Zoo News Digest 14th June 2019 (ZooNews 1032)
@crazytapirlady
elvinhow@gmail.com
Dear Colleague,
There has been much of interest this past few days but the link that jumped out at me was WATCH: Workers demonstrate over unfair treatment at Pretoria Zoo . I have often wondered how I would react. Strikes in zoos are rare but I can see how it can be necessary. In my case I could never strike if my action in any way compromised the health and welfare of the animals....but what if the strike was because the health and welfare was being compromised? Difficult. Resignation would hardly be a realistic option as it would help no-one and especially in these dark days of non disclosure agreements.
In my own case I got my first zoo job (in 1967/8) because of a zookeeper strike. All of the striking zookeepers were dismissed and so they were desperate for staff. It was a steep learning curve being thrown in at the deep end but I knew from day one that this was the life for me and never regretted it. I was lucky too in that the head keeper I was working under was patient and an excellent teacher as well as being a really nice guy.
Many many years later I was head hunted to manage a major British Safari Park. It would have been a good move. The salary was excellent as were the benefits. I had a young family at the time and it really wasn't something I could afford to pass up. However I turned it down...Why? Because I was told in no uncertain terms that one of the first duties expected of me was to get rid of one of the staff. Who? Well it was the first head keeper (now in a senior role) I had worked under and from whom I had learned so much.
"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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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 monthly reach often exceeding over 1000,000 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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*****
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Chorus
of Life: Protecting endangered Asian elephants in Xishuangbanna
Wild Asian elephants, with a population of
about 300, are under class-A protection in China. Almost all the elephants are
found in China's southwestern Yunnan Province and the majority of them call
Xishuangbanna Dai Autonomous Prefecture home.
In 2008, a breeding and rescue center was set
up in Xishuangbanna to help this endangered species. Since then, the center has
rescued more than 10 injured wild elephants, which were either deserted by
their herds or used by humans to smuggle drugs
Audio: Bronx Zoo director argues zoos are more
relevant to conservation than ever
The Bronx Zoo is part of the Wildlife
Conservation Society (WCS). As executive vice president of zoos and aquariums
for WCS, Jim Breheny actually manages all five of WCS’s zoological parks in New
York City, including the Bronx Zoo, the Central Park Zoo, the Queens Zoo, the
Prospect Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium on Coney Island. All told, these
parks are visited by more than 4 million guests every year.
Dolphins form friendships through shared
interests just like us, study finds
When it comes to making friends, it appears
dolphins are just like us and form close friendships with other dolphins that
have a common interest. The findings, published in the Proceedings of the Royal
Society B by an international team of researchers from the Universities of
Bristol, Zurich and Western Australia, provides further insight into the social
habits of these remarkable animals.
When the gibbons call
The call of gibbons was louder when we went
further inside the forest area of Mo Singto in Khao Yai National Park, which
covers 2,165km² in four provinces in the central and northeastern regions. Mo
Singto...
Indian temple helps nurture ‘extinct’ turtle
back to life
An “extinct” species of turtle is being
reintroduced to the wild after a small population was found flourishing in a
pond at an Indian temple.
The black softshell turtle (Nilssonia
nigricans) was declared extinct in the wild 17 years ago by the International
Union for Conservation of Nature. However, in Hayagriva Madhav temple in Assam,
these reptiles are believed to be a reincarnation of Hindu deity Vishnu and so
they are protected.
Jayaditya Purkayastha, from conservation group
Good Earth which is working to protect the remaining turtles at Hayagriva
Madhav temple, told AFP: “There are plenty of turtles in the temple pond.
The evolution of zoos and zookeepers
Things are always changing at the zoo and in the
zoo world. Right now at Lee Richardson Zoo, the birds are nesting, the Nature
Trail is seeing improvements, and a few planting projects are adding more color
to our surroundings. Behind the scenes, we are working with architects and
construction managers on the plans for the new primate habitat, the new
flamingo habitat and the expansion of the animal health facility.
Changes don’t just happen at facilities; they
happen across the profession, too. As with other professions or businesses, zoo
work involves more and more technology as time goes by. What used to be very
basic in design, containment, and care — and did not really focus much on
conservation or public education — has taken leaps and bounds from where it
began. Even in my 35 years in the profession, the changes have been numerous.
Chester Zoo conservationists release 4,000
snails that were believed to be extinct into the wild
The greater Bermuda land snail (Poecilozonites
bermudensis) which measure around 2cm live only on the remote, oceanic islands
of Bermuda.
They were driven almost to extinction by
species of carnivorous snails and flatworms and were feared to have vanished
completely until a small number were rediscovered in 2014. The snails are
listed as critically endangered by the International Union for the Conservation
of Nature (IUCN).
WATCH: Workers demonstrate over unfair
treatment at Pretoria Zoo
Pretoria - Educational trips for school
children and visitors to the National Zoological Gardens of South Africa had to
be rescheduled as workers took to the entrance of the Zoo to picket over unfair
treatment of employees.
Workers led by the National Trade Union
Congress were given the go-ahead to picket by the Commission for Conciliation,
Mediation, and Arbitration, as of May 21.
Monkeys face climate change extinction threat
Monkeys living in South America are highly
vulnerable to climate change and face an "elevated risk of
extinction," according to a new University of Stirling-led study.
The research, involving an international team
of scientists, found that a large percentage of non-human primates -- including
monkeys, lemurs and apes -- are facing substantial temperature increases and
marked habitat changes over the next 30 years.
The team, led by Dr Joana Carvalho of
Stirling's Faculty of Natural Sciences, said that New World monkeys -- which
live primarily in tropical South America -- will be particularly affected.
Joburg Zoo gets 2 friends for lonely Lammie
the elephant
The Joburg Zoo said in a statement two
elephants secured a clean bill of health and arrived at the Zoo with the
veterinary doctor and their keeper on Thursday.
Ramadiba, 22-year-old a mature male and
Mopani, a 19-year-old female, will be allowed to get accustomed to their
surroundings before they make their public debut on World Elephant Day, 12
August which coincidently, is on the same day that Lammie turns 40.
The slow and steady conservation of the Asian
Giant Tortoises
They are famous because they battled petty criminals,
overlords, mutated creatures and alien invaders, all the while trying and
mostly succeeding to stay hidden. They are famous, for they were cursed and are
now manifestations of an evil spirit stuck in a pond for eternity at a shrine
in the depths of Chattogram. They are famous because writers, moviemakers,
shamans, philosophers, kung fu fighters alike have been fascinated by their
slow and steady gait and their resilience. Yet, thousands of years on, this
very resilience is under threat. If you have not guessed by now, I am talking
about the order Testudines of the animal kingdom, which includes turtles and
tortoises.
Toward More Equitable and Inclusive Spaces for
Primatology and Primate Conservation
Professional societies, especially
international ones, are strengthened by including adiversity of members from a
variety of communities. The International PrimatologicalSociety as well as
other societies have recognized the importance of these strengths byforming new
committees dedicated to issues of equity, inclusion, and diversity. Yet it
isimperative that such efforts move beyond checking the boxes for how many
differentgroups of people we have in our membership toward institutional
changes that trans-form the society and create safe inclusive spaces where
everyone who wishes to joincan fully engage in the work of the society. For
A Global Review of Animal–Visitor Interactions
in Modern Zoos and Aquariums and Their Implications for Wild Animal Welfare
This study explores the characteristics of
animal-visitor Interactions (AVIs) (interactions between people and captive
wild animals) in zoos and aquaria across the globe. We reviewed information
provided on public websites of institutions that are either direct members of
the World Association for Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) or belong to regional and
national associations that have WAZA membership. The opportunity for visitors
to interact with wild animals was promoted on the majority of the facilities’
websites. Petting captive wild animals was the most common AVI activity
advertised (43%) of facilities, and interaction with mammals was the most
advertised taxonomic class (53%). Some activities involving direct contact with
wildlife were promoted more commonly than expected (for example, hand feed and
ride wild animals, and walk with or swim through wild animal enclosures). Some
of the advertised AVIs have the potential to impact animal welfare; in light of
this, we provide recommendations to balance and manage captive wild animal
welfare in AVIs with other primary interconnected goals.
SEA LIFE Career Story
Here at SEA LIFE we love our animals and
employees! Our aim is to inspire love and care for the oceans. That's why we've
put together an inspiring interview with one of our very own stars, with a
unique story to tell and valuable career advice. Our first featured employee is
Chris Sturdy, Curator for SEA LIFE Great Yarmouth.
Fake news destroying Thailand's elephant
tourism industry (17 May 2019): Part 1
Investigation into the story of "Pang
Meena", a 4-year-old elephant, after a foreign citizen. Those who shared
the story of the thin, abused elephant posted a photo of the wrong elephant!
As proof of fate "Phang Mina - Chang Noi,
4 years old" behind the documentary, the head of the outside, raising the
knot, hook-chaining, attacking the Thai elephant industry People sharing the
same elephant as Maetang - Chiang Mai Interpreter attached to the pole - abused
until thin Both wrong
Account Translator's Note *: the The Article
In The Original Thai language audio Bible stories, Concerning The true true
time story is Meena Of The Elephant, Can Be Found By Following This Link:.
Seal Pup Born at Reykjavík Zoo Raises Ethical
Concerns
Kobba, one of two female seals that live at
the Reykjavík Family Park and Zoo gave birth to a seal pup on Tuesday night,
Vísir reports. While the pup, who has yet to be sexed by zoo staff, is feeding
well and appears to be in good health, following its mother wherever she goes,
its birth has raised concerns about the suitability of the zoo’s seal habitat
as well as the pup’s future.
Police Looking for Woman Who Fatally Injured
Greek Turtle at Budapest Zoo
An unknown perpetrator hit a Greek turtle at the
Budapest Zoo and Botanical Garden with a stone on Wednesday afternoon. The
animal was later found by caretakers at the pre-closure check, but its injuries
were so severe that the veterinarians could not save the animal and it had to
be euthanized.
In order to clarify the exact circumstances of
the case, the zoo watched the recordings of the surveillance cameras on
Thursday morning,
Joy
as Chester Zoo elephant calf makes full recovery from deadly EEHV illness
CHESTER ZOO bosses are hailing a major
milestone after its 'brave little fighter' elephant has made a full recovery
from a deadly virus.
Indali Hi Way is believed to be a rare case of
an Asian elephant surviving the lethal EEHV illness, also known as elephant
endotheliotropic herpesvirus, a deadly virus threatening Asian elephants
globally.
A large team of specialists continues to watch
her
Complaint
claims abusive conditions for dolphins at Madrid Zoo
After an hour, the music stops and the woman
bids the visitors goodbye while the dolphins sink under the surface of the
semi-circular pool they inhabit 24/7. They withdraw with their ever-present
smiles that are not smiles at all. The fact is, even if they were sad, they
would appear to be grinning. A veterinary report sent to Seprona – the nature
protection arm of the Spanish Civil Guard – concludes that the nine dolphins at
Madrid Zoo Aquarium are, in fact, sick. They have eye problems and two of them,
Lala and Guarina, have skin lesions.
2
giraffes killed by lightning at Florida wildlife park
Officials at a Florida wildlife park say two
giraffes that died last month were killed by lightning.
Lion Country Safari posted Tuesday on Facebook
that recent pathology results confirmed that the giraffes died as a result of a
lightning strike and that the deaths were instantaneous.
Third
tiger safari to open near Hampi
In what is seen as a bid to boost tourism and
sensitise visitors on conservation, the State’s third tiger safari is all set
to open near Hampi, a world heritage site.
The tiger and lion safari at Kamalapur, near
Hampi, in Ballari district — third after the safaris at Bannerghatta in
Bengaluru and Tyavarekoppa in Shivamogga — will be formally launched on June
21.
Video
highlights animal cruelty at Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo
On the heels of a National Geographic report
exposing cruelty in the animal-tourism industry, People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals (PETA) has obtained new video footage showing animals
suffering at Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo.
Nakhon
Si Thammarat zoo set to close after 40 years of public service
The only public zoo in the upper southern
region, Thung Talard in Nakhon Si Thammarat, is to officially end its
four-decade-long service at the request of local authorities.
The reasons behind the closure are still
unclear, but the zoo was criticised on social-media platforms last month about
its hygiene, animal health and living standards. The request to end the service
was initiated by the mayor of Nakhon Si Thammarat, and put forward to the
Natural Parks, Wildlife and Plants Department on April 9
Viral:
Outrage over filthy conditions at mini-zoo in West Java, including trash inside
cages and animals being fed rotten fruits
There have been many stories about zoos in
Indonesia horribly mistreating their animals. Recently, yet another local zoo
has come under fire after pictures showing the facility’s disturbing conditions
went viral on social media.
The facility, a mini-zoo located inside a
Kostrad (Army Strategic Command) compound in the Cilodong sub-district of Depok
City, West Java, became the talk of the netizens after a user uploaded several
pictures showcasing its awful conditions yesterday.
3
experts explain why orca breeding is so important
An
Open Letter to the Producers of the CBS “Whistleblower” Program
On behalf of the accredited members of the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), including SeaWorld, I am writing to
you today to express our strong concerns about your program titled “SeaWorld:
The Case Against Captivity.”
Based on the previews of your program to date,
we believe the content you are airing provides viewers with an untrue picture
of current SeaWorld practices. For example, SeaWorld no longer allows its
professionally trained staff go in the water with orcas and has changed its
safety practices when working with orcas. Additionally, SeaWorld is no longer
breeding orcas, which would also include using artificial insemination
techniques on the animals.
Cooperative
Feeding; A Training Essential
Being in a position to work with a variety of
different species allows me to observe species I never had the chance to
observe before. I learn a lot. Observation is an important part of our day. A
head trainer once asked me, “do we really know our animals if we just train
them and never observe in free time?”
https://zoospensefull.com/2019/06/10/cooperative-feeding-a-training-essential
Can you be a victim of a displaced animal?
The theory of animal training
helped me a great deal until I worked with orcas. But little did I know that my
skills would then be tested constantly along the way. A sea-lion was one thing,
moving on to a killer whale was another. I got this job through a good friend
of mine that I met on conference in 2008, since then we have kept in regular
contact and one of the topics we always discuss is how a trainer can gain the
success they need to grow in this field.
'A more humane country': Canada to ban keeping whales,
dolphins in captivity
Animal welfare advocates are
celebrating a "defining moment" after the House of Commons voted
Monday to ban keeping whales, dolphins and porpoises in captivity — ushering in
an uncertain future for the Marineland in Niagara Falls.
Bill S-203, known as the
"Ending the Captivity of Whales and Dolphins Act," passed a third
reading in the House of Commons Monday, more than three years after it was
introduced in December 2015.
The bill bans keeping and
breeding cetaceans — including whales, dolphins and porpoises — through
amendments to the Criminal Code, and would levy fines to lawbreakers of up to
$200,000. However, whales and dolphins t
Zoo Director Testifies Before Congress on Biodiversity
Thank you Chairwoman Johnson,
Ranking Member Lucas, and distinguished members of the Committee for the
opportunity to provide testimony to you today. My name is Steve Monfort and I
am the Director of the Smithsonian’s National Zoo and Conservation Biology
Institute. Today, I am also honored to represent my Smithsonian colleagues from
our Environmental Research Center, our Tropical Research Institute, the National
Museum of Natural History, and others united under the umbrella of the
Smithsonian’s Conservation Commons, an institution-wide effort designed to
unite our cumulative expertise to tackle complex conservation problems on a
global scale.
At the National Zoo we care
for some of the rarest species on earth, and along with that comes a moral and
ethical responsibility to connect the work we do with individual animals in our
care to saving their counterparts in nature. But lesser known is that the Smithsonian
has been studying biodiversity for more than 170 years, and today hundreds of
Smithsonian scientists and scholars work across the spectrum of biodiversity
and conservation
Simply returning rescued wildlife back to the wild may
not be in their best interest
There are few checks done to
see how well injured or orphaned Australian animals survive after they’ve been
released into the wild, we found in our new research published on Sunday.
That’s a worry for the more
than 50,000 native animals that are released in Australia each year. It’s
especially worrying for any orphans who’ve never experienced life in the wild.
But we found the rules
governing the return of wildlife are not always in the animal’s best interest.
Chimpanzee
meat 'being eaten at weddings and sold on market stalls in Britain'
Illegal chimpanzee meat is being served at
weddings and sold on market stalls in the UK, it has been claimed.
In the past month a ton of the animal's flesh
- known as bush meat - was confiscated at customs as it came into the UK from
West Africa, leading primate scientist Dr Ben Garrod said.
The meat can cause serious diseases as chimps
are genetically similar to humans and it is often packaged in unsanitary
environments.
Carl
Hagenbeck: The inventor of the modern animal park
No bars, no high fences: It's thanks to Carl
Hagenbeck that most zoos today look that way. June 10 marks his 175th birthday.
But he also had other controversial ideas for his parks: exhibiting humans as
well.
Across
China: 25 rare wild horses await mates in China
Summer is the best season for those living on
the grassland in a semi-desert area in Urumqi, northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur
Autonomous Region, but for 25 mares it has been tough for the past three years.
They are Przewalski's horses, native to the
Steppes of Central Asia and considered the only true wild horse in existence
today.
Once extinct in China, they were successfully
reintroduced to the country in the 1980s from Europe, yet are still on the
brink of extinction as mating has become a big challenge in their conservation.
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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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