Thursday, April 4, 2019

Zoo News Digest 4th April 2019 (ZooNews 1015)

Zoo News Digest 4th April 2019  (ZooNews 1015)

Photo Vlad Elbakyan on Facebook



Peter Dickinson

elvinhow@gmail.com

 

Dear Colleague,


I was slightly saddened to see the announcement of the retirement of Andrew Greenwood on 1st April. The end of an era. I was introduced to Andrew by David Taylor back in 1969/1970 when Andrew was still a student. Whereas I am not 100% sure of the year I do remember the meeting and the location with great clarity. What I didn't know at the time was that our lives would be intertwined by zoo work these past fifty plus years. We have worked together in a number of different collections, eaten in some great restaurants....and I have taken him to some dicey clubs. We have many mutual friends and colleagues who I know will miss him too. I know that Andrew, like myself, can never truly retire but any kind of rest is truly deserved.

So Joe Exotic has been found guilty. Now that is good news. I would like to think that investigations would go deeper still so that the dirty little collections he has been dealing with are brought to task as well.

Congratulations to the Journal of Threatened Taxa... 20 Years!!! And promoted by Zoo News Digest right from the start. Wishing continued success for the future.

Changing the Approach to Caring for Ambassador Animals makes an interesting read and whether you agree with it or not you need to think about it.



"good zoos will not gain the credibility of their critics until they condemn the bad zoos wherever they are." Peter Dickinson

Lots of interest follows. 

*********

Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 109,500+ Followers on Facebook( and over 109,700 likes) and has a weekly reach often exceeding over 350,000 people? That ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 900 Zoos in 155+ 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,
not DYSFUNCTIONAL zoos.
********
*****
***
**
*

It's the end of an era at IZVG as today marked the beginning of Andrew Greenwood's official retirement from the practice.
Andrew joined David Taylor as a partner in 1973 and, in 1976, they together formed the International Zoo Veterinary Group. An internationally recognised expert in avian diseases and marine mammal care, he is a Specialist in Zoo and Wildlife Medicine of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
Although we're certain Andrew will pop in and see us he will be missed by us all at IZVG. Warmest wishes for your retirement Andrew.




Al Ain Zoo to start construction work on three major projects
As part of its strategy to align with the Abu Dhabi Vision 2030, its keenness to create a unique experience for visitors and perpetuate the conservation of endangered species, Al Ain Zoo has started construction work on three new major projects including the Elephant Safari, the Gorilla Sanctuary and the Sand Cat Conservation Centre.

Speaking on the occasion, Omar Yousef Al Blooshi, Director of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Al Ain Zoo, said, "The three projects will be made available to visitors over the next two years and are primarily a reflection of the Zoo’s vision for global leadership in wildlife conservation by supporting and promoting conservation programmes and providing pioneering wildlife expertise. Our focus will be on raising the future generations’ awareness of the issues addressed through a series of programmes based on creative education, interaction and discovery."



Great news as Chester Zoo reveals baby elephant Indali has entered recovery phase
Chester Zoo has revealed the fabulous news that its two-year-old Asian elephant calf Indali Hi Way is believed to have entered the recovery phase.

Indali has been fighting for her life after a blood test revealed she had developed killer disease Elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV).

Concerns remain as the zoo lost baby elephants Nandita and Aayu to EEHV in October last year but the signs are positive Indali is responding to the intensive treatment regime.



Deadly appetite: 10 animals we are eating into extinction
If there is a single dish that has come to symbolise humans’ willingness to eat other animals out of existence, it is the ortolan bunting. Traditionally, you devour this diminutive songbird, prized since Roman times, whole, in one fell bite, your head hidden under a napkin to hide your shame from God (although, drowned in armagnac and deep-fried, this “delicacy” is also just plain messy).

In France, where hunting ortolans has been banned since 1999, 30,000 birds are still trapped every year, according to the RSPB; they are said to fetch up to €150 (£130) apiece. Despite conservation efforts, ortolan numbers dropped by 84% between 1980 and 2012.

Yet the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the ortolan as “a species of least concern”. There are many animals that are in far greater peril, according to Prof David Macdonald of the University of Oxford, who reported in 2016 that our culinary habits threaten 301 land mammal species alone with extinction.



Elephants, gorillas and sand cats coming to Al Ain Zoo
One of the world smallest felines will be accompanied by the largest terrestrial animals as Al Ain Zoo seeks to expand its conservation programmes to include an elephant safari.

The UAE’s largest zoo will also be opening a gorilla sanctuary and sand cat conservation centre over the next two years.

Construction has begun on the three new projects that are part of wider efforts to protect and preserve the animals.



Beijing zoo treats paralyzed great ape with TCM therapies
The Beijing Zoo has been treating a 32-year-old paralyzed orangutan, a reddish-haired great ape, with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapies for years.

The female orangutan, named Pangpang, came to the zoo from Japan in 1989 when she was two years old. In 2008, she suddenly fell ill, which led to a loss of mobility, slow reaction, shrinking appetite and a bad temper.



Zoo welcomes world’s largest amphibian
A rescued Chinese giant salamander will make its debut at ZSL London Zoo today, after ZSL wildlife experts helped Border Force identify four of the Critically Endangered amphibians and offered them a new home.

Having prevented an attempt to illegally import the mysterious looking animals, Border Force asked the Zoo’s keepers to look after the Chinese giant salamanders (Andrias davidianus) – protected under CITES regulations – because of their previous experience looking after the aquatic giants.

Now, one of the surprisingly charismatic amphibians – named Professor ‘Lew’, which means ‘dragon keepers’ in Chinese – has moved into a state-of-the-art tank in the Zoo’s Reptile House, giving visitors the



William Robichaud - The Asian Unicorn
Welcome to the ESCAPE THE ZOO podcast, where we interview leading wildlife photographers, conservationists and scientists to learn more about the awe-inspiring species that we share this fascinating planet with. Guests of the podcast have traveled to the the edges of the world to observe, photograph, study and support wildlife in their natural environment and, as you probably can imagine, now have some of the most exciting, scary, crazy, extreme, and beautiful stories that I have ever heard.

  
Tourists banned from home of Komodo dragon as smugglers eye dwindling numbers
Tourists will be banned from Komodo Island, the home of the ancient Komodo dragon, from January 2020 to allow for conservation efforts, after a smuggling case involving the endangered animal.

The island, in Maggarai Barat Indonesia, has been a major tourist destination, with many making the trip to see the lizard, which has a poisonous bite, can grow up to three metres long and weigh 50kg.

Authorities said the island would be closed temporarily so they can plant native vegetation and help to restock the dragon’s food supply, reported Tempo
newspaper, increasing the population. It is not clear when it will reopen but earlier discussions have suggested it may last a year.
 The closure announcement came after police in
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/04/tourists-banned-from-home-of-komodo-dragon-as-smugglers-eye-dwindling-numbers?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other



Belgian zoo voted Europe’s best for the second year running
Pairi Daiza was crowned Best Zoological Park in Europe on Wednesday at the Diamond Theme Park Awards in the Netherlands. It also received the prizes for the “Best zoo in Belgium and the Netherlands”, “Most Beautiful Park in Belgium” and “Most Beautiful Animal Habitat” for its Temple of Flowers, home to one of its two families of Sumatran orangutans.

The Brugelette park also won the prize for the “Most Beautiful Birth” for Sungai, the little Sumatran orangutan born on 30 October 2018, the “Best Animal Presentation” prize for its “Elephant Bath” and the “Best Restaurant” prize for the “Temple des Délices”, a Chinese buffet-restaurant built within the park in the traditional Chinese manner.




Watch: Shaikh Hamdan’s team helps giraffe run freely
Instagram loves animals, and a video posted by Dubai’s Crown Prince was once again proof of this.

A video uploaded by Shaikh Hamdan Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai and Chairman of Dubai Executive Council showed a team of conservationists sedating the African mammal to trim its hooves.

In the one-minute long clip, Shaikh Hamdan can be seen in the operation, as the team first hits the giraffe with a tranquiliser dart and then bringing it down with the use of ropes.

After the hooves are trimmed by the experts, S



I kissed a penguin!
Kissing a penguin was not on my to-do list, but that is exactly what happened! Where was I? The Antarctic? South Africa? A zoo? How about a shopping mall in a desert city?
Lucky enough to be invited 'backstage' by a wonderful keeper and always up for a new experience, I leapt at the chance.



More than a decade on from the Sichuan earthquake, the Chinese province’s giant panda population is holding up, with a little help from Hong Kong
In a restricted conservation area tucked away in Wolong in Sichuan province – known for being home to giant pandas classified by global conservation body WWF as vulnerable – researcher Yang Fan braces the snowy weather to strap an infrared camera to a tree trunk, and walks back and forth to make sure the angle is right.

Yang hopes to use the 100 or so infrared cameras installed in the Dengsheng conservation area on tranquil mountain Balangshan to track some of the 1,387 wild giant pandas and other precious animals such as snow leopards and sambar deer in the province. The data collected can help his team understand more about wildlife.



Brucellosis bacteria infects animals in Kuwait Zoo
Teams from the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) continue the fight against brucellosis after the bacteria was discovered in some sheds at the zoo last Thursday, leading to the closure of the facility to facilitate eradication of the disease, reports Al-Qabas daily.

Director of the Zoo Nasser Al-Attiyah told Al-Qabas that brucellosis was detected among a herd of cattle and another herd of deer but reassured the current situation is 90 percent under control, saying “there is no cause for alarm”.

He added the teams and Department of Preventive Health at PAAAFR have been conducting a comprehensive field survey on the various types of sheds a



Safety Cover of Asiatic Lions to Expand Outside Gir Sanctuary With Setting up of New Wildlife Division
The Asiatic lions will finally get a bigger safety cover outside the Gir Wildlife Sanctuary, the last abode of this endangered species in the world. The Gujarat government has initiated a process to establish the new Shetrunji Wildlife Division and approved 104 posts for it, including a deputy conservator, two assistant conservators, seven range forest officers and members of the administrative staff.



Kleinmond ‘Safari Park’ Elephant Plans Approved Despite Objections & Environmental Risks
A new safari park near the small town of Kleinmond in the Western Cape may hold economic gains for its owners – but at what cost to the sensitive Overstrand environment or the elephants and other animals subjected to exploitation?

A number of inconsistencies have emerged in the plans for the development of Lamloch Safari Park (LSP) which are open for public comment or objection until 15 April 2019.



Changing the Approach to Caring for Ambassador Animals
Here at Lincoln Park Zoo we believe in data-informed decision making and putting animal welfare first. After evaluating several of our programs over the last few years with the help of the Animal Welfare Science Program, Animal Care, and Learning departments, the zoo is making “animal-first” changes to programming that involves ambassador animals.

“Animal-first” is an approach where various factors are considered: Does the animal have choice? Does the animal have control? Can the animal remain the comfort of its habitat? Is the program to the animals’ benefit? If the answer is ‘yes’ to all of these questions, that is an animal-first program. Moving forward, the zoo has committed to this approach for all ambassador animal programs and will be phasing out any program that does not meet these criteria.



Should Food Be Our “Primary” Reinforcer?
As I start to coach trainers more and more, one of the first things I talk about is variation within your reinforcement. The idea is that the animals do not know what reinforcement they will get, but they know it will be good. As trainers we focus very much on food as reinforcement because this seemed to work best. I often see people asking on Facebook or animal training groups ‘What favourite reinforcers do people use for an animal ‘. While it might help people get started, to be honest, I don’t believe this will work in the long run. Reinforcement should be varied and should not be depending on favourites.



‘Joe Exotic’ found guilty on murder-for-hire, wildlife charges
A man known as "Joe Exotic" has been found guilty Tuesday by a jury on all charges in his federal murder-for-hire trial.

Joseph Maldonado-Passage has been convicted of conspiring to kill animal rights activist Carole Baskin in Florida, and killing five tigers and selling and offering to sell tiger cubs.


FOR YOUR FURTHER INFORMATION:
The Strange Case of 'Joe Exotic,' the Zookeeper Accused of Attempted Murder



Breaking news: ‘Joe Exotic,’ who kept hundreds of big cats in appalling conditions, found guilty of murder-for-hire and wildlife charges
It was routine to pull newborn cubs, some just hours old, from their mothers to be hand-raised so they could be readied for handling by the public – an objectionable practice that is harmful to the cubs, devastating to the mother, and broadly condemned by wildlife experts. Customers were allowed to keep handling tiger cubs, even when the infants cried uncontrollably. Tiger cubs were “trained” by being punched in the face, dragged by leashes and hit with sticks. Sick and injured animals were routinely denied veterinary care.



Wolf at large in Antalya after zoo escape
A wolf was on the loose in the southern city of Antalya yesterday after he escaped a zoo on Monday. Police launched a hunt to capture the animal, but it was not yet sighted when Daily Sabah went to print yesterday.

The animal was one of the tenants of the zoo in Antalya's Döşemealtı district and was put in a separate enclosure after a brawl with other wolves. It managed to break free from its confinement and headed to a forest near the zoo. A local resident reported sighting the animal some 2 kilometers away from the zoo while Ümit Yürekli, a veterinarian, ran into the animal in another area near the zoo and took a photo of the wolf. Yürekli told İhlas News Agen




Turkey's parliament to open mini zoo... for animal rights
Turkey's parliament plans to open a mini zoo in an unorthodox bid to draw attention to animal rights in the country.
The first animals to join the 10,000 square metre zoo in the gardens of Ankara's Grand National Assembly will be pheasants, partridges, quail, squirrels, deer and peacocks, while others may join at later stages.
 The approval of the project will be decided by the parliament's speaker Mustafa Sentop some time after the country's local elections, which took place last Sunday, Demiroren news agency reported.
 The parliament's desire to draw attention to animal rights with a mini zoo may seem unusual, as not all animals receive equal treatment in Turkey.



Ex zoo owner David Gill speaks out over Wasdale Riding Centre after post announces plan has been shelved
The ex zoo boss behind controversial plans for a riding centre in Wasdale has spoken out after announcing on Facebook that the project has been shelved.

David Gill, who ran the former South Lakes Wild Animal Park at Dalton from 1994 to 2017, had submitted a planning application to the Lake District National Park Authority under the name David Rivera for consent to offer horse riding and carriage drives from his Windsor Farm.


Ex-zoo boss David Gill shelves planned launch of horse riding ranch business
The founder of a controversial zoo where hundreds of animals died has shelved his plans to open a horse riding centre in Wasdale.

David Gill, who ran the former South Lakes Wild Animal Park at Dalton from 1994 to 2017, had submitted a planning application to the Lake District National Park Authority under the name David Rivera for permission to offer horse riding and carriage drives from his Windsor Farm.



Brucellosis bacteria infects animals in Kuwait Zoo
Teams from the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) continue the fight against brucellosis after the bacteria was discovered in some sheds at the zoo last Thursday, leading to the closure of the facility to facilitate eradication of the disease, reports Al-Qabas daily.
 Director of the Zoo Nasser Al-Attiyah told Al-Qabas that brucellosis was detected among a herd of cattle and another herd of deer but reassured the current situation is 90 percent under control, saying “there is no cause for alarm”.


New park opens in Al Shahaniya with mini zoo
The Ministry of Municipality and Environment opened a new park in Al Shahaniya area today.

The Desert Park has a mini zoo with about 8 different types of animals like oryx and gazelle housed in the park.



Best Practice Guidelines for Lesser Kudu (Tragelaphus imberbis)




20 Minutes With: The Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Julie Packard
Julie Packard has dedicated her life to educating others on ocean conservation. The executive director of the Monterey Bay Aquarium—a position she’s held since it opened in Northern California in 1984—is a leader in her field, and a leading voice for science-based policy reform.

Under Packard’s leadership, the aquarium has evolved into one of the nation’s leading ocean conservation organizations. Its Seafood Watch sustainability rating system educates the public—and food professionals—on which fish are best to consume.



Kleinmond ‘Safari Park’ Elephant Plans Approved Despite Objections & Environmental Risks
A new safari park near the small town of Kleinmond in the Western Cape may hold economic gains for its owners – but at what cost to the sensitive Overstrand environment or the elephants and other animals subjected to exploitation?

A number of inconsistencies have emerged in the plans for the development of Lamloch Safari Park (LSP) which are open for public comment or objection until 15 April 2019.



This Tarantula Became a Scientific Celebrity. Was It Poached From the Wild?
In February, the Journal of the British Tarantula Society published a paper describing a new species of tarantula, which was discovered in a national park in Sarawak, Malaysia. While the male of the species was an unremarkable brown, the female had eye-catching, electric blue legs.

New spiders are discovered all the time, and the paper likely would have gone largely unnoticed — were it not for an article in Science magazine that appeared soon afterward.
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/01/science/poaching-wildlife-scientists.html


Zoos of the British Isles


Fishing Cat Study Looks to Improve Breeding Success Rates
Fishing cats are vulnerable in the wild across South and Southeast Asia, and sightings by scientists are few and far between. There are not many of the small spotted cats living in zoos either, which could spell trouble for the entire species. Pressures from human development and pollution are driving wild fishing cat numbers down further, which means that a healthy population of fishing cats living in zoos is more important than ever. Unfortunately, breeding fishing cats in zoos has proven just as difficult as studying and protecting them in the wild. But a new study might change that.

The study by Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute scientists and researchers from George Mason University published in Zoo Biology identified several things zoos can do to encourage fishing cats to breed and prevent their numbers from dwindling. To gather the best data, the team monitored fishing cats living in zoos in North America for three years as they were moved to new homes in different zoos and then introduced to potential mates. All of the animals were moved at the recommendation of the Species Survival Plan (SSP).



The importance of accreditation
Seeing animals up close can be a wonderful experience.

Different animals can be found in so many different facilities worldwide. However it's important to know and acknowledge that not all zoos and aquariums, as well as sanctuaries, rescue and wildlife centres are equal.

How do you know whether the zoo, aquarium, sanctuary, rescue or wildlife centre you visit is a good place for animals? How do you know whether the facility engages in other missions of modern professional facilities today, being conservation, education, research and engagement?



Blackpool Zoo worker had his dreadlocks shaved off in front of 80 guests to raise cash to help this threatened species
A Blackpool Zoo worker had his beloved dreadlocks chopped off to help save the threatened songbird. Dom Ricchiuti, 30, was left with a bald head following a public shave at the attraction on Saturday – but said it’s all for a good cause.



Romeo, Meet Juliet. Now Go Save Your Species.
At first the story of Romeo, the last Sehuencas water frog, seemed like an ecological tragedy. Here was an animal in an aquarium destined to live as a bachelor, passing with his kind into extinction.

But then there was Juliet.

After biologists found her leaping from a waterfall at the end of a Bolivian stream, they took her back to Romeo’s home at the Museo de Historia Natural Alcide d’Orbigny in Bolivia to see if they’d hit it off.



What Is the Most Beautiful Primate?
Scientists have conducted a wealth of research on human facial attractiveness. More beautiful faces tend to be symmetrical and "average," with smooth skin texture and no visible deformities. Unsurprisingly, such a bounty of research is nonexistent when it comes to our primate cousins, so researchers from the National Institute of Mental Health in the Czech Republic took it upon themselves to determine what features define a "beautiful" primate, as judged by humans. Their efforts are published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology.




Good keeper-elephant relationships in North American zoos are mutually beneficial to welfare
Relationships between animals and their human caretakers can have profound impacts on animal welfare in farms, laboratories and zoos, while human attitudes are important predictors of caretaker behavior towards livestock. In this study, we examined the impact of keeper attitudes about working with elephants on Keeper-Elephant Relationships (KERs) and Bonds (KEBs), and found evidence for reciprocity and welfare benefits to both parties. As part of a large, multi-institutional study of zoo elephant welfare conducted at 60 zoos accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, blood samples were collected twice monthly for 1 year from 117 African (Loxodont africanus) and 96 Asian (Elephas maximus) elephants for serum cortisol analyses as a measure of well-being. Information was collected via three online questionnaires: 1) a Keeper Survey of 277 elephant keepers about their opinions of and



After successful breeding plan, pandas will be released into wild
The West Bengal Zoo Authority has decided to release four pandas into the wild in September this year. The decision was driven by the success of red panda breeding at the Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park in Darjeeling. Two male and two female pandas will be released at the Singalila National Park. The current captive stock of the pandas at the Himalayan zoological park is 21. The state Forest department feels that the park has sufficient pandas to release some animals in the wild.



Is India turning into a death bed for the last remaining South Asian tigers?
In spite of the great success, tiger conservation is taking a serious downturn in India. The recent cold-blooded judicial killing of a helpless Bengal tigress (named Avni/T1) in south eastern Maharashtra has brought forth serious loopholes in the conservation efforts of both Indian federal and state governments hosting premier tiger habitats.

The tigress was previously declared a “man-eater” with no substantial ground proof or any convincing DNA evidences, connecting her to the death of 13 villagers. The state government and the Indian judiciary provided a death sentence in haste for this unfortunate tigress, with no comprehensive investigation.
https://www.downtoearth.org.in/blog/wildlife-and-biodiversity/is-india-turning-into-a-death-bed-for-the-last-remaining-south-asian-tigers--63773


DISCUSSING ZOO ANIMAL WELFARE IN THE PHILIPPINES
Wild Welfare was recently invited to attend the Philippine Zoos and Aquariums Association (PHILZOOS)’ director’s meeting, to present on animal welfare certification and zoo accreditation processes and modern trends in zoo animal welfare.

The invite follows our ongoing work with the South East Asian Zoos and Aquariums Association (SEAZA), on their own welfare certification programme. PHILZOOS is The National Zoo Association of the Philippines and has 11 member facilities across the country.

During a two-day meeting, Wild Welfare’s field director, Dave Morgan, presented to 12 zoo directors and four representatives from the Philippines’ Biodiversity Management Bureau and Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), the government bodies charged with legislating zoos in the country.

Dave Morgan, said: “This was Wild Welfare’s first project visit to the Philippines and it gave us the chance to interact with local zoo directors and governm
https://wildwelfare.org/discussing-zoo-animal-welfare-in-the-philippines/



*****************************************************

** ***
** **
***
*

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 50 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' (many more before that) and writes about these in his blog http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
Peter earns his living as an independent international zoo consultant, critic and writer. Previously 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 storyteller, 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"


photo 
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant

No comments:

Post a Comment