8th Annual Orangutan
SSP Husbandry Workshop & Conservation Summit
October 6 – 9
Houston Zoo
Please click
to learn more
Friday, March 14, 2014
2014 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
2014 Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists
30 July – 3 August,
2014
Hosted by:
Tennessee Aquarium
Conservation
Institute
For more information
go to
Wednesday, March 5, 2014
Zoo Welcomes First Beautiful Baby Banteng
Zoo Welcomes First Beautiful Baby Banteng
Edinburgh Zoo’s hoofstock keepers have welcomed their first ever beautiful banteng calf! Although only four weeks old, the bubbly boy loves to canter around outdoors with his parents.
The calf, who has been named Kala, was born to resident banteng Tino and Leticia and is the first ever banteng calf to be born at Edinburgh Zoo. Dad Tino was born in July 2007 and he arrived at Edinburgh Zoo in 2011 from Wroclaw and mum Leticia was born in 2001 and arrived in 2012 from Munich.
Listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, banteng are native to South East Asia, with hunting and habitat loss as the two biggest threats to the species. They are very close to becoming locally extinct in Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
Lorna Hughes, Team Leader of Hoofstock and Primates at Edinburgh Zoo, said:
“Kala is doing really well; it is great to see him out and about after such a long wait. He’s going from strength to strength and is already proving very popular with our visitors – he certainly has a lot of character! This birth is a positive step in helping towards the conservation of these endangered animals as well as educating visitors about their plight.”
Banteng females give birth to a single calf after a pregnancy that lasts 285 days. The banteng baby will stay close to mum Leticia for around 6 to 9 months, then he will start venturing and exploring further.
Banteng, also known as Tembadau, live in herds of between two and 40 individuals. They like to feed mainly on grasses, bamboo, leaves and fruits and are more active at night due to human encroachment on their natural environment.
Mature males have a dark brown coat, while females are a much lighter brown, with a dark strip down their back, making it very easy to distinguish between the sexes. The baby banteng although born with a light brown coat like all male banteng calves, will turn the more prominent darker colour as he reaches maturity.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Ain Zoo Completes Successful Animal Exchange with Al Areen Wildlife Park in Bahrain
Al Ain Zoo Completes
Successful Animal Exchange with Al Areen Wildlife Park in Bahrain
- Endangered
species, including the Dama gazelle, Arabian oryx, Scimitar-horned oryx,
Arabian sand cat, and Arabian wolf, exchanged to enhance genetic diversity-
Al Ain, United Arab
Emirates, 03 March 2014: As a leader in arid wildlife conservation and as part
of its commitment to improving genetic diversity, Al Ain Zoo has successfully
conducted an animal exchange with Al Areen Wildlife Park in Bahrain. The initiative
comprised the exchange of endangered species, including Dama gazelle, Arabian
oryx, Scimitar-horned oryx, Arabian sand cat, Arabian wolves, African turtles,
elands, wildebeest and ponies.
The animals were
exchanged over a period of four days following months of careful coordination,
planning and monitoring by both organisations. Al Ain Zoo welcomed 17 animals
from Al Areen Wildlife Park, and the Zoo in turn arranged for 34 animals to be
transported to the Wildlife Park.
All the animals
involved in the exchange underwent a series of medical checks and were issued
accredited certifications, including special certificates for animals listed
under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES). The
animals were then placed under quarantine for approximately one month to ensure
their safety and rule out any medical problems, or diseases. After successfully
completing health checks, the animals will take their place in their new home.
A female Arabian sand cat that has already passed its health checks will soon
be introduced to the existing group at Al Ain Zoo, which houses the largest
population of captive Arabian sand cats in the world.
Commenting on the
successful exchange, H.E. Ghanim Al Hajeri, Director General of the Zoo &
Aquarium Public Institution in Al Ain, said:
“Al Ain Zoo is home
to internationally important conservation programmes, and has long been active
in the field of wildlife preservation and conservation. In-breeding challenges
arise when groups of animals live together for long periods of time, and such
challenges must be appropriately managed to conserve these species. Al Ain
Zoo’s collaboration with Al Areen Wildlife Park falls directly in line with our
commitment to protect critically endangered species, ensuring the individuals
that we house are genetically compatible.”
Al Ain Zoo’s efforts
in wildlife conservation include captive management, conservation research,
captive breeding, propagation, and the reintroduction of endangered species in
to the wild whenever possible.
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