Zoo News Digest is the longest established and most widely read listing of current 'zoo' related news on the internet. It notes 'real' events of interest to people working within the zoo industry. By a Zoo Professional for Zoo Professionals and other interested parties. The Digest includes comments and notification of courses and events.
Medicine and Surgery of Camelids is the classic comprehensive reference on llamas, alpacas, vicunas, guanacos, and camels. With information on topics ranging from nutrition and management to infectious diseases and emergency care, this book provides information on the health and maintenance of these species. Updates to the Third Edition include new information on camels; full color throughout; significant revisions to the parentage verification, infectious diseases, anesthesia, restraint, and nutrition sections; and additional information on the alpaca genome. This is an essential resource for practicing veterinarians, zoo veterinarians, and veterinary students.
Most of you will be familiar with International Zoo News. This excellent publication has been regularly published for more years than I can remember. It certainly was one of the very few zoo publications worth reading when I started zoo work back back in the late 60's. It has remained consistently good to excellent and a rich source of valuable information. As a very specialist publication it has had its financial ups and downs but remained a worthwhile read.
International Zoo News began its life in 1954 as the private project of Bent Jørgensen who kept it going to 1973 when it was taken over by Gerard van Dam. It was later subsidised by John Aspinall and in these latter years by the North of England Zoological Society (Chester Zoo). Now things will change again. As of 2011 IZN will be taken over by Quantum Conservation. I wish QC the greatest of success in this new and valuable role. International Zoo News is important to the whole zoo world. In the meantime QC is looking for a suitable editor and would be happy to hear from interested people. Please use their office@izn.org.uk address if you do write. If you have never subscribed to International Zoo News then you have been losing out. Perhaps you should think about doing so now.
The scan I was supposed to have at the hospital last week did not actually take place. I was there for my appointment on time and met two new surgeons (my 5th and 6th so far). They stuck fibre optic cameras up my nose and down my throat. Although this experience was new to me it was not as bad as I imagined it might be. The decision was then made to do another biopsy but to do this next one from the inside. They scheduled this for late August. More waiting. Then of course I will have to wait another eternity for the results. It goes on and on.
I note that I got a mention in the story about Kuwait Zoo this week. I thought that the Directors invitation to her critics to be a brave one knowing the crazed illogic of the so called Animal Rights groups.
I don't expect everyone or anyone to agree with my comments in my introduction to Zoo News Digest. Everyone has their own opinions based on what they believe, have read, experienced or learned from others. I write the things I do to trigger thoughts and discussion and yes, I admit it, to sometimes to cause necessary ripples in the zoo world. There is room at the end of every Digest or news item for people to voice their
opinion. Please bear in mind that I don't accept and so will not approve anonymous comments, blatant advertising or bad language. Such a policy does not stop me getting the emails though. The other day I received one relating to my stance on and defence of the euthanasia of the Magdeburg Tiger cubs. This email rambled on in a clever but
insulting way and accused me of being a racist. The email finished with the statement "the only good racist is a dead racist". So here we go again.
The thing about such statements is that they put anything sensible that the writer may have had to say right out of the picture. Having read and replied I received another email which shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he is the racist and with his supposed animal rights blinkers so tightly fixed that he cannot see the huge chip he carries on one of his shoulders.
There is another mention of the possibility of elephants for the Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort (see last week). Here once again the incorrect statement is made "It would be a first for the Emirates". No it would not! Lets get the facts straight. Al Ain has had elephants before. There have been circus elephants visit and at least one elephant held in private hands. I think that there may even have been an elephant in Dubai Zoo once over. That moved to Al Ain. Al Ain also gets a mention in conjunction with the story 'Free the Tatweer two' where they state "They have access to water, space and a shaded area, and while this space might be adequate, they could definitely do with more."...not having seen this exhibit I don't really know but I believe the exhibit initially had some sort of approval from someone with strong WWF connections (correct me if I am wrong). Well done though Al Ain. I hope that the same consideration was given to the Orangutans which were shipped off from Al Ain to Giza Zoo.
Why are there Tigers in Tatweer at all you might ask. Well Tiger Woods is the reason. He has brought in to promote the Golf Course which was planned and designed by him. This Golf Course is in Tatweer, Dubai.
The prize for the most ignorant article of the week has to go to 'Top 10: world's worst zoos'.
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An interview with a zookeeper from the National Zoo
Anyone with a pet knows that taking care of an animal is a lot of work -- but the tradeoff is you have a loving animal to play with and enjoy. A zookeeper's chores are a lot more involved than, say, scooping kitty litter, but they also get the reward of being with the animals.
In honor of National Zookeeper Week, KidsPost's Margaret Webb Pressler went behind the scenes at the National Zoo's Small Mammal House to meet Kenton Kerns, one of seven zookeepers who take care of the tamarins, porcupines, naked mole rats and about 27 other small mammal species at the zoo. Kerns, 25, talked about his life as a zookeeper, and as he spoke he held in his hands a tiny tenrec named Pandora. Tenrecs are cute, spiny mammals found in Madagascar and parts of Africa. Pandora promptly fell asleep in his hands.
Awwwww.
Yeah, she just passed out. She spreads her body out flat to absorb the heat from my hand. You don't intend to bond so quickly with one particular animal, but you can't help it.
Did you always want to be a zookeeper?
I grew up on a farm; we always had a ton of pets. And my parents were definitely animal lovers. I always said I wanted to do something with animals, but I didn't know what that would mean. . . . I studied biology at American University. I didn't know if I wanted to go into research or what. So I started volunteering at the zoo. Then a position opened up.
What's a typical day for you like?
With 100 animals, there's always something going on with one of them. I get here just before 6:30 [in the morning] and walk around the exhibit to make sure the animals look good. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/19/AR2010071904643.html
Ape escape: Chimps break free at zoo
Zoo keepers at the Sedgwick County Zoo got quite the surprise Sunday morning when they discovered all the chimps escaped from their enclosure. They didn’t get far and Monday officials said the whole incident actually shows the zoo is safe.
According to zoo keepers, the chimps are amongst the smartest animals they have and they proved it over the weekend when they figured a way to get out of their cage inside their exhibit.
“Our keepers were greeted warmly on Sunday morning by one of our chimps - our longtime resident, Marbles,” said Christan Baumer with the Sedgwick County Zoo. “If you know Marbles, that's not necessarily unusual. But what wasn’t quite right was Marbles wasn't where he was supposed to be.”
A keeper left a door unlocked Saturday evening and with their opposable thumbs and clever brains, the chimps figured out a way to open it. They didn’t get far, though. They all wound up trapped in a secondary containment area where they safely sat until Sunday morning.
“The reason for that is we always build redundancies into the exhibits for the safety of our keepers, our guests, as well as for the safety of the animals,” Baumer said. “There would have to be multiple mistakes, multiple things done in order for one for them to get out the primary containment area and then for them to breach secondary containment areas.”
Visitors were briefly kept away while the chimps were rounded up and put back where they belong – behind a thick layer of http://www.ksn.com/news/local/story/Ape-escape-Chimps-break-free-at-zoo/ARXn7efjxUOAjDZih2EJPQ.cspx
Elephant in the room at wildlife park
Call it Operation Dumbo Drop.
Officials at Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort, a combined zoo, botanical gardens and museum, are looking at buying an elephant. It would be a first for the Emirates and a complicated logistical challenge.
“Our visitor surveys tell us that our guests want to see elephants,” said Michael Maunder, the chief collection, conservation and education officer of the park. “However, our facilities and master plan do not include plans for elephants … but we are getting a lot of interest.”
The possible addition of an elephant would be part of the large-scale procurement drive at the park, where visitors will be able to see re-creations of the world’s deserts on safari four-wheel-drives.
Each of six deserts, including the Sonoran landscape of the south-west US and the arid environment of East Africa, will be complete with animals and plants from the native regions.
The estimated US$1 billion (Dh3.67bn) project will also include a resort, housing and museums. The first phase is planned to open in November next year.
The largest part of the project’s procurement drive is plants. Trees, shrubs and succulents from up to 15 countries are being bought.
Jamie Hilyard, the landscape manager, is known as the “plant hunter” by his colleagues because he travels around the world buying vegetation.
They are growing aloe dichotoma in Kenya http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100713/BUSINESS/707129860/0/OPINION
Free the Tatweer two
Animal rights campaigners have called for a new home for two tigers that have spent years locked in a glass cage outside a Dubai office block.
The animals - dubbed the Tatweer Two have been housed next to the reception of the former Tatweer building at Dubailand for at least three years. The building, at the end of Umm Suqeim Street, now sits half empty after plans for most of the massive tourist attraction were put on hold.
Officials told 7DAYS the Bengal tigers are enjoyed by people going to the Dubailand Visitor Centre, which is housed in the building.
But campaigners say the animals belong in a sanctuary or wildlife park.
Ayesha Kelif, founder of Dubai Animal Rescue Centre, said: “These animals are wildlife - they’re unpredictable and endangered.”
A spokesperson for Al Ain Wildlife Park added: “The place for these animals is not an office building. They need to be in a conservation park.”
Driving under the sprawling sign welcoming you to Dubailand, you would expect to see rollercoasters and theme-park attractions.
But work is not yet underway and clearly still has a long way to go.
Instead the only ‘tourist attraction’ is an enclosure in the entrance of an office building where two beautiful Bengal tigers are currently caged.
The cats are kept behind glass in the reception of the Tatweer building, which is home to Dubailand Visitor Centre and a handful of other offices.
The two tigers - dubbed ‘The Tatweer Two’ - were born eight years ago at Dubai Zoo and were taken to their current home at the offices three years ago.
Earlier this year, Tatweer became part of Dubai Property Group, and although the building is still used, there are far fewer employees working there.
Now, animal rights campaigners have called for the animals to be moved to an area that is more suitable for the majestic beasts, such as a wildlife park.
Ashley Fruno, a senior campaigner with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia, said: “Even the biggest enclosures cannot provide the space, privacy and enrichment that animals need to express behaviours that come natural to them.
“The tigers should be transferred to a sanctuary, but at a minimum, they need to have areas in their enclosure where they can run and play.”
A spokesperson for Dubailand said the tigers were kept in the building for tourists to see.
“Dubailand is a good tourist destination. Although there is no completion date, tourists come to look at the models of the theme park, which is the largest model in the world, and take pictures and videos of the tigers,” he said. “They’re living a great life, in an air-conditioned environment and it’s a better life than it would be at Dubai Zoo.”
Although they do appear to have a more comfortable life than they would at the zoo, animal lovers say it is still not good enough.
A spokesperson for Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort (AWPR) said: “They have access to water, space and a shaded area, and while this space might be adequate, they could definitely do with more. Naturally they should either be in the wild, or in a conservation park.” He added that big cats are housed at AWPR and are given special attention.
“We have Arabian leopards, cheetahs and lions among others, and as a park we have the appropriate space, medical attention, nutritionists and trainers who ensure they get the exercise they need daily,” he said.
Although the company is licensed to keep the animals, the biggest concern is the responsibility that comes with it.
Ayesha Kelif, a founder of Dubai Animal Rescue Centre, said: “They may have a CITES licence, but it doesn’t mean they can be kept in an office block. We need to protect these animals or in a few years they won’t exist. “It’s not a case of ‘it’s a nice-looking animal so I’ll keep it in my back garden.”
But according to a spokesperson for Dubai Property Group, the welfare of the tigers is a primary consideration.
“The health and well-being of the two tigers currently on exhibit at the Dubailand Visitors Centre is of great importance to Dubailand and Dubai Property Group,” he said.
“These animals are being cared for by a dedicated team of professionals including trained veterinary staff and certified animal handlers from the Animal Management Consultancy in Dubai.
“The tigers are also frequently monitored by experts from the Dubai Zoo and have been found to be in excellent health. In addition, the enclosure has been certified by UAE Ministry of Environment and Water. The tigers are enjoyed by hundreds of visitors to the Dubailand Visitors Centre each day.”
However, one visitor did not agree. He said: “My initial reaction was sadness. I’m not a vet, but they looked in good condition. I just didn’t see the point of them being there. “It doesn’t attract custom http://www.7days.ae/storydetails.php?id=96343&page=local%20news&title=Free%20the%20Tatweer%20two
Oregon Zoo pond turtles being released
About 70 western pond turtles raised at the Oregon Zoo are being prepared Monday for release into the wild in the Columbia River Gorge.
The endangered turtles have been raised at the zoo as part of a conservation program with the Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle and state and federal wildlife agencies.
A program scientist, David Shepherdson, says they spent the past 11 months in warmth and light so they wouldn't go into hibernation. That allowed them have about three years growth in less than a year.
The turtles weigh a little more than 2 ounces http://www.seattlepi.com/local/6420ap_or_pond_turtles.html
Hot To Feed 2000 Animals
Take back animals, Madagascar told
Madagascar must take back the animals that have been smuggled into Malaysia from that island, the Wildlife and National Parks Department (Perhilitan) said.
A last option for the department if Madagascar refused to take back the animals was to “euthanise” them, its legal and enforcement principal assistant director Loo Kean Seong said.
Loo said the department had written to the country to bear the costs of returning the animals, estimated to be between RM10,000 and RM15,000.
“We have contacted the authorities there under provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for them to take back the animals.
“We have not determined the actual cost of repatriating the animals to Madagascar. It depends on the total weight but the cost is less because there is no need to hold them in special cages,” he said here yesterday.
The animals, estimated to cost a total of RM250 http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2010/7/17/nation/6683758&sec=nation
Big cat mauls duo in zoo
An elderly man was mauled by a leopard at a zoo near Dimapur when he crossed the safety barricade ignoring warnings for a closer look at the animal yesterday afternoon.
While Kivikha Chophy, 64, suffered severe injuries on the head and cheek, his nephew, 27-year-old Kughazhe Yeptho, had deep gashes on his neck and elbows when he tried to free his uncle from the leopard’s grip.
Chophy has slipped into a coma, though Yeptho could go home after first aid.
The two strolled into Rangapahar zoological garden near Dimapur a little before noon.
When they reached the leopard’s enclosure, Chophy passed the safety barricade and stood just outside the animal’s cage.
As the man turned his back to the cage to leave, the leopard thrust out its paws through the railing and gripped his head.
The nephew grasped the leopard’s paws with both http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100720/jsp/northeast/story_12700969.jsp
Inspired by medieval bestiaries, in which animals were presented in a fashion that favored the fanciful over the factual, Solnit and Caron have partnered to create their own book of magical beasts one in which the truth is stranger than fiction. Deeply aware of how much animal lore feeds the language of human imagination, Solnit uses her unique literary prowess to describe native California animals in such a way that they become as thrilling as any exotic creature of yore. From the bluebelly lizard and the California condor to the elephant seal and tule elk, this wondrous cast of characters reveal the depth of their magic. Enriched by Caron s illustrations, which keenly explore the play between human and animal realms, this collection will feed your dreams. This book was created in partnership with the Oakland Zoo which has just unveiled plans to create an ambitious native California animal exhibit where local species will be rehabilitated and cared for.
***
Reclusive Clouded Panthers born in Paris zoo
A pair of reclusive Clouded Leopard cubs, or Neofelis nebulosa, were born two months ago in a rare birth in captivity for the species and are doing well, a Paris zoo said Wednesday.
The two female cubs, Parti and Jaya, were born May 14 in the Jardin des Plantes menagerie to Luang, formerly from Britain's Howletts zoo, and father Samar, who was brought to Paris from Prague.
A medium-sized cat found in Southeast Asia, the Clouded Leopard has a tan or tawny coat marked with large, irregular ellipses shaped somewhat like clouds. Because of its reclusive behaviour, little is known about it and breeding http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5iPOooCv6T7kACRE2fauBABwX8vaA
Bangladesh zoo mourns elephant
Bangladesh's biggest zoo has declared three days of mourning following the death of a 100-year-old elephant which was its top attraction and "loyal servant", an official said on Saturday.
Pabantara collapsed on Thursday after a heart attack and died hours later, plunging her fans into grief, AHM Shahidullah, head of the state-owned Dhaka Zoo, told AFP.
The female Asian elephant had lived at the zoo since it was founded in 1957 and carried hundreds of thousands of children and adults on fun rides - a key activity at the zoological garden.
"All the mahouts (caretakers) and those who knew Pabantara cried like babies over her death," Shahidullah said.
"Some mahouts who retired from the zoo came all the way from their villages to be at her side. They prayed and lit candles and incense at her grave," he said.
During the mourning period, which began on Friday and will finish on Sunday, "there will http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-world/bangladesh-zoo-mourns-elephant-20100724-10pmn.html
Cricket St Thomas to be re-opened after transformation
The historic gardens of Cricket St Thomas near Chard are set to be officially opened after a £300,000 refurbishment project.
The Grade II-listed estate has been transformed from a wildlife park and returned to its former state.
The work, which included draining seven manmade lakes on the 160-acre estate, started at the end of 2009.
Smaller animals from the wildlife park, which closed last year, are still on the estate including lemurs and deer.
Tamarind monkeys also remain, and are living 'free-range' in the trees.
The larger animals, which included camels and leopards, have been permanently re-homed in zoos and http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/somerset/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8846000/8846806.stm
Management of Kuwait Zoo open to constructive criticism
Director denies animals dying due to summer power cuts
Director of Kuwait Zoo, Farida Mulla Ahmed, has denied the allegations made by PETA Asia Director, Jason Baker, last Friday saying that she believes that Baker has based his opinions and concerns only through a particular article published a month ago that is full of unfounded remarks.
Referring to an article written by Fahed Al-Mayah of Al-Rai newspaper on June 21, Mulla Ahmed said that the way the article was written was unprofessional and biased. “The writer claimed that there isn’t any air conditioning in the indoor animal enclosures and that they are dying due to the summer power cuts, which is untrue,” she said.
In an interview with the Arab Times, Mulla Ahmed added that she had personally requested the Ministry of Electricity and Water not make electricity cuts in the zoo. “Even if our power gets cut, we immediately respond and take care of the situation to make sure all the animals are alright.”
“Even though the zoo is undersized and our enclosures are considered small for the amount of animals, we have renovated plenty of enclosures and many animals have successfully bred. Our doors are wide open and everyone is welcome to come and see what we are doing themselves,” she said.
Speaking to the Arab Times, Wildlife Consultant, Dr Mostafa Mahmoud, also said that the article was not fair and was full of mistakes. “I have commented on the PETA website inviting any animals’ rights activist or organization to visit us and share their opinion and discuss any problems.”
According to the Director and the Consultant, a similar incident occurred last year when writer for zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com Peter Dickinson made offensive remakes about Kuwait Zoo based on “wrongly interpreted assumptions”. He subsequently apologized in another post.
“To be honest, there isn’t one animal activist or one animal rights organization that has come to the zoo’s management and provided their views or criticisms about an issue to allow us to review their considerations and work on finding solutions,” he said.
He added that he has never encountered any credible animal rights organization that has accused a zoo of neglect without actually visiting the concerned zoo. The management does not mind receiving constructive criticism from visitors and human rights organizations.
Regarding the renovation plans of the Kuwait Zoo, Dr. Mahmoud said the Kuwait Zoo began renovating and taking a new form since four years ago under the new director, Farida Mulla Ahmed.
“There was an extensive agricultural plan and we have succeeded in adding plenty of vegetation in a lot of cages and enclosures thanks to the hard working and professional staff. As a result, endangered animals and birds, such as the Macaw and the Arabian Oryx, have http://www.arabtimesonline.com/NewsDetails/tabid/96/smid/414/ArticleID/157212/t/Management-of-Kuwait-Zoo-open-to-constructive-criticism/Default.aspx
eBay auction to name twin ring-tailed lemurs at Durrell
There was a surprise birth at the Durrell wildlife park on with the arrival of twin ring-tailed lemurs.
Morticia, the twins Mum, didn't appear pregnant to the keepers, which meant the arrival came as a surprise.
Because the birth was unexpected keepers didn't have names ready for the new arrivals.
So, to help raise funds for their conservation work, Durrell have opened an auction on eBay giving http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/jersey/hi/people_and_places/nature/newsid_8841000/8841148.stm
Bill to exempt zoo animals?
The anti-cow slaughter bill could exempt the wild animals in zoos in Karnataka.
Transport and food and civil supplies minister R Ashoka on Friday left a window open for feeding the wild animals, especially big cats, with beef. This follows the request made by the Zoo Authority of Karnataka to the state government. He said, "We will take a look at it while framing rules. This can be done."
Ashoka was in the zoo for an inspection following complaints from people. "There are complaints that toilets and restrooms are not in order here. I came to inspect it," Ashoka said after an hour visit to the conservation centre. He said there http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/Bill-to-exempt-zoo-animals/articleshow/6202168.cms
Orangutan Genocide Continues in Indonesia
An international stakeholders conference organized by the Indonesian Forestry Ministry, entitled, Man of the Forest: Orangutan and the Future of Humanity, was held July 15-16 at a posh local resort off the eastern coast of Bali. Government officials from Indonesia and Malaysia and corporate executives of palm oil plantations, pulp and paper and mining companies operating in orangutan habitats across Sumatra and Borneo met to determine a course of action for the future of orangutan "conservation" at the USAID supported event. They were joined by a conglomerate of dedicated NGO and non-profits including a small delegation of direct action environmental and animal rights activists who showed up on behalf of the real stakeholders, the orangutans.
"Everyone wants to talk about statistics and research, and believe that we are achieving success, but the situation is worse now than ever and no one wants to address the real issues. The orangutans are losing." said Hardi Baktiantoro, Director of COP, The Center of Orangutan Protection, during a press conference held in a sparsely filled room adjacent to the main conference.
The third largest forest nation with 120 million hectares, Indonesia is subsequently the world's third largest carbon polluter and loses more than 1 million hectares per year due to illegal logging, illicit land clearing and forest fires. About 90 percent of orangutans live in Indonesia, between Sumatra and Borneo islands, while the remaining 10 percent can be found in Sabah and Sarawak, Malaysia. Both species of orangutans have been place on the red http://www.huffingtonpost.com/deborah-bassett/orangutan-genocide-contin_b_650311.html
Giant salamander: Human threat, human promise
As we pull into Toyohira, an unusual and unexpected welcome committee is lined up ready to receive us.
The group of primary-age children breaks into a song about the bonds of friendship between human and salamander.
"It's everyone's friend," they warble through the chilled afternoon air.
"Let's be friends forever."
A small river burbles its accompaniment - a river flowing past their school, which contains along its length a number of concrete structures designed to make sure the Japanese giant salamanders, or hanzaki, are still around by the time the next generation of children stands in the same spot and sings the same song.
The "hanzaki holes" are a key conservation tool in a land where many rivers are now sculpted not by nature, but by the hand of man.
When I ask Professor Masafumi Matsui from Kyoto University, a leading Japanese authority on http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8498023.stm
Zoo Has Measures in Place to Prevent Future Attacks
The release of video showing an elephant knocking down and injuring his trainer at a zoo in Toledo has people wondering about the safety of animal-human interactions. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, however, had already put into place measures to prevent such an occurrence.
Security Video was released Wednesday showing the elephant charging the keeper twice and pinning him in the corner after being startled by his arrival in the enclosure.
The frightening encounter shows the keeper trying to protect himself as the elephant lowered its head, its tusks narrowly missing the man's head and chest.
The elephant then backed away as the keeper stumbled out. The keeper, Don Redfox, has been hospitalized with life-threatening injuries since the attack three weeks ago. Doctors have upgraded his condition and expect him to recover from two punctured lungs and several fractured ribs.
Anne Baker, the Toledo Zoo's director, said it's not clear why the elephant, named Louie, turned on the keeper. The elephant and Redfox had been together nearly every day since the animal's birth seven years ago.
Louie has been the face of the zoo since he was born in Toledo in April 2003, becoming just the 38th African elephant born in captivity in the United States.
The elephants at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo are in Columbus while their exhibit undergoes a major renovation and expansion. The enclosures will be equipped with a specially designed http://www.fox43.com/news/offbeat/wjw-elephant-attack-on-tape-cleve-changes-txt,0,2127445.story
The gall of bears and the rise of man
Miriam Mcdougall has a theory about bears.
It has something to do with what might be referred to as the rise of man.
Our story begins in 1933, when Miriam was born on a 45-acre spread near Dewdney. It was what she called a "stump ranch," farmland so raw it still had uncleared stumps on it.
"We grew up right against a mountain," Miriam said, "and I mean right at the end of our backyard there was the foot of a mountain."
It was hard, forested land, but the odd thing about it, Miriam said, was there were never any bears around. She never saw a one.
"You just didn't see them," she said. "And this was in the days of the galvanized garbage can, when the garbage men would slam it down after emptying it and the lid would never fit right again. But there were never any bears scavenging in our garbage."
Fast-forward a couple decades. Miriam moved to West Vancouver in 1955. She now lives on shorefront property on Bellevue Avenue -- "17 minutes from downtown Vancouver," she said -- which, separated as it is from the mountains by a freeway and several residential neighbourhoods, is unlikely bear habitat even for the North Shore. Despite this, it has become unbearable.
"I have bears eating my raspberries," Miriam said. "I have bears eating grapes off my vines on my upper deck, three storeys up. I have bears peeking in my windows. I have bears rubbing up against the doorknob of my back door so they can scratch their butts. I see bears all the time."
It was not always so in West Vancouver, she said:
The bears began showing up only 10 years ago.
The usual theories for an increase in bear encounters in communities like those on the North Shore cite loss of habitat, climate change affecting natural food supplies and increases in scavenging opportunities in suburban neighbourhoods.
Also, North America has seen a dramatic increase in the black bear population. Estimates range from 600,000 to more than 800,000 black bears continentwide, while B.C.'s population http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/gall+bears+rise/3299069/story.html
A passion for wildlife and conservation led John Knowles OBE to found his own latter-day Ark - the Marwell Zoological Park. His autobiography tells the fascinating story of how a childhood collector of stick insects became a successful farmer and poultry breeder, and went on to achieve his ambition to own a zoo.
John's story unfolds against the backdrop of a rapidly changing post-war world where rising populations and increasing demands on natural resources place huge pressure on wildlife. Recognising that captive breeding populations may be the only way to save many species, he established several successful herds at Marwell. The roan antelope, reintroduced to Swaziland, Scimitar horned oryx and the famous Przewalski's wild horse, are among the animals that have benefited from John's efforts.
His account describes how Marwell developed from small beginnings, with all the planning, financial and operational headaches that entailed. He tells of the necessary balancing act between conservation of the animals and the historic Marwell Hall; the need to make the enterprise pay; and how, because of his determination that Marwell should itself be safe, he formed a charitable Trust to which he gave the entire zoo.
Throughout this book, John's 'can-do' attitude to tackling one of Planet Earth's greatest challenges shines through and, as he now enjoys a well-earned retirement, John Knowles can be justly proud of what Marwell has achieved.
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Top 10: world's worst zoos
Some places you don't want to bring the kids.
Unfortunately, when it comes to the worst zoos in the world, the stories are pretty much all the same: small cages and living spaces, unnatural surroundings of concrete and iron, under-feeding and under-watering and well, cruelty in general.
However, some zoos go above and beyond expectations of horrible.
Ever hear of a zoo misplacing a few animals? How about one that slowly turns into a taxidermy museum? Animals being shipped two-by-two on a "Noah's Ark" to a different country?
The zoos listed here are places you don't want to bring http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/global/100629/worst-world-zoos
Zoo Rethinks New Exhibits, Focuses On Community's Desires
The Topeka Zoo has put several new projects on hold. Staff will redesign the exhibits to include educational opportunities and focus on what the community wants.
There is something missing at the Topeka Zoo and it's more than just the hyenas. The zoo is going back to the drawing board to make sure it gives the community what it wants.
"People in Topeka want more than just animals behind a fence," said Topeka Zoo director, Brendan Wiley. "They want an experience."
In order to give them that experience, the staff is taking a look at the entire zoo.
"We want to make sure we've got all our priorities in place," Wiley said. "That we're addressing all of our needs, that we're fixing all of our problems before we dive head first into construction of new buildings."
The first thing they plan to work on is the Kansas carnivores exhibit. They will fix the pool so the river otters can return, and add a roof and climbing structures to make the mountain lions more active.
As the renovations continue, those involved http://www.wibw.com/home/headlines/98886084.html
Nibbled hazelnut nut leads to Ceredigion dormice hunt
Villagers in Ceredigion are hoping that a carefully nibbled hazelnut found on farmland might prove it is home to a rare dormouse.
The creatures open the nuts in a particular way, which leads ecologists to believe one is hiding away in Betws Bledrws, near Lampeter.
There are now plans to monitor the area for the next two years to see if the nocturnal animals are nesting there.
Numbers of the once widespread species have fallen by 39% since 1992.
The hazelnut was found at Denmark Farm Conservation Centre. Ecologists working for a company http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-10739128
Hungry Chimp Goes Crazy in Kumasi
Workers of Kumasi zoological Gardens in Kumasi were thrown into a state of shock when an apparently hungry chimpanzee pounced on one of the zoo attendants, while he was conducting some school children round the facility.
Eye witness said when they got to the chimpanzee section of the Zoo, Mr. Gana (zoo attendant), in his attempt to give some bananas to the chimpanzee was not lucky, when the chimpanzee http://news.peacefmonline.com/social/201007/62667.php
New at the National Zoo: Live, hot salamanders. But no sex (yet)
Okay, time for some live lizard sex. Er, live amphibian sex.
The National Zoo unveiled its new breeding center for Japanese giant salamanders Thursday morning, and inside is some hot, steamy -- wait. They're in separate tanks? They're several years away from sexual maturity? Good thing the zoo's free.
Even if they were of age and unquarantined, it doesn't look as if the salamanders would be in the mood. One in particular acted stoned. It lolled around its tank, occasionally kicking one of its stunted limbs, smacking its flat, wide head directly into the acrylic wall, then floating backward, stunned or completely careless.
An animal keeper named Barbara lowered a freshwater smelt into the http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/07/22/AR2010072204284.html?hpid=topnews
Video: Elephant Fights Back Against Toledo Zoo Trainer
The Toledo Zoo still uses the archaic free-contact elephant-handling system. In free contact, elephants are dominated and punished with force, and that puts keepers at constant risk.
The zoo's use of the free-contact system has previously been discussed in Toledo. The zoo failed to act on a July 8, 2005, "Lucas County Commissioners Special Citizens Task Force for the Zoo Final Report" that confirmed that keepers have been injured under the current free-contact system.
Now we are asking the zoo's board of directors to allow us to bring in a team of elephant experts who can train zoo staff to eliminate the use of bullhooks and transition to a protected-contact system, which more than half the accredited zoos in the country already use.
Bullhooks are heavy batons with a sharp metal hook and point on the end. If someone routinely smacked you with one, wouldn't you eventually fight back?
Video footage taken at the Toledo Zoo shows that a young elephant named Louie did just that: He charged his bullhook-wielding keeper, leaving him hospitalized with serious injuries. In the video, Louie is shown backing away when he sees keeper Don RedFox approaching http://www.opposingviews.com/i/video-elephant-fights-back-against-toledo-zoo-trainer
What's Killing the Animals at Ukraine's Biggest Zoo?
Samka the rhino looks sad. When her longtime companion, Boy the elephant, died in April, she watched over his body for an entire day until it was taken away. Today, the elephant's pen sits empty. Boy is just one of several animals at Kiev Zoo — including a camel, a bison and a zebra — that have died in recent months, some in mysterious circumstances. As the city carries out an official investigation, the deaths have prompted outrage and denial, with activists accusing the zoo of negligence and corruption and authorities pointing to an anonymous killer as the culprit.
Boy's death has brought fresh attention to a scandal that has been running for months. Serhiy Hryhoryev, a former zoo worker who runs a site campaigning for the rights of the zoo's animals, says the Indian elephant was underfed, kept in poor conditions and stressed by constant changes to the staff of handlers. "By the end, you could see his ribs," says Hryhoryev.
According to animal rights activists, the number of animals at Kiev Zoo has almost halved in the last http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2006074,00.html
The Rainforest Experience At The Parrot Zoo
As most of you know, Derren has a love for parrots and is the patron of the Parrot Zoo Trust.
The Parrot Zoo have just received planning permission to construct the Rainforest Experience, an amazing all weather development, allowing anyone at anytime to experience the creatures that live in the Rainforest set within the Parrot Zoo who recently received the honour of being within the top 100 visitor attractions to visit in the UK, this will no doubt enhance what is already a superb facility.
The proposed development incorporates a large open-plan landscaped interior with a series of enclosures for a variety of animal species. Giving a totally unique educational experience showing the different levels of a rainforest and the creatures that live within, offering the Parrot Zoo the availability to diversify into alternative http://derrenbrown.co.uk/blog/2010/07/rainforest-experience-parrot-zoo/
Animal-rights group's offer to assist zoo is spurned
An animal-rights group said Thursday it will help pay for the Toledo Zoo to move to a different style of elephant management, but the offer received a chilly reception from the zoo's director, who said the group lacks knowledge of its operations.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent a letter to the zoo's board of directors Thursday morning in which it urged the zoo to move to the "protected contact" management system in which keepers only attend to elephants from behind a protective barrier.
The zoo already uses protected contact, but it also employs a management style known as "free contact" in which trainers work directly with elephants in their enclosures.
PETA sent the letter in response to the zoo's release Wednesday of a video showing the July 1 attack by a 7-year-old African elephant on his trainer, Don RedFox. In the video, Mr. RedFox can be seen approaching the elephant and touching him with a hooked stick, or bullhook, a staple of the free contact system.
"This incident with Mr. Redfox would not have happened if the zoo practiced protected contact with the elephants," PETA spokesman Lisa Watne said Thursday, adding that http://toledoblade.com/article/20100723/NEWS16/7220394
Zoo wolf attack horrifies visitor
Horrified at seeing a lone wolf singled out and attacked in its Calgary Zoo enclosure, a visitor says she repeatedly called officials for help only to wait about 40 minutes for any to arrive.
Elisha Steffler, a B.C. resident in the city for the Stampede, was at the zoo July 13 when she saw the attack, saying she resorted to tossing sticks and stones into the enclosure in a bid to save a wolf with a bloody wound on its head, from being outnumbered by two other wolves she was struggling to escape.
"It was the most awful experience in my life," she said.
"I sat there for 40 minutes trying to save this wolf's life."
The 25-year-old said she spotted the wolf, with its tail between its legs, frantically running around as two wolves stalked it.
They were joined by a third said Steffler who watched helplessly as it was chased into an enclosed area where she could only hear evidence it hadn't escaped its tormentors while still waiting for zoo officials to show up.
"All I could hear was yelping for five minutes and I was bawling my eyes out," she said.
"I don't understand why this is allowed to happen -- if she was in the wild she would have had a chance to run off ... I agree with nature and the circle of life but if they are going to take them out of the http://www.torontosun.com/news/canada/2010/07/24/14813211.html
Hot off the plane: Dubai's penguins
Six Gentoo penguins have flown in to be star attractions at Dubai Mall’s Underwater Zoo. More used to Antarctic temperatures, they have their own snow-making machine and a steady supply of herring to make them feel at home. Tahira Yaqoob sees them settle in.
Their high-pitched singing might have gone unnoticed by the passengers of Emirates flight EK028, but when the plane landed it was clear there were some rather unusual VIPs on board.
Instead of pulling into the gate, the jet taxied directly to the Customs dock, where government officials and a police escort were waiting to greet the new arrivals.
The usually lengthy disembarkation process was speeded up to just 20 minutes as the six visitors had their papers stamped, were placed in a refrigerated truck to keep them cool in the 40°C heat and transported to their new home – Dubai Mall’s underwater http://www.thenational.ae/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100724/MAGAZINE/707239978
Zoo lacking funds for improvements
The La Chorrera zoo is facing an economic crunch that is preventing it from making improvements ordered by environmental agency Anam.
Friday, Anam ordered immediate changes be made to the facility or the animals there would be confiscated. But the facility's funds have been frozen by the National Bank of Panama because of a lack of payment for outstanding bills.
The facility is operated by the Feria Internacional de La Chorrera. Yusaida Marín, president of fair, said that the organization has a new board that was not aware of the problems prior to taking office. She said lawyers for the entity are trying to address the fair's financial problems.
She also said that the government has been asked for financial assistance http://mensual.prensa.com/mensual/contenido/2010/07/25/hoy/english/news_4218.asp
Oldest polar bear in Japan dies at Hokkaido zoo
The oldest polar bear in Japan, Koyuki, died of liver failure at Asahiyama Zoo in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, the zoological park said Saturday. The female bear is believed to have been 34 years old, or about 100 years of age in human terms. The average lifespan for a polar bear is 20 to 25 years.
Koyuki was born in Russia probably in 1975. While she did not give birth, she was http://www.japantoday.com/category/national/view/oldest-polar-bear-in-japan-dies-at-hokkaido-zoo
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Blog Posts:
Look to the right within the blog and see and click on blog postings. Some of these have not been mailed out by email. Most will have been posted on the Facebook Page however.
Durrell’s International Training Centre (ITC), in conjunction with the Mammal Department. Course faculty will include visiting international experts in lemur and callitrichid husbandry and conservation
Where will the course run?
The course will be based at the ITC at Durrell’s headquarters on the island of Jersey, British Channel Islands. Practical sessions will be run within the lemur and callitrichid animal sections of Durrell.
How long will the course last?
5 days (arrive Sunday evening– leave Saturday morning)
What will be covered on the course?
The course will include the following topics:
• Planning your captive collection: making the link to the wild
• Enclosure design, stress management and nutrition
• Population management for controlled breeding programmes
• Past, present and future for callitrichid and lemur conservation and the role of zoos
How much will it cost?
£1000 This will include 7 nights full-board accommodation on-site at Les Noyers (adjacent to the ITC and animal collection); tuition fee; and all course materials.
Deadline for applications: 30th July 2010
For further information please contact:
Catherine Burrows
Tel: 01534 860037
Email: itc@durrell.org
International Training Centre
Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust,
Les Augres Manor, La Profonde Rue,
Trinity, Jersey, JE3 5BP
This is an intensive, practical workshop which will cover the following topics:
• Embryo and membrane development
• Factors affecting hatchability before and during incubation
• Hatchery management techniques (including equipment selection and operation, egg weight loss management and hatchability analysis)
• Artificial incubation and its role in field conservation programmes
Participants will break out embryos at all stages of development (older embryos are euthanized first) and gain first-hand experience of candling techniques, egg repair, hatching assistance and egg necropsy
Who is running the workshop?
Susie Kasielke (Los Angeles Zoo) and Pat Witman (San Diego Zoo) will be leading the workshop with additional lecturing support from Durrell’s International Training Centre, Bird Department and Prof. Carl Jones, MBE , Scientific Director, Mauritius Wildlife Foundation.
Susie has been working with birds at the Los Angeles Zoo for over 30 years and has been Curator of Birds there since 2001. Through her involvement with the California Condor Recovery Program, she worked with the staff at Los Angeles and other facilities to develop and refine propagation, incubation and rearing methods for condors and other species. She has been teaching workshops on avian egg incubation for zoo
groups in North America for 18 years.
Pat has been working for San Diego Zoo for almost 30 years with 20 of those years being involved with artificial incubation and hand rearing at the Zoo’s Avian Popagation Center (APC). The APC has hatched almost 300 avian species, including the first California Condor. Pat joined forces with Susie Kasielke two years ago to combine their knowledge into the actual workshop format.
Controversial gold mining project in Costa Rica: Out of Crucitas!
Dear Friends
In Costa Rica, communities and environmental organisations are struggling against open pit gold mining in Crucitas. Crucitas is located North of the country, in a fragile area of high rainfall and one of the countrie's largest biodiversity hot spots. The pollution will remain in Costa Rica, while the gold will go abroad.
Please enter our website http://www.rainforest-rescue.org/
and sign on the petition asking the new president, Laura Chinchilla, to stop the open pit gold mining project.
Listen to Dr. Rabinowitz talk about the "human side of conservation," including the human-animal bond, his struggle to set up the world's largest tiger reserve, and the incredible relationships he forged with local people during his quest to help save tigers in Myanmar.
Visit Speaking of Faith to hear the interview and watch a multimedia presentation on Myanmar's Taron people.
To listen in NYC, tune in to 820AM on Saturday, July 24th at 3:00PM or 93.9FM on Sunday, July 25th at 7:00AM or 10:00PM.
For all other regions, please visit Speaking of Faith to listen online and find air-times for your local station.
We want to thank the family of the late Heidi Frohring for their generous donation of $1,000.00 from the W.O. and G.L. Frohring Foundation to the Tapir Preservation Fund (TPF). This donation has allowed TPF's perpetual Heidi Frohring Memorial Fund to enact the current call for proposals, which will result in the award of $1,000.00 to a tapir conservation project selected by TPF in September. We expect the successful outcome of this call for proposals to become a model for future fundraising and grants by TPF, and we look forward to receiving your proposals.
ABWAK is holding its 2 day Annual Symposium at Port Lympne Wild Animal and Safari Park on the 05th and 06th March 2011. This year the symposium will focus on the modern zoo keeper and the latest techniques being employed in zoos in the UK and Ireland.
This is an opportunity for animal keepers to share their knowledge with other keepers in a friendly environment. We are inviting oral presentations on subjects ranging from new husbandry techniques, enclosure design, innovative environmental enrichment and new ideas in animal diets. Preference will be given to zoo keepers working in the UK and Ireland, but we also encourage students and other zoo professionals as well.
Presentations would normally be no longer than 20 minutes, with time for questions. A brief outline/abstract of your presentation should be submitted and you will be informed if your presentation has been accepted.
The outline/abstract should include:
• Title
• Keywords
• Author
• A/V equipment required
• Summary of presentation (no more than 300 words).
THE INTERNATIONAL ELEPHANT FOUNDATION (IEF) IS NOW ACCEPTING PROPOSALS FOR
ELEPHANT CONSERVATION AND RESEARCH FUNDING SUPPORT.
IEF is offering financial support in 2011 for in situ and ex situ projects, including protection of wild elephants and their habitats, scientific research, education efforts, and improvements in captive elephant care. Proposals are peer-reviewed by a panel of advisors from field conservation, medicine, research, academia, and elephant management. Funds will be awarded and available January 2011.
Criteria for funding:
Requests for funds should provide adequate information for evaluation of the project and the specific request, including a detailed design/methodology.
Projects that designate local/public education/awareness as a significant program outcome must include an evaluation component.
Projects must begin in the year that they are applying for funding, (but not before funds are to be awarded) and contain a clearly defined beginning and end point.
Funds will not be awarded for elements of a project that will have already occurred before awards are made.
Budget requests that consist primarily of salary will generally not be considered favorably.
Proposals are preferred that meet some or all of the following objectives and criteria:
The proposal should clearly contribute to the in situ or ex situ conservation of African or Asian elephants or their habitats.
Project is part of an established conservation program or is well-suited to become a long term program.
Project has conservation value and measurable impact.
Project is grounded in sound scientific methodology, is logistically feasible, and has a high probability of success.
Project has multi-institutional participation and matching funds.
Project is a new approach for long term elephant and/or habitat conservation.
Project is action-oriented not simply data collection or survey.
Project and Principle Investigator demonstrate a spirit of cooperation with ex situ elephant facilities and other like-minded conservation institutions.
Principal investigators must have a reputation for completing projects, publishing results in an expeditious manner and cooperating with funding agencies in providing reports and educational materials. If awarded funding previously by the IEF, satisfactory performance on previous grant awards is essential.
Projects must meet humane standards of care when animals are involved. Each of these studies must be approved by the appropriate agency at the facility or institution where the study is conducted.
Examples of some funding priorities are:
Capacity building
Strategies for human elephant conflict mitigation or resolution
Strategies to combat habitat loss
Strategies that identify elephant ranges
Strategies to manage local elephant over-population problems
Strategies to counteract the bushmeat crisis/ivory poaching
Ex Situ elephant management, veterinary and reproduction projects
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
