Zoo News Digest 11th February 2018 (ZooNews 983)
Woodcut - 1844
Peter Dickinson
elvinhow@gmail.com
Dear Colleague,
I note the damned Tiger Zoo is opening up again under a new name. It will be the same old thing, posing with tigers for photographs. Just about any 'zoo' in Thailand carries out the same exploitation. Mass producing cubs so that poseurs can pose. Perhaps the saddest thing about all this is that zookeepers visiting Thailand carry out the same activity in spite of knowing full well the harm it does. Worse still some of the so called vociferous animal activists do it too. I would like to think that the fact that both the WAZA and SEAZA Conferences are being held in Thailand in 2018 (with luck and money I will attend) would make a difference....but I don't think so.
South Lakes Safari Zoo continues to have some prominence in the news. I am none too sure that a documentary was a good idea. I really do feel for the animal staff. They continue to do their very best. It would be so easy to walk away from what would appear to be a sinking ship....but that is not what good animal people do. They stick it out because they care about the animals in their care. It is the same in zoos around the world both in good zoos and bad zoos. Keepers stay because of a sense of duty to their animals. Some zoos exploit this sadly.
Coincidentally I also just learned that I have just missed the Sharjah International
Conservation Forum for Arabian Biodiversity. I have attended each year bar one
since 2011. Okay, I never get there for more than one day because of work
commitments but I do like the opportunity to catch up with a group of
likeminded people. Arabian Fauna was previously a specialism but I am
adjustable. Carnivores, elephants, tortoises, reptiles, otters, red squirrels and more.
Right now it is Penguins and who knows what it will be next.
I learned just recently that
it is forty years since the formation of the Emirates Natural History Group.
Forty years….how time flies. I recall myself and two friends starting the group after discussions around a kitchen table. I hope it lasts another forty years...I won't of course.
Lots of interest follows.
*********
Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 73,000 Followers on Facebook( and over 73,000 likes) 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.
I remain committed to the work of GOOD zoos,
********
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Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 73,000 Followers on Facebook( and over 73,000 likes) 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.
I remain committed to the work of GOOD zoos,
********
*****
***
**
*
Zoo design – The
Idea (or need), the Dream, The concept – and Making it Come alive!!
I have had the
fortune to work on a number of projects over the last few years, and have seen
a wide range of successful and unsuccessful designs being built from new build
or as rebuilds. The striking reality is that the planned concept that is in the
mind of the Zoo Directors, Zoo staff, creators, architects, management, and
designers often falls short of their expectations. Many of course are
successful and tick all the boxes for animals, staff and visitors, but many go
through a change during the process.
Change can take many
forms, it can be a mixture of modifications to enhance the experience of the
animals, or a greater visitor immersive experience, or a more practical
application to assist the Keepers in managing the animals.
The great challenge
is to manage a project and manage the change, with the overall aim of
delivering the end product to everyone’s satisfaction, with of course the end
user getting the Exhibit, holdings etc. they desired in the beginning.
The key factors that
change these designs, from the obvious like concept design, funding, location,
time, management, communication, staff feedback, change in direction/animal
choice, animals, landscaping, Weather, contractor experience and quality of work,
material choice and onsite observations. Health & Safety, Publicity/Visitor
feedback and more!!
The truth is - The
design has to wo
THE MORAL AND
WELFARE ISSUES OF EUTHANASIA
Euthanasia is the
act of deliberately ending an animal’s life to end their suffering. Its use has
often been widely mis-understood, but ultimately is aimed at minimising
suffering and mitigating poor animal welfare where no other realistic options
are available. Despite this, it remains a contentious subject for many zoos and
aquariums. Here we ask Dave Morgan our Field Director, about his thoughts on
the subject.
1.Why do zoos
euthanise their animals and what precautions should they take when considering
euthanasia?
Broadly–speaking,
euthanasia of zoo animals is thought to be
permissible under the following circumstances:
when recommended by
a veterinarian;
when irresolvable
stress or conflict prevails and where changes in social structure result in
distress, and where there is no option of relocation;
when the zoo is
unable to ensure acceptable facilities and conditions for animals and where
there is no option of relocation;
when an animal poses
a danger and unavoidable threat to human safety;
where no other
suitable accommodation can be found for the animal;
in cases of old age
or severe injury; and
where no other
suitable option exists
Except in the
situation where an animal poses a threat to human life where a kill decision
might need to be made very quickly, the other instances listed above usually
have something of a lead-in time, allowing for appropriate consideration of the
circumstances that indicate euthanasia. Such consideration ideally should be
weighed by the zoo’s own in-house ethics committee. Unfortunately, not all zoos
have such committees, so at the very least, when euthanasia is being
considered, the zoo should only do so in terms of prevailing legislation and
acceptable practices. Not all countries allow zoos to practice euthanasia under any circumstances, aside
from threat to human life.
Notwithstanding;
ideally, all zoos along with their own in-house ethics committees, should have
a written policy describing standard operating procedures for euthanizing
animals. These policies and procedures should cover all information and
guidance relating to euthanasia including emergency methods proscribed by a
veterinarian. Indeed, there should be appropriate facilities and equipment
suitable and serviceable for euthanizing all the species kept in the
collection, including casualties under
emergency conditions; and finally, competent trained personnel with
acces
CHEETAH OUTREACH:
DOES THE END JUSTIFY THE MEANS?
As I reported in a
recent blog, the captive bred cheetah population is reaching epic proportions
in South Africa with more than 600 cheetahs kept in about 80 facilities, like
Cheetah Outreach, around the country and their conservation value is highly questionable.
Some of these
captive facilities make genuine efforts to conserve the wild cheetah population
with successful reintroduction programmes. Others support breeding programmes
of Anatolian shepherd dogs, that are used to address human-wildlife conflict
threatening predators like cheetah and leopard, by guarding livestock.
www.zoolex.org in February 2018
~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~
Hello ZooLex Friend,
We have worked for your enjoyment!
~°v°~
NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTATION
O Caminho da Serpente is the result of adapting an existing building for
the exhibition of snakes at Sao Paulo Zoo in Brazil. Interpretation was
developed based on research on visitors' knowledge, feelings and
interests about snakes with the main goal of improving visitors'
perception of snakes.
We would like to thank Rachel Venturini from Sao Paulo Zoo for preparing
this presentation.
~°v°~
SPANISH TRANSLATION
Thanks to Eduardo Díaz García we are able to offer the Spanish
translation of the previously published presentation of the "Recovery
Centre for North American Terrapins" at Lyon Zoo in France.
~°v°~
We keep working on ZooLex ...
The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization is a non-profit organization
registered in Austria (ZVR-Zahl 933849053). ZooLex runs a professional
zoo design website and distributes this newsletter. More information and
contact: http://www.zoolex.org/about.html
Vancouver park board
lacked authority to ban whales, dolphins at aquarium: Court
A British Columbia
court has ruled that Vancouver’s park board didn’t have the authority to ban
whales, dolphins and porpoises at the city’s aquarium.
The decision follows
Vancouver Aquarium’s announcement last month that it will end the practice of
displaying cetaceans in captivity.
The Ocean Wise
Conservation Association, the non-profit society that runs the aquarium, filed
an application for judicial review last year challenging a bylaw amendment
passed by
Thai seizure of a
dozen captive tigers resurrects farming threat
A recent discovery
of a dozen Tigers at a property in eastern Thailand serves as a reminder that
Tiger farming is still a threat to Southeast Asia’s wild Tigers and an
enforcement challenge for the region’s authorities.
On 2 February,
authorities inspecting a premise in Khlong Kiu in Chon Buri province found a
large pig farm where several species of protected wildlife were kept, including
the 12 Tigers.
The checks were
jointly carried out by the Wild Hawk Unit and Special Unit 1326 of the Forest
Protection and Fire Control Office, both units under the Department of National
Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), and the Protected Areas Regional
Office 2 in Sri Racha.
Thai media reported
that two local men claiming to be the property owners produced faulty papers
whose authenticity could not be verified. The documents were said to be issued
by a government department that was no longer in operation, making it impossible
to verify their legitimacy.
The Wild Hawk Unit
told press that some of the Tigers were juveniles, raising suspicions
Why Snakes Have Two
Penises and Alligators Are Always Erect
From spiky penises
to an extra clitoris, reptile reproductive parts don’t lack for variety.
A Chimp was Shot
dead at a Zoo in Langkawi, activists tell Clean Malaysia
There they
languished, the three chimps, within dingy little enclosures at Bukit Gambang
Safari Park in Pahang. The three apes (16-year-old Botan, 18-year-old Sumomo,
and 29-year-old Gonbei) spent their time being cooped up in small 3m-by-4m
cages without much of a chance to move around at will outdoors, according to
animal rights activists, who raised the alarm about the animals’ plight.
They posted a video
on YouTube showing the chimps becoming agitated within their small and filthy
separate enclosures. They are banging on iron doors and throwing their metal
plates around in despondent anger.
That was in early
December last year. Then the chimps were transferred to a brand-new zoo
called Langkawi Nature Park, which was opened to public in January.
A spot of good luck
for the long-suffering apes? Hardly.
Presently, Sumomo,
one of the three, was report
Sapporo zoo turns to
AI in bid to improve animal welfare
An artificial
intelligence system with features including image recognition is being
developed to analyze behavior and better control the health of animals in a
joint study aimed at modernizing municipal Maruyama Zoo here.
Zoos in Japan have
seldom turned to AI systems in keeping their animals, said officials at the
zoo, which is collaborating with outside parties, including Hokkaido
University, in the study.
Parties involved
said they hope to develop and commercialize similar control systems for
prospective use by dairy farmers and hospitals as part of a new business model
to be developed for the zoo.
Maruyama Zoo last
had a major overhaul of the way it operates in 2007, including setting a target
of 1 million visitors. It edged close to that milestone in fiscal 2015, when
980,000 people passed through its gates.
Now zoo officials
are planning to work out a new business model to adapt to the changing purpose
of zoos. They say the new missions include a pursuit of animal welfare, through
breeding in environments that are close to wildlife conditions and the preservation
of ecosystems.
“It is essential,
for starters, to gather data separately by animal species and by individual
animal,” said Osamu Kato, director of Maruyama Zoo. “That said, we hope to find
out how far we could go, from a technical viewpoint, in ens
Essential Oils Can
Be Very Dangerous to Cats !
While essential oils
have been known to help us humans with various ailment and make our house smell
great, some oils can be incredibly dangerous for your cat. Many essential oils (especially tea tree) are
seriously toxic to cats and the diffuser spreads the oils through the air that
your cat breathes.
Essential oils are
found in aromatherapies and even insecticieds
Essential oils are
utilized in a variety of ways: as insecticides, in aromatherapies, personal
care products (e.g., antibacterials), flavorings, herbal remedies and liquid
potpourri.
Cats lack an enzyme
in the liver making the oils very toxic to them
Essential oils are
rapidly absorbed both orally and across the skin, and are then metabolized in
the liver. Cats lack an essential enzyme in their liver and have difficulty
metabolizing and eliminating certain toxins like essential oils. Cats are also
very sensitive to phenols and phenolic compounds, which can be found in some
essential oils. The higher the concentration of the essential oil (i.e. 100%),
the greater the risk to the cat.
Toxicity in cats can
occur very quickly, through an internal or external application, or over a
longer period of time, through repeated or continuous inhalation of essential
oils, but either way, it can lead to serious liver damage or even death.
Below are just some
of the essential oils that can be dangerous to cats:
Peppermint
The story of how a
leopard escaped from Cornwall private zoo revealed as locals raised their fears
to owner Todd Dalton
Villagers who felt
in danger after a leopard escaped from a private zoo collection in Cornwall
have voiced their concerns over 'negligence' and 'secrecy' during a meeting.
A dozen residents of
Great Treverran met with Cornwall Councillor for Lostwithiel Colin Martin, the
police and licence officers this morning in Chy Trevail, Countil Hall's office
in Bodmin.
They expressed their
anxiety over an incident on Boxing Day which saw a clouded leopard escape from
its enclosure, disappear for six days and attack sheep. One of them was killed
and others had to be put down because of their injuries.
But villagers were
only notified about the evasion when a farmer trapped the wild cat one mile
further.
Extremely endangered
frog has online dating profile created by scientists in effort to save species
Romeo, “the world’s
loneliest frog”, has had an online dating profile set up by scientists in an
effort to save his species from extinction.
The lovesick
amphibian is the only known Sehuencas water frog in the world, and he has been
calling for a mate ever since researchers collected him from the wild a decade
ago.
Now they have
launched him into the world of online dating in an effort to raise awareness
and funds for the rejuvenation of his species.
Romeo was found on
an expedition to the Bolivian cloud forests led by biologist Arturo Muñoz 10
years ago.
Optimal Animal Care:
A Conversation with Hollie Colahan, Vice President of Animal Care at the Denver
Zoo
Hollie Colahan
serves as Vice President of Animal Care at the Denver Zoo, one of the nation's
premier zoos. She is responsible for supervising the entire animal care staff
and keeping the institution at the forefront of animal wellness and husbandry.
Additionally, Colahan is coordinator the African Lion Species Survival Plan
(SSP) and is currently chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's
Professional Development Committee. Here is her story.
Hong Kong’s
struggling Ocean Park expects launch of Marriott resort hotel to provide
lifeline
Borth zoo to reopen
ahead of schedule
BORTH Wild Animal
Kingdom, which has been embroiled in a licence battle with the county council
following the death of two lynx, is to reopen on Saturday ahead of schedule.
The zoo has been
closed voluntarily since October after an escaped lynx was shot dead and the
death of a second lynx following a handling error.
Zoo owners Tracy and
Dean Tweedy had planned to reopen the zoo in time for the February half-term
holidays but they have just announced
Kashmir to get its
first zoo at tourist resort Pahalgam
After a long delay,
J&K government has cleared a proposal to set up first zoo in the Kashmir
Valley at famed hill resort of Pahalgam.
After receiving nod
from central zoo authority of India and the state wildlife protection board
headed by chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, the J&K wildlife department has
written to state forest department for acquiring 31 hectares of forest land.
Unique procedure at
Erie Zoo, if successful, will be the first of its kind around the world
The Erie Zoo
attempting a procedure that may be the first successful one of its kind. It's all to attempt to help save an
endangered species. We're talking today
about the Amur Leopard. They are one of
the rarest cats in the world and actually considered critically
endangered.
The Amur Leopard is
an exotic animal with beautiful, distinct fur.
In the wild, they can only be found along the Russian/Chinese border as
they favor a cold climate. With fewer
than 60 left in the wild, experts fear extinction.
Scott Mitchell,
President of the Erie Zoo, tells us, "When there's so few of them,
sometimes it's even difficult for them to come across each other, even to
meet."
The Erie Zoo is
fortunate enough to have both a male Amur Leopard named Rowdy and a female
called Nia. They're attempting a
cutting-edge artificial insemination procedure.
"It's a pretty complex process," Mitchell tells us, "it's
laparoscopically done."
Zoo of horrors
exposed . . . but why is no one taking the blame? CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews
last night's TV
Rarely has a
documentary left me angrier than Trouble At The Zoo (BBC2) — not only for the
incompetence and negligence it revealed, but for the easy ride given to all
involved.
This hour-long look
at the South Lakes Safari Zoo in Cumbria made no effort to hold anyone to
account for the catalogue of cruel neglect at the park, where nearly 500
animals have died in the past four years — a figure dismissed by the zoo’s
director.
‘The number doesn’t
mean anything,’ said Andreas, and this film was too lily-livered even to tell
us his last name.
We learned at the
start that the zoo had lost its licen
Call for RSPCA to
re-open criminal investigation into animal deaths at Dalton zoo following
documentary
BARROW and Furness
MP John Woodcock has called on the RSPCA to launch a new criminal investigation
into animal deaths at South Lakes Safari Zoo.
Mr Woodcock has
referred the death of Nero the lion to the RSPCA in the hope the organisation
will consider mounting a new criminal investigation following the airing of the
BBC2 documentary Trouble at the Zoo.
The hard-hitting
programme, filmed after zoo bosses invited the BBC to the park, showed how Nero
the lion died after being fed meat contaminated with barbiturates.
Last April RSPCA
officers, along with Barrow Borough Council, launched an investigation after an
autopsy list emerged charting the cause of death for hund
Zoo boss speaks out
about BBC documentary and reveals reason they invited film crew to Dalton
THE chief executive
of South Lakes Safari Zoo has revealed the reason she invited the BBC to do a
documentary about the Dalton attraction.
Last night's Trouble
at the Zoo, which aired on BBC2 at 9pm, gave a 'warts and all' account of the
day-to-day running of the attraction.
Viewers saw
heartbreaking scenes w
‘Trouble at the Zoo’
Documentary Shows it’s Time to Close This Chaotic Safari Park
Medium
I’m not a big fan of
zoos. I’ll tolerate them if they demonstrate a genuine conservation role, but
those institutions are few and far between in my experience. Many tick a few of
the virtue signalling boxes, but in general I think wild animals are better off
in the wild.
I certainly have no
time for institutions that serve up animals to be gawped at by the paying
public just to make money for the zoo operators, and after watching the BBC 2
documentary ‘Trouble at the Zoo’ on Thursday night, it would seem the South
Lakes Safari Zoo might fit into that category.
Zoos can save
wildlife
HARIMAU Malaya, or
Malayan tiger, has been a national icon for over half a century.
Malaysia’s Coat of
Arms feature two Malayan tigers. The name of the national football team is
Harimau Malaya while the national hockey team is called the Speedy Tigers.
In theory,
Malaysians hold the Malayan tiger in high esteem. However, when it comes to the
protection and conservation of the species, how well do they hold up?
Sadly, there might
be as few as 250 Malayan tigers left in Peninsular Malaysia, according to
WWF-Malaysia (World W
Urban Ocean
Conservation: A Conversation with John Racanelli, CEO of the National Aquarium
Since opening in
1981, the National Aquarium in Baltimore has been one of the most iconic
aquatic institutions in the world. Its popularity and role in revitalizing the
Inner Harbor of Baltimore inspired many other cities to build modern aquariums.
Many of the National Aquarium’s exhibits have won awards from the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums and its conservation and cleanup efforts have received
great acclaim. The aquarium’s CEO is John Racanelli and he is determined to
keep the institution at the cutting edge of saving aquatic life locally and
globally. Here is his story.
Odense Zoo and
Knuthenborg Safari Park select Mobaro Park safety and maintenance solution
Denmark’s Odense Zoo
and Knuthenborg Safari Park are the latest zoos to ditch paper checklists and
opt for the Mobaro Park safety and maintenance solution.
Mobaro Park’s
turnkey Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) solution is already
trusted by attractions such as Chester Zoo to streamline their safety
operations.
“We are pleased to
welcome these two Danish attractions, and to take yet another leap into the Zoo
segment,” confirms Jens Holm-Møller, Co-Founder and Director at Mobaro Park.
“There are many
parallels in values and how you work across the various segments of the
attractions industry, so it makes perfect sense for us to make Mobaro flexible
to fit the needs of these segments, whether it is Amusement
Going Down the
Brazos River: A Conversation with Jim Fleshman, Director of the Cameron Park
Zoo
Opened in 1993, the
Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas is one of the youngest zoos in the nation. It
has ben led by Jim Fleshman for most of its existence. He has expanded the zoo by leaps and bounds.
Among Fleshman’s accomplishments include bringing orangutans to the zoo and
opening Brazos River Country, an immersive exhibit complex taking visitors on a
journey up the Brazos River, from the Gulf of Mexico into the Texas Panhandle.
Here is his story.
Why Do Birds Get
Divorced?
Humans are not the
only animals that endure divorce; some birds go through it as well. A recent
study reveals why members of one such species, the Eurasian blue tit, sometimes
break their bond.
When ornithologists
refer to “divorce,” they mean that both members of a breeding pair survive to
the following breeding season but end up pairing with new partners rather than
reuniting. Great blue herons divorce after every breeding season, and emperor
penguins split up around 85 percent of the time. In contrast, just 9 percent of
mallard duck pairs call it quits, and albatrosses almost never break up. Many
researchers have focused on understanding how these separations affect
reproductive success, but until now few have focused on the process itself.
Behavioral ecologist
Carol Gilsenan of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany and her
colleagues monitored hundreds of Eurasian blue tits for eight years, using
artificial nest boxes in a protected forest in southern Germany. In their
findings, published in Animal Behaviour, 64 percent of breed
Tapping Into Animal
Behavior
Technology created
at Lincoln Park Zoo is fostering a deeper understanding of animal welfare and
health here and around the globe.
A Lincoln Park Zoo
volunteer is holding an iPad and taking notes as she stares intently at Howie,
a stout pygmy hippopotamus shimmering in the water at Regenstein African
Journey. Just a moment earlier, she says, Howie wandered across the exhibit to
chomp on a piece of lettuce that fell from a feeder above. From the volunteer’s
voice, you can tell she’s excited at the activity, and for good reason: the
iPad app she’s using, called ZooMonitor, collected the data that led to the
installation of that very feeder. By observing Howie’s activity, this volunteer
is part of a larger team helping the zoo better understand animal behavior and
improve their care.
“ZooMonitor promotes
data-driven decision making,” says Jason Wark, Ph.D., a Research Scientist with
Lincoln Park Zoo who manages the volunteer-driven monitoring program, analyzes
the data, and introduces the technology to other animal-care professionals
around the world.
Designed at Lincoln
Park Zoo, ZooMonitor launched in 2016, and the app is now a global tool freely
used by more than 200 institutions, including zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries,
universities, and other facilities in more than two dozen countries.
Lincoln Park Zoo
volunteers spend 10 minutes per animal conducting observation sessions. In the
case of Howie, for example, every 60 seconds the iPad beeps
An aquarium accident
may have given this crayfish the DNA to take over the world
It sounds like a bad
monster movie plot: A 10-legged mutant creature that reproduces asexually,
escapes from confinement in Germany, and quietly begins a global invasion.
Within 2 decades, clones of the voracious animal spread through Europe and
Africa, bringing devastation to ecosystems and threatening native species.
That appears to be
the strange-but-true story of the marbled crayfish, an invasive freshwater
species suspected to have been created through a reproductive accident in an
aquarium around 1995. A new analysis of the crustacean’s genome supports this
unlikely origin and may help explain how the animal has subsequently spread and
adapted to so many new environments.
The crayfish’s
unusual evolution could also suggest a strategy to tackle a more infamous
clonal monster: cancer. “In many ways, the invasive expansion of [the marbled
crayfish] is analogous to a cancerous lineage spreading asexually at the
expense of its host,” says Jean-François Flot, an evolutionary genomicist at
the Free University of Br
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/aquarium-accident-may-have-given-crayfish-dna-take-over-world
The Smiling Axolotl
Hides a Secret: A Giant Genome
The Mexican
salamander has largest genome ever sequenced, which may account for its unique
regenerative abilities
What medieval
artists teach us about animal sex
The prevailing view
is that animals mainly have sex to reproduce. Until recently, therefore,
scientists assumed that animals were relentlessly heterosexual. This is the
message conveyed by countless zoos, wildlife documentaries, books and films.
Think March of the Penguins or 2014's controversial Noah. Such representations
perpetuate the belief that animals are best seen through the lens of human
"norms" of gender, sex and family.
The presumed
"heterosexuality" of animals has also traditionally provided a
backhanded justification for regulating human sexual activity. Acts of
homoeroticism or gender bending get cast as "unnatural" insofar as
such things aren't perceived as being clearly observable in other species.
But arguing against
these viewpoints, biologists such as Bruce Bagemihl and Joan Roughgarden have
begun putting forward evidence that animal sexuality comprises an array of
behaviours, gender expressions and body types. In fact, reproduction is
marginal to many species. Scientists impose human categories on animals at
their peril. And increasingly, popular culture is also getting behind these
moves. The web is inundated with articles and blog posts on such topics as The
25 Gayest Animals or Our Transsexual Pets. A search on YouTube turns up a
wealth of related footage.
Yet a historical
perspective on these issues is often lacking. Categories such as
"gay" or "trans" are not ageless absolutes, after all. The
word "heterosexuality" itself only began being used around 1900,
initially in medical circles: a 1923 dictionary defines it as a
"morbid" sexual passion for the opposite sex.
And what seems on
the surface to be a relatively recent development
That Time Parisians
Ate the Zoo
For four months from
September 19, 1870 to January 28, 1871, the Prussian Army laid siege to the
city of Paris, as part of the Franco-Prussian War. Prior to having all supply
lines cut off, the French Ministry of Agriculture furiously worked to gather as
much food and fuel as it could, and at the beginning, “livestock blanket[ed]
the Bois de Boulogne park on the edge of Paris.”
Apparently
insufficient, within less than a month, the Parisians began butchering the
horses, with the meat used as you would expect and even the blood collected
“for the purposes of making puddings.” By the end of the siege, approximately
65,000 horses were killed and eaten.
Within another
month, by November 12, 1870, butchered dogs and cats began to appear for sale
at the market alongside trays full of dead rats and pigeons. The former pets
sold for between 20 and 40 cents per pound, while a nice, fat rat could go for
50.
As Christmas
approached, most of Paris’ restaurants and…
Caretaker of lion
recounts near death experience
The caretaker of a
lion attacked at a zoo in Kaduna, Mustapha Adam on Monday recounted his ordeal
saying, ‘I thought I was dead’.
Speaking to Daily
Trust at the emergency unit of the Barau Dikko Specialist hospital Kaduna where
he is presently receiving treatment, Mustapha said he went to feed the lion at
12noon on Saturday when he was attacked.
He said, “I have
been feeding the lion for the past eight months even though the lion has been
in the zoo for three years after the zoo was commissioned by the Yero
administration.
“The accident was as
a result of my carelessness, I thought that since I had been feeding it for
over eight months the animal had gotten used to me, so on that faithful day
when I came to feed it, I did not close the inner cage that I usually close
when I come to feed it and before I knew what was happening, the loin grabbed a
hold of my neck.
“It took the
intervention of the Sarkin Pawa of the Zango abattoir where I work who was
there when the incident occurred and other park officers who threw a chunk of
meat into the cage and the lion let go of me and charged for the meat.
Lion devours
zookeeper in Kaduna
A zookeeper,
Mustapha Adam, has been mauled by a lion which escaped from the Gamji Gate
amusement park in Kaduna. He died early Wednesday, February 7, 2018, following
an injury sustained in the neck.
The big cat has been
lured back to its cage after a break-out according to many reports.
BBC Africa confirmed
that a similar occurrence happened at Ibadan, Oyo State, in September 2017. A
lion reportedly killed its caregiver while being fed.
Much earlier,
another lion escape from its confinement located in the central city of Jos but
residents came to no harm
Michael Miller’s New
Book “Through a Keeper's Eye” Significantly Focuses On The Importance Of
Zoological Institutions To The Survival Of Fauna Across The Globe
Michael Miller, a
wildlife preservation enthusiast, zookeeper, and photographer inspired by Steve
Irwin, has completed his new book “Through a Keeper's Eye”: a riveting
publication about the author’s life-changing perspective while caring for the
animals, and how this shaped his resolve to be an ambassador for institutions
that protect wildlife for future generations.
Author Miller fills
in the untold facts regarding zoological facilities and their goal of
conserving animal species: “It is easy to forget that we share the world with
some of the most miraculous creatures besides ourselves. Zoological
institutions across the globe present people with a unique opportunity: being
alongside these astounding animals who are an essential part of our world. Ever
since I became a zookeeper, I have realized how crucial it is to preserve the
tradition of zoos for future generations. Being present in many facilities on
both sides of the fence as an employee and guest, I have seen the importance,
beauty, and benefit that each
possesses.”
Published by New
York City-based Page Publishing, Michael Miller’s essential book features the
author’s original photos that capture the core of nature, letting the readers
view the soulful aura of a diverse wildlife that deserves so much care and
attention, due to the reality that these species may one day cease to exist
sooner than expected.
Readers who wish to
experience this thought-pr
Restrictions on
movement of animals after TB death at Paignton Zoo
TB restrictions on
movement have forced staff at Paignton Zoo to control breeding in some animals.
Vets are using contraceptive implants to stop animals producing babies as the
strict rules prevent any animal movement until the TB conditions are lifted.
It follows a single
case of bovine TB discovered at the Zoo last year. One antelope died in May
2017 and the rest of the herd had to be put down. The 10 Kafue Flats lechwe -
two male and eight female – were culled on advice from the Animal Plant and
Health Agency (APHA) in September.
Croc on: 42 years
later, Madras Crocodile Bank is an ocean of cool reptiles
Ten steps into the
Madras Crocodile Bank and you are greeted by an enclosure filled with mugger
crocodiles (Indian Marsh Crocodiles). At first sight, with their jaws wide
open, some lying one on top of the other, the crocodiles look like statues, and
I had to wait for a full five minutes for one of them to show any sign of life.
“Crocodiles are very
chilled out like that. They don’t move very often, like us humans. They look
like they’re on an eternal vacation,” laughs Arul, the zoo instructor.
I also learn that
they keep their jaws open to thermoregulate their body temperatures and that
muggers are the most social ones among the species, most of which are very
territorial. “So it’s alright for us to put them together in enclosures like
this,” he explains.
Animal rights group
PETA bought stock in Thomas Cook so it could lobby the firm to cut ties with
SeaWorld
Animal rights group
PETA has purchased stock in travel company Thomas Cook to gain entry to its AGM
and lobby executives in person to stop selling tickets to SeaWorld.
PETA has long been
protesting against the Florida marine park for its treatment of whales, which
it says is cruel and inhumane. It also targets businesses that deal with
SeaWorld, like Thomas Cook, which offers tours to the park.
The group told
Business Insider that it has bought a single share in the company, valued at
around £1.20 ($1.66), because it grants it entry to the annual general meeting,
being held in London this Thursday.
Yvonne Taylor, a
PETA campaigner, told Business Insider that she and a colleague plan to use
this right to go inside the AGM in east London and ask executives directly to
end ticket sales to SeaWorld, and to lobby shareholders.
Meanwhile,
protesters outside are going
Finalists Announced
for World's Leading Animal Conservation Award
Officials from the Indianapolis Prize today
named six Finalists for the world's leading award for animal conservation. The
Finalists, who have achieved major victories in saving species such as
Magellanic penguins and snow leopards, will vie for the prestigious title of
2018 Indianapolis Prize Winner and an unrestricted, $250,000 award.
‘TIGER TEMPLE’ TO
REOPEN AS TIGER ZOO
Thailand’s most
infamous tiger petting zoo may not have used up its nine lives when it was
raided and shut down following gruesome discoveries two years ago.
Though closure of
the so-called Tiger Temple was hailed as a victory for wildlife protection,
national park officials and the head of an animal welfare organization
confirmed it will reopen this month – with 24 new tigers.
After the temple was
raided in June 2016, the park has continued operating, albeit housing only a
100-or-so underfed animals. But this month, the temple will import more tigers
for their attractions – this time, in a zoo.
“The zoo they’re
opening won’t be inside the temple, but on a 20-rai plot next to it,” Adisorn
Noochdamrong of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant
Conservation said by phone. “It will be legal, because o
The bird flu is
killing the Queen's swans
Bird flu has killed
at least 30 swans from Queen Elizabeth's flock, with more expected to succumb
to the disease, UK officials say.
"We are
currently at the river recovering bodies of the dead swans," said David
Barber, the official responsible for the Queen's swans. "This is the first
time in my 24 years as Swan Marker that bird flu has hit the Thames --
naturally, we are all very upset about the situation."
An alert was
initially sent to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA) by Swan Support, a rehabilitation center, after they noticed several of
the animals near the Queen's residence at Windsor Castle, west of London,
appeared to be ill.
"We found a few
dead swans, but we find dead swans all year round," Wendy Hurmon, director
of operations at Swan Support, told CNN. "But then we noticed that some of
the other swans did not look very well and we thought 'something is not right
here.'"
Zoo design – The
Idea (or need), the Dream, The concept – and Making it Come alive!!
I have had the
fortune to work on a number of projects over the last few years, and have seen
a wide range of successful and unsuccessful designs being built from new build
or as rebuilds. The striking reality is that the planned concept that is in the
mind of the Zoo Directors, Zoo staff, creators, architects, management, and
designers often falls short of their expectations. Many of course are
successful and tick all the boxes for animals, staff and visitors, but many go
through a change during the process.
Change can take many
forms, it can be a mixture of modifications to enhance the experience of the
animals, or a greater visitor immersive experience, or a more practical
application to assist the Keepers in managing the animals.
The great challenge
is to manage a project and manage the change, with the overall aim of
delivering the end product to everyone’s satisfaction, with of course the end
user getting the Exhibit, holdings etc. they desired in the beginning.
The key factors that
change these designs, from the obvious like concept design, funding, location,
time, management, communication, staff feedback, change in direction/animal
choice, animals, landscaping, Weather, contractor experience and quality of work,
material choice and onsite observations. Health & Safety, Publicity/Visitor
feedback and more!!
The truth is - The
design has to wo
THE MORAL AND
WELFARE ISSUES OF EUTHANASIA
Euthanasia is the
act of deliberately ending an animal’s life to end their suffering. Its use has
often been widely mis-understood, but ultimately is aimed at minimising
suffering and mitigating poor animal welfare where no other realistic options
are available. Despite this, it remains a contentious subject for many zoos and
aquariums. Here we ask Dave Morgan our Field Director, about his thoughts on
the subject.
1.Why do zoos
euthanise their animals and what precautions should they take when considering
euthanasia?
Broadly–speaking,
euthanasia of zoo animals is thought to be
permissible under the following circumstances:
when recommended by
a veterinarian;
when irresolvable
stress or conflict prevails and where changes in social structure result in
distress, and where there is no option of relocation;
when the zoo is
unable to ensure acceptable facilities and conditions for animals and where
there is no option of relocation;
when an animal poses
a danger and unavoidable threat to human safety;
where no other
suitable accommodation can be found for the animal;
in cases of old age
or severe injury; and
where no other
suitable option exists
Except in the
situation where an animal poses a threat to human life where a kill decision
might need to be made very quickly, the other instances listed above usually
have something of a lead-in time, allowing for appropriate consideration of the
circumstances that indicate euthanasia. Such consideration ideally should be
weighed by the zoo’s own in-house ethics committee. Unfortunately, not all zoos
have such committees, so at the very least, when euthanasia is being
considered, the zoo should only do so in terms of prevailing legislation and
acceptable practices. Not all countries allow zoos to practice euthanasia under any circumstances, aside
from threat to human life.
Notwithstanding;
ideally, all zoos along with their own in-house ethics committees, should have
a written policy describing standard operating procedures for euthanizing
animals. These policies and procedures should cover all information and
guidance relating to euthanasia including emergency methods proscribed by a
veterinarian. Indeed, there should be appropriate facilities and equipment
suitable and serviceable for euthanizing all the species kept in the
collection, including casualties under
emergency conditions; and finally, competent trained personnel with
acces
CHEETAH OUTREACH:
DOES THE END JUSTIFY THE MEANS?
As I reported in a
recent blog, the captive bred cheetah population is reaching epic proportions
in South Africa with more than 600 cheetahs kept in about 80 facilities, like
Cheetah Outreach, around the country and their conservation value is highly questionable.
Some of these
captive facilities make genuine efforts to conserve the wild cheetah population
with successful reintroduction programmes. Others support breeding programmes
of Anatolian shepherd dogs, that are used to address human-wildlife conflict
threatening predators like cheetah and leopard, by guarding livestock.
www.zoolex.org in February 2018
~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~
Hello ZooLex Friend,
We have worked for your enjoyment!
~°v°~
NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTATION
O Caminho da Serpente is the result of adapting an existing building for
the exhibition of snakes at Sao Paulo Zoo in Brazil. Interpretation was
developed based on research on visitors' knowledge, feelings and
interests about snakes with the main goal of improving visitors'
perception of snakes.
We would like to thank Rachel Venturini from Sao Paulo Zoo for preparing
this presentation.
~°v°~
SPANISH TRANSLATION
Thanks to Eduardo Díaz García we are able to offer the Spanish
translation of the previously published presentation of the "Recovery
Centre for North American Terrapins" at Lyon Zoo in France.
~°v°~
We keep working on ZooLex ...
The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization is a non-profit organization
registered in Austria (ZVR-Zahl 933849053). ZooLex runs a professional
zoo design website and distributes this newsletter. More information and
contact: http://www.zoolex.org/about.html
Vancouver park board
lacked authority to ban whales, dolphins at aquarium: Court
A British Columbia
court has ruled that Vancouver’s park board didn’t have the authority to ban
whales, dolphins and porpoises at the city’s aquarium.
The decision follows
Vancouver Aquarium’s announcement last month that it will end the practice of
displaying cetaceans in captivity.
The Ocean Wise
Conservation Association, the non-profit society that runs the aquarium, filed
an application for judicial review last year challenging a bylaw amendment
passed by
Thai seizure of a
dozen captive tigers resurrects farming threat
A recent discovery
of a dozen Tigers at a property in eastern Thailand serves as a reminder that
Tiger farming is still a threat to Southeast Asia’s wild Tigers and an
enforcement challenge for the region’s authorities.
On 2 February,
authorities inspecting a premise in Khlong Kiu in Chon Buri province found a
large pig farm where several species of protected wildlife were kept, including
the 12 Tigers.
The checks were
jointly carried out by the Wild Hawk Unit and Special Unit 1326 of the Forest
Protection and Fire Control Office, both units under the Department of National
Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP), and the Protected Areas Regional
Office 2 in Sri Racha.
Thai media reported
that two local men claiming to be the property owners produced faulty papers
whose authenticity could not be verified. The documents were said to be issued
by a government department that was no longer in operation, making it impossible
to verify their legitimacy.
The Wild Hawk Unit
told press that some of the Tigers were juveniles, raising suspicions
Why Snakes Have Two
Penises and Alligators Are Always Erect
From spiky penises
to an extra clitoris, reptile reproductive parts don’t lack for variety.
A Chimp was Shot
dead at a Zoo in Langkawi, activists tell Clean Malaysia
There they
languished, the three chimps, within dingy little enclosures at Bukit Gambang
Safari Park in Pahang. The three apes (16-year-old Botan, 18-year-old Sumomo,
and 29-year-old Gonbei) spent their time being cooped up in small 3m-by-4m
cages without much of a chance to move around at will outdoors, according to
animal rights activists, who raised the alarm about the animals’ plight.
They posted a video
on YouTube showing the chimps becoming agitated within their small and filthy
separate enclosures. They are banging on iron doors and throwing their metal
plates around in despondent anger.
That was in early
December last year. Then the chimps were transferred to a brand-new zoo
called Langkawi Nature Park, which was opened to public in January.
A spot of good luck
for the long-suffering apes? Hardly.
Presently, Sumomo,
one of the three, was report
Sapporo zoo turns to
AI in bid to improve animal welfare
An artificial
intelligence system with features including image recognition is being
developed to analyze behavior and better control the health of animals in a
joint study aimed at modernizing municipal Maruyama Zoo here.
Zoos in Japan have
seldom turned to AI systems in keeping their animals, said officials at the
zoo, which is collaborating with outside parties, including Hokkaido
University, in the study.
Parties involved
said they hope to develop and commercialize similar control systems for
prospective use by dairy farmers and hospitals as part of a new business model
to be developed for the zoo.
Maruyama Zoo last
had a major overhaul of the way it operates in 2007, including setting a target
of 1 million visitors. It edged close to that milestone in fiscal 2015, when
980,000 people passed through its gates.
Now zoo officials
are planning to work out a new business model to adapt to the changing purpose
of zoos. They say the new missions include a pursuit of animal welfare, through
breeding in environments that are close to wildlife conditions and the preservation
of ecosystems.
“It is essential,
for starters, to gather data separately by animal species and by individual
animal,” said Osamu Kato, director of Maruyama Zoo. “That said, we hope to find
out how far we could go, from a technical viewpoint, in ens
Essential Oils Can
Be Very Dangerous to Cats !
While essential oils
have been known to help us humans with various ailment and make our house smell
great, some oils can be incredibly dangerous for your cat. Many essential oils (especially tea tree) are
seriously toxic to cats and the diffuser spreads the oils through the air that
your cat breathes.
Essential oils are
found in aromatherapies and even insecticieds
Essential oils are
utilized in a variety of ways: as insecticides, in aromatherapies, personal
care products (e.g., antibacterials), flavorings, herbal remedies and liquid
potpourri.
Cats lack an enzyme
in the liver making the oils very toxic to them
Essential oils are
rapidly absorbed both orally and across the skin, and are then metabolized in
the liver. Cats lack an essential enzyme in their liver and have difficulty
metabolizing and eliminating certain toxins like essential oils. Cats are also
very sensitive to phenols and phenolic compounds, which can be found in some
essential oils. The higher the concentration of the essential oil (i.e. 100%),
the greater the risk to the cat.
Toxicity in cats can
occur very quickly, through an internal or external application, or over a
longer period of time, through repeated or continuous inhalation of essential
oils, but either way, it can lead to serious liver damage or even death.
Below are just some
of the essential oils that can be dangerous to cats:
Peppermint
The story of how a
leopard escaped from Cornwall private zoo revealed as locals raised their fears
to owner Todd Dalton
Villagers who felt
in danger after a leopard escaped from a private zoo collection in Cornwall
have voiced their concerns over 'negligence' and 'secrecy' during a meeting.
A dozen residents of
Great Treverran met with Cornwall Councillor for Lostwithiel Colin Martin, the
police and licence officers this morning in Chy Trevail, Countil Hall's office
in Bodmin.
They expressed their
anxiety over an incident on Boxing Day which saw a clouded leopard escape from
its enclosure, disappear for six days and attack sheep. One of them was killed
and others had to be put down because of their injuries.
But villagers were
only notified about the evasion when a farmer trapped the wild cat one mile
further.
Extremely endangered
frog has online dating profile created by scientists in effort to save species
Romeo, “the world’s
loneliest frog”, has had an online dating profile set up by scientists in an
effort to save his species from extinction.
The lovesick
amphibian is the only known Sehuencas water frog in the world, and he has been
calling for a mate ever since researchers collected him from the wild a decade
ago.
Now they have
launched him into the world of online dating in an effort to raise awareness
and funds for the rejuvenation of his species.
Romeo was found on
an expedition to the Bolivian cloud forests led by biologist Arturo Muñoz 10
years ago.
Optimal Animal Care:
A Conversation with Hollie Colahan, Vice President of Animal Care at the Denver
Zoo
Hollie Colahan
serves as Vice President of Animal Care at the Denver Zoo, one of the nation's
premier zoos. She is responsible for supervising the entire animal care staff
and keeping the institution at the forefront of animal wellness and husbandry.
Additionally, Colahan is coordinator the African Lion Species Survival Plan
(SSP) and is currently chair of the Association of Zoos and Aquarium's
Professional Development Committee. Here is her story.
Hong Kong’s
struggling Ocean Park expects launch of Marriott resort hotel to provide
lifeline
Borth zoo to reopen
ahead of schedule
BORTH Wild Animal
Kingdom, which has been embroiled in a licence battle with the county council
following the death of two lynx, is to reopen on Saturday ahead of schedule.
The zoo has been
closed voluntarily since October after an escaped lynx was shot dead and the
death of a second lynx following a handling error.
Zoo owners Tracy and
Dean Tweedy had planned to reopen the zoo in time for the February half-term
holidays but they have just announced
Kashmir to get its
first zoo at tourist resort Pahalgam
After a long delay,
J&K government has cleared a proposal to set up first zoo in the Kashmir
Valley at famed hill resort of Pahalgam.
After receiving nod
from central zoo authority of India and the state wildlife protection board
headed by chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, the J&K wildlife department has
written to state forest department for acquiring 31 hectares of forest land.
Unique procedure at
Erie Zoo, if successful, will be the first of its kind around the world
The Erie Zoo
attempting a procedure that may be the first successful one of its kind. It's all to attempt to help save an
endangered species. We're talking today
about the Amur Leopard. They are one of
the rarest cats in the world and actually considered critically
endangered.
The Amur Leopard is
an exotic animal with beautiful, distinct fur.
In the wild, they can only be found along the Russian/Chinese border as
they favor a cold climate. With fewer
than 60 left in the wild, experts fear extinction.
Scott Mitchell,
President of the Erie Zoo, tells us, "When there's so few of them,
sometimes it's even difficult for them to come across each other, even to
meet."
The Erie Zoo is
fortunate enough to have both a male Amur Leopard named Rowdy and a female
called Nia. They're attempting a
cutting-edge artificial insemination procedure.
"It's a pretty complex process," Mitchell tells us, "it's
laparoscopically done."
Zoo of horrors
exposed . . . but why is no one taking the blame? CHRISTOPHER STEVENS reviews
last night's TV
Rarely has a
documentary left me angrier than Trouble At The Zoo (BBC2) — not only for the
incompetence and negligence it revealed, but for the easy ride given to all
involved.
This hour-long look
at the South Lakes Safari Zoo in Cumbria made no effort to hold anyone to
account for the catalogue of cruel neglect at the park, where nearly 500
animals have died in the past four years — a figure dismissed by the zoo’s
director.
‘The number doesn’t
mean anything,’ said Andreas, and this film was too lily-livered even to tell
us his last name.
We learned at the
start that the zoo had lost its licen
Call for RSPCA to
re-open criminal investigation into animal deaths at Dalton zoo following
documentary
BARROW and Furness
MP John Woodcock has called on the RSPCA to launch a new criminal investigation
into animal deaths at South Lakes Safari Zoo.
Mr Woodcock has
referred the death of Nero the lion to the RSPCA in the hope the organisation
will consider mounting a new criminal investigation following the airing of the
BBC2 documentary Trouble at the Zoo.
The hard-hitting
programme, filmed after zoo bosses invited the BBC to the park, showed how Nero
the lion died after being fed meat contaminated with barbiturates.
Last April RSPCA
officers, along with Barrow Borough Council, launched an investigation after an
autopsy list emerged charting the cause of death for hund
Zoo boss speaks out
about BBC documentary and reveals reason they invited film crew to Dalton
THE chief executive
of South Lakes Safari Zoo has revealed the reason she invited the BBC to do a
documentary about the Dalton attraction.
Last night's Trouble
at the Zoo, which aired on BBC2 at 9pm, gave a 'warts and all' account of the
day-to-day running of the attraction.
Viewers saw
heartbreaking scenes w
‘Trouble at the Zoo’
Documentary Shows it’s Time to Close This Chaotic Safari Park
Medium
I’m not a big fan of
zoos. I’ll tolerate them if they demonstrate a genuine conservation role, but
those institutions are few and far between in my experience. Many tick a few of
the virtue signalling boxes, but in general I think wild animals are better off
in the wild.
I certainly have no
time for institutions that serve up animals to be gawped at by the paying
public just to make money for the zoo operators, and after watching the BBC 2
documentary ‘Trouble at the Zoo’ on Thursday night, it would seem the South
Lakes Safari Zoo might fit into that category.
Zoos can save
wildlife
HARIMAU Malaya, or
Malayan tiger, has been a national icon for over half a century.
Malaysia’s Coat of
Arms feature two Malayan tigers. The name of the national football team is
Harimau Malaya while the national hockey team is called the Speedy Tigers.
In theory,
Malaysians hold the Malayan tiger in high esteem. However, when it comes to the
protection and conservation of the species, how well do they hold up?
Sadly, there might
be as few as 250 Malayan tigers left in Peninsular Malaysia, according to
WWF-Malaysia (World W
Urban Ocean
Conservation: A Conversation with John Racanelli, CEO of the National Aquarium
Since opening in
1981, the National Aquarium in Baltimore has been one of the most iconic
aquatic institutions in the world. Its popularity and role in revitalizing the
Inner Harbor of Baltimore inspired many other cities to build modern aquariums.
Many of the National Aquarium’s exhibits have won awards from the Association
of Zoos and Aquariums and its conservation and cleanup efforts have received
great acclaim. The aquarium’s CEO is John Racanelli and he is determined to
keep the institution at the cutting edge of saving aquatic life locally and
globally. Here is his story.
Odense Zoo and
Knuthenborg Safari Park select Mobaro Park safety and maintenance solution
Denmark’s Odense Zoo
and Knuthenborg Safari Park are the latest zoos to ditch paper checklists and
opt for the Mobaro Park safety and maintenance solution.
Mobaro Park’s
turnkey Computerised Maintenance Management System (CMMS) solution is already
trusted by attractions such as Chester Zoo to streamline their safety
operations.
“We are pleased to
welcome these two Danish attractions, and to take yet another leap into the Zoo
segment,” confirms Jens Holm-Møller, Co-Founder and Director at Mobaro Park.
“There are many
parallels in values and how you work across the various segments of the
attractions industry, so it makes perfect sense for us to make Mobaro flexible
to fit the needs of these segments, whether it is Amusement
Going Down the
Brazos River: A Conversation with Jim Fleshman, Director of the Cameron Park
Zoo
Opened in 1993, the
Cameron Park Zoo in Waco, Texas is one of the youngest zoos in the nation. It
has ben led by Jim Fleshman for most of its existence. He has expanded the zoo by leaps and bounds.
Among Fleshman’s accomplishments include bringing orangutans to the zoo and
opening Brazos River Country, an immersive exhibit complex taking visitors on a
journey up the Brazos River, from the Gulf of Mexico into the Texas Panhandle.
Here is his story.
Why Do Birds Get
Divorced?
Humans are not the
only animals that endure divorce; some birds go through it as well. A recent
study reveals why members of one such species, the Eurasian blue tit, sometimes
break their bond.
When ornithologists
refer to “divorce,” they mean that both members of a breeding pair survive to
the following breeding season but end up pairing with new partners rather than
reuniting. Great blue herons divorce after every breeding season, and emperor
penguins split up around 85 percent of the time. In contrast, just 9 percent of
mallard duck pairs call it quits, and albatrosses almost never break up. Many
researchers have focused on understanding how these separations affect
reproductive success, but until now few have focused on the process itself.
Behavioral ecologist
Carol Gilsenan of the Max Planck Institute for Ornithology in Germany and her
colleagues monitored hundreds of Eurasian blue tits for eight years, using
artificial nest boxes in a protected forest in southern Germany. In their
findings, published in Animal Behaviour, 64 percent of breed
Tapping Into Animal
Behavior
Technology created
at Lincoln Park Zoo is fostering a deeper understanding of animal welfare and
health here and around the globe.
A Lincoln Park Zoo
volunteer is holding an iPad and taking notes as she stares intently at Howie,
a stout pygmy hippopotamus shimmering in the water at Regenstein African
Journey. Just a moment earlier, she says, Howie wandered across the exhibit to
chomp on a piece of lettuce that fell from a feeder above. From the volunteer’s
voice, you can tell she’s excited at the activity, and for good reason: the
iPad app she’s using, called ZooMonitor, collected the data that led to the
installation of that very feeder. By observing Howie’s activity, this volunteer
is part of a larger team helping the zoo better understand animal behavior and
improve their care.
“ZooMonitor promotes
data-driven decision making,” says Jason Wark, Ph.D., a Research Scientist with
Lincoln Park Zoo who manages the volunteer-driven monitoring program, analyzes
the data, and introduces the technology to other animal-care professionals
around the world.
Designed at Lincoln
Park Zoo, ZooMonitor launched in 2016, and the app is now a global tool freely
used by more than 200 institutions, including zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries,
universities, and other facilities in more than two dozen countries.
Lincoln Park Zoo
volunteers spend 10 minutes per animal conducting observation sessions. In the
case of Howie, for example, every 60 seconds the iPad beeps
An aquarium accident
may have given this crayfish the DNA to take over the world
It sounds like a bad
monster movie plot: A 10-legged mutant creature that reproduces asexually,
escapes from confinement in Germany, and quietly begins a global invasion.
Within 2 decades, clones of the voracious animal spread through Europe and
Africa, bringing devastation to ecosystems and threatening native species.
That appears to be
the strange-but-true story of the marbled crayfish, an invasive freshwater
species suspected to have been created through a reproductive accident in an
aquarium around 1995. A new analysis of the crustacean’s genome supports this
unlikely origin and may help explain how the animal has subsequently spread and
adapted to so many new environments.
The crayfish’s
unusual evolution could also suggest a strategy to tackle a more infamous
clonal monster: cancer. “In many ways, the invasive expansion of [the marbled
crayfish] is analogous to a cancerous lineage spreading asexually at the
expense of its host,” says Jean-François Flot, an evolutionary genomicist at
the Free University of Br
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/02/aquarium-accident-may-have-given-crayfish-dna-take-over-world
The Smiling Axolotl
Hides a Secret: A Giant Genome
The Mexican
salamander has largest genome ever sequenced, which may account for its unique
regenerative abilities
What medieval
artists teach us about animal sex
The prevailing view
is that animals mainly have sex to reproduce. Until recently, therefore,
scientists assumed that animals were relentlessly heterosexual. This is the
message conveyed by countless zoos, wildlife documentaries, books and films.
Think March of the Penguins or 2014's controversial Noah. Such representations
perpetuate the belief that animals are best seen through the lens of human
"norms" of gender, sex and family.
The presumed
"heterosexuality" of animals has also traditionally provided a
backhanded justification for regulating human sexual activity. Acts of
homoeroticism or gender bending get cast as "unnatural" insofar as
such things aren't perceived as being clearly observable in other species.
But arguing against
these viewpoints, biologists such as Bruce Bagemihl and Joan Roughgarden have
begun putting forward evidence that animal sexuality comprises an array of
behaviours, gender expressions and body types. In fact, reproduction is
marginal to many species. Scientists impose human categories on animals at
their peril. And increasingly, popular culture is also getting behind these
moves. The web is inundated with articles and blog posts on such topics as The
25 Gayest Animals or Our Transsexual Pets. A search on YouTube turns up a
wealth of related footage.
Yet a historical
perspective on these issues is often lacking. Categories such as
"gay" or "trans" are not ageless absolutes, after all. The
word "heterosexuality" itself only began being used around 1900,
initially in medical circles: a 1923 dictionary defines it as a
"morbid" sexual passion for the opposite sex.
And what seems on
the surface to be a relatively recent development
That Time Parisians
Ate the Zoo
For four months from
September 19, 1870 to January 28, 1871, the Prussian Army laid siege to the
city of Paris, as part of the Franco-Prussian War. Prior to having all supply
lines cut off, the French Ministry of Agriculture furiously worked to gather as
much food and fuel as it could, and at the beginning, “livestock blanket[ed]
the Bois de Boulogne park on the edge of Paris.”
Apparently
insufficient, within less than a month, the Parisians began butchering the
horses, with the meat used as you would expect and even the blood collected
“for the purposes of making puddings.” By the end of the siege, approximately
65,000 horses were killed and eaten.
Within another
month, by November 12, 1870, butchered dogs and cats began to appear for sale
at the market alongside trays full of dead rats and pigeons. The former pets
sold for between 20 and 40 cents per pound, while a nice, fat rat could go for
50.
As Christmas
approached, most of Paris’ restaurants and…
Caretaker of lion
recounts near death experience
The caretaker of a
lion attacked at a zoo in Kaduna, Mustapha Adam on Monday recounted his ordeal
saying, ‘I thought I was dead’.
Speaking to Daily
Trust at the emergency unit of the Barau Dikko Specialist hospital Kaduna where
he is presently receiving treatment, Mustapha said he went to feed the lion at
12noon on Saturday when he was attacked.
He said, “I have
been feeding the lion for the past eight months even though the lion has been
in the zoo for three years after the zoo was commissioned by the Yero
administration.
“The accident was as
a result of my carelessness, I thought that since I had been feeding it for
over eight months the animal had gotten used to me, so on that faithful day
when I came to feed it, I did not close the inner cage that I usually close
when I come to feed it and before I knew what was happening, the loin grabbed a
hold of my neck.
“It took the
intervention of the Sarkin Pawa of the Zango abattoir where I work who was
there when the incident occurred and other park officers who threw a chunk of
meat into the cage and the lion let go of me and charged for the meat.
Lion devours
zookeeper in Kaduna
A zookeeper,
Mustapha Adam, has been mauled by a lion which escaped from the Gamji Gate
amusement park in Kaduna. He died early Wednesday, February 7, 2018, following
an injury sustained in the neck.
The big cat has been
lured back to its cage after a break-out according to many reports.
BBC Africa confirmed
that a similar occurrence happened at Ibadan, Oyo State, in September 2017. A
lion reportedly killed its caregiver while being fed.
Much earlier,
another lion escape from its confinement located in the central city of Jos but
residents came to no harm
Michael Miller’s New
Book “Through a Keeper's Eye” Significantly Focuses On The Importance Of
Zoological Institutions To The Survival Of Fauna Across The Globe
Michael Miller, a
wildlife preservation enthusiast, zookeeper, and photographer inspired by Steve
Irwin, has completed his new book “Through a Keeper's Eye”: a riveting
publication about the author’s life-changing perspective while caring for the
animals, and how this shaped his resolve to be an ambassador for institutions
that protect wildlife for future generations.
Author Miller fills
in the untold facts regarding zoological facilities and their goal of
conserving animal species: “It is easy to forget that we share the world with
some of the most miraculous creatures besides ourselves. Zoological
institutions across the globe present people with a unique opportunity: being
alongside these astounding animals who are an essential part of our world. Ever
since I became a zookeeper, I have realized how crucial it is to preserve the
tradition of zoos for future generations. Being present in many facilities on
both sides of the fence as an employee and guest, I have seen the importance,
beauty, and benefit that each
possesses.”
Published by New
York City-based Page Publishing, Michael Miller’s essential book features the
author’s original photos that capture the core of nature, letting the readers
view the soulful aura of a diverse wildlife that deserves so much care and
attention, due to the reality that these species may one day cease to exist
sooner than expected.
Readers who wish to
experience this thought-pr
Restrictions on
movement of animals after TB death at Paignton Zoo
TB restrictions on
movement have forced staff at Paignton Zoo to control breeding in some animals.
Vets are using contraceptive implants to stop animals producing babies as the
strict rules prevent any animal movement until the TB conditions are lifted.
It follows a single
case of bovine TB discovered at the Zoo last year. One antelope died in May
2017 and the rest of the herd had to be put down. The 10 Kafue Flats lechwe -
two male and eight female – were culled on advice from the Animal Plant and
Health Agency (APHA) in September.
Croc on: 42 years
later, Madras Crocodile Bank is an ocean of cool reptiles
Ten steps into the
Madras Crocodile Bank and you are greeted by an enclosure filled with mugger
crocodiles (Indian Marsh Crocodiles). At first sight, with their jaws wide
open, some lying one on top of the other, the crocodiles look like statues, and
I had to wait for a full five minutes for one of them to show any sign of life.
“Crocodiles are very
chilled out like that. They don’t move very often, like us humans. They look
like they’re on an eternal vacation,” laughs Arul, the zoo instructor.
I also learn that
they keep their jaws open to thermoregulate their body temperatures and that
muggers are the most social ones among the species, most of which are very
territorial. “So it’s alright for us to put them together in enclosures like
this,” he explains.
Animal rights group
PETA bought stock in Thomas Cook so it could lobby the firm to cut ties with
SeaWorld
Animal rights group
PETA has purchased stock in travel company Thomas Cook to gain entry to its AGM
and lobby executives in person to stop selling tickets to SeaWorld.
PETA has long been
protesting against the Florida marine park for its treatment of whales, which
it says is cruel and inhumane. It also targets businesses that deal with
SeaWorld, like Thomas Cook, which offers tours to the park.
The group told
Business Insider that it has bought a single share in the company, valued at
around £1.20 ($1.66), because it grants it entry to the annual general meeting,
being held in London this Thursday.
Yvonne Taylor, a
PETA campaigner, told Business Insider that she and a colleague plan to use
this right to go inside the AGM in east London and ask executives directly to
end ticket sales to SeaWorld, and to lobby shareholders.
Meanwhile,
protesters outside are going
Finalists Announced
for World's Leading Animal Conservation Award
Officials from the Indianapolis Prize today
named six Finalists for the world's leading award for animal conservation. The
Finalists, who have achieved major victories in saving species such as
Magellanic penguins and snow leopards, will vie for the prestigious title of
2018 Indianapolis Prize Winner and an unrestricted, $250,000 award.
‘TIGER TEMPLE’ TO
REOPEN AS TIGER ZOO
Thailand’s most
infamous tiger petting zoo may not have used up its nine lives when it was
raided and shut down following gruesome discoveries two years ago.
Though closure of
the so-called Tiger Temple was hailed as a victory for wildlife protection,
national park officials and the head of an animal welfare organization
confirmed it will reopen this month – with 24 new tigers.
After the temple was
raided in June 2016, the park has continued operating, albeit housing only a
100-or-so underfed animals. But this month, the temple will import more tigers
for their attractions – this time, in a zoo.
“The zoo they’re
opening won’t be inside the temple, but on a 20-rai plot next to it,” Adisorn
Noochdamrong of the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant
Conservation said by phone. “It will be legal, because o
The bird flu is
killing the Queen's swans
Bird flu has killed
at least 30 swans from Queen Elizabeth's flock, with more expected to succumb
to the disease, UK officials say.
"We are
currently at the river recovering bodies of the dead swans," said David
Barber, the official responsible for the Queen's swans. "This is the first
time in my 24 years as Swan Marker that bird flu has hit the Thames --
naturally, we are all very upset about the situation."
An alert was
initially sent to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA) by Swan Support, a rehabilitation center, after they noticed several of
the animals near the Queen's residence at Windsor Castle, west of London,
appeared to be ill.
"We found a few
dead swans, but we find dead swans all year round," Wendy Hurmon, director
of operations at Swan Support, told CNN. "But then we noticed that some of
the other swans did not look very well and we thought 'something is not right
here.'"
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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.
Recent Zoo Vacancies
Vacancies in Zoos and Aquariums and Wildlife/Conservation facilities around the World
*****
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
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.
Recent Zoo Vacancies
Vacancies in Zoos and Aquariums and Wildlife/Conservation facilities around the World
*****
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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