed 95 pups to the recovery effort - either for reintroduction
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/story/2011/09/22/calgary-zoo-marmot-recovery.html




Panda born at Atlanta zoo and returned to China is male, not female as previously thought
Turns out a panda born at Atlanta’s zoo and returned to China for breeding will end up being a dad, not a mom as originally thought.
Zoo Atlanta staff and a researcher from the panda research center in China where Mei Lan now lives examined the panda 19 days after its birth and determined the panda was female, said Rebecca Snyder, curator of mammals at Zoo Atlanta. But researchers in China recently noticed male reproductive organs and determined Mei Lan is male.
It’s difficult to determine the sex of giant pandas early on and mistakes are not uncommon, Snyder said. Generally, the Chinese try to examine cubs within a day or two of their birth because they’re slightly dehydrated and have less fur, which makes a close examination of the genital area easier, she said.
“With Mei Lan we waited quite a while before we took him the first time because that was Lun
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/panda-born-at-atlanta-zoo-and-returned-to-china-is-male-not-female-as-previously-thought/2011/09/22/gIQA1CdeoK_story.html




‘Big cat’ out on the prowl
A “PANTHER-like” beast spotted prowling the countryside is the latest sighting of a mysterious big cat thought to be living in the district.
Claire and John Booth saw the animal, which resembled a large black cat, on farmland near their Notton home on Sunday.
Mrs Booth, 40, of Notton Lane, said the animal was much bigger than a domestic pet.
She said: “It was between four and five feet long. It looked panther-ish.
“It was definitely a big cat. You could tell
http://www.wakefieldexpress.co.uk/news/local/wakefield-news/big_cat_out_on_the_prowl_1_3802132



Big Cats In Britain


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Saturday, September 17, 2011

Zoo News Digest 13th - 17th September 2011 (Zoo News 786)

Zoo News Digest 13th - 17th September 2011 (Zoo News 786)




Peter Dickinson


Dear Colleague,

It has been a difficult few days with my laptop. It has taken on a mind of its own and only allowed me to get any work done when it wanted. If it was not in the mood to co-operate it simply froze up. Somehow I have struggled through, but still a pile of mail to answer.

I visited Dubai Aquarium yesterday. Behind the scenes tour from a young lady called Helen. Extremely good and all quite interesting. I will....if the laptop lets me, will be writing this up for my Zoo Hubs in the next week or so.

Happy Feet is dropped right out of the news. I still maintain that he should have remained in captivity and sent of to Sea World in San Diego. I imagine that this was never even contemplated lest it upset the anti-zoo accolytes. So how do they feel now I wonder? Happy? This little bird could have made a positive contribution to conservation. Now, sadly the opportunity is lost.

Consider this from Wikipedia:

"A Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution study in January 2009 found Emperor Penguins could be pushed to the brink of extinction by the year 2100 due to global climate change. By applying mathematical models to predict how the loss of sea ice from climate warming would affect a big colony of Emperor Penguins at Terre AdƩlie, Antarctica, they forecast a decline of 87% in the colony's population by the end of the century, from the current 3,000 breeding pairs in the colony to 400 breeding pairs"

Okay it did not happen in 2010 but who knows what will happen next week?
I mentioned the heavy rains in Pattaya in the last Zoo News Digest. Seemingly so bad that the crocodiles were escaping by swimming out of their enclosures at the crocodile farm....or perhaps it was all a publicity stunt.

Crocodiles figure quite highly in the news right now. We have a new species would you believe? Fantastic. Then there is the argument as to which is the biggest Crocodile in the world. Seemingly Guinness are supporting the one held at Marineland Melanesia on Green Island. Cassius, a saltie, is apparantly 5.48m long!

Then there is 'Lolong' in Agusan del Sur in the Philippines who is going to get his own zoo. Not forgetting the monster 'Yai' in the Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo in Thailand. He was over 6 metres when I visited the collection a few years back. He must be surely bigger by now!

Point of confusion "almost all chinkaras (also known as blackbuck) died". This may be the case in Mysore Zoo but elsewhere Chinkara Gazella bennettii and Blackbuck Antilope cervicapra are two different species.

I was saddened to learn of the untimely death of Karen Greybrook. I think it a pity that the report had to dwell on the other aspects of her life and other people rather than herself.

"Dog Nurses White Tiger Cubs in China". The same so often repeated questions arise. Why did the mother reject them? Did they have an infrared camera set up to let them know? Why are they breeding White Tigers in the first place? I could go on.


"Gorilla's glass hand imprint to help conservation". A very attractive piece of art. Something I would like to own if I had a permament home.
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New Croc Discovered by Fordham Biologist
Fordham University professor has published evidence that shatters the long-thought belief that the Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) found throughout Africa is a single species of crocodile.
A team of researchers led by Evon Hekkala, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology at Fordham, and Matt Shirley of University of Florida, Gainsville, discovered a second cryptic, or hidden, lineage of crocodiles through DNA analyses of modern crocodiles and ancient mummy crocodile hatchlings.
Hekkala and her team collected contemporary crocodile samples from throughout Africa as well as from museum specimens, including some from Thebes, Egypt that are currently housed in the MuseĆ© National d’Histoire Naturelle (MNHN) in Paris. Although the modern Nile crocodile (C. niloticus) is found throughout Africa, there have long been reports that it is larger and more aggressive in the Eastern and Southern African regions and smaller and more docile in the Congo and West Africa.
The reason, Hekkala’s research suggests, is because the Eastern and Western crocodiles are in reality different crocodile lineages, which shared the Nile river as recently as 100 years ago.
Hekkala’s analysis showed that several of the MNHN mummy samples, collected during Napoleon’s expedition to Egypt in the early 1800s and estimated to be up to 2,000 years old, belong
http://www.fordham.edu/Campus_Resources/eNewsroom/topstories_2184.asp


Dingo origin predates Neolithic expansion
Genetic evidence has revealed that dingoes may have arrived in Australia earlier than previously believed, and likely took a very different route that began in South China.
Australian dingoes (Canis lupus dingo) and domesticated dogs from Polynesia originated in China and travelled via Thailand and Indonesia to reach their final destination, rather than coming from Taiwan - a journey that would have entailed more sea crossings.
The findings, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B, could have implications for human history in the region as well, revealing clues about the geographic origin of the Polynesian population and its Neolithic culture.
It also reveals information about the extent of contact, or isolation rather, between pre-Neolithic cultures of Australia and their surrounding world.
Dingo arrival before Neolithic?
In Australia there is little evidence of any interaction with Neolithic cultures: apart from the feral dingo, which is viewed as a Neolithic introduction, and has led many researchers to conclude that Australia was not completely isolated.
Dingoes appear in the Australian archaeological record roughly 3,500 years before present, but the study, which analysed the genetic code of around 900 dogs, indicates an earlier introduction to Australia sometime between 4,600 and 10,000 years ago.
The arrival of dogs in Australia predates any Taiwanese Neolithic expansion, according to the study, and therefore underscores the notion that Australia was indeed quite isolated prior to this period.
An ancient mystery
The key problem in the history of Polynesia is explaining the existence of Neolithic domesticated animals — including the dog, chicken and pig — which indicate an expansion from Taiwan, possibly during the Neolithic farming expansion.
However, the data presented here indicates that the Polynesian domestic dogs trace their ancestry from mainland Southeast Asia, and that dogs could have appeared before the arrival of the Neolithic.
"Dogs, chicken and pigs were the only household animals that accompanied the people who colonised Polynesia," said co-author Peter Savolainen, a geneticist at KTH Institute of Technology in Sweden.
"However, because the dog came through Thailand and man through Taiwan, we now believe that human populations and cultures must have mixed on the way to Polynesia," he added.
While it does not definitively clarify the origin of Polynesian culture, it seems to overrule the simpler theory that a single rush of Taiwanese farmers where responsible for Polynesian culture, and suggests there was likely a greater mix of influences along the way.
Origin mystery solved?
The researchers compared a total of 674 samples of dog mitochondrial DNA, together with 232 samples from dingoes.
The team identified the three 'haplotypes' specific to Polynesia and Australia (two in the former, one in the latter) and traced a path backwards by comparing the proportion of correct mtDNA present amongst samples taken from throughout Oceania and South Asia.
None of the matching 'haplotypes' appeared in Taiwan at all. Instead the dingoes' mtDNA, named 'A29', was found in South China, South
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/4744/dingo-origin-predates-neolithic-expansion



Agusan del Sur Wildlife Park in the Works
Agusan del Sur is now gearing up for a wildlife park that will feature the soon-to-be world’s largest crocodiles. After the capture of the world-famous giant crocodile last week, Bunawan Mayor Cox Elorde has greenlighted the construction of a wildlife park that will feature the province’s unique species. Elorde
http://www.agusannews.com/news/2011-09-09-133148-agusan-del-sur-wildlife-park-in-the-works



South Lakes Wild Animal Park boss appeals to decide fate of expansion proposal
THE fate of a proposed extension to a zoo is to be decided by the government.
South Lakes Wild Animal Park boss David Gill decided to appeal to the Planning Inspectorate due to the delay in a decision being made over a proposed extension.
In July, Barrow Borough Council’s planning committee chose to issue a minded to refuse decision against plans to expand the South Lakes Wild Animal Park, in Dalton, by nine hectares.
The committee had been due to issue a final decision on whether or not to reject the plans.
But now the decision will be made by national body the Planning Inspectorate after the appeal was launched.
The appeal is on the basis of non-determination – with Mr Gill unhappy that the council failed to issue a decision within an eight-week timescale.
The process will now be handled by the inspectorate, with the final decision resting with the office of Eric Pickles MP, the secretary of state for
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/south-lakes-wild-animal-park-boss-appeals-to-decide-fate-of-expansion-proposal-1.877863?referrerPath=news/



Welsh Mountain Zoo's £5m tropical dome project
A £5m project to transform a Conwy zoo with a tropical house under a glass dome has been unveiled.
The Welsh Mountain Zoo in Colwyn Bay said exotic plants and animals, including alligators, would live under the dome.
Conwy council said it would be the region's response to Cornwall's Eden Project.
A report to councillors said the zoo needed to develop to remain the area's most-attended visitor attraction.
The Eden Project visitor attraction is famous for its artificial biomes - or domes - which house plants from around the world.
The mountain zoo said its smaller dome could result in visitor numbers increasing from 135,000 to 185
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-west-wales-14911804



Crocodiles Loose After Flash Floods Hit Pattaya Zoo
The PDN reporter acknowledged that many crocodiles had escaped from the Million Year Stone Park and the Crocodile Farm’s reptile pools. More than ten zoo keepers were trying to catch the crocs.
The reporter arrived at the park which is located at Moo 1, Tambon Nong Preu, Chonburi province where he found the zoo staff about ten people with equipment engaged in catching the big reptiles that had escaped to the lotus well. Later in the evening the team was able to catch four big crocodiles.
A worker of the Crocodile Farm who could not speak Thai clearly said that two escaped crocodiles had been found in the neighbouriging area.
Mr Prajak Noipan age 35, a local man said that in the evening the staff caught four crocodiles each measuring about 4-5 meter. Later Mr Prapak found two more crocodiles
http://www.pattayadailynews.com/en/2011/09/14/crocodiles-loose-after-flash-floods-hit-pattaya-zoo/



Gorilla army takes to the Thames
TV presenter and jungle expert Piers Gibbon officially opened a major art installation on the banks of the Thames today (Friday 16th September).
Piers, author of Tribe and presenter of Channel 4’s Jungle Trip, unveiled the multicoloured army of 20 life-sized gorilla models on the walk way between More London and City Hall.
The exhibition is part of a 61 strong group of gorilla statues, each individually decorated by UK artists, designed to raise awareness ahead of a major charity auction being organised by Bristol Zoo at the end of the month.
Piers, whose other jungle projects include National Geographic’s Headshrinkers of the Amazon, Cannibals of Papua New Guinea and The Witch Doctor Will See You Now, said: “The gorillas make a pretty arresting sight. They look fantastic along the river and are sure to draw big crowds during their week-long stay.
“Hopefully their presence in the city will boost the number of bids when all 61 gorillas go up for auction at the end of the month.”
During the summer the gorillas, which were placed at strategic locations around the Greater Bristol region, attracted a Facebook following of over 13,000. Over 115,000 copies of a gorilla trail map were picked up by members of the public wanting to visit all 61 gorillas.
The More London exhibition will run from 16th-22nd September. To see photos of all 61 gorillas, visit the Wow! Gorillas Facebook page, or view the auction catalogue at www.bristolzoo.org.uk/auction
The charity auction, which will raise valuable funds for Bristol Zoo’s gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal, The Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, will take place at 7.30pm in the Victoria Rooms, Clifton, Bristol on 29th September.
Tickets have now sold out, however it is possible to bid for a gorilla by telephone or proxy bidding by contacting Judy Tucker in advance, on jtucker@bristolzoo.org.uk  or phone 0117 974 7329




How to artificially inseminate a rhino
An assortment of specialist scanners, probes and other paraphernalia are carefully laid out, ready for action.
But unlike the kit used for most medical procedures, everything here is on a supersized scale.
The reason? Scientists are about to examine two southern white rhinos at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire.
Their job today is to help them conceive through artificial insemination, a procedure that entails collecting the semen from the male rhino and then inserting it into the female.
Tim Bouts, the zoo's veterinary officer, explains that natural conception is not an option for the female rhino.
She has sustained an injury to her foot
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14839488




The Crucial Role of Predators:
A New Perspective on Ecology
Scientists have recently begun to understand the vital role played by top predators in ecosystems and the profound impacts that occur when those predators are wiped out. Now, researchers are citing new evidence that shows the importance of lions, wolves, sharks, and other creatures at the top of the food chain.
Found in the North Palace at Ninevah, stone panels depicting the Royal Lion Hunt of the last Assyrian king, Ashurbanipal, are as violent as any video game: A female lion flies upside down, arrows protruding from her back and belly. Beneath her, a male rears back, arrows piercing his nasal passages while another male drags his hindquarters behind him. From the king’s chariot, attendants drive spears through the chest of another.
The panels are two-and-a-half thousand years old, and the story they tell is nearly over. In Africa, the lion’s numbers have declined sharply in the past decade, to as low as 23,000. The tiger is near extinction. Earlier
http://e360.yale.edu/feature/the_crucial_role_of_predators_a_new_perspective_on_ecology/2442/




Activist Say Orangutans Permitted To Smoke In Indonesian Zoo
A wildlife activist says that zoo officials in Indonesia are taking no steps to stop orangutans from smoking cigarettes, unlike in Malaysia.
Visitors to the Taru Jurug Zoo in Solo, a city on Java island, have been giving cigarettes to the endangered red apes for years.
One young male was captured on video shortly before his death in 2009 smoking with his 5-year-old son.
Hardi Baktiantoro, director
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/16/indonesia-zoo-orangutans-smoke_n_965988.html



Birds die in zoo, Bengal chicken feed restricted
Supply of chicken from West Bengal to the Birsa Munda Biological Park has been restricted after a large number of birds died of some unknown infection in the past few days. Park authorities have started administering preventive medicines and a cleaning drive has been launched on a war footing. But what remains unanswered is the exact cause of death and the fear of more birds succumbing to fresh infections.
Till Friday, five peacocks, three silver pigeons, two adjutant stalks and an owl died in the zoo. Park officials segregated the sick birds at the zoo, but it was of little help. Since there was no post-mortem, the exact reason for the deaths could not be ascertained.
Director of the park, P K Verma, said veterinary doctors are administering preventive medicines to the birds and special care is being taken while feeding them. "We presume that it was because of incessant rains that some sort of infection occurred," he said, adding
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/10011508.cms





How the UK's zoophobic legacy turned on wild boar
Farming Today's framing of the issue illustrates a peculiar desire to keep ecosystems in a state of arrested development
Is the United Kingdom the most zoophobic nation in Europe? Do we, in other words, have an unusually intense fear of wild animals?
We've certainly been less successful than other nations at protecting large mammals. Norway and Finland, for example, have lost none of their large, post-glacial land mammal species. But, until recently, our native species numbered just two: roe deer and red deer. As David Hetherington of the Cairngorms Wildcat Project pointed out at a meeting in London zoo last year, the UK is "the largest country in Europe and almost the whole world" which no longer possesses any of its big carnivores. Other countries as densely populated and industrialised as ours have managed to hang on to theirs.
There are several reasons for this failure. Early and extensive deforestation wiped out much of the habitat large mammals require. England was colonised by a ruling class – the Normans – which was fanatical about hunting. Once an island loses its mammals, it becomes very difficult for them to recolonise naturally. But another factor is the peculiar and fearful determination of the people who own large tracts of land to kill anything they can't control.
The tendency was illustrated again this week by the news that grouse estates in Scotland appear to have been poisoning golden eagles, peregrines, red kites, buzzards and even a white-tailed eagle. The leniency with which these estates are treated, in terms of both investigation and prosecution, suggests
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2011/sep/16/zoophobic-wild-boar?CMP=twt_gu




SD Zoo Helps Endangered Hawaii Bird Population
The San Diego Zoo on Friday announced it had a record year for breeding the endangered Hawaiian crow, or 'alala.
The zoo's species recovery program hatched 20 chicks. The zoo successfully raised 19 of them.
That raises the number of living 'alala from 76 to 95, zoo officials said. That is up from just 20 known birds in 1994.
The project is part of the Hawaii Endangered Bird Conservation Program, which includes the Hawaii Division of Forestry and Wildlife, San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
“With the ‘alala population now on a stronger foundation, we are excited about the next phase of the species recovery program, with the goal of reestablishing the species within the Hawaiian forest e
http://www.kitv.com/r/29212187/detail.html




Ontario breeder selling lion and tiger cubs as house pets
A breeder is offering three-month-old lion and tiger cubs for sale as house pets on an Ottawa website. And owning them is perfectly legal in most of Ontario, though not in Ottawa.
Four cubs are for sale at $2,800 each, says the breeder, who identifies herself by e-mail as Jenifer Ashu. She doesn’t say in her ad where her business is located.
The cubs are advertised on UsedOttawa.com, a website that advertises items for sale in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
It says: “We are breeders and we have exotic cats, white lion cubs and tiger cubs available in our cattery. We have been giving them home trained method with kids and other domestic animal. Contact us for more information if interested to own one of them in your home as house pets.”
The ad doesn’t list the business’s name or phone number. Buyers respond only by email through the website.
When the Citizen answered the ad, the breeder sent this response: “We breed exotic cats and also have lion and tiger cubs all ready to go. The cubs are 15 weeks old and are 4 in number. They go for $2,800 each.
“Let me know if you are still interested in the cubs and the number you will like to get. Feel free to ask any questions that
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/16/ontario-breeder-selling-lion-and-tiger-cubs-as-house-pets/




New species of dolphin discovered off Australia
Australian researchers have discovered a new species of dolphin living right under their, uh, bottlenoses.
A population of 100 dolphins in Port Phillip Bay and 50 in the Gippsland Lakes on Australia's southern coast have been proven to be genetically unique from dolphins anywhere else in the world, Monash University doctoral researcher Kate Charlton-Robb said in a university release.
"We're very pleased to announce that yes it is a new dolphin species, and I have called it Tersiops Australis," Charlton-Robb
http://lightyears.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/16/new-species-of-dolphin-discovered-off-australia/






From One Ricky to Another!

What do Ricky Gervais, Rick Astley and a 50-year-old chimpanzee all have in common?
This Monday Edinburgh Zoo will celebrate the birthday of Ricky the chimpanzee and staff hope Ricky Gervais and Ricky Martin, as well as other famous Rickys will be among well-wishers.
Edinburgh Zoo has send out special tweets inviting some other well-known Rickys, such as
Ricky Gervais, Rick Astley, Ricky Martin, Ricky Tomlinson, Ricky Hatton, Richard Madeley, Richard Branson and Ricky from Eastenders, to send their birthday wished to the Scottish capital’s most famous chimp on Twitter.
While records don’t give Ricky’s exact age, keepers estimate he has reached the big five-zero, making him the Zoo’s oldest residents. When Ricky first arrived at Edinburgh keepers did not know his actual birthday, so they decided he would share his special day with primate keeper Sarah Gregory who will turn 30 this Monday.
Head of animals Darren McGarry said: “Ricky is a really important member of our chimp groups and all the primate staff are delighted to be celebrating his birthday.
We are hoping some other well-known Ricky’s will get involved and tweet their birthday messages to help raise awareness of these fascinating animals and the threats they face in the wild.”
Ricky life began in sad circumstances as keepers believe his family were killed in the illegal pet-trade. Ricky went on to become a mascot on a merchant navy ship before arriving at Edinburgh Zoo in 1966. Despite a difficult start in life Ricky has found his place here at Edinburgh Zoo and is now considered to be one of chimps




Tigers threatened by wild forest fires
One of last remaining populations of Sumatran tigers in Indonesia is under threat from wild forest fires. The fires started in mid-August and now surround much of the border of Berbak National Park in Sumatra, a peat swamp forest that is prime tiger habitat. There are only 300 remaining Sumatran tigers in the wild and Berbak is an important site for the species’ survival.
Peat has a high carbon content and burns as smouldering, stealthy underground fires making Donate to 21st century tiger the fires difficult to track and put out.
Ten local fire fighting teams have been drafted in to tackle the fires and are being aided by more than 100 local community volunteers and National
http://www.zsl.org/conservation/news/tigers-threatened-by-wild-forest-fires,862,NS.html




S. Lanka warned against giving elephant to Philippines
An international animal rights group warned Sri Lanka Friday against giving the Philippines a baby elephant, saying the creature would face a "lifetime of confinement, boredom and abuse".
The Asian unit of US-based People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) wrote to Sri Lanka's Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne saying the donation would sentence the elephant to a life of "misery at the Manila Zoo".
The plea comes a day after Sri Lanka announced it was marking 50 years of diplomatic relations with the Philippines by giving the Manila Zoo an animal from its state-run elephant orphanage.
Sri Lanka's acting information minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene told reporters that the cabinet approved the gift after it was proposed by the prime minister.
Referring to the Manila Zoo as a "decrepit facility that has recently come under public scrutiny", PETA's Manila office said Jayaratne's move reflected poorly on Sri Lanka.
"If you care about elephants, you would never send one to the Manila Zoo to suffer for the rest of their life," PETA said, adding that the zoo's sole elephant, Mali, spends her days alone in a barren cement enclosure.
"I beg you to cancel plans to condemn another elephant to a life of confinement
http://www.mysinchew.com/node/63788




Will We Bought a Zoo be as lame as its trailer?
Early nomination for most lame and cloying trailer for a supposed 2011 Oscar wannabe: the kids, critters and cuddles cringefest that is We Bought a Zoo, due out at Christmas.
We have to hope for Cameron Crowe's sake that he's come up with something better than what's on view in the just-released trailer for his screen adaptation of Benjamin Mee's zoo-as-home memoir.
The movie stars Matt Damon, Scarlett Johansson, Thomas Haden Church and a menagerie of cute kids and animals.
Just guessing here, but if the story is anything other than Damon playing a beaten-down single dad finding fulfillment and new love while knee-deep in zebra dung, as the tell-all trailer suggests, then we'd be awfully surprised.
We're also b
http://www.toronto.com/blog/post/698650--will-we-bought-a-zoo-be-as-lame-as-its-trailer




Conservation fund helps preserve endangered animals and plants
Majestic and solitary, the Arabian leopard once roamed the Arabian Peninsula. Now, less than 250 of these beautiful creatures exist, their numbers threatened by loss of habitat and hunting.
Destroying a top predator in a food chain in such a manner could wreak havoc on the entire ecosystem, a leading environmental fund manager told Gulf News in the capital yesterday.
"This is why it is important to detect remaining members of the species and prevent them from dying out," said Nicolas Heard, head of fund management at the Mohammad Bin Zayed Species Conservation Fund.
The conservation fund, established in 2008, provides support and grants for projects that seek to preserve plant and animal species across the world.
Spearheaded by an endowment of about Dh127 million by General Shaikh Mohammad Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, its initiatives are being highlighted at the Abu Dhabi
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/conservation-fund-helps-preserve-endangered-animals-and-plants-1.868245




Animals are neither safe in the wild nor in the zoo
Mysore’s famed Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Garden is slowly losing its prized possessions. Out of the six chinkaras (Indian Gazelle) that were brought to the zoo three years ago, only one is alive now. Zoo officials blame it on the weather and say that the animals faced adjustment problems.
It was about three years ago when six chinkaras were brought to Mysore Zoo with the hope that they will procreate and increase the number of species the zoo flaunts. Speaking about the issue, Dr Dhanalakshmi, veterinarian, Mysore zoo, said, “We had brought one pair from Lucknow and two pairs from Chandigarh. They were doing well until recently.”
In the past three years, almost all chinkaras (also known as blackbuck) died of viral infection. However, the zoo authorities
http://www.dnaindia.com/bangalore/report_animals-are-neither-safe-in-the-wild-nor-in-the-zoo_1587982




Chester Zoo celebrates hatching on rate (of rare?)* radiated tortoises
*Needs a spell check?
CHESTER Zoo is paying special care to some new arrivals.
The zoo’s lead keeper of reptiles, Karen Entwistle, is looking after some baby Radiated tortoises, nine of which recently hatched.
Native to the island of Madagascar, the species is critically endangered due to loss of habitat, over exploitation from the pet trade and illegal poaching.
Miss Entwistle said: “In the wild, these tortoises are now being poached for food which, along with pressure from
http://iccheshireonline.icnetwork.co.uk/0100news/0100regionalnews/tm_headline=chester-zoo-celebrates-hatching-on-rate-radiated-tortoises&method=full&objectid=29434312&siteid=50020-name_page.html




SeaWorld fights for future of killer-whale shows
Nineteen months after an animal trainer was killed by one of its killer whales, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment heads to court next week to fight for the future of its iconic Shamu shows.
SeaWorld is challenging the results of a federal investigation triggered by the Feb. 24, 2010, death of veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was pulled underwater and killed by Tilikum, a 6-ton killer whale.
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration wants to fine SeaWorld $75,000, but far more than a financial slap on the wrist is at stake for SeaWorld, a $1.2 billion-a-year business with namesake marine parks in Florida, California and Texas. Legal experts say the case, which will be heard in a Seminole County courtroom, could dictate whether SeaWorld is able to put trainers and whales in the water together ever again.
Some within the zoological and amusement-park industries fear the results could also reverberate far beyond SeaWorld and into zoos, aquariums and other facilities where employees work closely with large, potentially dangerous animals. The International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions said it is "monitoring" SeaWorld's case.
"A lot of people are following this," added Jack Hanna, the celebrity biologist and director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo in Ohio, who occasionally works with SeaWorld. "I'm concerned about the outcome. And I think anybody in our business should be."
At the heart of the case is a citation issued by OSHA last August after a six-month investigation of SeaWorld's killer-whale program. The agency has accused SeaWorld of committing a "willful" safety violation — its most severe classification — for not adequately protecting trainers from the danger of being struck or drowned by killer whales.
But most troubling for SeaWorld is how OSHA has proposed that the violation be fixed, or "abated." In its citation, OSHA recommends that trainers be prohibited from working with the whales — either in the water or from the edges of pools — unless they are protected by a physical barrier.
OSHA indicated in the citation that — at least for whales other than Tilikum, the largest and most dangerous animal in SeaWorld's collection — it might accept other means of abatement, such as decking systems, emergency oxygen supplies or other engineering changes. But even then, it suggested it would only accept those measures if they provide "the same or a greater level of protection" than a physical barrier.
It is such a high bar that it could effectively prevent SeaWorld trainers from swimming with the whales.
"Nothing's going to protect better than a barrier," said Jim Laboe, a lawyer with Orr & Reno in Concord, N.H., who represents companies facing OSHA inspections. "I just don't know how you're going to find an equivalent level of protection."
Although SeaWorld has forbidden trainers from getting in the water with its killer whales since Brancheau's death, company executives have made it clear that they want to resume such "water work" at some point. SeaWorld says water work is essential to adequately caring for the highly social animals — in addition to being the company's most marketable thrill to vacationers around the world.
SeaWorld has pledged to spend tens of millions of dollars making safety improvements to its killer-whale facilities in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio. In Orlando, for instance, the company is testing a fast-rising, false-bottom floor that has been installed in the same pool in which Brancheau was killed. If the tests are successful, SeaWorld plans to install the floors in every killer-whale pool it owns.
SeaWorld has also designed vests for trainers to wear that contain emergency air supplies in case they are pulled underwater. Trainers have been conditioning the whales to ignore the vests when they are in the water.
But even if SeaWorld successfully implements all of its changes, they may not be adequate to meet OSHA's "physical barrier" recommendation. And if SeaWorld resumes water work anyway, it risks a far stiffer penalty — one that could reach as much as $7,000 a day.
Art Sapper, a partner in the OSHA practice group of the Washington law firm McDermott Will & Emery, said one of the primary reasons companies contest OSHA citations is because they don't think — or simply aren't sure whether — they can resolve the cited condition to the extent that OSHA has proposed.
"You can't effectively promise the federal government, at the risk of jeopardizing your company, that you're going to abate if you're not sure you can," Sapper said.
SeaWorld has other reasons to contest OSHA's citation. The "willful" finding, for instance, could increase the company's exposure to civil lawsuits. And it is a stain on the reputation of a business that depends on a positive brand image to help it lure millions of visitors through its gates every year.
"Any company that has respect for its reputation does not want the federal government to say it willfully took a man's life," said Buzzy Riis, an Alabama lawyer with the firm Hand Arendall who specializes in defending companies against OSHA.
SeaWorld declined to discuss its challenge in detail, though it called OSHA's findings "unfounded."
"These allegations are completely baseless, unsupported by any evidence or precedent, and reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the safety requirements associated with marine-mammal care," the company said in a statement. "The safety
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-seaworld-osha-hearing-advance-20110916,0,5873065.story




Probing Poop For Cellulose-Chomping Microbes
In the search for ways to break down tough plant material like cellulose into biofuel, researchers are looking in odd places—like the feces of pandas, zebras and giraffes. Biochemist Ashli Brown and microbiologist David Mullin discuss the microbes that inhabit the guts of herbivores.
Well, I'm going to bring up a topic that I never thought I'd really talk much about. I'll tell you why. You already know how we make biofuels, like ethanol, from raw materials like we eat - corn, starch, cane sugar - and how we compete for those things, right? Do you want food? Do you want fuel? Well, that's the easier thing to do. That's why we do it, because it's easy. But there is a harder thing to do, and the harder to figure out is an economical way to squeeze energy out of tough woody plant matter full of stringy cellulose, like wood chips and switchgrass and even newspapers, things that we don't eat.
My next guests are both looking for the answer in an unusual place: poop. If you think about it, it actually makes a lot of sense. Animals that dine on fibrous things like - animals like pandas and zebras and giraffes - they extract
http://www.npr.org/2011/09/16/140537852/probing-poop-for-cellulose-chomping-microbes




Turtle survives aquarium inferno
A turtle miraculously survived an inferno in an aquarium which was so hot it boiled water in some tanks and killed hundreds of fish.
The blaze at the Mapua Aquarium near Nelson was one of three fires in the area early yesterday morning believed to have been the work of arsonists.
Fire investigator Lewis Jones said the fire caused "total destruction'' in the building and was so intense it boiled water in some of the tanks and caused
http://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/178003/turtle-survives-aquarium-inferno





Accident ends tragic life of lion carer
Karen Greybrook - former partner of "Lion Man" Craig Busch - has died following a freak accident.
Greybrook was a key figure in The Lion Man television show, hand-raising cubs, caring for big cats and even taking a lion on a beach walk from their home at Zion Wildlife Gardens near Whangarei.
The gates to the park are closed to casual visitors after receivers took over in July, and the park this month went into liquidation.
In 2007, Busch was convicted of two charges of assaulting Greybrook two years earlier. She suffered a fractured vertebrae, bruising and a cut head during the assault, which occurred after he found her in bed with another
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10750866




Northern Leopard Frog showing improved numbers
Finding egg masses for the endangered northern leopard frog (Lithobates pipiens) is not an easy task. Once widespread throughout south eastern B.C. there are now only two known wild breeding areas remaining in the province. So when biologists from the Fish and Wildlife Compensation Program (FWCP) located 17 egg masses during the spring breeding season of 2011 - the most since the Northern Leopard Frog Recovery Project got underway in 1996 - they were ecstatic.
This is one of many projects the FWCP has led on behalf of its program partners BC Hydro, the Province of B.C. and Fisheries and Oceans Canada who work together to conserve and enhance fish and wildlife in British Columbia. Approximately one-third of FWCP projects focus on species-at-risk such as the northern leopard frog which is federally endangered, and red-listed provincially.
"Typically we only find between six and nine egg masses each year
http://www.dailybulletin.ca/article/20110916/KIMBERLEY0101/309169996/-1/kimberley01/northern-leopard-frog-showing-improved-numbers



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