Tuesday, January 22, 2019

ZooNews Digest 10 years ago



ZooNews Digest 20th - 26th January 2009 (Zoo News 574)


Please note that links may no longer work after 10 years


Peter Dickinson elvinhow@gmail.com

Dear Colleagues,


Desperate to get this out...proving to be nearly impossible from my
at present, undisclosed location. Some will be pleased as I am having
to forego part of my usual rant.


The death of the Markhor in Calgary was a regrettable accident. Note
both those words 'regrettable' and 'accident'. Nobody planned it and
nobody was happy it happened. Nobody it would seem apart from the
California-based 'In Defense of Animals' who can then start spouting
off with after the event expertise on a cage fixture which had been
in place for several years. Such incidents are not helped at by
insane newspaper headings like "Goat Takes Own Life; Hanged Itself at
Zoo."....what is this? Stupid, stupid, stupid.


On with the links:


Zoo death called preventable
An animal rights group is upset with the recent death of a turkmenian
markhor at the Calgary Zoo, calling the incident preventable.
The large, wild goat died Friday afternoon after becoming entangled
in a play toy.
Catherine doyle, a representative with California-based in defense of
animals, commended the zoo for using play toys that provide
enrichment, but noted there is tubing and hosing available to cover
4fe5-ba04-1694521c8 bab


Goat Takes Own Life; Hanged Itself at Zoo
The Calgary Zoo was unable to save an exotic wild goat after shocked
onlookers watched it hang itself accidentally when a rope used to
dangle a toy ball got tangled around its neck. One witness's attempt
to notify them was met with little concern.
"She said, 'Oh, they do that all the time,' and didn't really seem to
distressed about it," said Aubrey Williams, who felt help came too
slow. "It was quite a few minutes. It wasn't five. It was


Zoo officials rescue leopard trapped in bathroom after 8-hour
operation
At 7 am on Sunday, panic gripped the residents the of GIDC colony
near Vallabh Vidyanagar after a male leopard in search of prey,
probably a dog, entered the area and injured a six-year-old boy in a
primary school.


The predator finally entered the house of a security officer and got
trapped in the bathroom. It took Sayaji Baug zoo officials nearly
eight hours and two tranquiliser shots to bring the leopard under
control. They were later cheered at by the 5,000-odd residents of the
area. It may be mentioned here that there is no forest circle in
Anand district.


This is the second such incident in two years. A similar incident had
occurred at Amitnagar Society of Karelibaug in Vadodara district,
when a young big cat had entered a bathroom and was rescued after a
five-hour long struggle. Another leopard had entered Mayo Hospital in
Vadodara, which was deserted several years ago.


Sapna Singh, a witness, said, "My husband, who works as a security
personnel with the Elicon Group of Industries, was out on duty at
8.30 am when this incident occurred." Singh, who is a tenant, was
washing clothes; and after she was alerted by her neighbour, she
rushed into her room. The other neighbour was so scared that she
refused to talk to the press. Singh, a mother of two children,
said, "I held my nerve, as I knew that the leopard is inside the
bathroom. I shut the entrance and waited for the rescuers to come."


Ilyas Multani, who is
trapped-in-bathroom -after-8hour- operation/ 412408/


Jaguars quarantined after zookeeper attacked
Two jaguars at the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo were in
quarantine Monday following an attack by at least one of them that
critically injured an animal care worker.
The woman was attacked around 11 a.m. Sunday while working in the
interior den area of the jaguar enclosure, the zoo said in a
statement.
When she called for help, staff moved the animals from the interior
den to the exterior exhibit area, the statement said. The woman was
given first aid by staff and emergency medical technicians before
being brought to Maryland Shock Trauma in Baltimore.
Zoo officials are investigating the attack. The zoo is in Thurmont,
about an hour outside Baltimore.
The worker suffered several bite wounds, according to Harold Domer,
Frederick County Animal Control director. There was never any risk to
anyone else, he said. The zoo is closed to the public for the season.
The attack occurred in an indoor area that has a steel door to the
outside exhibit area.
Domer said the worker was attacked by a male jaguar weighing between
180 and 200 pounds. He said animal control workers did not know for
sure if the second jaguar, a female, entered the indoor area or took
part in the attack.
According to Domer, an inspection Monday showed the door "has several
devices that allow the door to be locked." He called the safety
precautions "extremely adequate." I


Senior Ragunan Zoo curator speaks out for orangs
Ragunan Zoo senior curator Ulrike Freifrau von Mengden on December
30, 2008 for the second time in three years put her unpaid job and
her home inside the zoo at risk by speaking out on behalf of the
orangutans she has looked after ever since the zoo opened.
Prompting von Mengden's concern each time were the implications for
nearly 50 orangutans of a long-evolving deal whereby the Ragunan Zoo
is reportedly to acquire a female gorilla from the Howletts Wild
Animal Park in Britain in early 2009, in trade for 12 primates of
Indonesian species.
Brokered by Gibbon Foundation director Willie Smits, a Dutch-born
Indonesian resident, the exchange was disclosed in February 2006.
Five silvery gibbons and several Javan langurs were sent to Howletts.
Smits credited Howletts with curing the gibbons of diseases and
getting them out of small cages.
Preparations to receive the female gorilla are still underway,
Ragunan Zoo spokesperson Bambang Wahyudi recently told Mariani Dewi
of the Jakarta Post.
The female gorilla is expected to arrive after a Ragunan Zoo
veterinarian, a senior keeper, and a data base administrator complete
three months of training at Howletts. Their training started in
October 2008.
The series of animal swaps that are to culminate in the Ragunan Zoo
acquring the female gorilla began coincidental with the opening of
the Puck Schmutzer Primate Center in 2002, when Howletts sent four
young male gorillas to the Ragunan Zoo. Only three of the gorillas
have been mentioned in recent Ragunan Zoo announcements and media
coverage. The International Primate Protection League has
received a report that the missing
orangs/


Southeast Asia's largest artificial sea inaugurated in Binh Duong
Dai Nam Sea is the largest artificial sea in Southeast Asia. It is
21.6ha, with a total water surface area of 20,000sq.m and coast of
1.4km long.
The artificial sea has beaches, with artificial waves up to 1.6m high.
The Dai Nam Sea will be opened for the public this lunar New Year.
The Lac Canh Dai Nam Van Hien project, which opened last September
after nearly ten years of construction, has become the largest-ever
tourism area in Vietnam. Located in Thu Dau Mot town, about 40km
northwest of HCM City, the sprawling complex includes man-made lakes,
rivers and mountains as well as a wide range of recreational
facilities.
The company has invested VND1,800 billion, or some US$110 million, in
the first phase of the project. Facilities now available include a 9-
hectare temple area, a square, food and game areas, and open zoo.
Upon arriving at the complex visitors first see the Dai Nam Van Hien
Temple, one of the most important structures in the park. The temple
contains historical exhibits and is used as a place of worship.
Exhibits from various Vietnamese dynasties are on display there.
The site also has a 12.5-hectare open zoo, which is home to rhinos,
white lions, tigers, elephants, bears, ostriches, chamois


15 sharks die at Indianapolis Zoo
An entire species of shark has been wiped out at the Indianapolis
Zoo. The zoo says 15 sharks died overnight in their aquarium. They
say the cause was human error.
Bonnethead sharks used to live in an aquarium at the Indianapolis
Zoo. Now only two lone snapper are left after their 15 Bonnethead
neighbors died from too much ozone. The ozone is used to keep the
tank clean.
"It wasn't any kind of gross negligence or someone who didn't know
what they were doing. It was a real misunderstanding about the
location of a sensor," Paul Grayson with the Indianapolis Zoo said.
The zoo says on Monday, it had to shut down the ozone generator, and
a special sensor
polis_Zoo


Zoo Negara not ideal place to house pandas
SAHABAT Alam Malaysia (SAM) wishes to express its stand against the
proposed acquisition of giant pandas for Zoo Negara.
An astronomical sum of RM30mil for this exchange programme is
ridiculous and serious consideration should be given as to whether
Zoo Negara has the resources to sustain this animal for a long time.
Not forgetting that it has to maintain the services of the staff and
veterinarian and the pandas' special diet of bamboo.
After all, the zoo is always dependent on gate collections,
sponsorships and donations for the running of its large menagerie. So
should Zoo Negara spend such an enormous amount on acquiring the
pandas?
The zoo is already overstocked with over 5,000 animals from about 450
species, many of which are high-profile animals.
The money should instead be channelled to manage the resident animals.
It is no secret that the zoo is sorely in need of space, development
of naturalistic exhibits and environmental enrichment.
Head swaying, pacing in circles,
file=/2009/1/ 21/focus/ 3061932&sec= focus


Jack Hanna announces his support for the L.A. Zoo's controversial
elephant exhibit
Celebrity zookeeper Jack Hanna weighed in today on the hot topic of
Billy, the sole elephant resident at the L.A. Zoo. In a letter to
the L.A. City Council, Hanna pledged his support to the
controversial "Pachyderm Forest" project, which will cost $42 million
if completed as originally planned.
There's been a great deal of debate over Billy's living
arrangements. As our colleague Carla Hall reported last month,
construction on the Pachyderm Forest has been halted over concerns
not just over cost but also Billy's well-being:
"Our zoo is trying to do the best job they can with the real estate
they have and the budget they have," said Councilman Tony Cardenas,
who conceived the motion to stop construction of the exhibit and move
Billy to a sanctuary. "Elephants don't fit in zoos; they have
ailments they don't get out in the wild. Whether it's an acre or
three to four acres, it's inadequate."
Hanna writes about a tour he took of the Pachyderm Forest
construction site last month:
"What I [found] was a project taking shape that will set a new
standard for the care of elephants at zoos, providing a home that
will be even larger than what Asian elephants enjoy at the San Diego
Wild Animal Park. Not only will Billy and any future residents have
a huge amount of space in which to roam, they will continue to enjoy
24-hour monitoring, state-of-the- art medical care, love, nurturing
and a level
anno.html?cid= 144624096# comments


Slain Congolese ranger called 'exceptional'
Colleagues and bloggers are praising a park ranger shot dead last
week in Congo's Virunga National Park as a brave and committed
protector of gorillas.
Federal and local authorities in the Democratic Republic of Congo
continue to probe the death Thursday night of Safari Kakule, who was
killed when Mai Mai rebels attacked a ranger station in the northern
section of the park -- a refuge for rare gorillas.
"We are deeply saddened by the loss," said Virunga National Park
Director Emmanuel de Merode.
In a tribute on a blog on the park's Web site, de Merode
wrote, "Safari was an exceptional ranger" who had worked with
gorillas for several years.
"Recently he had trained as a para-vet, and he was expected to play


Huge Population Of Endangered Asian Elephants Living In Malaysian Park
New data released by the Wildlife Conservation Society and Malaysia's
Department of Wildlife and National Parks (DWNP) reveals that a
population of endangered Asian elephants living in a Malaysian park
may be the largest in Southeast Asia.
WCS and DWNP researchers estimate that there are 631 Asian elephants
living in Taman Negara National Park – a 4,343 square kilometer
(1,676 square mile) protected area in the center of Peninsular
Malaysia. The new results confirm the largest-known population of
elephants remaining in Southeast Asia.
The WCS/DWNP team counted elephant dung piles to estimate population
size—a scientifically proven technique that produces accurate
figures. There were no previous scientific population surveys for
elephants in the park, according to DWNP and WCS.
"The surveys reveal the importance of Taman Negara in protecting
wildlife especially those species that need large home ranges. DWNP
will continue to safeguard this national park, which is the crown
jewel of Malaysia's protected areas system. The numbers of elephants
is testament to the importance of the park in protecting wildlife,"
said Dato' Rasid, Director-General of the Department of Wildlife and
National Parks.
"This new survey shows that Taman Negara National Park is one of the
great strongholds for Asian


Hair Of Tasmanian Tiger Yields Genes Of Extinct Species
All the genes that the exotic Tasmanian Tiger inherited only from its
mother will be revealed by an international team of scientists in a
research paper to be published on 13 January 2009 in the online
edition of Genome Research. The research marks the first successful
sequencing of genes from this carnivorous marsupial, which looked
like a large tiger-striped dog and became extinct in 1936.


Zoo has optimism for 2009
Director clarifies orangutan issue
After surviving a tumultuous 2008, The Zoo Northwest Florida begins
the new year with a renewed sense of optimism and determination.
The Zoo suffered several financial crises in 2008 that forced it to
rely on volunteer efforts, government grants totaling $275,000 and a
large private donation to remain open.
The private donation from an unnamed donor in Connecticut made The
Zoo a target of criticism from the Association Zoological Aquariums
(AZA) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA).
The two organizations were concerned about The Zoo's intentions to
separate a 3- year-old orangutan, Indah, from her mother, Sara, in
return for a $100,000 loan to cover The Zoo's operating costs.
The AZA has developed Species Survival Plans (SSP) as guidelines to
manage the populations of endangered species in captivity. The
orangutan SSP recommends that a mother and child not be separated
until the child is seven or eight years old.
Danyelle Lantz, executive director of the animal park, explained that
the donor intends to be a long-term investor in The Zoo and that the
baby orangutan would only leave under a worst-case scenario.
"She has a private zoo herself, and she's very blessed in her
financial situation," Lantz said. "She has both the passion for
animals and the financial means to step in and help, so she is
working with the private owners of the zoo to try and get the debt
paid off.
"We worked out a loan that is set up with a demand note with the baby
orangutan as collateral. If she's able to work out the deal with the
owners, the baby orangutan will never leave the zoo, and that's what
we're really hoping for."
In a letter to Lantz, a representative of PETA urged The Zoo to
cancel the "heartless and immensely cruel plan." The letter went on
to say that separating the mother and child would "surely leave the 3-
yearold with lifelong emotional scars."
Lantz disagrees.
"Is it ideal? No, and my analogy is if you were 13 and your parents
sent you to a boarding school," Lantz explained. "Is it ideal? No,
but could you still end up at Harvard? Yes. It's kind of the same
thing. It's not the same love and care as being in mom's arms until
you're seven, but it's not detrimental to the baby, mother or the
father to separate them at this point."
Chuck Emling, owner of The Club Family Sports in


UAE Helps Arabian Oryx Return to Natural Habitat
wenty Arabian Oryx will be released back into their natural habitat
in Jordan in March, as per the instructions of General Shaikh
Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy
Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.
Arabian Oryx had disappeared from the area seven decades ago.
Eight Oryx males and 12 females will be released in Wadi Rum
Protected Area, as part of the sponsorship agreement that was signed
between the Environment Agency — Abu Dhabi (EAD), which chairs the
Coordinating Committee for Conservation of Arabian Oryx, and Al Aqaba
Special Economic Zone Authority in April 2007.
Fifteen were transferred to Jordan last weekend and five more will be
transferred in the next two weeks.
Fifteen animals were transferred to Amman in a military aircraft, in
coordination with the UAE Armed Forces, while Al Ain Wildlife Park
and Resort prepared the Oryx for release, by conducting medical
checkup and administering the necessary vaccinations.
The 20 animals, which are the first to be released in Wadi Rum, will
be placed in enclosures to allow them the opportunity to adapt to the
desert habitat.
Majid Al Mansouri, Secretary-General of EAD, said reintroducing the
Arabian Oryx into its natural habitats in Jordon is part of the UAE's
effort to conserve these species, which is not only endangered but
also an important part of the Arabian peninsula's heritage.
"All of these efforts are translation of the vision and wise
directives of the President, His Highness Shaikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al
Nahyan, and inspired by the legacy of the Late Shaikh Zayed bin
Sultan Al Nahyan."
Al Mansouri also pointed out that the vision
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Helpful rodents join Safari team
A PAIR of life-saving baby rats are the latest arrivals at Knowsley
Safari Park.
Desperate Dan and Independent Eddy are Giant Pouched Rats which can
grow up to three feet long and be trained to sniff out explosives and
a killer disease.
The pair are used to find land mines in Mozambique and test people
for tuberculosis (TB) in neighbouring Tanzania.
The rats can smell 150 samples of human saliva to test for TB in just
30 minutes, whereas a doctor can test only 20 samples a day.
Similarly they are trained to wear a harness and lead their trainers
to land mines buried in the earth
pair-of-life- saving-baby- rats-are- the-latest- arrivals- at-knowsley-
safari-park- 100252-22741119/


Elephants pack trunks for zoo
Belfast Zoo is to become a "retirement home" for female elephants.
The zoo is already home to 44-year-old Tina, and she will soon be
joined by other elderly, non-breeding female elephants.
The zoo said it was likely that some of the elephants would be from a
circus background.
In preparation, international elephant expert Alan Roocroft is
spending four days with the elephant team at the zoo to advise on the
challenges of elephant retirement.
Mr Roocroft has over 46 years experience in managing elephants,
including 19 years in the world famous, San Diego Wild Animal Park
and Zoo.
"We want to create habitats for our elderly females. I am using my
knowledge to create an environment with more enrichment activity," he
said.
In 2008, the zoo implemented a form of contact with elephants known
as protective contact.
This gives elephant's complete freedom of movement within the
confines of the enclosure and means


Fewer Mountain Gorillas Than Believed
Bad news from Uganda: the mountain gorilla population in the Bwindi
Impenetrable National Park is smaller than previously estimated.
Until recently, environmentalists believed 336 gorillas resided in
the park. Now it looks like the number has dropped to 302.
Why the change? The population numbers are usually collected by
counting nests and examining the dung left outside each site. Every
gorilla builds a nest and before leaving home in the morning,
defecates outside. It seemed like a good way to count the animals
with minimal human disturbance. But a new genetic method of counting
yields different numbers. A team from the Max Planck Institute for
Evolutionary Anthropology in Liepzig, Germany tested DNA samples from
each of the dung piles and found the number of gorillas dropped by
ten percent.
"We assumed that each individual constructs a single nest, but
genetic analysis shows that several individuals construct more than
one nest," says Katerina Guschanski, head of the German research
team. Like lowland gorillas
gorillas-believed


Highland Wildlife Park to receive some new residents from Japan
The
Highland Wildlife Park is making room for some new arrivals from
Edinburgh Zoo.
The Highland Wildlife Park is making room for some new arrivals from
Edinburgh Zoo.
A family group of breeding Japanese serow, which is related to both
the mountain goat and antelope, are to be established at the popular
attraction by Kincraig.
These animals are found in the conifer forests in the highlands of
Japan, where humans encroaching on their habitat and the popularity
of hunting have made them an endangered species.
The Japanese Government intervened and has placed the serow on the
international endangered animal register to protect them.
Doug Richardson, head of animal collections at Kincraig, told the
Strathspey and Badenoch Herald: "We will be putting the serow in with
the Macaque monkeys.
"It will be a very interesting combination, and one that
some-new-residents- from-japan/


Zoo's pride as lions that dodged missiles prepare for parenthood
Cowering in the toilets as the missiles fell, Saher and Sabrina
narrowly escaped becoming casualties of the 23-day conflict.
Nearly all their fellow inhabitants had died. This week the couple
were rescued, starving, afraid — and ready to become parents. "It is
a miracle they survived. Any day she will give birth and she is in a
very delicate state," said Abu Jameel Qassim, 42.
But although it was possible to discern yesterday that Sabrina was an
expectant mother, she was less than forthcoming about the details of
her ordeal. That was because Sabrina and her partner are the pride of
Gaza Zoo: lions.
The two are in a cage while their larger pen is repaired after a
missile tore a hole through its main fence. The cats had slipped
through and ate some of the other
.ece


Zoo's penguin afraid of water
Keepers at a British zoo said a resident penguin with a fear of water
has become a hit with curious park visitors.
Staff at Blackbrook Zoological Park in Leek, England, said 11-year-
old Kentucky the Humbolt penguin developed a phobia of water because
he was born a runt and had problems with losing feathers too quickly,
making the water too cold for his comfort, The Sun reported Thursday.
"It's a bit too cold for him in the water, so he spends all his time
on the rocks just walking around," said Adam Stevenson, the zoo's
assistant bird keeper. "It's a bit of a pain having to go over
especially to him to feed him because he won't go in the water, but
he's a real character and everyone at the zoo loves him. W
I-33331232667971/


Baby ape takes flight -- monkey business class
A baby ape born in the UK is settling into a new life in a German zoo
after flying from Birmingham to Frankfurt -- monkey business class.
The three-month old male bonobo -- who is to be fostered by a family
of German apes after being rejected by his natural mother -- was
considered too young and too fragile to travel cargo class, a
spokeswoman for the UK's Twycross Zoo told CNN.
Instead, the tiny ape named Bili checked in for the Lufthansa flight
with special travel documents -- including a fake passport in the
name of "Bili the Bonobo" -- before taking a seat in the cabin
alongside a handler from Frankfurt Zoo, who had flown over to
accompany him on his unusual journey.
"He was with his keeper
iref=mpstoryview


Rare, endangered primate born at Houston Zoo
There's a new baby lemur at the Houston Zoo.
Zoo officials say the as yet unnamed baby Coquerel's sifaka was born
Jan. 6 and is doing fine. The Houston Zoo is one of only five in the
country that are home to the rare and endangered sifaka. It is the
first such birth for the zoo as well as for the proud parents, mom
Zenobia and dad Dean.
The large arboreal, acrobatic lemurs are found only in Madagascar, an
island nation off the southeastern coast of Africa in the India


Wolf escapes from zoo by gnawing out of enclosure
A wolf escaped from a zoo after gnawing her way out of her enclosure
and was only discovered missing when a member of the public drove
past.
An investigation has been launched into how the wolf was able to
escape at Combe Martin Wildlife Park, Devon.
Zoo officials believe she had been outside the park perimeter for
around half an hour.
It is thought she may have become frightened and bit her way through
the thick wire enclosure in a fit of terror.
Combe Martin Wildlife Park spokesman Kat Whitehouse-Tedd
said: "During the incident, park authorities said at no time had the
wolf posed any sort of threat to humans or other animals and had not
been in any danger herself."
She added: "We think she'd been digging, trying to get out, but she
obviously couldn't because the wire goes right under the enclosure,
so she chewed her way through.
"We think something must have spooked her but we don't know what."
The two other wolves who lived in the same enclosure made no attempt
to escape, and Mrs Whitehouse-Tedd said the female wolf was pacing
the outside of the enclosure when staff found her, searching for her
way back in.
Mrs Whitehouse-Tedd said all the enclosures were checked last thing
on Sunday evening, and nothing was wrong with the wolves, so the
incident must have happened overnight on Sunday to Monday morning.
As soon as they became aware the wolf was
by-gnawing-out- of-enclosure. html


Feeding time at Jakarta's Ragunan Zoo: What's on the menu?
In the Schmutzer Primate Center at Ragunan Zoo, two male orangutans,
six females and three babies share two hectares of land.
The 11 orangutans eat a breakfast of corn cobs, bananas, oranges and
other fruits at 8 a.m. The food is scattered about the enclosure.
At lunch, they are fed again. This time peanuts are added to the mix.
They return to their cage at around 4 p.m. to be given another
portion of mixed fruits.
The orangutans - Zidane, Putu, Pinky, Inah, Midah, Mada, Vonny, Bili,
Milo, Ziko and Olive - have three zookeepers caring for them.
The gorillas - Kimbo, Komu and Kihi - are even better-off.
They share a one-hectare island.
The gorillas are owned by Howletts Wild Animal Park of Canterbury,
England.
Four gorillas came to Ragunan in 2002. In early 2008, the youngest of
them, Kijoum, 11, died.
Mimi Utami, the zoo's general curator, says Kijoum died from a
stomach illness triggered by stress.
Kijoum, she says, was bullied by the dominant gorilla, Kimbo, who was
entering maturity with no female in sight.
The three remaining apes have four meals a day, says one keeper.
A typical breakfast for them is bread and milk. At 9 a.m, and 3 p.m.,
they eat fruit. And at 4 p.m, they devour a dinner of boiled eggs,
potatoes and broccoli, mixed with mint leaves or cilantro, to keep
them warm at night.
Mimi says each gorilla and orangutan receives about 10 percent of
their weight in food each day. An adult orangutan can weigh between
100 and 150 kilograms, she adds.
The primates living outside the center eat exactly the same menu,
depending on their species, she says.
But at lunchtime, there is no keeper in sight at the cages.
"I noticed that someone did not give them food throughout the day,"
Mimi says. "They were probably given the entire day's helpings in the
morning.
"It is not right and could cause illness. We have talked to the
[keepers], and will increase supervision. "
Some keepers, however, bring in special foods for certain individual
apes, Mimi says. "Some keepers love the animals so much they know
which food they prefer."
(From the Jakarta Post....no link working just now)


White tigers to be brought to Van Vihar Park from Orissa
A pair of white tigers was likely to be brought to the Van Vihar
National Park here from Nandan Kanan Zoo in Orissa soon.
Permission in this regard would likely be issued by the Central Zoo
Authority (CZA) soon under an exchange agreement with Nandan Kanan
Zoo, an official release quoting Madhya Pradesh Forest Minister
(Independent Charge), Rajendra Shukla said in Bhopal.
Under the agreement, the Van Vihar would give a tigress, Sara and a
pair of jackals to the Nandan Kanan Zoo while get tiger Bhagat and
tigress Lalita from it when the CZA approves the exchange offer, he
said.
Shukla said that Additional Chief Secretary (Forest), Prashant Mehta
and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCF), P B Gangopadhyay
had gone to Orissa for a meeting recently where they also saw the
tiger pair at Nandan Kanan Zoo.
The Minister also instructed the departmental officials to develop a
Safari Park at Rewa which is the birth place of white tigers


Endangered Arabian leopard's hopes of survival get a boost
Crouching behind a rock, Hector, a four-year-old Arabian leopard,
eyes onlookers suspiciously.
Three months after arriving at Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort he is
still a little shy around visitors.
Hector was born in captivity at the Breeding Centre for Endangered
Arabian Wildlife in Sharjah. So far, his contact with humans has
mostly been limited to a keeper and veterinary staff.
If he settles well in Al Ain, Hector's caretakers plan to bring in a
female leopard from another centre in the Middle East for him to
breed with. The park is the newest member of a network of facilities
in the Middle East dedicated to boosting the endangered Arabian
leopard population by loaning each other animals for breeding.
The long-term aim of the facilities, which include a wildlife resort
in Saudi Arabia, two in Yemen and another in Muscat, is to
reintroduce the species to safe areas in the wild.
A senior official at the Al Ain park said staff tried to make sure
Hector's new home resembled the natural environment and landscape of
his original habitat.
"They are from hilly areas historically, " he said. "They once lived
here at Jebel Hafeet and in the north of the UAE, some areas of Oman,
Yemen and Saudi Arabia."
Hector has already been taking interest in his new home and seems to
be slowly gaining confidence.
"Before he was hiding all of the time but now we see him walking
around the area," said the official. "He collects his food from the
rocks and takes it into the back room, usually, to eat it."
There are only about 250 wild Arabian


Fourteen die in storms across France and Spain as a million lose power
President Sarkozy sent troops to help to restore services to more
than a million homes in southwest France yesterday after the fiercest
storms in a decade killed 14 people in France and Spain.
Mr Sarkozy, who visited the scenes of destruction in Bordeaux, said
that the army would help electricity workers and emergency services
to get life back to normal after roads and railways were closed and
falling trees cut power supplies across the region.
The worst storm since December 1999 blew in from the Atlantic and
across southwestern France and northern Spain, ripping off roofs and
flattening thousands of trees. Hundreds of generators were being
delivered to retirement homes and other priority sites to tide them
over until power returned. The French weather agency Météo-France
asked residents to stay indoors.
The highest number of casualties was in Spain, where four children
were killed when part of a sports hall collapsed on them when they
sought shelter from 150km/h (93mph) winds on Saturday afternoon. They
had been pla


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ZOO BIOLOGY
The Zoo Biology Group is concerned with all disciplines involved in
the running of a Zoological Garden. Captive breeding, husbandry,
cage design and construction, diets, enrichment, man management,
record keeping, etc etc


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www.zoolex.org in January 2009


~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~ ~°v°~


Hello ZooLex Friend,
We have worked for your enjoyment!


~°v°~


NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTATION


In 2005 the Taronga Conservation Society Australia opened Wild Asia,
an exhibit area for the display of Asian rainforest animal species.
The fishing cat exhibit gives visitors the opportunity to observe
these cats from a shelter with under water viewing. The fishing cat
exhibit is next to the tapir exhibit in order to represent how the
species share similar habitats.




~°v°~


SPANISH TRANSLATION


Thanks to Eduardo Diaz Garcia we are able to present the Spanish
translation of the previously published Malayan tapir exhibit at the
Taronga Conservation Society Australia:




~°v°~


ZOOLEX EDITORS


We are pleased to introduce a new ZooLex editor:


David McGuire, Vice President, Architecture and Planning,
Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri, United States of America


The quality of ZooLex publications is ensured by our editorial board
whose members edit and comment on all newsletters, gallery
presentations
and papers prior to publication and dissemination. We wish to thank
all
our editors for this valuable support.




~°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


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PROTECTED CONTACT TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP


May 10 - 14, 2009


Presented by Active Environments


Hosted by Performing Animal Welfare Society


Instructors: Gail Laule, Margaret Whittaker, Alan Roocroft, and Val
Hare


1Active Environments, Inc., 2Elephant Business, 3The Shape of
Enrichment


Active Environments is proud to present the fourth elephant Protected
Contact Training and Enrichment Workshop, hosted by the Performing
Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) at the ARK 2000 facility in San
Andreas, CA. This four and a half-day workshop is designed for
keepers, managers, supervisors, curators, and veterinarians working
with both Asian and African elephants.
Workshop curriculum will focus on the fundamentals and practical
application of protected contact as a comprehensive system for the
management of captive elephants through classroom instruction,
discussion, group activities, demonstrations with Asian and African
elephants (bulls and cows), and hands on training and enrichment
opportunities with the elephants. Workshop content will also include:
designing and sustaining an effective environmental enrichment
program; behavioral problem solving; foot care; exercise program
design; medical management through voluntary cooperation;
physical restraint and immobilization; and protected contact facility
design. Registration is limited to 25 participants. The Workshop
format is designed to maximize the value for each individual
participant and as much as possible to address specific situations,
needs, problems, and objectives.
Be prepared to interact, share, and participate to make the
experience as useful and relevant to you as possible.


The registration fee (TBD) includes the following:


* all workshop materials


* all breakfasts, lunches, snacks, and 3 dinners


* closing banquet


* transportation to and from the hotel to the PAWS
Sanctuary/Workshop location


* commemorative Workshop T-shirt


We have reserved a block of rooms at the Holiday Inn Express,
Jackson, CA.
The hotel is located about 20 minutes from PAWS' ARK 2000 facility,
and is about an hour from the Sacramento Airport. There are plenty of
fun things to do around Jackson, so it should be a great place to
spend free evenings.


For further information contact:


Active Environments' Office


7651 Santos Road Lompoc, CA 93436


Tel: 805-737-3700, Email: active.environments @earthlink. net


Or: Margaret Whittaker (Active Environments)


Tel: 832-428-9637, Email: indu22@earthlink. net


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Tourists claim Phuket zoo smuggled in orang-utans


By: APINYA WIPATAYOTIN
Published: 22/01/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News


A wildlife conservation group has accused a Phuket private zoo of
smuggling in 10 young orang-utans and other wild animals.


The group has filed a complaint with the National Park, Wildlife and
Plant Conservation Department.


Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand secretary-general Edwin Wiek
said he had received complaints from local and foreign tourists who
suspected the young orang-utans had been smuggled in.


He said the ape population had risen by just two in November, but
this month there was an increase of 10.


"We tried to check the import licences with the department and found
that there were none," Mr Wiek said.


"So we would like the department to urgently investigate the case."


He said other animals at the zoo that could not be accounted for
included gibbons, langurs and tigers.


The orang-utan is listed with the Convention on International Trade
in Endangered Species (Cites) which only allows for the exchange of
animals for research purposes.


Orang-utans, an endangered species, are mostly found in Borneo and
Sumatra.


Mr Wiek said the illegal wildlife trade had expanded into many
tourist attractions such as Phuket and Ko Samui.


On Samui, many tourists pay to have their pictures taken with young
gibbons on the beach.


Chatchawan Pisdamkham, director of department's Wildlife Conservation
Office, said he would send a team to investigate the case soon.


"We can't say at the moment whether it is legal," he said. "Our
investigating team will travel to the zoo. If zoo officials have
conducted their business illegally, the animals will be confiscated. "


He said it was difficult to return confiscated animals back to the
jungle, saying there must be strong evidence to verify their original
habitat.


Most of confiscated wildlife will be sent to breeding centres around
the country.


In a bid to stop the illegal wildlife trade, the department has
introduced a programme which will use informants to notify officers
about the wildlife trade, especially in restaurants.


"It will be very useful for us to get new information from our
network," he said.


Meanwhile, wild elephant calves along the Thai-Burmese border run a
grave risk of being hunted for illegal sale overseas, according to
Alongkorn Mahannop, a veterinarian at Chitralada Palace.


Mr Alongkorn said there was no end in sight for the smuggling of wild
elephants, especially young calves along this border area.


Elephant calves can fetch 800,000 to a million baht locally, but the
value increased to between 10 million and 20 million baht on overseas
markets.


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7th International Penguin Conference
DATE: August 30 to September 3, 2010
LOCATION: Boston Massachusetts, USA
HOSTED BY: The New England Aquarium


Looking forward to seeing you in 2010 ~


Heather Urquhart
Penguin Exhibit and Collection Manager, New England Aquarium
Chair, International Steering Committee
7th International Penguin Conference
ipcboston@neaq. org


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International Conference on Environmental Enrichment


Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, Devon , UK


Sunday 31st May to Friday 5th June 2009


UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE * UPDATE


Talks and posters


You still have time to sign up to give a talk or present a poster.
Have you had an enrichment success? Have you had an enrichment
failure? Everyone can learn from your experiences, so share them at
ICEE9 .

Great hotel offers


Three Torquay hotels are offering excellent discounted rates for
people coming to ICEE9 . The Corbyn Head Hotel, Livermead House Hotel
and Livermead Cliff Hotel are all within walking distance of the
conference venue, the Riviera International Conference Centre.


ICEE9 delegate offer:


Bed & Breakfast £45 (normally £60)


Dinner, Bed & Breakfast £60 (normally £80)

NOTE – you MUST mention ICEE9 when booking to get these rates. Go to
www.corbynhead. com/, www.livermead. com/, or www.livermeadcliff. co.uk/.


Symposia filling up fast


Symposia topics which have been confirmed include:


· Realising the potential of plants in enrichment and animal
welfare (chaired by Kevin Frediani , Paignton Zoo Environmental
Park , UK )


· Reptile enrichment (chaired by Mike Bungard , Paignton Zoo
Environmental Park , UK and Richard Gibson, North of England
Zoological Society, Chester Zoo)


· Understanding predictability to improve animal welfare
(chaired by Hannah Buchanan-Smith, University of Stirling and Mark
Kingston Jones, Howletts and Port Lympne)


· Enrichment evaluation, does it matter? (chaired by Margaret
Hawkins, Taronga Conservation Society, Australia )


· Modern enrichment (chaired by Valerie Hare, Shape of
Enrichment).


Keynote speakers – latest news


We can announce that Gordon M. Burghardt, Alumni Distinguished
Service Professor, Departments of Psychology and Ecology &
Evolutionary Biology at the University of Tennessee , will be one of
our guest speakers at ICEE9 . Gordon's distinguished academic career
has greatly increased our knowledge of reptiles - find out more at:


Louise Bauck from Brenau University , USA , has been selected for the
Shape of Enrichment travel grant. She is to present a paper on
budgerigar enrichment.


How to register


The registration fee of £225 includes refreshments and lunches during
the conference plus a free drink at the icebreaker and some of the
social events during the week.


Deadlines approaching


The deadline for submitting talks and posters is 31st January 2009 .


The deadline for early registration is 28th February 2009 .


The deadline for registration is 30th April 2009 .


Contact details


Tel. 44 (0)1803 697572, e-mail ICEE9@paigntonzoo. org.uk




Seeking to Invent new ways to Create opportunities for natural
behaviours, Enrich the lives of our animals and Evaluate the results.


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Latest News from BOS


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Action Plan for Tigers in Malaysia


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Vets Beyond Borders
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9444&utm_campaign= Vets+Beyond+ Borders++ +Sikkim+to+ Sydney+Event+ Reminde
r+_+dtijll&utm_ term=Vets% 0a+++++++ +++Beyond+ Borders


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Ranugan Orangutans


Since I started an inquiry into the situation at Ragunan zoo
involving the orangutans, I have been in contact with SEAZA, Ragunan
officials and have shared information with curators, keepers,
conservationists and other relevant individuals . I was just cleared
to share an official response from Jansen Manansang- President of
SEAZA.


Below is the letter I was sent. I will share more information when it
is available.


Rick Murphy


A letter from a concerned individual was recently published in the 30
December 2008 edition of the daily English-language newspaper Jakarta
Post. Generally regarding the welfare of orangutans housed at
Ragunan Zoo (Jakarta, Indonesia), a number of concerns were raised,
including the condition of enclosures located within the park.


The care and well-being of any species, especially one that is
endangered and resident in its own range country, is one of the
primary goals of the South East Asian Zoos Association (SEAZA) and
its membership. Upon being made aware of the published letter,
Jansen Manansang, Director of Taman Safari Indonesia and current
President of SEAZA, initiated a number of inquiries into the matter,
eventually leading to the involvement of the Indonesian Department of
Forestry.


On 16 January 2008, a meeting was held with participants including
the Indonesian Department of Forestry, the Indonesian Zoos
Association (PKBSI), the South East Asian Zoos Association (SEAZA)
and Ragunan Zoo. The Indonesian government hosted this meeting to
gain further
details regarding orangutan care at Ragunan Zoo for the purposes of
validating the letter's content.


The Indonesian Department of Forestry is currently evaluating the
information it obtained during the 16 January meeting. Once it has
made a determination, subsequent actions will be identified as needed.


Jansen Manansang


President


South East Asian Zoos Association (SEAZA)


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International Association of Avian Trainers and Educators Conference


This will be held in Cincinnati, February 24-28 2009 at the Hilton
Netherland
Plaza. This conference will offer many opportunities to see and hear
presentations about birds and networking opportunities with other
bird keepers, trainers, and professionals within the zoo world.


There have been very fascinating presentations in the past about
training penguins for husbandry behaviors and for enriching the
lives of captive penguins using conditioning techniques. Also
during the conference there will be a site visit to the Cincinnati
Zoo which has 5 species of penguins including a successful breeding
colony of little blue penguins.


If you are interested in more information visit the website
http://www.IAATE. org or feel free to email me for more information.


Hope to see you there.


Rickey Kinley
rkinley26@yahoo. com
Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden


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Neotropical Primate Conference


After a great deal of discussion here at Brookfield Zoo regarding the
state of the economy and its possible affects on the success of our
Neotropical Primate Conference, we have unfortunately decided that the
best course of action at this time would be to postpone the
conference.
Before the holidays I had solicited responses from people on the New
World Monkey TAG list serve, as well as on another neotropical primate
list serve, asking people if they thought that the state of the
economy
might have an impact on their ability to afford the conference. The
majority of people responded that their institutions had cut their
travel budgets and that they could not afford the expenses of travel,
lodging, and registration.


During the planning stages of the conference there was an overwhelming
positive response to the concept of a conference that focused
specifically on New World primates. I'm truly disappointed that we
have
had to make the decision to cancel but I do feel that at some time in
the future we will try again to make such a conference happen.


Vince Sodaro
Lead Keeper, Primate Dept.,
Brookfield Zoo
Callimico SSP Husbandry Advisor
Vince.sodaro@ czs.org
708-688-8707


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UK SHAPE OF ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP
2nd – 5th March 2009


Instructor: Valerie Hare


Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks are pleased to host a Shape
of Enrichment Workshop to be run by Valerie Hare, Co-founder and
Workshop Coordinator for The Shape of Enrichment Inc., which began in
1991. As well as serving on the International Conference on
Environmental Enrichment committee since 1997, Valerie has presented
34 guest lectures and enrichment workshops since 2000 and has also
prepared 22 publications in the field of enrichment.


`The Shape of Enrichment' Workshops are designed to assist interested
animal caretakers in creating enrichment plans for animals under their
care. This three and a half day workshop will cover more advanced
environmental enrichment techniques that aim to develop a holistic
approach to using enrichment as part of zoo husbandry programs.
Participants will be able to improve their understanding of how to
enhance the care and management of captive animals and the workshop is
designed for keepers, managers, supervisors, curators, and
veterinarians working in this field.


The workshop will involve both theory and practical activities in
environmental enrichment planning techniques. There will be many
opportunities throughout to address any specific issues that
participants would like to discuss and we would encourage an active
involvement from all attendees in order for the workshop to be of
maximum benefit to everyone.


Howletts and Port Lympne would like to make this workshop as
accessible as possible and so have endeavoured to keep costs low. The
workshop registration fee of £150 includes:


• All workshop materials
• Lunches during the 3 full day sessions, as well as drinks and
snacks
during the scheduled tea breaks.


Discounted accommodation has been arranged. The price includes dinner,
bed and breakfast for the 4 nights duration of the workshop and costs
£120pp (twin) or £168 (single).


The number of available places at this workshop is very limited, so
please book early.


For further information and to request a booking form please contact:
Mark Kingston Jones, Education and Enrichment Officer,
Howletts and Port Lympne Wild Animal Parks
Email: research@totallywil d.net


Final deadline for registration is: 31.01.09


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Lagomorphs: Health and Management


The Wildlife Information Network, whose Wildpro electronic reference
volumes are invaluable to veterinarians, veterinary nurses,
rehabilitators, animal carers and students around the world, is soon
to publish its much awaited "Lagomorphs: Health and Management" CD-
ROM.


This critically acclaimed information resource will provide a one-
stop high quality up-to-date information resource on the
identification, natural history, conservation, captive management,
diseases and veterinary care of domestic/house rabbits and wild
rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and their wild relatives (rabbits,
hares and pikas), in a portable, readily-accessible format.


"We know there will be a lot of interest in this important volume"
said Iain Boardman, chief executive of WIN, "so those who want to
secure their copy of this CD-ROM in advance of publication can
benefit from substantial discounts by ordering on-line now. We are
offering an Early Bird discount off the RRP starting with 25% this
week." As Emma Magnus of Fur & Feather Magazine said, "...this
valuable information resource should be in every veterinary
practice". (Find out more...)Visit:


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International Rhino Keeper Association Workshop
May 17 – 21, 2009
Busch Gardens Africa, Tampa Florida


If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact Derek
Weatherford at Derek.Weatherford@ buschgardens. com


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ASZK Annual Conference
30 April – 3 May 2009
Darwin, Northern Territory,
Australia
For information go to www.aszk.org. au or email eo@aszk.org. au


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Geriatric Special Issue


Call for Papers for Dedicated Issue of AKF


Many zoological institutions in the U.S. and elsewhere are finding
specimens within their collections are aging. In April of 2009 we
are hoping to produce a special issue of Animal Keepers' Forum
dedicated to the challenges of dealing with geriatric exotic animals
in captive zoo settings. We are seeking articles on what challenges
have been faced (diet, housing, vet care, enrichment, etc.) and how
they have been met. We would like to see papers discussing how your
facility has dealt with the care and management of an animal in the
last years of its life. We know there have got to be lots of good
examples out there and we would hope that you might choose to share
them through the pages of this dedicated issue.


Papers should be submitted electronically in MS Word only to
akfeditor@zk. kscoxmail. com< Please put Geriatric Special Issue in
your subject line. Papers should be no more than 10 pages in
length. Any charts and/or graphs should be submitted as separate jpg
or tif files along with the manuscript. We would encourage photos of
your animals to include and these should also be submitted
electronically as individual jpg or tif files attached to the above
email address.


If you cannot submit your materials electronically, you may send them
on a disk or CD to: Dedicated Issue, AAZK, Inc. 3601 SW 29th St.,
Suite 133, Topeka, KS 66614-2054. If you cannot submit photos
electronically, you may also send 3 x 5 inch prints. Be sure to
indicate proper photo credit.


You should also include your complete contact information including
address, email and a daytime phone number where you may be reached if
we have questions concerning your submission.


Deadline for receipt of articles for consideration is 10 February
2009.


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The 4th Animal keepers Association of Africa (AKAA) Symposium.


Monday 18th May - 21st 2009.
Dr.Andrew Seguya, Dr Josephine Afema, Mr David Musingo, Dr Lawrence
mugisha,
1ST CALL FOR PAPERS AND REGISTRATION
Go to www.uweczoo. org or www.akaafrica. com for details.
For more information about sponsorship of the event or having a trade


Stall please contact www.uweczoo. org , or joseawany@yahoo. com
dmusingo@yahoo. com or dromacoldplay@ gmail.com ,
lemarodgp@yahoo. com


There will be workshops for 2 day period out of the total four day
experience (Monday 18th, Tuesday 19th, Wednesday 20th and Thursday
21st)


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Professional Training Seminars at Shedd Aquarium
Animal Training Seminar with Ken Ramirez
Environmental Quality Seminar with Allen LaPointe
August 24 –28, 2009
Please contact the adult programs coordinator at
adults@sheddaquariu m.org for more information

ZooNews Digest is an independent publication, not allied or attached
to any zoological collection. Many thanks.


Kind Regards,


Wishing you a wonderful week,


Peter Dickinson