Zoo News Digest 22nd - 24th March 2011 (Zoo News 735)
Dear Colleague,
This week, and not for the first time, I recieved an email (from someone who will remain anonymous) who suggested in a roundabout way that they would support Zoo News Digest if I were to miss reporting certain things. It is not as if I could not do with the support but it is not going to happen in such a way. I believe that I am impervious to bribes. At least I like to think so. I am not against doing friends and colleagues favours but when I percieve something to be wrong then I am going to say it. At the same time I will only be too happy and apologise if it turns out that I am wrong.
Here I should like to apologise to Avilon Zoo in the Philippines for my remark in ZOO NEWS DIGEST 24-31 May 2010, where I wondered if there was any connection between the twenty four Orangutans held there and those which appeared at the roadside in Phuket in Thailand. There was not. Avilon have been kind enough to give me the origins, history and whereabouts of their animals. So once again. My humble apologies.
So Mr Bob Barker has offered $100,000 to the city of Edmonton to allow outside assessment of Lucy the elephant. He would like experts from Zoocheck Canada and Performing Animal Welfare Society to go and take a look. Whereas I do have a certain amount of respect for both of these groups they do have a bit of an agenda. In the other article I link to it states "Groups including Zoocheck and PETA believe Lucy is overweight, lonely and plagued with health problems typical of captive elephants." So what exactly is the the $100,000 dollars for? It has been stated that Edmonton will refuse the money. For quarter the price I would be more than happy to go in, assess and give my unbiased and honest opinion.
I see nothing wrong with 'Zoo Keepers Held Off Reporting Komodos Missing' in the circumstances as described in the newspaper article. This is rather like trying to report the whereabouts of every bird in a tropical house every day. Are zoo management now trying to put the blame on the keepers? If there was, as has been suggested, a possibility that they were eaten by larger Komodos then that must surely mean that they were sharing an enclosure with larger animals. If large and small Komodos were in together it sounds a bit irresponsible and being eaten would, to me, be the most likely explanation as to their disappearance. Zoo management are surely irresponsible to allow such an enclosure sharing arrangement, not the keepers?
With regards to unannounced Zoo inspections (I mentioned previously) in the US I was sent the following document. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/content/printable_version/fs_compliance_inspection.pdf
As I said before. I think it is a good idea.
Just what is happening in Kiev Zoo? I have yet to see an article that I give credibility to?
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/23/6327284-shocking-number-of-animals-dying-at-kiev-zoo?gt1=43001
Please help keep Zoo News Digest going. For a one off small annual donation you will get 52+ Digests keeping you updated on the important news in the new world. Plus vacancies, notification of meetings and more.
This week, and not for the first time, I recieved an email (from someone who will remain anonymous) who suggested in a roundabout way that they would support Zoo News Digest if I were to miss reporting certain things. It is not as if I could not do with the support but it is not going to happen in such a way. I believe that I am impervious to bribes. At least I like to think so. I am not against doing friends and colleagues favours but when I percieve something to be wrong then I am going to say it. At the same time I will only be too happy and apologise if it turns out that I am wrong.
Here I should like to apologise to Avilon Zoo in the Philippines for my remark in ZOO NEWS DIGEST 24-31 May 2010, where I wondered if there was any connection between the twenty four Orangutans held there and those which appeared at the roadside in Phuket in Thailand. There was not. Avilon have been kind enough to give me the origins, history and whereabouts of their animals. So once again. My humble apologies.
So Mr Bob Barker has offered $100,000 to the city of Edmonton to allow outside assessment of Lucy the elephant. He would like experts from Zoocheck Canada and Performing Animal Welfare Society to go and take a look. Whereas I do have a certain amount of respect for both of these groups they do have a bit of an agenda. In the other article I link to it states "Groups including Zoocheck and PETA believe Lucy is overweight, lonely and plagued with health problems typical of captive elephants." So what exactly is the the $100,000 dollars for? It has been stated that Edmonton will refuse the money. For quarter the price I would be more than happy to go in, assess and give my unbiased and honest opinion.
I see nothing wrong with 'Zoo Keepers Held Off Reporting Komodos Missing' in the circumstances as described in the newspaper article. This is rather like trying to report the whereabouts of every bird in a tropical house every day. Are zoo management now trying to put the blame on the keepers? If there was, as has been suggested, a possibility that they were eaten by larger Komodos then that must surely mean that they were sharing an enclosure with larger animals. If large and small Komodos were in together it sounds a bit irresponsible and being eaten would, to me, be the most likely explanation as to their disappearance. Zoo management are surely irresponsible to allow such an enclosure sharing arrangement, not the keepers?
With regards to unannounced Zoo inspections (I mentioned previously) in the US I was sent the following document. http://www.aphis.usda.gov/publications/animal_welfare/content/printable_version/fs_compliance_inspection.pdf
As I said before. I think it is a good idea.
Just what is happening in Kiev Zoo? I have yet to see an article that I give credibility to?
http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/03/23/6327284-shocking-number-of-animals-dying-at-kiev-zoo?gt1=43001
****
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Some Articles You May Have Missed
From Royal Gifts to Biodiversity Conservation: The History and Development of Menageries, Zoos and Aquariums
Evolution's gift of play, from bonobo apes to humans
Tragic News For The Northern Rockhopper Penguin
Falconry Art Competition
Falconry Photography Competition
The Third International Festival of Falconry
Love Your Zoo Week 2011
Knut May Be Stuffed
This blog has readers from 151+ countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Antigua and Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Bahamas, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Benin, Bhutan, Bolivia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cambodia, Cameroon, Canada, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cote D’Ivoire, Croatia, Cuba, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Eire, England, Estonia, Ethiopia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Guiana, Gambia, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Guam, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kuwait, Lapland, Lao, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Madagascar, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Montenegro, Montserrat, Myanmar, Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Northern Ireland, Northern Mariana Islands, Norway, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Qatar, Reunion, Romania, Russia, Rwanda, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saudi Arabia, Scotland, Senegal, Serbia, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, United States, Uruguay, US Virgin Islands, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, Wales, Yemen, Zambia.
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Illegally Held Hyena Confiscated
Animals Lebanon takes action with the help of the Minister of Environment
A joint operation between the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment and Animals Lebanon succeeded in confiscating an illegally held hyena.
The hyena, now named May, was kept by a small pet shop in the city of Saida in southern Lebanon.
Animals Lebanon received so many complaints about this hyena that we approached the Minister of Environment H.E. Mohamad Rahhal to take immediate action.
The pictures we showed the Minister were horrific. A wild caught hyena kept for four years in a tiny cage barely big enough for her to turn around. The cage was in an empty piece of land next to the pet shop, exposed to the rain and cold. Her jaw was broken and she was forced to sit on the
http://www.animalslebanon.org/news-a-events/date/476-illegally-held-hyena-confiscated
Google Map of Japanese Marine Parks and Aquaria
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215161146144662611343.00049e4c0fd952a535308
Top zoo boss suspended
THE boss of Edinburgh Zoo has been suspended at a critical time for the attraction's future, after mystery allegations.
It can be revealed today that an investigation has been launched into chief operating officer Gary Wilson – who has also been acting as chief executive – following what are described as "anonymous allegations" which are being treated "extremely seriously".
Mr Wilson's shock suspension comes as the zoo prepares for the arrival of two money- spinning giant pandas from China. Bosses are also trying to negotiate a land-swap deal with the city council as part of an ongoing multi-million-pound development.
Only a day ago the attraction announced that 16 members of staff had been made redundant as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
Mr Wilson was overseeing all of the zoo's major projects, including the introduction of the pandas, following the retirement of former chief executive David Windmill. He was also in charge of the operation of retail and visitor services at the Highland Wildlife Park.
It is not known exactly what is being investigated following the arrival of an anonymous letter around a fortnight ago. An internal and external investigation is under way although the
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Top-zoo-boss-suspended.6739590.jp
Review panels: Knoxville Zoo elephant handler death "accidental"
The Knoxville Zoo has released the results from two independent reviews of the Jan. 14 death of elephant handler Stephanie James. One was an independent review requested by the zoo, the other was conducted by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The independent review panel came to the following conclusions, according to a release from the Knoxville Zoo:
-Two elephant handlers present were qualified and adequately trained to handle elephants.
-All parties interviewed, both separately and together, were straightforward, answered all questions, and were
consistent in their recounting of the incident, without exception.
-All policies and procedures reviewed by the team were being followed.
-Enrichment items being offered were routine and incidental to the incident.
-There were no documentable stimuli either visual or auditory that would have triggered the reaction from the
elephant.
-There had been no changes in the routine in the elephant barn during the week before the incident.
-No apparent cause for the elephant to move forward toward Ms. James was found.
-Injury occurred as elephant moved forward toward Ms. James, who was standing in front of a steel containment
bollard, pinning her against the bollard.
-No obvious aggression by the elephant before, during or after the incident, was reported.
-Injury could have been avoided if handler had been standing in approximately 2 foot open space between two
bollards.
-This was an accidental death.
The AZA concluded the following:
"The Knoxville Zoo's elephant management protocols are consistent with AZA standards. The present senior elephant staff is qualified and experienced. The Zoo's immediate response to the incident was timely and followed their written protocol, including switching immediately to protected contact management of the two female elephants.
"Although it is not known what provoked this fatal incident on January 14, 2011, this does not appear to be an isolated incident with this elephant. Three previous documented incidents involving Edie in conjunction with the January 14, 2011, fatality has raised concern, and should be considered as an indicator of the possibility that an aggressive behavior pattern is developing. The Knoxville Zoo staff must consider how they will manage these elephants in the future, especially in relationship with past events and trends. To that end, we understand that the Knoxville Zoo will, in due course, promptly apprise AZA of its determinations and plans as to how it will manage such elephants."
In the release, zoo leaders cited previous incidents with Edie that occurred between 2007 and 2010 that were determined by the zoo's senior management to be isolated incidents and not of an aggressive nature.
Also, a previous review by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency concluded that James died as the result of an intentional blow by Edie, although the elephant was not acting in an aggressive manner. TWRA also reported that the zoo was following its safety procedures.
The release also said the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the zoo to be in compliance with its regulations while a review by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health is currently ongoing.
Meanwhile, all three of the zoo's African elephants continue to be managed in protected contact, a change implemented after the Jan. 14 incident.
That protected contact involves handling an elephant through a protective barrier. The elephant, however, is not confined and can move about freely.
The independent review panel
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/163129/2/Review-panels-Knoxville-Zoo-elephant-handler-death-accidental
Two red deer drowned as park is targeted
THE owner of a Somerset wildlife park says she is being ‘persecuted’ after two of her deer were drowned, and two others had their horns mutilated.
Helen Duckett, owner of Alstone Wildlife Park near Highbridge, spoke to the Mercury after two red deer were drowned at the park last week having being chased out of their enclosure and into the River Brue in the early hours of March 15.
Two male deers have also had their horns mutilated by knives, while in the past five months all 40 birds in one of the park’s aviaries have been stolen.
Staff were first made aware of the break-in at around midnight, when grounds man Gavin Cooke received an anonymous
http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/two_red_deer_drowned_as_park_is_targeted_1_838609
Ultrasound scan for venomous fish
Keepers at a marine wildlife park have been using ultrasound - and chain mail gloves - to find out whether one of their venomous fish is pregnant.
Staff at Living Coasts in Torquay, Devon, noticed that Bonnie, a mangrove whipray, had put on some weight and suspected she might be carrying young.
So they enlisted the help of a company, Mount International Ultrasound Services (MIUS), that makes ultrasound machines
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/offbeat/ultrasound-scan-for-venomous-fish-15124889.html
Fort Wayne Zoo target of scam
The Better Business Bureau of Northern Indiana announced Thursday it has received reports that someone is going to local businesses asking for support of a coupon book supposedly put together for the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.
Cheryl Piropato, Zoo Education and Communications Director, said it’s not true. “The zoo has nothing like this in the works and we want the public to know immediately so that this scam can be stopped in its tracks.”
Michael Coil, President and CEO of BBB of Northern Indiana said that the last time BBB heard something like this, it was a person selling
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/fort-wayne-zoo-target-of-scam
Illegally Held Hyena Confiscated
Animals Lebanon takes action with the help of the Minister of Environment
A joint operation between the Ministry of Interior, Ministry of Environment and Animals Lebanon succeeded in confiscating an illegally held hyena.
The hyena, now named May, was kept by a small pet shop in the city of Saida in southern Lebanon.
Animals Lebanon received so many complaints about this hyena that we approached the Minister of Environment H.E. Mohamad Rahhal to take immediate action.
The pictures we showed the Minister were horrific. A wild caught hyena kept for four years in a tiny cage barely big enough for her to turn around. The cage was in an empty piece of land next to the pet shop, exposed to the rain and cold. Her jaw was broken and she was forced to sit on the
http://www.animalslebanon.org/news-a-events/date/476-illegally-held-hyena-confiscated
Google Map of Japanese Marine Parks and Aquaria
http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&oe=UTF8&msa=0&msid=215161146144662611343.00049e4c0fd952a535308
Top zoo boss suspended
THE boss of Edinburgh Zoo has been suspended at a critical time for the attraction's future, after mystery allegations.
It can be revealed today that an investigation has been launched into chief operating officer Gary Wilson – who has also been acting as chief executive – following what are described as "anonymous allegations" which are being treated "extremely seriously".
Mr Wilson's shock suspension comes as the zoo prepares for the arrival of two money- spinning giant pandas from China. Bosses are also trying to negotiate a land-swap deal with the city council as part of an ongoing multi-million-pound development.
Only a day ago the attraction announced that 16 members of staff had been made redundant as part of a cost-cutting exercise.
Mr Wilson was overseeing all of the zoo's major projects, including the introduction of the pandas, following the retirement of former chief executive David Windmill. He was also in charge of the operation of retail and visitor services at the Highland Wildlife Park.
It is not known exactly what is being investigated following the arrival of an anonymous letter around a fortnight ago. An internal and external investigation is under way although the
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Top-zoo-boss-suspended.6739590.jp
Review panels: Knoxville Zoo elephant handler death "accidental"
The Knoxville Zoo has released the results from two independent reviews of the Jan. 14 death of elephant handler Stephanie James. One was an independent review requested by the zoo, the other was conducted by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The independent review panel came to the following conclusions, according to a release from the Knoxville Zoo:
-Two elephant handlers present were qualified and adequately trained to handle elephants.
-All parties interviewed, both separately and together, were straightforward, answered all questions, and were
consistent in their recounting of the incident, without exception.
-All policies and procedures reviewed by the team were being followed.
-Enrichment items being offered were routine and incidental to the incident.
-There were no documentable stimuli either visual or auditory that would have triggered the reaction from the
elephant.
-There had been no changes in the routine in the elephant barn during the week before the incident.
-No apparent cause for the elephant to move forward toward Ms. James was found.
-Injury occurred as elephant moved forward toward Ms. James, who was standing in front of a steel containment
bollard, pinning her against the bollard.
-No obvious aggression by the elephant before, during or after the incident, was reported.
-Injury could have been avoided if handler had been standing in approximately 2 foot open space between two
bollards.
-This was an accidental death.
The AZA concluded the following:
"The Knoxville Zoo's elephant management protocols are consistent with AZA standards. The present senior elephant staff is qualified and experienced. The Zoo's immediate response to the incident was timely and followed their written protocol, including switching immediately to protected contact management of the two female elephants.
"Although it is not known what provoked this fatal incident on January 14, 2011, this does not appear to be an isolated incident with this elephant. Three previous documented incidents involving Edie in conjunction with the January 14, 2011, fatality has raised concern, and should be considered as an indicator of the possibility that an aggressive behavior pattern is developing. The Knoxville Zoo staff must consider how they will manage these elephants in the future, especially in relationship with past events and trends. To that end, we understand that the Knoxville Zoo will, in due course, promptly apprise AZA of its determinations and plans as to how it will manage such elephants."
In the release, zoo leaders cited previous incidents with Edie that occurred between 2007 and 2010 that were determined by the zoo's senior management to be isolated incidents and not of an aggressive nature.
Also, a previous review by the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency concluded that James died as the result of an intentional blow by Edie, although the elephant was not acting in an aggressive manner. TWRA also reported that the zoo was following its safety procedures.
The release also said the U.S. Department of Agriculture found the zoo to be in compliance with its regulations while a review by the Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health is currently ongoing.
Meanwhile, all three of the zoo's African elephants continue to be managed in protected contact, a change implemented after the Jan. 14 incident.
That protected contact involves handling an elephant through a protective barrier. The elephant, however, is not confined and can move about freely.
The independent review panel
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/163129/2/Review-panels-Knoxville-Zoo-elephant-handler-death-accidental
Two red deer drowned as park is targeted
THE owner of a Somerset wildlife park says she is being ‘persecuted’ after two of her deer were drowned, and two others had their horns mutilated.
Helen Duckett, owner of Alstone Wildlife Park near Highbridge, spoke to the Mercury after two red deer were drowned at the park last week having being chased out of their enclosure and into the River Brue in the early hours of March 15.
Two male deers have also had their horns mutilated by knives, while in the past five months all 40 birds in one of the park’s aviaries have been stolen.
Staff were first made aware of the break-in at around midnight, when grounds man Gavin Cooke received an anonymous
http://www.thewestonmercury.co.uk/news/two_red_deer_drowned_as_park_is_targeted_1_838609
Ultrasound scan for venomous fish
Keepers at a marine wildlife park have been using ultrasound - and chain mail gloves - to find out whether one of their venomous fish is pregnant.
Staff at Living Coasts in Torquay, Devon, noticed that Bonnie, a mangrove whipray, had put on some weight and suspected she might be carrying young.
So they enlisted the help of a company, Mount International Ultrasound Services (MIUS), that makes ultrasound machines
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/breaking-news/offbeat/ultrasound-scan-for-venomous-fish-15124889.html
Fort Wayne Zoo target of scam
The Better Business Bureau of Northern Indiana announced Thursday it has received reports that someone is going to local businesses asking for support of a coupon book supposedly put together for the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo.
Cheryl Piropato, Zoo Education and Communications Director, said it’s not true. “The zoo has nothing like this in the works and we want the public to know immediately so that this scam can be stopped in its tracks.”
Michael Coil, President and CEO of BBB of Northern Indiana said that the last time BBB heard something like this, it was a person selling
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/fort-wayne-zoo-target-of-scam
Ex-worker forced from Woburn Safari Park claim
An ex-member of staff at Woburn Safari Park in Bedfordshire claims he was forced out of his job after complaining about conditions at the attraction.
Dr Paul O'Donoghue is suing Bedford Estates for constructive dismissal after he left his job in December 2009.
He told the tribunal the "last straw" was on 22 November 2009 when he had believed that an elephant would escape, and "it did in fact escape".
Woburn Safari said it rejected claims he had been
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-12814115
Safari park case adjourned
The case of a former worker at Woburn Safari Park who claims he was forced out of his job after raising concerns about conditions there has been adjourned to a date to be fixed.
Paul O'Donoghue is suing Bedford Estates for constructive dismissal after leaving the job he held from January 5 2009 to December 5 2009.
An official at the Bedford Employment Tribunals Service said the case was listed part heard and a new date would be set in due course.
Dr O'Donoghue, of Ellesmere Port, has told the panel that he was seen as a "trouble maker" and
http://www.buteman.co.uk/news/safari_park_case_adjourned_1_1534781
Topeka Zoo crew excited to have accreditation restored
Topeka Zoo supporters are celebrating a big milestone after a couple of tough years. Zoo officials learned at a meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn., Sunday morning, that the Zoo's accreditation has officially been restored.
This means the zoo has the support of its accrediting agency, even with a few outstanding issues it currently faces. Animal Care Supervisor Chris Grassl says, "It was a great step for us and for the city. Just the fact that we can say the Topeka Zoological Park is AZA accredited. There are only about 250 accredited facilities in the country. So, to be one of those 250, it's a big deal."
The status of the outdoor hippo exhibit, the perimeter fence and a few other projects will be included in a progress report to the agency
http://www.ktka.com/news/2011/mar/20/topeka-zoo-accreditation-restored/
Editorial: Zoo picture keeps improving
The Topeka Zoo is officially on the rebound.
This past weekend, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums restored the zoo’s accreditation to full status, ending a year-long period of uncertainty about the matter.
Zoo director Brendan Wiley said he and his staff were elated, and that didn’t come off as hyperbole considering the dire consequences that would have come with losing accreditation. Chief among those would have been damage to the operation’s image and reputation, which would have threatened to hurt the zoo’s ability to attract visitors and raise private donations, and almost certainly would have made it more difficult for the operation to retain and hire qualified staff. Beyond that, AZA accreditation brings such benefits as the ability to make arrangements with other zoos to borrow or loan animals.
So when the AZA tabled a motion to revoke the zoo’s accreditation a year ago this month, there was plenty of cause for concern. At the time, the zoo was enduring a string of ugly revelations about animal deaths and disappearances, as well as reports of inadequate care. The
http://cjonline.com/opinion/2011-03-23/editorial-zoo-picture-keeps-improving
Zoo Keepers Held Off Reporting Komodos Missing
Surabaya Zoo keepers waited five days before reporting the disappearance of three baby komodos, according to the zoo’s management.
Toni Sumampau, the head of caretaker administration at the zoo, told the Jakarta Globe that the keepers first became aware that the komodo dragons were missing on Feb. 28, 2011, but did not report it to zoo’s management until March 5.
He said there was little possibility that the komodos had escaped from their cage.
“That means they were either eaten by predators [larger komodos] or they were stolen,” Toni said, adding that he suspected their were stolen to cause friction and arose the suspicion of zoo staff members.
Last year the Forestry Ministry formed a caretaker administration headed by Toni to manage the zoo after a dispute between managers
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/zoo-keepers-held-off-reporting-komodos-missing/430834
Man, goose form odd-couple friendship
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358041n
Cottonmouth Viper 'Spit' Sends National Zoo Employee to Hospital
DC Fire Department Alerts Twitter Followers of 'Snake Bite' at National Zoo
What do you get when you mix snake urine, feces and venom? For a reptile keeper at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the toxic concoction got her a quick trip to the hospital and a star appearance Monday on the District of Columbia Fire Department's twitter feed.
"EMS - snake bite - National Zoo - 3001 Connecticut Av NW - health unit - adult employee bit by snake," DC Fire and EMS tweeted at 4 p.m. Monday, still breaking in its new Twitter account.
That snippet was soon followed by this one:
"Update - Zoo - Cotton Mouth Viper 'spit' at keeper - EMS evaluated & transported adult female - checkup not serious anti-venom on board."
It turns out that while the reptile keeper was attempting to transfer
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/national-zoo-cottonmouth-viper-spits-employee/story?id=13192710
Bob Barker offers Edmonton $100,000 in Lucy the elephant dispute
Former U.S. game show host and animal rights activist Bob Barker has offered the City of Edmonton $100,000 to use as it sees fit if the city agrees to an outside assessment of the living conditions of Lucy, the only elephant at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
Barker wants experts from Zoocheck Canada and Performing Animal Welfare Society to check on her welfare.
"It's crucial that Lucy's condition be accurately diagnosed before her health deteriorates further," said Barker. "It is indefensible that Lucy has been forced to live in misery for all these years."
The 34-year-old pachyderm has a mysterious and undiagnosed respiratory problem. Activists want her shifted to a California facility but officials at the Edmonton zoo argue that they can tend to her health problems and that it's too risky to move her.
As well, Lucy is overweight and has foot problems — a leading cause death among elephants in captivity.
"Obviously we are interested in only one thing, Lucy's well-being," Barker said Tuesday. "She is going to die there. She is dying slowly."
A city spokesman said Edmonton would not take him up on his offer because they already have experts looking after Lucy and finances are not the issue.
Last summer, a lawsuit by animal activists to force Valley Zoo to move Lucy was tossed out by an Edmonton
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Barker+offers+Edmonton+Lucy+elephant+dispute/4486841/story.html
Zoos: Do you think wild animals should be kept in captivity?
Former television game show host Bob Barker has offered $100,000 to the City of Edmonton if it will allow experts to examine Lucy, the lone elephant at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
"It seems like a win-win-win scenario to me," said Barker, in a news release. "The zoo wins, concerned citizens win, but most importantly of all, Lucy wins," said Barker.
Groups including Zoocheck and PETA believe Lucy is overweight, lonely and plagued with health problems typical of captive elephants.
Meanwhile, Naturewatch, a British-based animal welfare group, is among the organizations calling for the 100-year-old Kiev Zoo to be closed and its animals sent elsewhere in Europe.
Animal welfare groups say dozens if not hundreds
http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/03/zoos-do-you-think-wild-animals-should-be-kept-in-captivity.html
'A concentration camp for fur and feathers': Scandal of the zoo where the animals keep dying
Animal welfare groups from around the world are calling for the immediate closure of Kiev Zoo after a shocking spate of animal deaths.
The 100-year-old zoo has recently been dubbed 'a concentration camp for those with fur and feathers', with many suspecting corruption to be at the heart of the problem.
An Indian elephant called Boy, the pride of the zoo, collapsed and died in his enclosure last year.
Around the same time, Maya the camel succumbed to a digestive illness and Theo the zebra died after crashing into a metal fence.
Animal welfare groups say dozens if not hundreds of animals have died at the zoo in recent years due to malnutrition, a lack of medical care and mistreatment.
Naturewatch, a British-based animal welfare group, is among the organizations calling for the zoo to be closed and its animals sent elsewhere in Europe.
'The Kiev Zoo will never attain any basic standards, it's so far removed from any zoo in Europe,' said John Ruane of Naturewatch. 'The conditions have been absolutely horrendous and no matter how many more directors were appointed the situation still remained the same.'
New managers appointed in October said that nearly half of the zoo's animals either died or mysteriously disappeared over two years under their predecessors, and a government audit found that thousands
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1369191/Animal-Welfare-Groups-closure-Kiev-Zoo-corruption-blame-recent-spate-animal-deaths.html
These Chicks Don't Need a Puppet
Two new Condor chicks, just hatched in San Diego, are surviving without the human touch.
In video released by the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly known as the Wild Animal Park), the parents can be seen helping the chicks.
In the past, zookeepers would help the process using a Condor hand puppet.
The chicks hatched on March 14 and 16 are being parent-reared.
It takes about five months for the chicks to leave the nest.
The California Condor Recovery Program is shipping eggs to other partner sites in Arizona, California or Baja.
“We’re doing that to help the genetic variability from site to site,” said Ron Webb, San Diego Zoo Safari Park senior keeper.
Four other eggs are in the incubator. Of
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/These-Chicks-Dont-Need-a-Puppet-118442439.html
Someones private movie of one of my least favourite zoos - The Phuket Zoo
I wonder if the one armed zookeeper is significant?
Surabaya Zoo Celebrates Healthy Elephant Birth
A 20-year-old elephant on Monday gave birth to a healthy 100-kilogram male baby elephant, or calf, at the Surabaya Zoo, a spokesperson said.
Lembang, a female Sumatran elephant, gave birth at 2 a.m. on Monday, said spokesperson Agus Supangkat.
“The birth was normal and was assisted by paramedics from the Surabaya Zoo,” he said.
The father of the calf is 40-year-old Doa.
Agus said the new elephant, who has not yet been given a name, began breastfeeding from his mother after 12 hours.
“This has made all of us let out a sigh of relief ,” Agus said, adding that Lembang had been aggressive since giving birth, being very sensitive to the presence of humans or other animals nearby.
The mother and calf are under constant monitoring by the zoo’s veterinarian.
The new birth brings the number
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/surabaya-zoo-celebrates-healthy-elephant-birth/412790
Leopard captured on camera in Yemen for first time
Camera traps capture male and female Arabian leopard for the first time in Yemen, raising hopes that the critically endangered animals are breeding
Researchers have succeeded in photographing male and female Arabian leopard for the first time in eastern Yemen, close to the border with Oman.
The Foundation for the Protection of the Arabian Leopard in Yemen (FPALY) researchers captured the images in the Hawf Protected Area last month.
FPALY ‘s executive director David Stanton said: “This is the first time that a wild Arabian leopard has been photographed anywhere outside of Oman.”
The organisation is currently expanding its programme to include other areas in Yemen where they believe leopards exist.
Wildlife cameraman and TV presenter Gordon Buchanan said: "The first evidence of the Arabian Leopard in east Yemen is a delectable find indeed."
"Camera traps are relatively cheap,
http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/news/leopard-captured-on-camera-in-yemen-for-first-time
There is though a number of Arabian Leopards in captivity. The majority of these are held in the excellent facilities in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Did Negligence Kill Knut the Polar Bear?
He was the most famous polar bear in the world — the cuddly cub Knut, dubbed Cute Knut, captured people's hearts after his birth at the Berlin Zoo in December 2006. So it's no wonder that his sudden death on Saturday, at the tender age of 4, has sent a nation into mourning — and sparked a controversial debate on the ethics of keeping polar bears in captivity. As the zoo tries to figure out what killed Knut, animal-rights groups are blaming zookeepers for his death, accusing officials of putting financial interests ahead of the famous polar bear's welfare.
Knut died on Saturday after collapsing into a pool of water in his enclosure, as hundreds of visitors looked on in horror. In a video posted online purporting to show images of the last minutes of Knut's life, he repeatedly turns around in a circle and then tumbles into the water. Berlin Zoo's bear curator Heiner Klös tells TIME that he last saw Knut on Saturday afternoon shortly before his death and that he looked fine. "I was so shocked to hear that Knut had died — he'd been a big part of my life for the past four years," says Klös.
By Sunday, in a sign of Knut's superstar status, a steady stream of visitors was flocking to the zoo to pay tribute to the bear, lighting candles, leaving notes and laying flowers at his compound. The zoo's website has also been inundated with messages of condolence. "Knut, you were the sweetest polar bear that I ever knew — why did you have to die?" wrote one mourner named Anna.
Knut shot to fame after his mother rejected him at birth and he had to be hand-reared by zookeeper Thomas Dörflein. Knut was the first polar bear to be born and raised at the Berlin Zoo in 33 years. Images of Dörflein lovingly bottle-feeding
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2060743,00.html
Head keeper tells of 'amazing' visit to China to meet pair
THE head keeper who is set to care for Edinburgh Zoo's pandas has described the different personalities of the two bears and said she "can't wait" to welcome them to the Capital.
Alison Maclean said meeting the pair for the first time in late February was "truly amazing". The keeper, who has 25 years of experience caring for animals, is now gearing up for a return visit to China so that she can bond with Tian Tian and Yang Guang.
She described how the male, Yang Guang, had ventured into the enclosure to meet zoo bosses face-to-face, but that female Tian Tian had been rather shy.
She said: "We went to the Bifengxia Panda Base and the professors took us to meet the pandas. The female was quite shy and she hung back, but the male was straight down. Their enclosure is a steep mountainside filled with bamboo, but the male was much more curious and he even came into the glass house to have a look at us.
"I'll go over again just before the pandas come to Edinburgh to get to know the two, learn about their individual needs, their likes and dislikes and their personalities. There will be a period
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Head-keeper-tells-of-39amazing39.6738322.jp
A Chinese aquarium is hitting the headlines again over controversial plans to import Beluga whales into their aquarium from the wild.
The Aqua Park 'super aquarium' feature at Ocean Park in Hong Kong first came to conservationists' attention last year when they considered importing wild Bottlenose dolphins from the Solomon Islands. They now plan to import the wild-caught whales from the Russian Arctic (Okhotsk Sea) for their new Polar Adventure attraction.
Suzanne Gendron, the park's executive director for zoological operations and education, said that the Ocean Park Corporation has already given almost $6m over the past four years to fund research into the sustainability of Beluga whale populations in the Russian waters.
Unsurprisingly, the study found that the population, while listed as 'near threatened' on the IUCN website, has a population sufficient to allow wild capture of the whales to be imported to Hong Kong for 2012.
The park was keen to stress that an independent review panel would be convened to confirm any sustainability findings before a transfer took place.
The aquarium was the scene of a protest earlier this year when members of the environmentalist group Green sense claimed that Ocean Park was importing endangered species.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society state on their website: "WDCS opposes these captures [of wild Beluga whales] because they are inhumane and unsustainable. There is not sufficient research that proves that taking Belugas out of the wild
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3745
AZA Finds No Management Cause Of 6 Of 8 Animal Deaths At The Chattanooga Zoo
Says New Tortoise Needs To Be Completed By Next Winter
An inspection team from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) found that six of eight recent animal deaths at the facility were not management related.
The team found that found that two tortoise deaths appeared to come from substandard winter housing, which zoo officials said has now been corrected.
It was noted that the deaths of the marmosets came from significant liver disease and weight loss that originated or predated the administrative error which caused the animals to go unfed for two days in
January.
The remaining four deaths were found to be an unfortunate series of unrelated
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_197148.asp
Indonesia Has Its Share Of Scientists, So Where’s the Science? (Orangutan Conservation)
In 2007, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono launched Indonesia’s national orangutan action plan, which calls for all remaining wild populations of orangutans to be stabilized by 2017. It is both an ambitious goal and a highly laudable one. But with regard to the specific plan, how does the president know whether it is a good one?
Under ideal conditions, this is where good scientists enter the picture. They should be able to tell the president that his government — hypothetically speaking — has invested $20 million into implementing the plan, has secured 30 percent of the remaining wild orangutan populations and is perfectly on track to achieve its 2017 target.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to say any of this because we haven’t got much of a clue about what has been done and what has been achieved. We don’t know the impacts of a government intervention, largely because no one is really trying to find out. What would normally be the realm of conservation and government scientists appears to be an area largely devoid of action.
Indonesian science in general
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/indonesia-has-its-share-of-scientists-so-wheres-the-science/430931
YouTube sensation fuelling trade in an endangered species
They are the adorable, furry little creatures with the big round eyes who almost purr in delight as they are tickled into a stupor. They are also an endangered species whose stardom on YouTube is fuelling a trade built on cruelty and abuse.
The slow loris, a species of primate native to South-east Asia, rivals Justin Bieber as a viral internet sensation. A video of an animal being tickled has gained more than six million views. A new clip, posted this month, in which a loris clutches a cocktail umbrella, has been viewed two million times.
The creature's new-found fame is now stoking demand among children to turn the wild animal into must-have living toys. But the primate is no pet.
Poachers steal infant lorises from their parents in the wild to sell at open-air markets in Indonesia, where they are traded for as little as £10.
The export market is most lucrative in Japan, where lorises stolen to order sell for £3,500. The trade is now expanding into the US and Europe, with illegally smuggled lorises reported in the United Kingdom.
But many do not survive the journey. "The only reason the loris isn't biting the person holding it in the video is because it has had its teeth ripped out with pliers," said Chris Shepherd of Traffic Southeast Asia, which campaigns against the trade in primates.
The teeth are removed because the loris, listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, can deliver a toxic bite. Mr Shepherd said: "The creature
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/youtube-sensation-fuelling-trade-in-an-endangered-species-2248930.html
Zoo defends decision to stuff Knut
The Berlin Zoo on Wednesday defended its decision to stuff their late polar bear Knut, saying they had received significant support from his many fans.
The dead bear was a “worldwide, emotional mascot,” the zoo’s bear keeper Heiner Klös told public broadcaster RBB.
His mounted body will be displayed for educational purposes at Berlin’s Museum of Natural History, “because there aren’t that many polar bears any longer,” he said.
Klös also said he understood the opposition to preserving Knut in such a way, but insisted those against it were in the minority.
“Many think it’s good,” he said, ad
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110323-33903.html
Bony-headed toads to breed in Scotland
Colony of rare toads have arrived at Deep Sea World to start breeding and help save the species from climate change.
A colony of unusual amphibians has arrived in Scotland as part of an international effort to save the species.
The bony-headed toads have been sent to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry as part of a new captive breeding programme.
They were born at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust on Jersey in the Channel Islands and it is hoped that by creating another breeding group in
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/238214-bony-headed-toads-to-breed-in-scotland/
Elephant demonstration area popular with Oklahoma City Zoo visitors
The new elephant exhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo has a demonstration pavilion. For the first time, visitors will have a chance to see how zookeepers work with Asian elephants Asha and Chandra.
Visitors to the Oklahoma City Zoo now can get a closer look at two of its most popular animals.
The new elephant exhibit includes the Elephant Pavilion, a demonstration area that seats more than 400 people. Spectators filled the pavilion stands and even lined the surrounding pathways during the zoo’s busy spring
http://newsok.com/visitors-enjoy-elephant-area/article/3550781
Dr Paul O'Donoghue is suing Bedford Estates for constructive dismissal after he left his job in December 2009.
He told the tribunal the "last straw" was on 22 November 2009 when he had believed that an elephant would escape, and "it did in fact escape".
Woburn Safari said it rejected claims he had been
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-12814115
Safari park case adjourned
The case of a former worker at Woburn Safari Park who claims he was forced out of his job after raising concerns about conditions there has been adjourned to a date to be fixed.
Paul O'Donoghue is suing Bedford Estates for constructive dismissal after leaving the job he held from January 5 2009 to December 5 2009.
An official at the Bedford Employment Tribunals Service said the case was listed part heard and a new date would be set in due course.
Dr O'Donoghue, of Ellesmere Port, has told the panel that he was seen as a "trouble maker" and
http://www.buteman.co.uk/news/safari_park_case_adjourned_1_1534781
Topeka Zoo crew excited to have accreditation restored
Topeka Zoo supporters are celebrating a big milestone after a couple of tough years. Zoo officials learned at a meeting in Chattanooga, Tenn., Sunday morning, that the Zoo's accreditation has officially been restored.
This means the zoo has the support of its accrediting agency, even with a few outstanding issues it currently faces. Animal Care Supervisor Chris Grassl says, "It was a great step for us and for the city. Just the fact that we can say the Topeka Zoological Park is AZA accredited. There are only about 250 accredited facilities in the country. So, to be one of those 250, it's a big deal."
The status of the outdoor hippo exhibit, the perimeter fence and a few other projects will be included in a progress report to the agency
http://www.ktka.com/news/2011/mar/20/topeka-zoo-accreditation-restored/
Editorial: Zoo picture keeps improving
The Topeka Zoo is officially on the rebound.
This past weekend, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums restored the zoo’s accreditation to full status, ending a year-long period of uncertainty about the matter.
Zoo director Brendan Wiley said he and his staff were elated, and that didn’t come off as hyperbole considering the dire consequences that would have come with losing accreditation. Chief among those would have been damage to the operation’s image and reputation, which would have threatened to hurt the zoo’s ability to attract visitors and raise private donations, and almost certainly would have made it more difficult for the operation to retain and hire qualified staff. Beyond that, AZA accreditation brings such benefits as the ability to make arrangements with other zoos to borrow or loan animals.
So when the AZA tabled a motion to revoke the zoo’s accreditation a year ago this month, there was plenty of cause for concern. At the time, the zoo was enduring a string of ugly revelations about animal deaths and disappearances, as well as reports of inadequate care. The
http://cjonline.com/opinion/2011-03-23/editorial-zoo-picture-keeps-improving
Zoo Keepers Held Off Reporting Komodos Missing
Surabaya Zoo keepers waited five days before reporting the disappearance of three baby komodos, according to the zoo’s management.
Toni Sumampau, the head of caretaker administration at the zoo, told the Jakarta Globe that the keepers first became aware that the komodo dragons were missing on Feb. 28, 2011, but did not report it to zoo’s management until March 5.
He said there was little possibility that the komodos had escaped from their cage.
“That means they were either eaten by predators [larger komodos] or they were stolen,” Toni said, adding that he suspected their were stolen to cause friction and arose the suspicion of zoo staff members.
Last year the Forestry Ministry formed a caretaker administration headed by Toni to manage the zoo after a dispute between managers
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/zoo-keepers-held-off-reporting-komodos-missing/430834
Man, goose form odd-couple friendship
http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=7358041n
Cottonmouth Viper 'Spit' Sends National Zoo Employee to Hospital
DC Fire Department Alerts Twitter Followers of 'Snake Bite' at National Zoo
What do you get when you mix snake urine, feces and venom? For a reptile keeper at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C., the toxic concoction got her a quick trip to the hospital and a star appearance Monday on the District of Columbia Fire Department's twitter feed.
"EMS - snake bite - National Zoo - 3001 Connecticut Av NW - health unit - adult employee bit by snake," DC Fire and EMS tweeted at 4 p.m. Monday, still breaking in its new Twitter account.
That snippet was soon followed by this one:
"Update - Zoo - Cotton Mouth Viper 'spit' at keeper - EMS evaluated & transported adult female - checkup not serious anti-venom on board."
It turns out that while the reptile keeper was attempting to transfer
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/national-zoo-cottonmouth-viper-spits-employee/story?id=13192710
Bob Barker offers Edmonton $100,000 in Lucy the elephant dispute
Former U.S. game show host and animal rights activist Bob Barker has offered the City of Edmonton $100,000 to use as it sees fit if the city agrees to an outside assessment of the living conditions of Lucy, the only elephant at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
Barker wants experts from Zoocheck Canada and Performing Animal Welfare Society to check on her welfare.
"It's crucial that Lucy's condition be accurately diagnosed before her health deteriorates further," said Barker. "It is indefensible that Lucy has been forced to live in misery for all these years."
The 34-year-old pachyderm has a mysterious and undiagnosed respiratory problem. Activists want her shifted to a California facility but officials at the Edmonton zoo argue that they can tend to her health problems and that it's too risky to move her.
As well, Lucy is overweight and has foot problems — a leading cause death among elephants in captivity.
"Obviously we are interested in only one thing, Lucy's well-being," Barker said Tuesday. "She is going to die there. She is dying slowly."
A city spokesman said Edmonton would not take him up on his offer because they already have experts looking after Lucy and finances are not the issue.
Last summer, a lawsuit by animal activists to force Valley Zoo to move Lucy was tossed out by an Edmonton
http://www.vancouversun.com/entertainment/Barker+offers+Edmonton+Lucy+elephant+dispute/4486841/story.html
Zoos: Do you think wild animals should be kept in captivity?
Former television game show host Bob Barker has offered $100,000 to the City of Edmonton if it will allow experts to examine Lucy, the lone elephant at the Edmonton Valley Zoo.
"It seems like a win-win-win scenario to me," said Barker, in a news release. "The zoo wins, concerned citizens win, but most importantly of all, Lucy wins," said Barker.
Groups including Zoocheck and PETA believe Lucy is overweight, lonely and plagued with health problems typical of captive elephants.
Meanwhile, Naturewatch, a British-based animal welfare group, is among the organizations calling for the 100-year-old Kiev Zoo to be closed and its animals sent elsewhere in Europe.
Animal welfare groups say dozens if not hundreds
http://www.cbc.ca/news/yourcommunity/2011/03/zoos-do-you-think-wild-animals-should-be-kept-in-captivity.html
'A concentration camp for fur and feathers': Scandal of the zoo where the animals keep dying
Animal welfare groups from around the world are calling for the immediate closure of Kiev Zoo after a shocking spate of animal deaths.
The 100-year-old zoo has recently been dubbed 'a concentration camp for those with fur and feathers', with many suspecting corruption to be at the heart of the problem.
An Indian elephant called Boy, the pride of the zoo, collapsed and died in his enclosure last year.
Around the same time, Maya the camel succumbed to a digestive illness and Theo the zebra died after crashing into a metal fence.
Animal welfare groups say dozens if not hundreds of animals have died at the zoo in recent years due to malnutrition, a lack of medical care and mistreatment.
Naturewatch, a British-based animal welfare group, is among the organizations calling for the zoo to be closed and its animals sent elsewhere in Europe.
'The Kiev Zoo will never attain any basic standards, it's so far removed from any zoo in Europe,' said John Ruane of Naturewatch. 'The conditions have been absolutely horrendous and no matter how many more directors were appointed the situation still remained the same.'
New managers appointed in October said that nearly half of the zoo's animals either died or mysteriously disappeared over two years under their predecessors, and a government audit found that thousands
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1369191/Animal-Welfare-Groups-closure-Kiev-Zoo-corruption-blame-recent-spate-animal-deaths.html
These Chicks Don't Need a Puppet
Two new Condor chicks, just hatched in San Diego, are surviving without the human touch.
In video released by the San Diego Zoo Safari Park (formerly known as the Wild Animal Park), the parents can be seen helping the chicks.
In the past, zookeepers would help the process using a Condor hand puppet.
The chicks hatched on March 14 and 16 are being parent-reared.
It takes about five months for the chicks to leave the nest.
The California Condor Recovery Program is shipping eggs to other partner sites in Arizona, California or Baja.
“We’re doing that to help the genetic variability from site to site,” said Ron Webb, San Diego Zoo Safari Park senior keeper.
Four other eggs are in the incubator. Of
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/These-Chicks-Dont-Need-a-Puppet-118442439.html
Someones private movie of one of my least favourite zoos - The Phuket Zoo
I wonder if the one armed zookeeper is significant?
Surabaya Zoo Celebrates Healthy Elephant Birth
A 20-year-old elephant on Monday gave birth to a healthy 100-kilogram male baby elephant, or calf, at the Surabaya Zoo, a spokesperson said.
Lembang, a female Sumatran elephant, gave birth at 2 a.m. on Monday, said spokesperson Agus Supangkat.
“The birth was normal and was assisted by paramedics from the Surabaya Zoo,” he said.
The father of the calf is 40-year-old Doa.
Agus said the new elephant, who has not yet been given a name, began breastfeeding from his mother after 12 hours.
“This has made all of us let out a sigh of relief ,” Agus said, adding that Lembang had been aggressive since giving birth, being very sensitive to the presence of humans or other animals nearby.
The mother and calf are under constant monitoring by the zoo’s veterinarian.
The new birth brings the number
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/home/surabaya-zoo-celebrates-healthy-elephant-birth/412790
Leopard captured on camera in Yemen for first time
Camera traps capture male and female Arabian leopard for the first time in Yemen, raising hopes that the critically endangered animals are breeding
Researchers have succeeded in photographing male and female Arabian leopard for the first time in eastern Yemen, close to the border with Oman.
The Foundation for the Protection of the Arabian Leopard in Yemen (FPALY) researchers captured the images in the Hawf Protected Area last month.
FPALY ‘s executive director David Stanton said: “This is the first time that a wild Arabian leopard has been photographed anywhere outside of Oman.”
The organisation is currently expanding its programme to include other areas in Yemen where they believe leopards exist.
Wildlife cameraman and TV presenter Gordon Buchanan said: "The first evidence of the Arabian Leopard in east Yemen is a delectable find indeed."
"Camera traps are relatively cheap,
http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/news/leopard-captured-on-camera-in-yemen-for-first-time
There is though a number of Arabian Leopards in captivity. The majority of these are held in the excellent facilities in Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
Did Negligence Kill Knut the Polar Bear?
He was the most famous polar bear in the world — the cuddly cub Knut, dubbed Cute Knut, captured people's hearts after his birth at the Berlin Zoo in December 2006. So it's no wonder that his sudden death on Saturday, at the tender age of 4, has sent a nation into mourning — and sparked a controversial debate on the ethics of keeping polar bears in captivity. As the zoo tries to figure out what killed Knut, animal-rights groups are blaming zookeepers for his death, accusing officials of putting financial interests ahead of the famous polar bear's welfare.
Knut died on Saturday after collapsing into a pool of water in his enclosure, as hundreds of visitors looked on in horror. In a video posted online purporting to show images of the last minutes of Knut's life, he repeatedly turns around in a circle and then tumbles into the water. Berlin Zoo's bear curator Heiner Klös tells TIME that he last saw Knut on Saturday afternoon shortly before his death and that he looked fine. "I was so shocked to hear that Knut had died — he'd been a big part of my life for the past four years," says Klös.
By Sunday, in a sign of Knut's superstar status, a steady stream of visitors was flocking to the zoo to pay tribute to the bear, lighting candles, leaving notes and laying flowers at his compound. The zoo's website has also been inundated with messages of condolence. "Knut, you were the sweetest polar bear that I ever knew — why did you have to die?" wrote one mourner named Anna.
Knut shot to fame after his mother rejected him at birth and he had to be hand-reared by zookeeper Thomas Dörflein. Knut was the first polar bear to be born and raised at the Berlin Zoo in 33 years. Images of Dörflein lovingly bottle-feeding
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,2060743,00.html
Head keeper tells of 'amazing' visit to China to meet pair
THE head keeper who is set to care for Edinburgh Zoo's pandas has described the different personalities of the two bears and said she "can't wait" to welcome them to the Capital.
Alison Maclean said meeting the pair for the first time in late February was "truly amazing". The keeper, who has 25 years of experience caring for animals, is now gearing up for a return visit to China so that she can bond with Tian Tian and Yang Guang.
She described how the male, Yang Guang, had ventured into the enclosure to meet zoo bosses face-to-face, but that female Tian Tian had been rather shy.
She said: "We went to the Bifengxia Panda Base and the professors took us to meet the pandas. The female was quite shy and she hung back, but the male was straight down. Their enclosure is a steep mountainside filled with bamboo, but the male was much more curious and he even came into the glass house to have a look at us.
"I'll go over again just before the pandas come to Edinburgh to get to know the two, learn about their individual needs, their likes and dislikes and their personalities. There will be a period
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Head-keeper-tells-of-39amazing39.6738322.jp
A Chinese aquarium is hitting the headlines again over controversial plans to import Beluga whales into their aquarium from the wild.
The Aqua Park 'super aquarium' feature at Ocean Park in Hong Kong first came to conservationists' attention last year when they considered importing wild Bottlenose dolphins from the Solomon Islands. They now plan to import the wild-caught whales from the Russian Arctic (Okhotsk Sea) for their new Polar Adventure attraction.
Suzanne Gendron, the park's executive director for zoological operations and education, said that the Ocean Park Corporation has already given almost $6m over the past four years to fund research into the sustainability of Beluga whale populations in the Russian waters.
Unsurprisingly, the study found that the population, while listed as 'near threatened' on the IUCN website, has a population sufficient to allow wild capture of the whales to be imported to Hong Kong for 2012.
The park was keen to stress that an independent review panel would be convened to confirm any sustainability findings before a transfer took place.
The aquarium was the scene of a protest earlier this year when members of the environmentalist group Green sense claimed that Ocean Park was importing endangered species.
The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society state on their website: "WDCS opposes these captures [of wild Beluga whales] because they are inhumane and unsustainable. There is not sufficient research that proves that taking Belugas out of the wild
http://www.practicalfishkeeping.co.uk/content.php?sid=3745
AZA Finds No Management Cause Of 6 Of 8 Animal Deaths At The Chattanooga Zoo
Says New Tortoise Needs To Be Completed By Next Winter
An inspection team from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) found that six of eight recent animal deaths at the facility were not management related.
The team found that found that two tortoise deaths appeared to come from substandard winter housing, which zoo officials said has now been corrected.
It was noted that the deaths of the marmosets came from significant liver disease and weight loss that originated or predated the administrative error which caused the animals to go unfed for two days in
January.
The remaining four deaths were found to be an unfortunate series of unrelated
http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_197148.asp
Indonesia Has Its Share Of Scientists, So Where’s the Science? (Orangutan Conservation)
In 2007, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono launched Indonesia’s national orangutan action plan, which calls for all remaining wild populations of orangutans to be stabilized by 2017. It is both an ambitious goal and a highly laudable one. But with regard to the specific plan, how does the president know whether it is a good one?
Under ideal conditions, this is where good scientists enter the picture. They should be able to tell the president that his government — hypothetically speaking — has invested $20 million into implementing the plan, has secured 30 percent of the remaining wild orangutan populations and is perfectly on track to achieve its 2017 target.
Unfortunately, it’s not possible to say any of this because we haven’t got much of a clue about what has been done and what has been achieved. We don’t know the impacts of a government intervention, largely because no one is really trying to find out. What would normally be the realm of conservation and government scientists appears to be an area largely devoid of action.
Indonesian science in general
http://www.thejakartaglobe.com/opinion/indonesia-has-its-share-of-scientists-so-wheres-the-science/430931
YouTube sensation fuelling trade in an endangered species
They are the adorable, furry little creatures with the big round eyes who almost purr in delight as they are tickled into a stupor. They are also an endangered species whose stardom on YouTube is fuelling a trade built on cruelty and abuse.
The slow loris, a species of primate native to South-east Asia, rivals Justin Bieber as a viral internet sensation. A video of an animal being tickled has gained more than six million views. A new clip, posted this month, in which a loris clutches a cocktail umbrella, has been viewed two million times.
The creature's new-found fame is now stoking demand among children to turn the wild animal into must-have living toys. But the primate is no pet.
Poachers steal infant lorises from their parents in the wild to sell at open-air markets in Indonesia, where they are traded for as little as £10.
The export market is most lucrative in Japan, where lorises stolen to order sell for £3,500. The trade is now expanding into the US and Europe, with illegally smuggled lorises reported in the United Kingdom.
But many do not survive the journey. "The only reason the loris isn't biting the person holding it in the video is because it has had its teeth ripped out with pliers," said Chris Shepherd of Traffic Southeast Asia, which campaigns against the trade in primates.
The teeth are removed because the loris, listed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, can deliver a toxic bite. Mr Shepherd said: "The creature
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/youtube-sensation-fuelling-trade-in-an-endangered-species-2248930.html
Zoo defends decision to stuff Knut
The Berlin Zoo on Wednesday defended its decision to stuff their late polar bear Knut, saying they had received significant support from his many fans.
The dead bear was a “worldwide, emotional mascot,” the zoo’s bear keeper Heiner Klös told public broadcaster RBB.
His mounted body will be displayed for educational purposes at Berlin’s Museum of Natural History, “because there aren’t that many polar bears any longer,” he said.
Klös also said he understood the opposition to preserving Knut in such a way, but insisted those against it were in the minority.
“Many think it’s good,” he said, ad
http://www.thelocal.de/society/20110323-33903.html
Bony-headed toads to breed in Scotland
Colony of rare toads have arrived at Deep Sea World to start breeding and help save the species from climate change.
A colony of unusual amphibians has arrived in Scotland as part of an international effort to save the species.
The bony-headed toads have been sent to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry as part of a new captive breeding programme.
They were born at the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust on Jersey in the Channel Islands and it is hoped that by creating another breeding group in
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/238214-bony-headed-toads-to-breed-in-scotland/
Elephant demonstration area popular with Oklahoma City Zoo visitors
The new elephant exhibit at the Oklahoma City Zoo has a demonstration pavilion. For the first time, visitors will have a chance to see how zookeepers work with Asian elephants Asha and Chandra.
Visitors to the Oklahoma City Zoo now can get a closer look at two of its most popular animals.
The new elephant exhibit includes the Elephant Pavilion, a demonstration area that seats more than 400 people. Spectators filled the pavilion stands and even lined the surrounding pathways during the zoo’s busy spring
http://newsok.com/visitors-enjoy-elephant-area/article/3550781
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March 2011 - Vol. XXVI - No. 3
Date of Publication 21 March 2011
CONTENTS
Kabul Zoo Training Visit to Selected North Indian Zoos
-- R. Marimuthu, Pp. 1-5
Banning of Polythene bag inside Dhaka Zoo for the first time
-- Dr. Md. Shakif-Ul-Azam, Pp. 6-7
Zoological Institutions in the Middle East: Potential for a Regional Zoo Association
-- Jonas Livet, P. 8
Volunteer Vet (CWRC) – Borjuri, Assam
-- Minla Zangmu Lachungpa, Pp. 9-11
Book Review: Butterflies and Birds of Bishop Heber College
-- R.J. Ranjit Daniels, P. 12
Education Reports
-- Pp. 13-15
A few Communications about Web-based ZOOS’ PRINT
-- Pp. 16-17
Population Control By Segregation of Blackbucks at Kanpur Zoo
-- K. Praveen Rao, Pp. 18-19
Don’t forget ZooLex
-- Pp. 20-22
An incidence of pleural mesothelioma in circus lionesses
-- K. Sujatha, Ch. Srilatha and P. Amaravathi, Pp. 23-24
Observation of road kills on Kambam-Kumily Road (NH 220) in Tamil Nadu
-- K. Muthamizh Selvan, Pp. 25-26
Occurrence of bile duct hook worms in a wild elephant of Wayanad, Kerala
-- K.G. Ajith Kumar, Reghu Ravindran, T. Surendranathan, E. Varun Joy and Amitha George, Pp. 27-28
To view the magazine online : http://www.zoosprint.org/
Date of Publication 21 March 2011
CONTENTS
Kabul Zoo Training Visit to Selected North Indian Zoos
-- R. Marimuthu, Pp. 1-5
Banning of Polythene bag inside Dhaka Zoo for the first time
-- Dr. Md. Shakif-Ul-Azam, Pp. 6-7
Zoological Institutions in the Middle East: Potential for a Regional Zoo Association
-- Jonas Livet, P. 8
Volunteer Vet (CWRC) – Borjuri, Assam
-- Minla Zangmu Lachungpa, Pp. 9-11
Book Review: Butterflies and Birds of Bishop Heber College
-- R.J. Ranjit Daniels, P. 12
Education Reports
-- Pp. 13-15
A few Communications about Web-based ZOOS’ PRINT
-- Pp. 16-17
Population Control By Segregation of Blackbucks at Kanpur Zoo
-- K. Praveen Rao, Pp. 18-19
Don’t forget ZooLex
-- Pp. 20-22
An incidence of pleural mesothelioma in circus lionesses
-- K. Sujatha, Ch. Srilatha and P. Amaravathi, Pp. 23-24
Observation of road kills on Kambam-Kumily Road (NH 220) in Tamil Nadu
-- K. Muthamizh Selvan, Pp. 25-26
Occurrence of bile duct hook worms in a wild elephant of Wayanad, Kerala
-- K.G. Ajith Kumar, Reghu Ravindran, T. Surendranathan, E. Varun Joy and Amitha George, Pp. 27-28
To view the magazine online : http://www.zoosprint.org/
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AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE WELFARE STANDARDS OF
ZOOS IN MALAYSIA
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Call for Papers
For Dedicated Issue of AKF – UNGULATES
We are planning on producing a combined July/August 2011 edition of Animal Keepers’ Forum dedicated to ungulates. We will be working with the Ungulate TAGs in producing this dedicated issue. We would like those interested to submit manuscripts for consideration for inclusion in this dedicated issue. Possible topics might include the following:
• Ungulate Care and Management
• Managing multi-species habitats
• Managing single-sex herds
• Ungulate Hand-rearing
• Ungulate hoof care
• Ungulate operant condition
• Ungulate Enrichment
Papers should be submitted electronically in MS Word only to
Please use Times or Times New Roman font (10pt text body). Please put “Ungulate
Issue” in the subject line. Papers should be no more than 10 pages in length. Any charts and/or graphs should be submitted as separate jpg or tif files along with (but not imbedded in) the manuscript. We also encourage photos of your animals to include and these should also be submitted electronically as either high-resolution (minimum 300 dpi) jpg or tif files.
If you cannot submit your material electronically, you may submit your materials on a disk or CD sent to: Ungulate Dedicated Issue, AAZK, Inc., 3601 SW 29th St., Suite 133, Topeka, KS 66614-2054. If you cannot submit photographs electronically, you may send 3 x 5 inch prints to the same address. You should include proper photo credit for each photo and also suggested captions for each photo submitted.
Be sure to also include your complete contact information including name, address, email and a daytime phone where you may be reached if we have questions concerning your submission. Also be sure to include your facility and your job title at that facility.
Deadline for submission of articles for consideration for this special Ungulate Issue is May 15, 2011.
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To see the prospectus and learn more please click
Zoo Conferences, Meetings, Courses and Symposia
click
HERE
HERE
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ZOO BIOLOGY
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
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