Zoo News Digest 28th July 2017 (ZooNews 964)
Peter Dickinson
elvinhow@gmail.com
Dear Colleague,
I was saddened to
learn that the Thai authorities have once again ordered Edwin Weik of https://www.wfft.org/ to stop rescuing
wildlife in Thailand and hand over all animals to authorities. If it were not
for Edwin and his supporters the tigers would still be in the Tiger Temple
being abused. Edwin does some excellent work in very difficult circumstances.
One wonders just why they want him to stop.
I see the Tiger and
Goat story is doing the rounds again. You won't find it in the links below
though. Absolutely pointless cruelty feeding live animals to tigers in the
first place.
Tomorrow is
International (Global) Tiger Day. It still remains that one of the biggest
threats to tigers is some zoos. International Tiger
Day
I know when I post
the right article when I see the comment "Why is ZooNews Digest posting
this?"…..That article, whatever it is will generate the most comments and
discussion. That is just what ZooNews Digest is about. Education.
It strikes me that
some zoos are going to do a big re-think on their attractions or end up one the
Expedia black list.
Dear Colleague,
I was saddened to
learn that the Thai authorities have once again ordered Edwin Weik of https://www.wfft.org/ to stop rescuing
wildlife in Thailand and hand over all animals to authorities. If it were not
for Edwin and his supporters the tigers would still be in the Tiger Temple
being abused. Edwin does some excellent work in very difficult circumstances.
One wonders just why they want him to stop.
I see the Tiger and
Goat story is doing the rounds again. You won't find it in the links below
though. Absolutely pointless cruelty feeding live animals to tigers in the
first place.
Tomorrow is
International (Global) Tiger Day. It still remains that one of the biggest
threats to tigers is some zoos. International Tiger
Day
I know when I post
the right article when I see the comment "Why is ZooNews Digest posting
this?"…..That article, whatever it is will generate the most comments and
discussion. That is just what ZooNews Digest is about. Education.
It strikes me that
some zoos are going to do a big re-think on their attractions or end up one the
Expedia black list.
Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 61,000 Followers on Facebook and has a weekly reach often exceeding over 350,000 people? That ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 823 Zoos in 154+ countries? That the subscriber list for the mail out reads like a 'Zoos Who's Who?'
If you are a subscriber to the email version then you probably knew this already. You would also know that ZooNews Digest pre-dates any of the others. It was there before FaceBook. It was there shortly after the internet became popular and was a 'Blog' before the word had been invented. ZooNews Digest reaches zoo people.
Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 61,000 Followers on Facebook and has a weekly reach often exceeding over 350,000 people? That ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 823 Zoos in 154+ countries? That the subscriber list for the mail out reads like a 'Zoos Who's Who?'
If you are a subscriber to the email version then you probably knew this already. You would also know that ZooNews Digest pre-dates any of the others. It was there before FaceBook. It was there shortly after the internet became popular and was a 'Blog' before the word had been invented. ZooNews Digest reaches zoo people.
Sanctuaries in
Africa offer to take exotic pets from UAE following amnesty
Two sanctuaries
based in Namibia and Kenya have offered to take wild animals owned by wealthy
people in the UAE following an amnesty period that allowed animals to be
rehomed.
The deadline was
July 1 and two of the largest havens for rescued cheetahs and chimpanzees say
they have yet to be contacted despite efforts to form links with private owners
of wild animals in the UAE.
Patricia Tricorache,
at the Cheetah Conservation Fund, said her research into illegal sales
estimates that as many as 500 of the wild cats could be held privately in the
UAE.
Sanctuaries like the
one run by the CCF for illegally traded cats are crucial for the survival of
the species, as many would not survive if returned to the wild.
In January 2014 a
group of CCF experts visited the UAE to train veterinarians and cheetah-housing
facilities in cheetah care.
“We hoped that
through this training we could improve conditions for pet cheetahs,” said Ms
Tricorache. “However, there is much secrecy on this issue, so we are unable to
determine whether the training improved conditions for some of the pet cheetahs
in the country.”
Despite forging
links with cheetah owners in the UAE, the CCF has not been contacted by any
owners about sending some of the captive animals to Namibia.
Federal law 2 of
2016 regulates the possession, trade a
Modern Manners: Zoos
and aquarium etiquette — Should ethics be a factor in your trip?
This week’s column
has to do with a popular summer activity for people of all ages — going to the
zoo or an aquarium.
There is a long
history of displaying animals for the viewing pleasure of humans. According to
a timeline on CBC Radio Canada (cbc.ca/doczone/features/history-of-zoos), the
earliest known zoo dates back to 3500 BC in Hierakonpolis, Egypt, once a large
urban center. In 1000 BC, Chinese Emperor Wen Wang founded the Garden of
Intelligence, which covered 1,500 acres with animals housed in metal cages in a
park setting, and has a name which alludes to the educational potential of
establishments like these.
Jump to 1752, and
the oldest zoo still in existence, the Tiergarten Schonbrunn, was opened in
Vienna, Austria. In 1814, the first North American zoo called Down’s Zoological
Gardens was opened in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1853, the first public aquarium
was opened in the London Zoo. The first zoo that opened in the United States
was the Philadelphia Zoo, which opened in 1890 after being delayed 15 years due
to the Civil War.
In 1924, the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded and establishment must pass their
inspection for accreditation. Since then, many zoos have opened, some with an
emphasis on a more safari type experience where you can see animals roam in
open spaces similar to their natural habitats.
In recent years,
zoos and aquariums have been scrutinized over the treatment of their animals,
and some have made changes to accommodate the animals to live a life closed to
what they would in the wild. While I often have ethical questions regarding the
captivity of animals in climates t
Is cuddling tiger
cubs conservation? Experts warn it leads to too many tigers languishing in
cages
A lifelong animal
lover, Lisa Graham was intrigued when she saw photos on social media of friends
cuddling and petting baby tigers at zoos.
So she made a trip
from Lutz for her daughter's 11th birthday to Dade City's Wild Things,
wondering what it would feel like that close to a tiger.
But when the Wild
Things volunteer walked to their picnic table cradling a cub, barely old enough
to stand, her excitement turned to pity.
The cub, she said,
was lethargic, barely moved. She wondered if it was even old enough to be away
from its mother.
As Graham and her
daughter took turns stroking the cub's fuzzy coat, cupping its face, the
volunteer repeatedly reminded them no personal pictures were allowed.
"I thought it
was a little strange they were so adamant about no pictures being taken,"
Graham said. "When we started walking around, I knew immediately why. This
is cruel."
In the forests and
swamps of their native Asia, wild tigers are at extinction's doorstep.
Killed off by
poachers for their bones and hide, and run out of habitats by human intruders,
only an estimated 3,000 remain in nature.
But across the world
from their native lands — in roadside zoos, suburban back yards, highway rest
stops, and cement cages — an overpopulation of captive tigers is swelling in
the United States.
More than 10,000 big
cats are thought to be living in captivity in America, but exact numbers are
impossible to know as some states have no laws on keeping tigers as pets. There
is also no reliable reporting system for those who breed and ship cubs over state
lines, hopelessly blurring inventory counts the federal government is supposed
to take each year on licensed exhibitors.
No practice is
fueling the overpopulation faster than the cottage industry of cub encounters,
where tourists can shell out hundreds of dollars to cuddle and swim with
weeks-old tigers at zoos.
The business model
depends on having a steady stream of babies. But when cubs outgrow the photo-op
stage by 40 pounds, the unwanted adults, with instincts to roam dozens of
miles, often end up in the pet trade or languish in cages at roadside zoos,
said Meredith Whitney, Animal Rescue Officer for the International Fund for
Animal Welfare.
RM15mil sanctuary
for elephants soon
Johor Health,
Environment, Information and Education Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat
said a contractor was appointed in May to start work on the 100ha project.
“The first phase
will see about 15 elephants being housed in the sanctuary located along Jalan
Lombong, not far from the Kota Tinggi waterfall, where the wild animals can
roam freely,” he said.
He said the first
phase was scheduled for completion at the end of next year and with that, help
improve the conflict between wild elephants and humans in Kluang and Kota
Tinggi.
He added that the
sanctuary would also doubled as a tourism attraction for nature lovers to get
close to the elephants.
“Johor’s vast
forests are habitats to about 140 wild elephants where Segamat, Kluang, Mersing
and Kota Tinggi are their stomping grounds,” he said.
MEET NORAH, THE
BUFFALO ZOO’S NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO
As many members
already know, the Buffalo Zoo has a new President and CEO. Norah Fletchall took
over as the head of the Zoo at the end of May. She comes to Buffalo from the
Indianapolis Zoo where she served as COO.
We sat down with Norah and asked her some questions so that Western New
Yorkers can get to know Norah better as she starts her new role here at the
Buffalo Zoo.
When did you become
interested in working with animals and what was your first job in the Zoo
field?
From falling in love
with horses as a youngster to spending hours fishing with my family I have
always felt very connected to animals. My first job in the zoo field came
purely by chance when I answered a classified ad for zookeepers at the St.
Louis Zoo. With a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences and my experience with
horses and cattle I quickly found myself caring for hooved animals ranging from
sheep to kudu to giraffes and zebras. Within weeks I knew this was the career
for me.
Beyond One
Health—Zoological Medicine in the Anthropocene
In contrast to some
of the well-established core disciplines of veterinary medicine, such as
radiology, surgery, and internal medicine, zoological medicine is often
perceived as a relatively recent development. However, as early as 1831, local
veterinary practitioner Charles Spooner became the first zoo veterinarian at
the London Zoological Garden in the United Kingdom. Shortly thereafter, he was
followed by William Youatt, who remained in that position for 17 years while
also establishing the world’s first veterinary journal, the Veterinarian, which
reported on the diseases of wild animals. In 1865, the zoo also hired a
pathologist. During the same period, in 1870, Max Schmidt, the director of the
Zoological Garden in Frankfurt am Main in Germany, wrote Vergleichende
Pathologie und Pathologische Anatomie der Säugetiere und Vögel (Comparative
Pathology and Pathological Anatomy of mammals and Birds) (1). In North America,
the Philadelphia Zoo employed a pathologist in 1901, and in the same year the
New York Zoological Society (now the Wildlife Conservation Society) established
the first zoological m
On Patrol With The
Rangers of Tangkahan
The Leuser is one of
the most biodiverse and important ecosystems ever described and is under
serious threat from logging, oil palm, mining, roading and the Aceh spatial
plan. It forms part of the largest wilderness area in South East Asia and is
vital to the health of the entire planet, storing millions of tons of Carbon in
its ancient peat swamp forests.
Animal Park big cat
keeper Amy Waller: ‘My dad still has nightmares!’
When talking to
Longleat’s Team Manager of Carnivores, Amy Waller, the Wizard of Oz lyrics
‘Lions and tigers and bears – oh my!’ spring to mind.
This year Amy
celebrates her 10th anniversary at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire!
What’s on TV talked
to the experienced zookeeper about how she came to have this unusual job and
why she’s still not used to seeing herself on BBC1’s Animal Park with Kate
Humble and Ben Fogle…
Zookeeper isn’t an
every day job – how did it happen?
“I’ve always had a
passion for animals. I grew up five minutes away from Longleat and used to hear
the lions roaring from our house, it’s probably when my interest started. But I
never thought it was something I could do as a career! Instead I did a degree
in landscape architecture. When I finished university I came home and needed a
job, so I applied for summer work at Longleat – and I’ve been here ever since!”
So you worked your
way up?
“Yes, it started as
a seasonal job 10 years ago! I’ve worked my way up and am now team manager of
the carnivores. All my experience has been working on the job. I absolutely
love it! Later in this series of Animal Park you’ll see I was lucky enough to
go to Kenya and learn more about lions. It’s incredible I w
Zoos & Animal
parks in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has
more than 30 zoos or animal parks. Most of these belong to the Dutch Animal
Park Association (NVD), and the larger ones are also part of the European
Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Varying greatly in size, shape and
popularity, these institutions can be found all around the Netherlands, both in
remote nature areas and in the centres of big Dutch cities.
History of the zoos
in the Netherlands
Zoos have existed in
the Netherlands since 1838. They were initially showpieces for the elite, but
were soon welcoming less rich citizens as well. The status and fame that went
with showcasing exotic species by far outweighed the welfare of the animals. Many
of the older zoos were originally founded by people with no previous expertise
in animal care, and grew from curious private collections to generally
accessible attractions.
Dutch zoos today
Today, zoos no
longer solely serve the purpose of entertainment. The parks educate visitors on
the many animal species that roam our world, and form a platform for pursuing
animal rights, preservation and welfare, as well as discussing the boundaries
between using and abusing nature.
How to become a
conservation data scientist
I met Dr. Dalia
Conde for the first time in July at our staff retreat in Minnesota. Her
personality is as big as her passion for her work. Picture a biologist who has
tagged jaguars in the rainforest, a conservation scientist advocating the value
of data for her work, and a leader casually riding her bicycle through the
office with a huge smile on her face. Even if you weren’t already committed to
conservation, you couldn’t help but be inspired by her infectious energy and
vision.
Training With A
Laser Pointer
The Human Specie is
an interesting specie to work with. They have strong social bonds and detailed
complex thinking. Some are extraordinary smart and some are super fit. I think
its very interesting how people respond to situations and there for I can just
look at people for a long time. Just to see their behaviour. I would like to
call this Popcorn time. Why people give responses the way they do are in many
cases a learned behaviour from previous experiences. What makes popcorn time
fun to have. Over time you acknowledge moments you had before and know how to
respond to them because you experienced it before. Its similar to animals,
animals learn on the way. There are apes out there who use tools such as rocks
to crack nuts. We know rocks could be dangers for our fingers. When such an
apes uses this rock and doesn’t have an idea about the danger it will learn at
one point the dangerous matter by hitting his fingers. The funny part is the
animal still keeps going because of the motivation of the nut he wants. Trial
and Error a lot of us call these survival strategies. Its very interesting how
and why people do what they do and its even more interesting when we talk about
animals.
A personal thought
came to my mind when my sister visited me last month. We had some talks about
drinking water etc and that’s where I remember a friend of mine I used to dance
with. He studied in a school for sports and he said to me one day “Peter it is
actually very simple, in your whole life you have to take care of one thing and
that’s yourself”. I thought “oke” back then but now I think yeah that makes a
lot of sense actually. I mean nobody will poor water in your body accept
yourself. Nobody can make you fit if y
Bienvenue! French
zoo announces first ever panda pregnancy
A scan by zoo vets
on Wednesday revealed that Huan Huan, on loan to Beauval zoo in central France
from China along with her male partner Yuan Zi, is expecting her first cub.
"It's
exceptional. We just exploded in joy as we've been waiting such a long time for
this moment," the zoo's communications director Delphine Delord told AFP.
"It also gives
us hope for the conservation of pandas, which in nature are in danger of
extinction."
The nine-year-old
pandas are the only giant pandas living in France, and they arrived in Beauval
in 2012 after intense, high-level negotiations between Paris and Beijing.
Only 19 zoos around
the world, outside China, have been allowed to house pandas.
But breeding pandas,
in captivity or in the wild, is notoriously
Elderly Przewalski’s
Horse Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Keepers at the
Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Minnesota, a Przewalski’s
horse who was humanely euthanized yesterday morning. At 29 years old, Minnesota
was considered geriatric for his species; the median life expectancy for male
Przewalski’s horses is 15 years in human care. A final pathology report will
provide more information.
Animal care staff
had been closely monitoring Minnesota for health issues related to his advanced
age, including chronic dental disease, weight loss and lethargy. Working
closely with Zoo nutritionists, keepers modified Minnesota’s diet to ensure
that he was receiving the optimal amount of daily nutrients. When his condition
did not improve, Zoo veterinarians anesthetized Minnesota to try to determine
the underlying cause of his symptoms. Despite conducting a full physical exam
and analyzing blood samples, veterinarians were unable to determine the exact
cause of illness. Over the weekend, staff determined that his quality of life
had worsened and elected to humanely euthanize Minnesota based on his poor
long-term prognosis.
Born at the
Minnesota Zoo April 10, 1988, Minnesota arrived at the Smithsonian Conservation
Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Va., in June 2004. He came to the Zoo
in June 2005 but returned to SCBI in February 2008. In 2014, Minnesota came
back to Washington, D.C., to serve as a non-breeding companion for Rose-Marie,
the Zoo’s 31-year-old female Przewalski’s horse. Keepers describe Minnesota as
a good-natured horse who was very attentive to Rose-Marie and stuck close by
her side whenever they explored their habitat.
Most zoo animals
participate in a breeding program called the S
Dubai Safari Park
animals will have best facilities, says director
Dubai Safari Park’s
technical director says it animals will have the best facilities when the
attraction opens its doors to the public.
Following pressure
from wildlife groups in Africa about the importation of animals, Timothy
Husband insisted baby elephants and other animals in Dubai will not be used for
rides.
Reports that a
Swedish-owned game farm in Namibia allowed the capture and export of five baby
elephants for Dubai were denied.
Mr Husband said the
new attraction will be a market leader when it opens later this year, or early
2018.
The wild animal
specialist and zoo keeper was bought in by Dubai Municipality three years ago
to oversee the new park, and use his 40 years of knowledge to help create a
safe, animal-friendly environment.
Desert elephants
from Namibia were chosen as they are regarded as adaptable to the harsh UAE
climate.
He said there was
never a plan to import wild elephants, but he was hoping to import older
elephants who had been rescued in Namibia.
“The elephants I
chose were going to be culled,” Mr Husband said. “They were teenagers. We were
never going to take babies, as they must be schooled by adults.
“If you have babies
without adults, they will become delinquent and unmanageable. The elephants I
was looking at in Namibia were around 10 years old.
“We changed our path
from the company that was supplying them, as we were not comfortable using
them.”
Humans go ape over
bellowing gibbon at Nagoya zoo
A punky gibbon has
shot to stardom here because his bellowing roar sounds like he's aping a
drunken middle-aged office worker bungee jumping off a skyscraper in the bowels
of a bar-packed downtown district on a particularly boisterous Friday night.
Quite ironic since
those type of roaring "ossan" (a nonsubtle way of saying "oldish
guy" in Japan) cause most of us to run a mile when encountered in everyday
life.
The male siamang
Keiji, however, is pulling in punters at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens
due to what is being called the "ossan's call."
Plant hormone boost
for New Zealand’s critically endangered night parrot
New Zealand’s
nocturnal and flightless parrot, the kākāpō, may be famous for trying to mate
with the head of biologist Mark Carwardine, but this unique species is facing
some serious challenges.
With fewer than 160
birds alive, kākāpō are critically endangered. One reason for their dwindling
numbers is that they only breed every few years, when native trees produce
masses of edible fruit or seeds.
Our research
suggests that the birds’ breeding success depends on oestrogen-like hormones
(phytoestrogens) found in these native plants.
Death of four cubs
at Islamabad zoo: negligence or infanticide?
Four cubs, at the
Islamabad Zoo, that died earlier this month were fed high intakes of Welmingnch
milk as an alternative to lioness milk that turned out to be a slow poison for
the cubs, experts believe.
Marghzar Zoo Deputy
Director Veterinary Dr Bilal Khijli claim that all of four cubs born to an
African lioness died early July after lioness distanced herself from her cubs
and stopped feeding them; alternate lioness milk [very costly to import] was
not available in Pakistan, so authority was left with no other option but to
feed them Welmingnch milk [as spelled by Dr Bilal Khijli], after consulting
with experts. As a result, all of them died.
When contacted, Dr
Ali Ayaz of NGO Animal Shelters said that powder milk cannot replace the milk
of lioness; though, the said Welmingnch milk is artificial milk and it requires
a specific process of diluting a minute quantity of powder with water.
In a case of failure
to match the quantity or overfeeding, it can cause dire consequences. He said
there must
Dubai Safari Park to
include sanctuary for rescued exotic animals
A sanctuary for
exotic animals rescued from illegal private collections or handed in during an
amnesty will form an important part of the new Dubai Safari Park.
More than 1,000
animals from the ageing Dubai Zoo in Jumeirah will also be transferred to the
new 119-hectare site near Dragonmart.
Hundreds of
indigenous birds could also be released back into the wild from the closing
zoo, including a flock of about 100 cormorants.
The new park will
house a quarantine facility to temporarily house any exotic pets that are
handed in, before they can be rehomed.
That will be either
in the park itself, or to other registered facilities that meet the relevant
criteria of good care and professionalism.
“People can
surrender their animals here,” said the park’s technical director, Timothy
Husband.
“We have a policy if
the animal looks like it has recently been wild caught. We have a great
connection with Emirates airline where we can get these animals back to the
wild, or a sanctuary in the wild.
“If it looks as if
they are captive bred, we can assess them if they are genetically good by
looking at their health and by taking a blood sample we can enter them into an
international stud pool.
“It takes about a
year for an animal to go through that process. It’s like working on a stolen
car to make it legal again to drive. It is a slow process.
“We can offer these
animals to other zoos, but they must meet our high standards.”
Wild animal experts
estimate as many as 100 cheetahs could be held illegally in private zoos and
collections in the UAE.
An amnesty on exotic
pets owned in the UAE expired on July 1, but owners wishing to surrender their
pets are advised they should still consider handing them over to authorities to
be rehomed.
Federal Law No2 of
2016 regulates the possession, trade and breeding of dangerous animals, and
came into force at the turn of the year.
Those found in
possession of such pets could face a Dh100,000 fine under new laws.
Sharjah imposed an
emirate-wide ban in late 2014 but continues to find such animals in private
ownership.
As we reported last
month, lions, dangerous snakes and distinctive birds were among 14 creatures to
be confiscated from private properties in the emirate.
Animals such as
cheetahs have also been found in the past.
“We don’t know
exactly how many cheetahs are illegally kept as pets in the UAE, but I have
heard somewhere between 100 and 500,” said Patricia Tricorache at the Cheetah
Conservation Fund.
“Research I’ve been
carrying out of online advertisements for cheetahs in the Arabian Peninsula
includes over 1,200 cheetahs offered for sale between 2012 and 2016.
“If at least 100 pet
cheetahs in the UAE are subject to the new law, they will need more than one
facility to house them.”
Even in professional
facilities, the death rate for captive-bred cheetah cubs less than six months
old is more than 30 per cent, according to the 2015 International Cheetah
Studbook – an online voluntary register of captive cheetahs around the world.
Mandai eco-link for
animals to be ready by end-2019
An elevated wildlife
crossing in Mandai will be ready for animals to use by the end of 2019,
allowing creatures such as the Sunda pangolin and lesser mouse deer to move
between forested areas in the upcoming eco-tourism hub.
The 44m-wide
eco-link, which will be 9m above ground and span the width of Mandai Lake Road,
is part of developer Mandai Park Holdings' (MPH) plan to facilitate safe
crossings for animals. Over the years, there have been reports of animals
ending up as roadkill as they attempt to cross Mandai Lake Road.
Yesterday, MPH gave
details of the bridge, and announced a slew of other green measures for the
area, now that construction for the nature hub is under way. By 2023, a new
Rainforest Park and relocated Bird Park will join the existing trio of
attractions there - the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari.
Turkey mobilizes to
save zoo animals from war-torn Syria
lready tackling the
humanitarian aspect of the Syrian crisis that has displaced millions and killed
thousands of people, Turkey is now turning to zoo animals in danger amid the
ongoing war.
Several animals in a
zoo affected by clashes in Aleppo were evacuated in a joint operation by a
Turkish animal rights group, the Austria-based animal charity Four Paws, and
the Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry, which oversees the national park
authority that provides shelter for wild animals. Three lions, two tigers, two
bears and two hyenas were among the survivors of the intense clashes in Aleppo
and were transferred to a wildlife shelter in the Karacabey district of the
northwestern city of Bursa. The animals will be rehabilitated for the trauma
they suffered in the bombed-out Syrian city and for injuries they sustained at
the abandoned Magic World Zoo. After their treatment, they will be housed in
animal shelters in Karacabey. During the second stage of the rescue operation,
officials plan to evacuate two more lions as well as two dogs from the Syrian
city on July 29.
Speaking about the
issue, Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu said wildlife is a
shared heritage of the international community and they are committed to actio
My family and other
Aspinalls: exclusive interview with Damian Aspinall's wife Victoria
The first day that
Victoria Aspinall visited Howletts, the sprawling wild animal park in Kent that
she now calls home, the arm of her white Burberry blouse was pulled clean off
by an overly amorous gorilla. A salutary tale should follow about how designer
labels and animals don’t mix but Victoria fell for the gorilla trick, which is
lucky for the man who is now her husband, the conservationist Damian Aspinall –
because if you fall for Damian you’ve got to fall for his gorillas, too.
2017 Orangutan SSP
Husbandry Survey
Dozens of Laotian
elephants 'illegally sold to Chinese zoos'
Dozens of elephants
from Laos are being illegally bought by China to be displayed in zoos and
safari parks across the country, according to wildlife investigator and
film-maker Karl Ammann.
According to Ammann,
so-called captive elephants in Laos sell for about £23,000 before being walked
across the border into China by handlers or “mahouts” near the border town of
Boten. Thereafter they are transported to receiving facilities, which buy them
from the agents for up to £230,000 per animal. “That is a nice mark-up,” says
Ammann, “and makes it exactly the kind of commercial transaction which under
Cites rules is not acceptable.”
Ammann and his crew
stumbled on the illicit trade between Laos and China earlier this year, while
investigating the sale of 16 Asian elephants from Laos to a safari park in
Dubai. None of the elephants had the necessary permits for export. The
translocation was stopped by a direct order from the new Laotian prime minister
at the last moment, while an Emirates Airlines Cargo 747 was already on the
tarmac in Vientiane, the country’s capital.
Scale of pangolin
slaughter revealed – millions hunted in central Africa alone
The true scale of
the slaughter of pangolins in Africa has been revealed by new research showing
that millions of the scaly mammals are being hunted and killed.
Pangolins were
already known to be the world’s most trafficked wild mammal, with at least a
million being traded in the last decade to supply the demand for its meat and
scales in Asian markets. Populations of Asian pangolins have been decimated,
leaving the creatures highly endangered and sharply shifting the focus of
exploitation to Africa’s four species.
Pangolins are
secretive, nocturnal and some species live in trees, making them very hard to
count and the total size of the populations in Africa is unknown. But the new
analysis, based on data collected by hundreds of local researchers at scores of
hunting sites and bushmeat markets across central and west Africa, found up to
2.7m are being killed every year, with the most conservative estimate being
400,000 a year.
The Battle Over
2,500-Year-Old Shelters Made of Poop
Far up the coast of
this ice-dominated island—north of the Arctic Circle; north of the glacier that
spawned the Titanic-sinking iceberg; and north of the northernmost American
military base—two birds of prey are locked in a vicious battle for food and territory.
Kurt Burnham has
spent the past decade watching the fight take shape. He studies falcons at the
High Arctic Institute, in Orion, Illinois, and he has traveled to Greenland
most of the summers of his life.
For many of those
trips, he helped survey peregrine falcons that use western Greenland as a
summer nesting ground. But about a decade ago, he began tracking something new.
As climate change tempered the Arctic’s frigid summers, peregrines were
expanding their range north—farther north, he found, than there were ever
records of them traveling before. Peregrine pairs began returning, summer after
summer, to nest on the island’s northernmost cliffs.
They were not alone
there. Another bird of prey, the gyrfalcon,
Understanding the
Public’s Trust in Zoos and Aquariums
In the latest
edition of their Destinology research series, St. Louis-based design firm PGAV
Destinations probes the public’s views in Communicating Conservation:
Strengthening the Public’s Trust.
Conducted in
partnership with H2R Market Research, Destinology surveyed 1,006 people across
America to better understand their perception of conservation and the role of
zoos and aquariums.
“More than
three-fourths of our respondents support wildlife conservation and are looking
for ways to participate in it,” says John Kemper, Vice President and head of
Zoo Design at PGAV Destinations. “And these respondents aren’t just members –
they’re people who don’t even regularly visit zoos and aquariums.”
One of the most
striking findings of Communicating Conservation is that the public’s number-one
priority is that the care of the animals in residence must be exceptional.
Guests want to be sure that a zoo or aquarium’s animals are receiving the best
care possible, before they can be comfortable enough to support the
institution’s conservation initiatives.
The report begins by
exploring 2016 national visitor trends at zoos and aquariums: visitation rates,
Penguin enclosure is
turned into a blood bath after urban fox breaks into Chessington zoo and
slaughters EIGHT BIRDS
Zoo staff at
Chessington World of Adventures have been accused of lying to customers after
it emerged eight of its penguins were slaughtered by a fox.
Visitors to the zoo
have been greeted by a cordoned off 'Penguin Bay' after the incident at the end
of June, and were told it was because of 'remodelling'.
But they have now
said a savage 'urban fox' killed the birds, with one source claiming it
happened when the penguins were not being monitored correctly.
The playful 'Penguin
Bay' was quietly cordoned off after the incident and a sign was placed on the
enclosure gate after management apparently kept the news internal.
The sign stated:
'Our Humboldt Penguins are currently enjoying their other home
behind-the-scenes while we make alterations to Penguin Bay.'
The only penguins on
show to park visitors at the moment are those made from fibreglass, after eight
of their famous flightless birds were killed and one maimed.
Employees at the
world famous park were apparently warned not to talk about the fox attack.
Statement on the above:
Cotswold Wildlife
Park escaped wolf shot dead
A wolf has been shot
dead after it escaped from Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire.
Visitors to the park
were told to stay indoors when the female animal, named Ember, was discovered
outside the perimeter fence at 11:00 BST on Friday.
The park's managing
director said staff tried to tranquilise the three-year-old Eurasian wolf, but
it was out of range.
Earlier this year
Ember gave birth to five cubs, the first wolves to be born at the park in its
47-year history.
Visitor Penelope
Bennett said on Twitter: "Wolf on the loose at the Cotswold Wildlife Park
and we are all shut in the walled garden."
STATEMENT on the above:
Investigation Outcome
July 2017
The investigation
following the sad events on Friday 21st July concluded that there was no breach
of the Wolf enclosure perimeter fence, and no access had been left unlocked or
open. However, it did reveal a problem with the electric fencing around the enclosure’s
perimeter. The wiring is powered independently, away from the mains
electricity, by a fence energiser. The voltage is tested every day by the
keepers, using a hand-held fence reader, and the readings are logged. During
the routine test on Friday 21st July, the reading revealed no abnormalities and
was consistent with other readings dating back to the enclosure’s construction
in 2006. But a second fence reader showed a much lower reading. Further tests
on-site proved that the fence energiser had developed a fault, and this is now
being investigated by the manufacturers. The original fence reader also proved
faulty for giving the initial and incorrect high reading. The Wolf enclosure
was immediately fitted with a new energiser and a new sensor has also been
installed for the daily checks. It is believed the failure of both pieces of
equipment contributed to the Wolf escaping the enclosure.
At no point during
this incident were any of our visitors in any danger. The safety and well-being
of all our visitors is our first priority. We are confident that this incident
was an isolated case and that the replacement equipment, combined with an even
more intensive electric fence-testing regime, will ensure that our Wolf
enclosure will provide a safe and secure home for our Wolves.
Since Friday,
keepers are optimistic about Ash’s behaviour towards his cubs. Ash, our male
wolf, is displaying encouraging ‘natural’ behaviour as a single parent to his
ten-week-old cubs, who are close to being fully weaned. The cubs, a mix of both
male and female, are now eating naturally as they would in the wild with the
support of their father. Other than ensuring plentiful, regular and appropriate
food supplies, the keepers maintain a “hands off” policy. This means that we
must let nature take its course, in accordance with the guidelines of the
European Captive Breeding Programme, in which the Park participates. We must
also bear in mind that Ash is young and this is his first litter. However, we
remain confident that the cubs will continue to grow from strength to strength,
that Ember’s genetic heritage will endure, and that her life, though short,
will have been worthwhile.
The school holidays
have begun – as always, we have a full programme of events to enhance our
visitors’ time in the Park and to maximise their experience with the animals.
We have all the relevant safety measure in place to ensure a safe and secure
visit for everyone – now and in the future.
Lions And Monkeys
And Bears Used To Live In The Tower Of London
Despite its 940-year
history, the Tower of London still manages to keep many of its secrets under
lock and key. Did you know, for instance, that beefeaters have their own pub
there, or that recently it hosted a Game of Thrones world premiere?
In the first episode
of a new podcast about London’s unknown history, the team from Fierce City have
delved deep into the archives to shed light on another of the Tower’s
surprising features: its menagerie. Here, we share some of their findings on
the zoo that stood for more than 600 years.
Lions and tigers and
bears, oh my!
Henry I, the fourth
son of William the Conqueror, founded Britain’s first zoo at Oxford’s Woodstock
Park in 1100. Although ensnared by the exotic appeal of leopards and lynxes,
his primary concern wasn’t animal welfare: the creatures were released to indulge
his pastime of hunting.
A hundred years
later, King John brought the animals to London and the Tower menagerie was
established, eventually settling near its main Western entrance, where the gift
shop now stands. Over the coming centuries, the building would host zebras, ti
Last orca calf born
in captivity at a SeaWorld park dies
The last killer
whale born in captivity under SeaWorld’s former orca-breeding program died
Monday at the company’s San Antonio park, SeaWorld said.
Veterinarians were
treating 3-month-old Kyara for an infection last weekend, but her health
continued to decline, the Orlando-based company said in a news release.
“Kyara had a
tremendous impact on the entire zoological team, not to mention all of the
guests that had the chance to see her,” San Antonio trainer Julie Sigman said
in a statement. “The heart and support that has gone into caring for her
throughout Takara’s pregnancy until today has been amazing. As animal
caregivers we dedicate our lives to these animals, and this loss will be felt
throughout the entire SeaWorld family.”
Since first orca
capture, views have changed (2008)
A veterinary team
will conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the ca
Sabah wildlife park
must be relocated: State minister
Sabah’s Lok Kawi
Wildlife Park must be relocated in order for it be managed successfully, said
Sabah’s tourism, culture and environment minister Masidi Manjun.
The minister said
that the park’s current location in Lok Kawi was fairly congested and not fully
utilised due to its hilly terrain.
“If we are looking
ahead, then we have to move to bigger and better forests. Wildlife shouldn’t be
contained in small enclosures. It is difficult to see them in real natural
habitat in small enclosures,” he said, adding that the proposal to relocate the
park started a few years ago.
The land in question
in Sugud, located in an adjacent district nearby, will be more than 10 times
the size of the current park at 1,619 hectares compared to 113 hectares but is
currently gazetted as a firewood reserve for the local villagers.
Other leaders,
namely deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin has object
Snooty, world's
oldest manatee in captivity, dies in 'heartbreaking accident,' 2 days after
birthday
Snooty, the oldest
manatee in captivity and the most popular manatee in the Tampa Bay Area passed
away Sunday morning after just turning 69 years old on Friday.
The Museum says
Snooty's death was a heartbreaking accident.
In a press release
sent out Sunday morning, officials with the museum say Snooty was found in an
underwater area only used to access plumbing for the exhibit life support
system. They say early indications are that an access panel door that is
normally bolted shut had somehow been knocked loose and somehow Snooty was able
to swim in.
Cheetahs often don’t
thrive in captivity. We set out to find out why
Cheetahs have been
tamed, used for hunting and kept in zoos in countries across Asia, Europe and
Africa for centuries. However, they have never really thrived under captive
conditions.
Between 1829-1952
there were 139 wild-caught cheetahs displayed at 47 zoological facilities. Most
of these animals survived less than a year with 115 deaths and no births
recorded during this period.
Despite improvements
in husbandry conditions in zoos and other captive facilities around the world,
cheetahs continue to suffer from a number of unusual diseases that are rarely
reported in other captive cats. These include gastritis, various kidney ailments,
liver abnormalities, fibrosis of the heart muscle and several ill-defined
neurological disorders.
Post mortem findings
in cheetahs housed at captive facilities in both North America and South Africa
found that over 90% had some level of gastritis when they died. Similarly, the
incidence of kidney disease affected more than two-thirds of ca
https://theconversation.com/cheetahs-often-dont-thrive-in-captivity-we-set-out-to-find-out-why-81282
Horrible, No Good,
Very Bad Days: Part 1
There are a number
of causes of Bad Days At Work, even for a seemingly glamorous job like a
zookeeper.
The general public
probably thinks our bad days entail at least one of the following components:
Poop
Getting a light
sunburn
Animal deaths
Not getting licked
(or whatever behavioral sign of affection innate to the animal in your care)
enough
But really, the only
item on that list that really makes a horrendous day is #3, which is not what I
am going to focus on in today’s blog.
No, I am going to
focus on those really horrible, no good, bad days that pop up out of nowhere
and rain chaos and sorrow DESPITE nobody being really sick or dying.
More vaquitas remain
than thought: Profepa
Counting porpoises
is doubtless a challenging task but the federal environmental attorney declared
this week that the number of remaining vaquita porpoises is higher than
estimated earlier this year.
The environment
secretariat has previously challenged the estimate by the International
Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA) that only 30 of the porpoises
remain.
On Thursday the head
of the environmental agency Profepa said scientific studies have revealed there
are at least 100.
Badaling Wildlife
Park Visitors Still Can't Follow Rules One Year After Fatal Tiger Mauling
Almost a year to the
day a woman was mauled to death by a tiger, another visitor to Beijing Badaling
Wildlife World has again willfully disobeyed park regulations inside its
carnivorous animal enclosure.
At around 10am on
Saturday, a stopped black SUV was seen with a black sun bear next to it,
standing up on its haunches and extending its head inside the open window of
the driver's side.
As seen in the video
taken by the driver in the following car from behind, the sun bear is reaching
so far into the black SUV that its head is not visible. One of the bear's legs
is perched on the vehicle's running boards, and at one point the bear is even
able to lift itself off the ground completely.
From the perspective
of the camera, we can't see what's going inside the black SUV with its tinted
windows. However, it appears the occupants of the vehicle are feeding the bear
when at one point a sausage flies out the window.
Approximately 10
seconds into the video, the black SUV drives away, at which point the bear
drops down and begins eating food on th
OPEN CONSULTATION
Mobile animal
exhibits
Expedia Announces
Changes to Wildlife Animal Attraction Booking; Pledges More Education and
Greater Transparency
Expedia, Inc. today announced that activities
involving certain wildlife animal interactions will no longer be bookable on
its online travel sites. Relying on guidance from industry-leading wildlife and
animal protection groups, Expedia will undertake a thorough review over the
next few months and will remove activities from its websites and other
distribution channels.
Today's announcement
also comes with the launch of a new initiative committing the company to
improving education for travelers about animal welfare. Launching later this
year, travelers searching for animal-related activities will be presented with
detailed information about specific activities offered through Expedia on a new
Wildlife Tourism Education Portal.
Working in concert
with globally renowned and respected zoo, anti-animal trafficking and animal
protection groups such as The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, U.S. Wildlife
Trafficking Alliance, Born Free Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States
and Humane Society International, Expedia is determined to put animal welfare
and standards of care for animals involved in these wildlife activities at the
forefront of the travel planning discussion.
"Expedia can
play an integral part in educating travelers about the diverse views related to
wildlife tourism, so they can make informed decisions that align with how they
travel and how they interact with the animals that share our planet," said
Jen O'Twomney, vice president, Expedia Local Expert®. "As travelers, it is
important that we know more about the places we go, the activities we engage
in, and the ways in which we leave lasting impacts on our destinations. As we
help people go places, we want to help them do it
ARE ZOO KIDDING? How
Australia’s most wanted fugitive survived for months hiding in a ZOO stealing
bananas from elephants, decapitating tortoises and raiding rubbish bins
A NOTORIOUS
Australian fugitive ate the insides of tortoises and stole food from zoo
animals during his headline-grabbing seven years on the run, it has emerged.
Malcolm Naden, a
murderer and former abattoir worker, famously managed to evade police capture
from 2005 until 2012.
Now a new book has
revealed he decapitated a Galapagos tortoise and devoured its insides during
time spent hiding in a New South Wales Zoo.
He also stole
bananas from elephants, slept in the roof space of a zoo managers’ hut and
cooked himself meals on coin-fed barbecues.
According to the
Daily Mail, his seven years spent on the run are have been detailed in a new
book called The Contractor.
The book recounts a
security contractor’s time spent chasing Naden through the bush after he was
contacted to locate a suspected “homeless person” living in Western Plains Zoo
in 2005.
Food had been
vanishing from staff accommo
'World's Oldest'
Female Hippo Dies Aged 49 In Adelaide
The world's oldest
female hippopotamus has died at Adelaide Zoo at the age of 49.
Susie, a crowd
favourite at the South Australian zoo since 1975, passed away on Thursday after
a battle with a number of age-related problems, according to Adelaide Zoo.
Zoos SA vet David
McLelland told the ABC Susie was humanely euthanised this week.
Sanctuaries in
Africa offer to take exotic pets from UAE following amnesty
Two sanctuaries
based in Namibia and Kenya have offered to take wild animals owned by wealthy
people in the UAE following an amnesty period that allowed animals to be
rehomed.
The deadline was
July 1 and two of the largest havens for rescued cheetahs and chimpanzees say
they have yet to be contacted despite efforts to form links with private owners
of wild animals in the UAE.
Patricia Tricorache,
at the Cheetah Conservation Fund, said her research into illegal sales
estimates that as many as 500 of the wild cats could be held privately in the
UAE.
Sanctuaries like the
one run by the CCF for illegally traded cats are crucial for the survival of
the species, as many would not survive if returned to the wild.
In January 2014 a
group of CCF experts visited the UAE to train veterinarians and cheetah-housing
facilities in cheetah care.
“We hoped that
through this training we could improve conditions for pet cheetahs,” said Ms
Tricorache. “However, there is much secrecy on this issue, so we are unable to
determine whether the training improved conditions for some of the pet cheetahs
in the country.”
Despite forging
links with cheetah owners in the UAE, the CCF has not been contacted by any
owners about sending some of the captive animals to Namibia.
Federal law 2 of
2016 regulates the possession, trade a
Modern Manners: Zoos
and aquarium etiquette — Should ethics be a factor in your trip?
This week’s column
has to do with a popular summer activity for people of all ages — going to the
zoo or an aquarium.
There is a long
history of displaying animals for the viewing pleasure of humans. According to
a timeline on CBC Radio Canada (cbc.ca/doczone/features/history-of-zoos), the
earliest known zoo dates back to 3500 BC in Hierakonpolis, Egypt, once a large
urban center. In 1000 BC, Chinese Emperor Wen Wang founded the Garden of
Intelligence, which covered 1,500 acres with animals housed in metal cages in a
park setting, and has a name which alludes to the educational potential of
establishments like these.
Jump to 1752, and
the oldest zoo still in existence, the Tiergarten Schonbrunn, was opened in
Vienna, Austria. In 1814, the first North American zoo called Down’s Zoological
Gardens was opened in Halifax, Nova Scotia. In 1853, the first public aquarium
was opened in the London Zoo. The first zoo that opened in the United States
was the Philadelphia Zoo, which opened in 1890 after being delayed 15 years due
to the Civil War.
In 1924, the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums was founded and establishment must pass their
inspection for accreditation. Since then, many zoos have opened, some with an
emphasis on a more safari type experience where you can see animals roam in
open spaces similar to their natural habitats.
In recent years,
zoos and aquariums have been scrutinized over the treatment of their animals,
and some have made changes to accommodate the animals to live a life closed to
what they would in the wild. While I often have ethical questions regarding the
captivity of animals in climates t
Is cuddling tiger
cubs conservation? Experts warn it leads to too many tigers languishing in
cages
A lifelong animal
lover, Lisa Graham was intrigued when she saw photos on social media of friends
cuddling and petting baby tigers at zoos.
So she made a trip
from Lutz for her daughter's 11th birthday to Dade City's Wild Things,
wondering what it would feel like that close to a tiger.
But when the Wild
Things volunteer walked to their picnic table cradling a cub, barely old enough
to stand, her excitement turned to pity.
The cub, she said,
was lethargic, barely moved. She wondered if it was even old enough to be away
from its mother.
As Graham and her
daughter took turns stroking the cub's fuzzy coat, cupping its face, the
volunteer repeatedly reminded them no personal pictures were allowed.
"I thought it
was a little strange they were so adamant about no pictures being taken,"
Graham said. "When we started walking around, I knew immediately why. This
is cruel."
In the forests and
swamps of their native Asia, wild tigers are at extinction's doorstep.
Killed off by
poachers for their bones and hide, and run out of habitats by human intruders,
only an estimated 3,000 remain in nature.
But across the world
from their native lands — in roadside zoos, suburban back yards, highway rest
stops, and cement cages — an overpopulation of captive tigers is swelling in
the United States.
More than 10,000 big
cats are thought to be living in captivity in America, but exact numbers are
impossible to know as some states have no laws on keeping tigers as pets. There
is also no reliable reporting system for those who breed and ship cubs over state
lines, hopelessly blurring inventory counts the federal government is supposed
to take each year on licensed exhibitors.
No practice is
fueling the overpopulation faster than the cottage industry of cub encounters,
where tourists can shell out hundreds of dollars to cuddle and swim with
weeks-old tigers at zoos.
The business model
depends on having a steady stream of babies. But when cubs outgrow the photo-op
stage by 40 pounds, the unwanted adults, with instincts to roam dozens of
miles, often end up in the pet trade or languish in cages at roadside zoos,
said Meredith Whitney, Animal Rescue Officer for the International Fund for
Animal Welfare.
RM15mil sanctuary
for elephants soon
Johor Health,
Environment, Information and Education Committee chairman Datuk Ayub Rahmat
said a contractor was appointed in May to start work on the 100ha project.
“The first phase
will see about 15 elephants being housed in the sanctuary located along Jalan
Lombong, not far from the Kota Tinggi waterfall, where the wild animals can
roam freely,” he said.
He said the first
phase was scheduled for completion at the end of next year and with that, help
improve the conflict between wild elephants and humans in Kluang and Kota
Tinggi.
He added that the
sanctuary would also doubled as a tourism attraction for nature lovers to get
close to the elephants.
“Johor’s vast
forests are habitats to about 140 wild elephants where Segamat, Kluang, Mersing
and Kota Tinggi are their stomping grounds,” he said.
MEET NORAH, THE
BUFFALO ZOO’S NEW PRESIDENT AND CEO
As many members
already know, the Buffalo Zoo has a new President and CEO. Norah Fletchall took
over as the head of the Zoo at the end of May. She comes to Buffalo from the
Indianapolis Zoo where she served as COO.
We sat down with Norah and asked her some questions so that Western New
Yorkers can get to know Norah better as she starts her new role here at the
Buffalo Zoo.
When did you become
interested in working with animals and what was your first job in the Zoo
field?
From falling in love
with horses as a youngster to spending hours fishing with my family I have
always felt very connected to animals. My first job in the zoo field came
purely by chance when I answered a classified ad for zookeepers at the St.
Louis Zoo. With a bachelor’s degree in Animal Sciences and my experience with
horses and cattle I quickly found myself caring for hooved animals ranging from
sheep to kudu to giraffes and zebras. Within weeks I knew this was the career
for me.
Beyond One
Health—Zoological Medicine in the Anthropocene
In contrast to some
of the well-established core disciplines of veterinary medicine, such as
radiology, surgery, and internal medicine, zoological medicine is often
perceived as a relatively recent development. However, as early as 1831, local
veterinary practitioner Charles Spooner became the first zoo veterinarian at
the London Zoological Garden in the United Kingdom. Shortly thereafter, he was
followed by William Youatt, who remained in that position for 17 years while
also establishing the world’s first veterinary journal, the Veterinarian, which
reported on the diseases of wild animals. In 1865, the zoo also hired a
pathologist. During the same period, in 1870, Max Schmidt, the director of the
Zoological Garden in Frankfurt am Main in Germany, wrote Vergleichende
Pathologie und Pathologische Anatomie der Säugetiere und Vögel (Comparative
Pathology and Pathological Anatomy of mammals and Birds) (1). In North America,
the Philadelphia Zoo employed a pathologist in 1901, and in the same year the
New York Zoological Society (now the Wildlife Conservation Society) established
the first zoological m
On Patrol With The
Rangers of Tangkahan
The Leuser is one of
the most biodiverse and important ecosystems ever described and is under
serious threat from logging, oil palm, mining, roading and the Aceh spatial
plan. It forms part of the largest wilderness area in South East Asia and is
vital to the health of the entire planet, storing millions of tons of Carbon in
its ancient peat swamp forests.
Animal Park big cat
keeper Amy Waller: ‘My dad still has nightmares!’
When talking to
Longleat’s Team Manager of Carnivores, Amy Waller, the Wizard of Oz lyrics
‘Lions and tigers and bears – oh my!’ spring to mind.
This year Amy
celebrates her 10th anniversary at Longleat Safari Park in Wiltshire!
What’s on TV talked
to the experienced zookeeper about how she came to have this unusual job and
why she’s still not used to seeing herself on BBC1’s Animal Park with Kate
Humble and Ben Fogle…
Zookeeper isn’t an
every day job – how did it happen?
“I’ve always had a
passion for animals. I grew up five minutes away from Longleat and used to hear
the lions roaring from our house, it’s probably when my interest started. But I
never thought it was something I could do as a career! Instead I did a degree
in landscape architecture. When I finished university I came home and needed a
job, so I applied for summer work at Longleat – and I’ve been here ever since!”
So you worked your
way up?
“Yes, it started as
a seasonal job 10 years ago! I’ve worked my way up and am now team manager of
the carnivores. All my experience has been working on the job. I absolutely
love it! Later in this series of Animal Park you’ll see I was lucky enough to
go to Kenya and learn more about lions. It’s incredible I w
Zoos & Animal
parks in the Netherlands
The Netherlands has
more than 30 zoos or animal parks. Most of these belong to the Dutch Animal
Park Association (NVD), and the larger ones are also part of the European
Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). Varying greatly in size, shape and
popularity, these institutions can be found all around the Netherlands, both in
remote nature areas and in the centres of big Dutch cities.
History of the zoos
in the Netherlands
Zoos have existed in
the Netherlands since 1838. They were initially showpieces for the elite, but
were soon welcoming less rich citizens as well. The status and fame that went
with showcasing exotic species by far outweighed the welfare of the animals. Many
of the older zoos were originally founded by people with no previous expertise
in animal care, and grew from curious private collections to generally
accessible attractions.
Dutch zoos today
Today, zoos no
longer solely serve the purpose of entertainment. The parks educate visitors on
the many animal species that roam our world, and form a platform for pursuing
animal rights, preservation and welfare, as well as discussing the boundaries
between using and abusing nature.
How to become a
conservation data scientist
I met Dr. Dalia
Conde for the first time in July at our staff retreat in Minnesota. Her
personality is as big as her passion for her work. Picture a biologist who has
tagged jaguars in the rainforest, a conservation scientist advocating the value
of data for her work, and a leader casually riding her bicycle through the
office with a huge smile on her face. Even if you weren’t already committed to
conservation, you couldn’t help but be inspired by her infectious energy and
vision.
Training With A Laser Pointer
The Human Specie is
an interesting specie to work with. They have strong social bonds and detailed
complex thinking. Some are extraordinary smart and some are super fit. I think
its very interesting how people respond to situations and there for I can just
look at people for a long time. Just to see their behaviour. I would like to
call this Popcorn time. Why people give responses the way they do are in many
cases a learned behaviour from previous experiences. What makes popcorn time
fun to have. Over time you acknowledge moments you had before and know how to
respond to them because you experienced it before. Its similar to animals,
animals learn on the way. There are apes out there who use tools such as rocks
to crack nuts. We know rocks could be dangers for our fingers. When such an
apes uses this rock and doesn’t have an idea about the danger it will learn at
one point the dangerous matter by hitting his fingers. The funny part is the
animal still keeps going because of the motivation of the nut he wants. Trial
and Error a lot of us call these survival strategies. Its very interesting how
and why people do what they do and its even more interesting when we talk about
animals.
A personal thought
came to my mind when my sister visited me last month. We had some talks about
drinking water etc and that’s where I remember a friend of mine I used to dance
with. He studied in a school for sports and he said to me one day “Peter it is
actually very simple, in your whole life you have to take care of one thing and
that’s yourself”. I thought “oke” back then but now I think yeah that makes a
lot of sense actually. I mean nobody will poor water in your body accept
yourself. Nobody can make you fit if y
Bienvenue! French
zoo announces first ever panda pregnancy
A scan by zoo vets
on Wednesday revealed that Huan Huan, on loan to Beauval zoo in central France
from China along with her male partner Yuan Zi, is expecting her first cub.
"It's
exceptional. We just exploded in joy as we've been waiting such a long time for
this moment," the zoo's communications director Delphine Delord told AFP.
"It also gives
us hope for the conservation of pandas, which in nature are in danger of
extinction."
The nine-year-old
pandas are the only giant pandas living in France, and they arrived in Beauval
in 2012 after intense, high-level negotiations between Paris and Beijing.
Only 19 zoos around
the world, outside China, have been allowed to house pandas.
But breeding pandas,
in captivity or in the wild, is notoriously
Elderly Przewalski’s
Horse Dies at the Smithsonian’s National Zoo
Keepers at the
Smithsonian’s National Zoo are mourning the loss of Minnesota, a Przewalski’s
horse who was humanely euthanized yesterday morning. At 29 years old, Minnesota
was considered geriatric for his species; the median life expectancy for male
Przewalski’s horses is 15 years in human care. A final pathology report will
provide more information.
Animal care staff
had been closely monitoring Minnesota for health issues related to his advanced
age, including chronic dental disease, weight loss and lethargy. Working
closely with Zoo nutritionists, keepers modified Minnesota’s diet to ensure
that he was receiving the optimal amount of daily nutrients. When his condition
did not improve, Zoo veterinarians anesthetized Minnesota to try to determine
the underlying cause of his symptoms. Despite conducting a full physical exam
and analyzing blood samples, veterinarians were unable to determine the exact
cause of illness. Over the weekend, staff determined that his quality of life
had worsened and elected to humanely euthanize Minnesota based on his poor
long-term prognosis.
Born at the
Minnesota Zoo April 10, 1988, Minnesota arrived at the Smithsonian Conservation
Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, Va., in June 2004. He came to the Zoo
in June 2005 but returned to SCBI in February 2008. In 2014, Minnesota came
back to Washington, D.C., to serve as a non-breeding companion for Rose-Marie,
the Zoo’s 31-year-old female Przewalski’s horse. Keepers describe Minnesota as
a good-natured horse who was very attentive to Rose-Marie and stuck close by
her side whenever they explored their habitat.
Most zoo animals
participate in a breeding program called the S
Dubai Safari Park
animals will have best facilities, says director
Dubai Safari Park’s
technical director says it animals will have the best facilities when the
attraction opens its doors to the public.
Following pressure
from wildlife groups in Africa about the importation of animals, Timothy
Husband insisted baby elephants and other animals in Dubai will not be used for
rides.
Reports that a
Swedish-owned game farm in Namibia allowed the capture and export of five baby
elephants for Dubai were denied.
Mr Husband said the
new attraction will be a market leader when it opens later this year, or early
2018.
The wild animal
specialist and zoo keeper was bought in by Dubai Municipality three years ago
to oversee the new park, and use his 40 years of knowledge to help create a
safe, animal-friendly environment.
Desert elephants
from Namibia were chosen as they are regarded as adaptable to the harsh UAE
climate.
He said there was
never a plan to import wild elephants, but he was hoping to import older
elephants who had been rescued in Namibia.
“The elephants I
chose were going to be culled,” Mr Husband said. “They were teenagers. We were
never going to take babies, as they must be schooled by adults.
“If you have babies
without adults, they will become delinquent and unmanageable. The elephants I
was looking at in Namibia were around 10 years old.
“We changed our path
from the company that was supplying them, as we were not comfortable using
them.”
Humans go ape over
bellowing gibbon at Nagoya zoo
A punky gibbon has
shot to stardom here because his bellowing roar sounds like he's aping a
drunken middle-aged office worker bungee jumping off a skyscraper in the bowels
of a bar-packed downtown district on a particularly boisterous Friday night.
Quite ironic since
those type of roaring "ossan" (a nonsubtle way of saying "oldish
guy" in Japan) cause most of us to run a mile when encountered in everyday
life.
The male siamang
Keiji, however, is pulling in punters at Higashiyama Zoo and Botanical Gardens
due to what is being called the "ossan's call."
Plant hormone boost
for New Zealand’s critically endangered night parrot
New Zealand’s
nocturnal and flightless parrot, the kākāpō, may be famous for trying to mate
with the head of biologist Mark Carwardine, but this unique species is facing
some serious challenges.
With fewer than 160
birds alive, kākāpō are critically endangered. One reason for their dwindling
numbers is that they only breed every few years, when native trees produce
masses of edible fruit or seeds.
Our research
suggests that the birds’ breeding success depends on oestrogen-like hormones
(phytoestrogens) found in these native plants.
Death of four cubs
at Islamabad zoo: negligence or infanticide?
Four cubs, at the
Islamabad Zoo, that died earlier this month were fed high intakes of Welmingnch
milk as an alternative to lioness milk that turned out to be a slow poison for
the cubs, experts believe.
Marghzar Zoo Deputy
Director Veterinary Dr Bilal Khijli claim that all of four cubs born to an
African lioness died early July after lioness distanced herself from her cubs
and stopped feeding them; alternate lioness milk [very costly to import] was
not available in Pakistan, so authority was left with no other option but to
feed them Welmingnch milk [as spelled by Dr Bilal Khijli], after consulting
with experts. As a result, all of them died.
When contacted, Dr
Ali Ayaz of NGO Animal Shelters said that powder milk cannot replace the milk
of lioness; though, the said Welmingnch milk is artificial milk and it requires
a specific process of diluting a minute quantity of powder with water.
In a case of failure
to match the quantity or overfeeding, it can cause dire consequences. He said
there must
Dubai Safari Park to
include sanctuary for rescued exotic animals
A sanctuary for
exotic animals rescued from illegal private collections or handed in during an
amnesty will form an important part of the new Dubai Safari Park.
More than 1,000
animals from the ageing Dubai Zoo in Jumeirah will also be transferred to the
new 119-hectare site near Dragonmart.
Hundreds of
indigenous birds could also be released back into the wild from the closing
zoo, including a flock of about 100 cormorants.
The new park will
house a quarantine facility to temporarily house any exotic pets that are
handed in, before they can be rehomed.
That will be either
in the park itself, or to other registered facilities that meet the relevant
criteria of good care and professionalism.
“People can
surrender their animals here,” said the park’s technical director, Timothy
Husband.
“We have a policy if
the animal looks like it has recently been wild caught. We have a great
connection with Emirates airline where we can get these animals back to the
wild, or a sanctuary in the wild.
“If it looks as if
they are captive bred, we can assess them if they are genetically good by
looking at their health and by taking a blood sample we can enter them into an
international stud pool.
“It takes about a
year for an animal to go through that process. It’s like working on a stolen
car to make it legal again to drive. It is a slow process.
“We can offer these
animals to other zoos, but they must meet our high standards.”
Wild animal experts
estimate as many as 100 cheetahs could be held illegally in private zoos and
collections in the UAE.
An amnesty on exotic
pets owned in the UAE expired on July 1, but owners wishing to surrender their
pets are advised they should still consider handing them over to authorities to
be rehomed.
Federal Law No2 of
2016 regulates the possession, trade and breeding of dangerous animals, and
came into force at the turn of the year.
Those found in
possession of such pets could face a Dh100,000 fine under new laws.
Sharjah imposed an
emirate-wide ban in late 2014 but continues to find such animals in private
ownership.
As we reported last
month, lions, dangerous snakes and distinctive birds were among 14 creatures to
be confiscated from private properties in the emirate.
Animals such as
cheetahs have also been found in the past.
“We don’t know
exactly how many cheetahs are illegally kept as pets in the UAE, but I have
heard somewhere between 100 and 500,” said Patricia Tricorache at the Cheetah
Conservation Fund.
“Research I’ve been
carrying out of online advertisements for cheetahs in the Arabian Peninsula
includes over 1,200 cheetahs offered for sale between 2012 and 2016.
“If at least 100 pet
cheetahs in the UAE are subject to the new law, they will need more than one
facility to house them.”
Even in professional
facilities, the death rate for captive-bred cheetah cubs less than six months
old is more than 30 per cent, according to the 2015 International Cheetah
Studbook – an online voluntary register of captive cheetahs around the world.
Mandai eco-link for
animals to be ready by end-2019
An elevated wildlife
crossing in Mandai will be ready for animals to use by the end of 2019,
allowing creatures such as the Sunda pangolin and lesser mouse deer to move
between forested areas in the upcoming eco-tourism hub.
The 44m-wide
eco-link, which will be 9m above ground and span the width of Mandai Lake Road,
is part of developer Mandai Park Holdings' (MPH) plan to facilitate safe
crossings for animals. Over the years, there have been reports of animals
ending up as roadkill as they attempt to cross Mandai Lake Road.
Yesterday, MPH gave
details of the bridge, and announced a slew of other green measures for the
area, now that construction for the nature hub is under way. By 2023, a new
Rainforest Park and relocated Bird Park will join the existing trio of
attractions there - the Singapore Zoo, Night Safari and River Safari.
Turkey mobilizes to
save zoo animals from war-torn Syria
lready tackling the
humanitarian aspect of the Syrian crisis that has displaced millions and killed
thousands of people, Turkey is now turning to zoo animals in danger amid the
ongoing war.
Several animals in a
zoo affected by clashes in Aleppo were evacuated in a joint operation by a
Turkish animal rights group, the Austria-based animal charity Four Paws, and
the Forestry and Water Affairs Ministry, which oversees the national park
authority that provides shelter for wild animals. Three lions, two tigers, two
bears and two hyenas were among the survivors of the intense clashes in Aleppo
and were transferred to a wildlife shelter in the Karacabey district of the
northwestern city of Bursa. The animals will be rehabilitated for the trauma
they suffered in the bombed-out Syrian city and for injuries they sustained at
the abandoned Magic World Zoo. After their treatment, they will be housed in
animal shelters in Karacabey. During the second stage of the rescue operation,
officials plan to evacuate two more lions as well as two dogs from the Syrian
city on July 29.
Speaking about the
issue, Forestry and Water Affairs Minister Veysel Eroğlu said wildlife is a
shared heritage of the international community and they are committed to actio
My family and other
Aspinalls: exclusive interview with Damian Aspinall's wife Victoria
The first day that
Victoria Aspinall visited Howletts, the sprawling wild animal park in Kent that
she now calls home, the arm of her white Burberry blouse was pulled clean off
by an overly amorous gorilla. A salutary tale should follow about how designer
labels and animals don’t mix but Victoria fell for the gorilla trick, which is
lucky for the man who is now her husband, the conservationist Damian Aspinall –
because if you fall for Damian you’ve got to fall for his gorillas, too.
2017 Orangutan SSP
Husbandry Survey
Dozens of Laotian elephants 'illegally sold to Chinese zoos'
Dozens of elephants
from Laos are being illegally bought by China to be displayed in zoos and
safari parks across the country, according to wildlife investigator and
film-maker Karl Ammann.
According to Ammann,
so-called captive elephants in Laos sell for about £23,000 before being walked
across the border into China by handlers or “mahouts” near the border town of
Boten. Thereafter they are transported to receiving facilities, which buy them
from the agents for up to £230,000 per animal. “That is a nice mark-up,” says
Ammann, “and makes it exactly the kind of commercial transaction which under
Cites rules is not acceptable.”
Ammann and his crew
stumbled on the illicit trade between Laos and China earlier this year, while
investigating the sale of 16 Asian elephants from Laos to a safari park in
Dubai. None of the elephants had the necessary permits for export. The
translocation was stopped by a direct order from the new Laotian prime minister
at the last moment, while an Emirates Airlines Cargo 747 was already on the
tarmac in Vientiane, the country’s capital.
Scale of pangolin
slaughter revealed – millions hunted in central Africa alone
The true scale of
the slaughter of pangolins in Africa has been revealed by new research showing
that millions of the scaly mammals are being hunted and killed.
Pangolins were
already known to be the world’s most trafficked wild mammal, with at least a
million being traded in the last decade to supply the demand for its meat and
scales in Asian markets. Populations of Asian pangolins have been decimated,
leaving the creatures highly endangered and sharply shifting the focus of
exploitation to Africa’s four species.
Pangolins are
secretive, nocturnal and some species live in trees, making them very hard to
count and the total size of the populations in Africa is unknown. But the new
analysis, based on data collected by hundreds of local researchers at scores of
hunting sites and bushmeat markets across central and west Africa, found up to
2.7m are being killed every year, with the most conservative estimate being
400,000 a year.
The Battle Over
2,500-Year-Old Shelters Made of Poop
Far up the coast of
this ice-dominated island—north of the Arctic Circle; north of the glacier that
spawned the Titanic-sinking iceberg; and north of the northernmost American
military base—two birds of prey are locked in a vicious battle for food and territory.
Kurt Burnham has
spent the past decade watching the fight take shape. He studies falcons at the
High Arctic Institute, in Orion, Illinois, and he has traveled to Greenland
most of the summers of his life.
For many of those
trips, he helped survey peregrine falcons that use western Greenland as a
summer nesting ground. But about a decade ago, he began tracking something new.
As climate change tempered the Arctic’s frigid summers, peregrines were
expanding their range north—farther north, he found, than there were ever
records of them traveling before. Peregrine pairs began returning, summer after
summer, to nest on the island’s northernmost cliffs.
They were not alone
there. Another bird of prey, the gyrfalcon,
Understanding the
Public’s Trust in Zoos and Aquariums
In the latest
edition of their Destinology research series, St. Louis-based design firm PGAV
Destinations probes the public’s views in Communicating Conservation:
Strengthening the Public’s Trust.
Conducted in
partnership with H2R Market Research, Destinology surveyed 1,006 people across
America to better understand their perception of conservation and the role of
zoos and aquariums.
“More than
three-fourths of our respondents support wildlife conservation and are looking
for ways to participate in it,” says John Kemper, Vice President and head of
Zoo Design at PGAV Destinations. “And these respondents aren’t just members –
they’re people who don’t even regularly visit zoos and aquariums.”
One of the most
striking findings of Communicating Conservation is that the public’s number-one
priority is that the care of the animals in residence must be exceptional.
Guests want to be sure that a zoo or aquarium’s animals are receiving the best
care possible, before they can be comfortable enough to support the
institution’s conservation initiatives.
The report begins by
exploring 2016 national visitor trends at zoos and aquariums: visitation rates,
Penguin enclosure is
turned into a blood bath after urban fox breaks into Chessington zoo and
slaughters EIGHT BIRDS
Zoo staff at
Chessington World of Adventures have been accused of lying to customers after
it emerged eight of its penguins were slaughtered by a fox.
Visitors to the zoo
have been greeted by a cordoned off 'Penguin Bay' after the incident at the end
of June, and were told it was because of 'remodelling'.
But they have now
said a savage 'urban fox' killed the birds, with one source claiming it
happened when the penguins were not being monitored correctly.
The playful 'Penguin
Bay' was quietly cordoned off after the incident and a sign was placed on the
enclosure gate after management apparently kept the news internal.
The sign stated:
'Our Humboldt Penguins are currently enjoying their other home
behind-the-scenes while we make alterations to Penguin Bay.'
The only penguins on
show to park visitors at the moment are those made from fibreglass, after eight
of their famous flightless birds were killed and one maimed.
Employees at the
world famous park were apparently warned not to talk about the fox attack.
Statement on the above:
Cotswold Wildlife
Park escaped wolf shot dead
A wolf has been shot
dead after it escaped from Cotswold Wildlife Park in Oxfordshire.
Visitors to the park
were told to stay indoors when the female animal, named Ember, was discovered
outside the perimeter fence at 11:00 BST on Friday.
The park's managing
director said staff tried to tranquilise the three-year-old Eurasian wolf, but
it was out of range.
Earlier this year
Ember gave birth to five cubs, the first wolves to be born at the park in its
47-year history.
Visitor Penelope
Bennett said on Twitter: "Wolf on the loose at the Cotswold Wildlife Park
and we are all shut in the walled garden."
STATEMENT on the above:
Investigation Outcome
July 2017
The investigation
following the sad events on Friday 21st July concluded that there was no breach
of the Wolf enclosure perimeter fence, and no access had been left unlocked or
open. However, it did reveal a problem with the electric fencing around the enclosure’s
perimeter. The wiring is powered independently, away from the mains
electricity, by a fence energiser. The voltage is tested every day by the
keepers, using a hand-held fence reader, and the readings are logged. During
the routine test on Friday 21st July, the reading revealed no abnormalities and
was consistent with other readings dating back to the enclosure’s construction
in 2006. But a second fence reader showed a much lower reading. Further tests
on-site proved that the fence energiser had developed a fault, and this is now
being investigated by the manufacturers. The original fence reader also proved
faulty for giving the initial and incorrect high reading. The Wolf enclosure
was immediately fitted with a new energiser and a new sensor has also been
installed for the daily checks. It is believed the failure of both pieces of
equipment contributed to the Wolf escaping the enclosure.
At no point during
this incident were any of our visitors in any danger. The safety and well-being
of all our visitors is our first priority. We are confident that this incident
was an isolated case and that the replacement equipment, combined with an even
more intensive electric fence-testing regime, will ensure that our Wolf
enclosure will provide a safe and secure home for our Wolves.
Since Friday,
keepers are optimistic about Ash’s behaviour towards his cubs. Ash, our male
wolf, is displaying encouraging ‘natural’ behaviour as a single parent to his
ten-week-old cubs, who are close to being fully weaned. The cubs, a mix of both
male and female, are now eating naturally as they would in the wild with the
support of their father. Other than ensuring plentiful, regular and appropriate
food supplies, the keepers maintain a “hands off” policy. This means that we
must let nature take its course, in accordance with the guidelines of the
European Captive Breeding Programme, in which the Park participates. We must
also bear in mind that Ash is young and this is his first litter. However, we
remain confident that the cubs will continue to grow from strength to strength,
that Ember’s genetic heritage will endure, and that her life, though short,
will have been worthwhile.
The school holidays
have begun – as always, we have a full programme of events to enhance our
visitors’ time in the Park and to maximise their experience with the animals.
We have all the relevant safety measure in place to ensure a safe and secure
visit for everyone – now and in the future.
Lions And Monkeys
And Bears Used To Live In The Tower Of London
Despite its 940-year
history, the Tower of London still manages to keep many of its secrets under
lock and key. Did you know, for instance, that beefeaters have their own pub
there, or that recently it hosted a Game of Thrones world premiere?
In the first episode
of a new podcast about London’s unknown history, the team from Fierce City have
delved deep into the archives to shed light on another of the Tower’s
surprising features: its menagerie. Here, we share some of their findings on
the zoo that stood for more than 600 years.
Lions and tigers and
bears, oh my!
Henry I, the fourth
son of William the Conqueror, founded Britain’s first zoo at Oxford’s Woodstock
Park in 1100. Although ensnared by the exotic appeal of leopards and lynxes,
his primary concern wasn’t animal welfare: the creatures were released to indulge
his pastime of hunting.
A hundred years
later, King John brought the animals to London and the Tower menagerie was
established, eventually settling near its main Western entrance, where the gift
shop now stands. Over the coming centuries, the building would host zebras, ti
Last orca calf born
in captivity at a SeaWorld park dies
The last killer
whale born in captivity under SeaWorld’s former orca-breeding program died
Monday at the company’s San Antonio park, SeaWorld said.
Veterinarians were
treating 3-month-old Kyara for an infection last weekend, but her health
continued to decline, the Orlando-based company said in a news release.
“Kyara had a
tremendous impact on the entire zoological team, not to mention all of the
guests that had the chance to see her,” San Antonio trainer Julie Sigman said
in a statement. “The heart and support that has gone into caring for her
throughout Takara’s pregnancy until today has been amazing. As animal
caregivers we dedicate our lives to these animals, and this loss will be felt
throughout the entire SeaWorld family.”
Since first orca
capture, views have changed (2008)
A veterinary team
will conduct a post-mortem examination to determine the ca
Sabah wildlife park
must be relocated: State minister
Sabah’s Lok Kawi
Wildlife Park must be relocated in order for it be managed successfully, said
Sabah’s tourism, culture and environment minister Masidi Manjun.
The minister said
that the park’s current location in Lok Kawi was fairly congested and not fully
utilised due to its hilly terrain.
“If we are looking
ahead, then we have to move to bigger and better forests. Wildlife shouldn’t be
contained in small enclosures. It is difficult to see them in real natural
habitat in small enclosures,” he said, adding that the proposal to relocate the
park started a few years ago.
The land in question
in Sugud, located in an adjacent district nearby, will be more than 10 times
the size of the current park at 1,619 hectares compared to 113 hectares but is
currently gazetted as a firewood reserve for the local villagers.
Other leaders,
namely deputy chief minister Datuk Seri Yahya Hussin has object
Snooty, world's
oldest manatee in captivity, dies in 'heartbreaking accident,' 2 days after
birthday
Snooty, the oldest
manatee in captivity and the most popular manatee in the Tampa Bay Area passed
away Sunday morning after just turning 69 years old on Friday.
The Museum says
Snooty's death was a heartbreaking accident.
In a press release
sent out Sunday morning, officials with the museum say Snooty was found in an
underwater area only used to access plumbing for the exhibit life support
system. They say early indications are that an access panel door that is
normally bolted shut had somehow been knocked loose and somehow Snooty was able
to swim in.
Cheetahs often don’t
thrive in captivity. We set out to find out why
Cheetahs have been
tamed, used for hunting and kept in zoos in countries across Asia, Europe and
Africa for centuries. However, they have never really thrived under captive
conditions.
Between 1829-1952
there were 139 wild-caught cheetahs displayed at 47 zoological facilities. Most
of these animals survived less than a year with 115 deaths and no births
recorded during this period.
Despite improvements
in husbandry conditions in zoos and other captive facilities around the world,
cheetahs continue to suffer from a number of unusual diseases that are rarely
reported in other captive cats. These include gastritis, various kidney ailments,
liver abnormalities, fibrosis of the heart muscle and several ill-defined
neurological disorders.
Post mortem findings
in cheetahs housed at captive facilities in both North America and South Africa
found that over 90% had some level of gastritis when they died. Similarly, the
incidence of kidney disease affected more than two-thirds of ca
https://theconversation.com/cheetahs-often-dont-thrive-in-captivity-we-set-out-to-find-out-why-81282
Horrible, No Good,
Very Bad Days: Part 1
There are a number
of causes of Bad Days At Work, even for a seemingly glamorous job like a
zookeeper.
The general public
probably thinks our bad days entail at least one of the following components:
Poop
Getting a light
sunburn
Animal deaths
Not getting licked
(or whatever behavioral sign of affection innate to the animal in your care)
enough
But really, the only
item on that list that really makes a horrendous day is #3, which is not what I
am going to focus on in today’s blog.
No, I am going to
focus on those really horrible, no good, bad days that pop up out of nowhere
and rain chaos and sorrow DESPITE nobody being really sick or dying.
More vaquitas remain
than thought: Profepa
Counting porpoises
is doubtless a challenging task but the federal environmental attorney declared
this week that the number of remaining vaquita porpoises is higher than
estimated earlier this year.
The environment
secretariat has previously challenged the estimate by the International
Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA) that only 30 of the porpoises
remain.
On Thursday the head
of the environmental agency Profepa said scientific studies have revealed there
are at least 100.
Badaling Wildlife
Park Visitors Still Can't Follow Rules One Year After Fatal Tiger Mauling
Almost a year to the
day a woman was mauled to death by a tiger, another visitor to Beijing Badaling
Wildlife World has again willfully disobeyed park regulations inside its
carnivorous animal enclosure.
At around 10am on
Saturday, a stopped black SUV was seen with a black sun bear next to it,
standing up on its haunches and extending its head inside the open window of
the driver's side.
As seen in the video
taken by the driver in the following car from behind, the sun bear is reaching
so far into the black SUV that its head is not visible. One of the bear's legs
is perched on the vehicle's running boards, and at one point the bear is even
able to lift itself off the ground completely.
From the perspective
of the camera, we can't see what's going inside the black SUV with its tinted
windows. However, it appears the occupants of the vehicle are feeding the bear
when at one point a sausage flies out the window.
Approximately 10
seconds into the video, the black SUV drives away, at which point the bear
drops down and begins eating food on th
OPEN CONSULTATION
Mobile animal
exhibits
Expedia Announces
Changes to Wildlife Animal Attraction Booking; Pledges More Education and
Greater Transparency
Expedia, Inc. today announced that activities
involving certain wildlife animal interactions will no longer be bookable on
its online travel sites. Relying on guidance from industry-leading wildlife and
animal protection groups, Expedia will undertake a thorough review over the
next few months and will remove activities from its websites and other
distribution channels.
Today's announcement
also comes with the launch of a new initiative committing the company to
improving education for travelers about animal welfare. Launching later this
year, travelers searching for animal-related activities will be presented with
detailed information about specific activities offered through Expedia on a new
Wildlife Tourism Education Portal.
Working in concert
with globally renowned and respected zoo, anti-animal trafficking and animal
protection groups such as The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, U.S. Wildlife
Trafficking Alliance, Born Free Foundation, The Humane Society of the United States
and Humane Society International, Expedia is determined to put animal welfare
and standards of care for animals involved in these wildlife activities at the
forefront of the travel planning discussion.
"Expedia can
play an integral part in educating travelers about the diverse views related to
wildlife tourism, so they can make informed decisions that align with how they
travel and how they interact with the animals that share our planet," said
Jen O'Twomney, vice president, Expedia Local Expert®. "As travelers, it is
important that we know more about the places we go, the activities we engage
in, and the ways in which we leave lasting impacts on our destinations. As we
help people go places, we want to help them do it
ARE ZOO KIDDING? How
Australia’s most wanted fugitive survived for months hiding in a ZOO stealing
bananas from elephants, decapitating tortoises and raiding rubbish bins
A NOTORIOUS
Australian fugitive ate the insides of tortoises and stole food from zoo
animals during his headline-grabbing seven years on the run, it has emerged.
Malcolm Naden, a
murderer and former abattoir worker, famously managed to evade police capture
from 2005 until 2012.
Now a new book has
revealed he decapitated a Galapagos tortoise and devoured its insides during
time spent hiding in a New South Wales Zoo.
He also stole
bananas from elephants, slept in the roof space of a zoo managers’ hut and
cooked himself meals on coin-fed barbecues.
According to the
Daily Mail, his seven years spent on the run are have been detailed in a new
book called The Contractor.
The book recounts a
security contractor’s time spent chasing Naden through the bush after he was
contacted to locate a suspected “homeless person” living in Western Plains Zoo
in 2005.
Food had been
vanishing from staff accommo
'World's Oldest'
Female Hippo Dies Aged 49 In Adelaide
The world's oldest
female hippopotamus has died at Adelaide Zoo at the age of 49.
Susie, a crowd
favourite at the South Australian zoo since 1975, passed away on Thursday after
a battle with a number of age-related problems, according to Adelaide Zoo.
Zoos SA vet David
McLelland told the ABC Susie was humanely euthanised this week.
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New Meetings and Conferences updated Here
New Meetings and Conferences updated Here
If you have anything to add then please email me at elvinhow@gmail.com
I will include it when I get a minute. You know it makes sense.
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About me
After more than 49 years working in private, commercial and National zoos in the capacity of keeper, head keeper and curator Peter Dickinson started to travel. He sold house and all his possessions and hit the road. He has traveled extensively in Turkey, Southern India and much of South East Asia before settling in Thailand. In his travels he has visited well over 200 zoos and many more before 'hitting the road' and writes about these in his blog http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
or on Hubpages http://hubpages.com/profile/Peter+Dickinson
Peter earns his living as an independent international zoo consultant, critic and writer. Currently working as Curator of Penguins in Ski Dubai. United Arab Emirates. He describes himself as an itinerant zoo keeper, one time zoo inspector, a dreamer, a traveler, an introvert, a people watcher, a lover, a thinker, a cosmopolitan, a writer, a hedonist, an explorer, a pantheist, a gastronome, sometime fool, a good friend to some and a pain in the butt to others.
"These are the best days of my life"
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant        |
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