Zoo News Digest 12th May 2019 (ZooNews 1023)
Photo by Pau Puigcerver
elvinhow@gmail.com
Dear Colleague,
The links below are most, but not all, I have shared on Facebook over the past week. All are worth a read but if you were to take the time to read just one it should be the beautifully illustrated More tigers now live in cages than in the wild (Important Read)
One statement that many of you may disagree with is this -
“I feel less strongly about him being a miserable human being than some of the conservationists,” he said. At least Nikhom was who he presented himself to be, Ammann realized, and the self-congratulatory networkers at the wildlife conferences — “backslapping orgies,” he liked to call them — were not.
but do you really disagree? If you are honest with yourself you know that there is a lot of truth in it. The behavior I have personally witnessed at some conferences has made my stomach churn. On top of it all many conferences and workshops are repetition. The same old stuff churned out year after year after year without any real action taken where needed. Are zoos actually the answer? Good zoos should be/could be but not whilst they continue to hold hands with some of the worst. In a message I had this week from my friend and colleague Juan Sebastián Villalba-Macías he stated "the worst enemy of good zoos are bad zoos". He is so very very correct.
"good zoos will not gain the credibility of their critics until they condemn the bad zoos wherever they are." Peter Dickinson
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Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 110,400+ Followers on Facebook( and over 110,500 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,
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Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 110,400+ Followers on Facebook( and over 110,500 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,
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Animal
industry slams proposed stronger regulations on zoos
The animal industry expressed concerns over
stronger regulations on the operation of zoos and aquariums Wednesday,
launching the Korea Animal Cultural Industry Association to protest a series of
revisions concerning the management of animal containment facilities.
How
zoos and aquariums can help save 1 million species from extinction
Roughly 1 million plant and animal species are
at risk of extinction, according to a recent United Nations assessment. As
animals find it increasingly difficult to live in the wild, it's important to
leverage the power of zoos and aquariums to protect animals and restore
endangered species, even as some activists seek to dismantle these arks of
hope.
The U.N. report paints a bleak picture — earth
is becoming increasingly inhospitable thanks to irresponsible land and water
use, climate change, pollution and other man-made causes.
Right now, zoos and aquariums should be
rallying points for conservationists. Unfortunately, between 2007 and 2017,
nearly a quarter of Americans became more opposed to zoos and aquariums,
according to a YouGov poll.
How
capitalism will save endangered species
Not long ago, a new variety of orchid was
discovered at the Newmarket racecourse in Suffolk, England. The track’s
managers were horrified at first. When an endangered plant is found on your
land in England, eco-regulators seize control; and this flower was, apparently,
the only one of its kind in the world.
But the Jockey Club came up with an ingenious
defense. If the orchid truly was unique, it argued, and if it flourished only
on ground that had been churned up by horses’ hooves for the better part of 400
years, then surely the correct course was to maintain that unusual habitat.
Plan
to modernise Manila Zoo in limbo over council delay
A P1.5bn plan to develop and modernise the
60-year-old Manila Zoo remains in limbo with the Manila City Council said to be
sitting on a joint venture approved by re-electionist Mayor Joseph 'Erap
Estrada.
Documents obtained by Manila Times showed that
a joint venture agreement, signed in 2014 between the city — represented by
Estrada — and the Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Park Inc (referred to in the
agreement as JV Partner), headed by Edwin Lim, had yet to be acted upon by the
council.
Now
you know: Nagoya aquarium exhibits sushi toppings alongside still-swimming
equivalents
Fish and other undersea denizens one might
spot on a sushi menu as "neta," or topping, have got their own
exhibition at the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium here, set to continue until
June 2.
Chimpanzees
observed ganging up on a leopard and stealing its food
A group of chimpanzees stole a freshly killed
animal from a leopard, then ate it. It is the first time the apes have been
seen challenging such a large and dangerous predator. The finding could show
how ancient apes and hominins first gained access to meat as a food source, and
hints at the origins of cooperative hunting.
Report:
Doors unlocked before tiger attack at Kansas zoo
A state report says that safety doors in a
Sumatran tiger's enclosure at a Kansas zoo were left unlocked before the animal
attacked and injured a veteran zookeeper.
The report released Friday by the Kansas
Department of Labor agreed with the Topeka Zoo's assessment that no equipment
failure or other problem with the enclosure led to the April 20 attack.
A
report claims koalas are 'functionally extinct' – but what does that mean?
Today the Australian Koala Foundation
announced they believe “there are no more than 80,000 koalas in Australia”,
making the species “functionally extinct”.
While this number is dramatically lower than
the most recent academic estimates, there’s no doubt koala numbers in many places
are in steep decline.
It’s hard to say exactly how many koalas are
still remaining in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and
the Australian Capital Territory, but they are highly vulnerable to threats
including deforestation, disease and the effects of climate change.
Modern
Zoos Aren’t Just for Entertainment
I yawn and stretch, then climb to the top of
the moss pile to soak up some warmth. Next I’ll check out that spot by the
water where I found those yummy bugs yesterday. It’s shaping up to be another
good day.
The critter above is a Houston toad (Anaxyrus
houstonensis), an endangered species of amphibian. He lives at the Houston Zoo
and is part of a zoo-based breeding program called the Houston Toad Recovery
Project.
There sometimes exists a public perception
that zoo animals live in sterile cages and suffer unrelenting boredom or even
fear. Historically, zoos were created primarily for entertainment purposes and
simply prioritized keeping animals visible an
Elephant
in the Capitol
White-rumped
vulture eggs unable to hatch
An investigation has been started to find out
why the eggs of white-rumped vultures at Vulture Conservation and Breeding
Centre (VCBC) of Chitwan National Park have not been hatching properly.
National Park’s Chief Conservation Officer,
Ved Kumar Dhakal, shared that national and international experts are
investigating the reason for fewer number of eggs getting hatched.
Exposure
to toxic coral in home aquarium puts Quebec woman in hospital
A Quebec woman who ended up in hospital after
cleaning out her home aquarium is warning others to think twice before adding
coral to their fish tanks.
Mélissa Tremblay fell ill last Friday night
after she transferred her collection of coral to a larger aquarium in her home
in Saint-Léonard-de-Portneuf, an hour northwest of Quebec City.
"I saw a piece of coral break off, but I
had no idea it would release something so toxic," said the mother of
three.
Plan
to modernise Manila Zoo in limbo over council delay
A P1.5bn plan to develop and modernise the
60-year-old Manila Zoo remains in limbo with the Manila City Council said to be
sitting on a joint venture approved by re-electionist Mayor Joseph 'Erap
Estrada.
Documents obtained by Manila Times showed that
a joint venture agreement, signed in 2014 between the city — represented by
Estrada — and the Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Park Inc (referred to in the
agreement as JV Partner), headed by Edwin Lim, had yet to be acted upon by the
council.
The zoo's modernisation was supposed to be
completed by the end of Estrada's first three-year term in 2016, but this did
not materialise because of allegedly questionable provisions, a city council
source claimed.
Metropolitan Zoo and Botanical Park Inc was
also said to be lacking in experience in building or operating a zoo.
A company representative was not immediately
available for comment, while City Hall officials declined to issue a statement,
saying Estrada would
3rd
Indianapolis Zoo tested positive for deadly virus
The Indianapolis Zoo says an African elephant
has tested positive for a virus that earlier killed two other members of its
herd.
It said Thursday that 13-year-old male Kedar
has tested positive for elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus and is being
treated for it.
The zoo says it started testing the blood of
each elephant twice a week after two elephants, Nyah and Kalina, died in March
. Lab and pathology tests confirmed both elephants had EEHV, which causes fatal
hemorrhagic disease in elephants.
More
tigers now live in cages than in the wild (Important Read)
He was up there somewhere, at the top of the
hill, the man Karl Ammann had come to see. It would soon be night. The forest
was all shadows and sounds. Ammann had driven across the country to reach this
remote river village, and now he was finally here, looking to the top of the
hill, ready to confront the person he believed had murdered more tigers than
anyone in Laos. In the distance, he could hear them: dozens of tigers roaring.
Calgary
Zoo CEO says it can't be 'business as usual' following UN report on species
extinction rates
It was expected to be a routine appearance at
city hall for Calgary Zoo’s CEO to discuss trends in attendance and revenue for
the popular city-owned facility. Instead, Clément Lanthier seized the
opportunity this week to sound the alarm over a startling new United Nations
report that suggests worldwide species loss is accelerating at an unprecedented
rate.
“I don’t think it’s business as usual. There
are one million species at risk: plants and animals around the world that
deserve better from us. We need to change the way we’re treating our
environment,” Lanthier said to a rapt audience in council chambers.
Jane
McDonald slammed for 'condoning cruel elephant rides' during travel show
Jane McDonald has come under fire after being
accused of condoning cruel elephant rides.
Channel 5 has been hit with complaints over
its BAFTA-winning show Cruising with Jane McDonald, which aired on Friday
night.
Jane, 56, was touring Jaipur, in India, when
she saw elephants on the street on the way to the Amer Fort.
The presenter and singer says on the show:
“Nowadays there are government guidelines for how elephants are treated and
cared for.
“It’s a steep walk up the hill to get to the
fort so I would definitely recommend getting a ride unless
Visit
to highlight Chester Zoo's conservation work
Environment Minister, Thérèse Coffey will be
visiting Chester Zoo later to meet staff involved in various conservation
around the world.
The zoo is running a number of projects as
part of the Darwin initiative - a UK Government fund that supports projects
around the globe to better protect and enhance nature and biodiversity.
Baltimore
Aquarium: Defamation of a Sanctuary
Those responsible for the Baltimore Aquarium
were rightly criticised within the industry for talking about creating a
sanctuary for their bottlenose dolphins.
The plan was not suitable for the animals because it included a breeding
area in the facility that would have made it impossible for them to build
natural social structures in the long term, and for them this would have been
torture.
Social
Impact Heroes: Eddie Serio of Black Jaguar-White Tiger is leading one of
largest rescue sanctuaries of big felines
…by saturating people’s minds and hearts,
showing as much as we can of these beautiful and Magical beings, BJWT has
shared with the world the intimate side of Lions and Tigers. How they play, how
intelligent they are, how social they are, and how they too thrive when loved
and respected. Through passion, human investment […]
Can
Listening Instead Of Just Looking Change Attitudes To How We Experience A Day
Out At The Zoo?
What can we hear if we stop and listen to the
zoo? Does this change our experience of the animals we visit? Which species and
what aspects of their behaviour come to the fore and what do we learn as a
result?
Experts need your help to find out as they
complete unusual research to see what would happen if people listened more on
zoo visits.
Academics are asking for a small number of
volunteers to help them explore whether being silent and listening carefully makes
people appreciate their zoo trip differently.
5
of the World’s Best Aquariums I visited
In no particular order, the aquariums mentioned
in this post are,
Monterey Bay Aquarium, California
Osaka Kaiyukan, Japan
Oceanario de Lisboa, Lisbon
Kamo Aquarium, Japan
Steinhart Aquarium, California
Special – scroll down to find out.
Jakarta
Aquarium: The First Indoor Animal Conservation Centre in Indonesia
It is a collaboration between Taman Safari
Indonesia and Aquaria KLCC, Malaysia, with a focus on edutainment for all the
family. We pride ourselves on being a centre that focuses on conservation and
preservation.
Jakarta Aquarium presents the concept of a
holiday within nature, displaying the beauty and diversity of the Indonesian
waters. We take you on a journey from soothing, to romantic, to adventure.
There is something for everyone. Jakarta Aquarium has received
At
Baltimore's National Aquarium, Climate Change Presents Challenges Inside And
Out
Three years ago, the National Aquarium in
Baltimore made a big announcement. After a public backlash against marine
animal parks brought on by the documentary Blackfish, the aquarium decided to
move its prized pod of dolphins to a first-of-its-kind sanctuary.
They set a 2020 deadline to find the perfect
spot either off the coast of Florida or in the Caribbean — one where the water
is warm, the area is protected and the climate is calm.
Lions
cubs too sick to walk due to squalid conditions at South African breeding
centre
Cubs at a squalid breeding centre were too ill
to walk and lions were so badly neglected that many had gone bald from mange.
Inspectors who raided the South African farm
found more than 100 lions, tigers, leopards and caracals in overcrowded
conditions, deprived of water to drink.
They were kept in filthy enclosures where
parasites spread easily.
Photos show many of the animals – destined to
be either shot by hunters for money or slaughtered for their bones in the
country’s lucrative industry – were almost entirely bald because of parasitic
infections.
Zoos
- Top 3 Pros and Cons
Zoos have existed in some form since at least
2500 BCE in Egypt and Mesopotamia, where records indicate giraffes, bears,
dolphins, and other animals were kept by aristocrats. [1] The oldest still
operating zoo in the world, Tiergarten Schönbrunn in Vienna, opened in 1752.
[2]
Controversy has historically surrounded zoos,
from debates over displaying "exotic" humans in exhibits to zookeepers
not knowing what to feed animals. [3] A gorilla named Madame Ningo, the first
gorilla to arrive in the United States in 1911 who was to live at the Bronx
Zoo, was fed hot dinners and cooked meat despite gorillas being herbivores, for
example. [3] [4] The contemporary debate about zoos tends to focus on animal
welfare on both sides, whether zoos protect animals or imprison them.
Are zoos important institutions that promote
scientific research and public education, and save animals from extinction? Or
are zoos cruel animal prisons with little educational value that harm animals
physically and psychologically? The pros and cons of zoos are detailed below.
How
Shedd Aquarium Uses Egg Candling to Monitor Developing Penguin Chicks
The incubator is set to 73.7 degrees Fahrenheit,
which years of research shows is just about right to mimic a cozy spot tucked
underneath mom or dad’s feathery belly.
Inside the machine in the bowels of Shedd
Aquarium are 10 or so Magellanic penguin eggs, arranged neatly on a series of
shelves, with each egg’s position indicated on a sticky note kept nearby.
Another incubator stationed feet away holds a separate collection of eggs.
AZA
Statement on United Nations IPBES Global Assessment
New U.N. Report Shows Drastic Action Necessary
to Save Species
The conclusions in the United Nations’ IPBES
Global Assessment are alarming, finding nearly one million animal and plant
species are now threatened with extinction. This conclusion, backed by a
three-year study, is profoundly troubling news. AZA-accredited facilities are
taking action to help save species and their habitat and invite the public to
join us.
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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' and writes about these in his blog http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/Hubpages http://hubpages.com/profile/Peter+Dickinson
Peter earns his living as an independent international zoo consultant, critic and writer. Until recently 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"
"These are the best days of my life"
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