Zoo News Digest 25th - 28th March 2011 (Zoo News 736)
Dear Colleague,
I hope you remembered to put your clock forward by one hour. Thankfully I did. The only time I ever forgot was 44 years ago. It got me thinking though. I recollect that when I was full time in zoo work that there was not a year passed that one or the other of the staff forgot about the arrival of summertime. Happily they were the same staff who forgot to turn their clocks back at the end of the year so it sort of balanced itself out.
It must be age but to me the year is shooting by at a rate of knots. Before we know it April will be here along with the inevitable April Fools Day in the Zoo. I hope you are ready. Some zoos bury their heads in the sand and others will really get into the spirit of things and post some spoof story on the news. It is always fun to try and spot them because there are some very believeable stories at times. In fact some of the stories which appear in the press at other times of the year could do equally well on April the first. This though is largely due to either the press getting their facts wrong or some collection which has lost its sense of direction putting out a load of rubbish.
The 'Missing Cobra Shutters Reptile House At Bronx Zoo' poses some interesting questions the most prominent in my mind of which is...for how long? The article says indefinitely. I believe that this is a wise choice of words. But really....how long? If it was your zoo and you lost a venomous snake, assuming you never found it, how long would it be before you opened up again? What if the snake had been stolen? It is possible.
Many, many years ago I was involved in the partial demolition of a reptile house. Under the base of one of the exhibits we found two anaconda. Not huge, but anaconda all the same. The thing was nobody knew where they had come from or recollected hearing of an escape. Another zoo another time. The reptile house was severely damaged in a huge explosion. Several large pythons escaped. It was quite some time before we found all of them. It is incredible the spaces they can squeeze into. In yet another zoo we had a python escape. It was missing for weeks. It was the fittest fastest and most agressive snake when we actually caught it.
Why is it that I always think of Montezuma's zoo when I read of zoos planning to aquire mutations? I can understand that an albino anything is and can be of interest and is educational. It is of special interest too that albino's are more prone to cancer, have to avoid sunlight and suffer from severe vision defects. Naturally occuring, yes... a result of a congenital disorder and so abnormal. I think it is wrong however for a zoo to collect a number of these unfortunate creatures together. It really does smack of the fairground freak show. I have visited a number of such places. The Monster Zoo in Pattaya immediately springs to mind. We need less places, less displays like that and not more.
My condolences to the friends and colleagues of Zulhakimi Suhaimi of Zoo Negara. A most unusal tragedy.
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I hope you remembered to put your clock forward by one hour. Thankfully I did. The only time I ever forgot was 44 years ago. It got me thinking though. I recollect that when I was full time in zoo work that there was not a year passed that one or the other of the staff forgot about the arrival of summertime. Happily they were the same staff who forgot to turn their clocks back at the end of the year so it sort of balanced itself out.
It must be age but to me the year is shooting by at a rate of knots. Before we know it April will be here along with the inevitable April Fools Day in the Zoo. I hope you are ready. Some zoos bury their heads in the sand and others will really get into the spirit of things and post some spoof story on the news. It is always fun to try and spot them because there are some very believeable stories at times. In fact some of the stories which appear in the press at other times of the year could do equally well on April the first. This though is largely due to either the press getting their facts wrong or some collection which has lost its sense of direction putting out a load of rubbish.
The 'Missing Cobra Shutters Reptile House At Bronx Zoo' poses some interesting questions the most prominent in my mind of which is...for how long? The article says indefinitely. I believe that this is a wise choice of words. But really....how long? If it was your zoo and you lost a venomous snake, assuming you never found it, how long would it be before you opened up again? What if the snake had been stolen? It is possible.
Many, many years ago I was involved in the partial demolition of a reptile house. Under the base of one of the exhibits we found two anaconda. Not huge, but anaconda all the same. The thing was nobody knew where they had come from or recollected hearing of an escape. Another zoo another time. The reptile house was severely damaged in a huge explosion. Several large pythons escaped. It was quite some time before we found all of them. It is incredible the spaces they can squeeze into. In yet another zoo we had a python escape. It was missing for weeks. It was the fittest fastest and most agressive snake when we actually caught it.
Why is it that I always think of Montezuma's zoo when I read of zoos planning to aquire mutations? I can understand that an albino anything is and can be of interest and is educational. It is of special interest too that albino's are more prone to cancer, have to avoid sunlight and suffer from severe vision defects. Naturally occuring, yes... a result of a congenital disorder and so abnormal. I think it is wrong however for a zoo to collect a number of these unfortunate creatures together. It really does smack of the fairground freak show. I have visited a number of such places. The Monster Zoo in Pattaya immediately springs to mind. We need less places, less displays like that and not more.
My condolences to the friends and colleagues of Zulhakimi Suhaimi of Zoo Negara. A most unusal tragedy.
****
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Some Articles You May Have Missed
Indonesian Zoos
Philippine Zoos
Best Practice Capture, Handling and Restraint Program DVD Series
Major tiger farmer sentenced to imprisonment
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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Death in zoo pool
Animal minder goes down with boat that sprung a leak on the Tunku Abdul Rahman lake
A zookeeper drowned on duty on Saturday morning and three of his colleagues were lucky to survive — after the boat they were in sprung a leak and went down in the lake inside Zoo Negara.
It was a tragedy that was probably waiting to happen after staff members warned the zoo management about the leak-prone boat used to trim foliage hanging down the banks of Tunku Abdul Rahman Lake.
In the incident at about 10am Zulhakimi Suhaimi, 24, and his three colleagues were in the boat trimming over-hanging dropping branches from islets within the lake in the middle of Zoo Negara home to over 300 free-roaming birds.
In about about 20 minutes, water filled the boat causing it to sink and spilling the four men overboard.
The tragedy was witnessed by an Indonesian maid, Rose, who was decorating a gazebo on one of the islets in preparation for celebration of the daughter of her employer.
"I was alone then. The children and their parents were sight-seeing. As I was setting out the place, I heard loud shouts for help by four men in the water."
Rose said two of the men managed to swim to the islet and haul themselves on shore while holding on to the overhanging branches.
Another man managed
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/67779-death-zoo-pool
Tiger population rises by 295 in India
The Census exercise was carried out in 2010 in the designated 39 tiger reserves of India.
According to the last Census report of 2008, the population of big cat was at 1411.
In the Sundarbans archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, the tiger count is 70, according to the latest Census, busting the myth that the number is 275 as bandied about by the West Bengal government for long.
"Someone from the West Bengal government should answer what they were doing in the past ten years. Will they accept the figure," asked tiger expert Valmik Thapar speaking to NDTV after the figures were made available.
According to the Census, the tiger population in Shivalik-Gangetic plains is 353, in the Central and Eastern Ghats 601, in Western Ghats 534 and in the Northeast
http://www.indiablooms.com/EnvironmentDetailsPage/environmentDetails280311a.php
Zookeeper sues Woburn: full report
A FORMER zookeeper at Woburn Safari Park has claimed he was forced out of his job after highlighting health and safety and animal welfare breaches.
At an industrial tribunal in Howard Street, Bedford this week, Dr Paul O’Donoghue, 32, claimed constructive dismissal saying that a number of incidents – including events leading to the escape of an elephant – stopped him from being able to do his job.
But a solicitor, representing Bedford Estates, claimed Dr O’Donoghue left his role at the safari park voluntarily, and that the firm had adhered to all disciplinary matters and grievances at the park within given guidelines.
Solicitor Abayomi Alemoru, said: “Let me suggest to you that saying you were pushed out of your job for making complaints about health and safety and animal welfare is a post-employment construct made with your claim in March 2010.”
He suggested Dr O’Donoghue’s motive for the claim were the result of a vendetta against the park.
Dr O’Donoghue, who represented himself at the tribunal supported by his partner Emily, left his position on December 5, 2009.
He claimed that he was not able to carry out his health and safety responsibilities at the park because of a “culture in which health and safety issues seem to be tolerated within the organisation”.
When giving evidence to the tribunal he claimed that issues he raised, including a leak of human waste from the restaurant toilets which was contaminating the monkey house, breaches in security which led to an elephant escaping, and inexperienced workers tending to the park’s pride of lions, were overlooked by park chiefs.
He said: “I resigned from a permanent position at Woburn to take up a temporary position at Chester University.
“I strongly feel that I will never work in a zoo again and being a lecturer is not my long-term career ambition.”
Dr O’Donoghue described an alleged incident in which staff member Neil Berry got out of his Land Rover in the lion enclosure to free a vehicle which was stuck on a hill.
He said: “I was concerned that inexperienced staff were managing a dysfunctional and unnatural pride of lions.”
Dr O’Donoghue said that Mr Berry reacted violently when he confronted him and urged him to report it.
Mr Alemoru claimed that the reason Mr Berry behaved in this way is because Dr O’Donoghue swore at him, not because he didn’t want to file the report.
During the hearing Dr O’Donoghue claimed that he had suffered detriment and victimisation as a result of highlighting issues at the park.
He said: “During October and November there were actions and occurrences that made me question the tenability of my position.
“Comments were made about my job security, I was assaulted at work, and my employer has failed in its contact to provide a reasonable working environment
http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/local/zookeeper_sues_woburn_full_report_1_2533934
Napier's Marineland to be closed and cleared (December 2010)
Marineland will be permanently closed and the site cleared "ready for something new."
More than two years after the marine park closed to the public, Napier City Council announced this morning it will not be reopened.
The decision came after the government confirmed it would not support marine mammals being kept in captivity.
Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott said the government's stance, and the need for major upgrades at the aging facility, forced the council's hand.
The decision was made to "close the facility and clear the site ready for something new".
Mrs Arnott said many alternative options were
http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/napiers-marineland-to-be-closed-and-cleared/3933445/
And Then
What happened to Marineland's stars?
As a city which suffered a massive quake, the thoughts of Napier residents are very much with the people of Christchurch, but there is another matter on the minds of many Hawkes Bay residents; The future of Marineland.
You may remember the Napier city council announced Marineland's closure, but local opposition to this has led to a judicial review.
The sea mammals which were once Marineland's celebrities are now kept out of the spotlight, behind locked gates.
The council allowed Campbell Live in to try and find out what will happen to them.
Whena Owen met
http://www.3news.co.nz/What-happened-to-Marinelands-stars/tabid/817/articleID/203677/Default.aspx
Watch VIDEO
Further information on the above.
AZA report raises questions about Knoxville Zoo elephant's behavior
Knoxville Zoo sticking with protective contact for handlers
An independent review panel has determined the Jan. 14 death of Knoxville Zoo elephant keeper Stephanie James was an accident. In the aftermath of James' death, the zoo will continue to care for its African elephants through protective barriers.
James, 33, died from internal injuries after female elephant Edie pinned her against a wide steel pole called a bollard. At the time, James was giving Edie her evening treats in one of the stalls at the Stokely African Elephant Preserve.
The four-member panel's report concluded that James' death was accidental.
The report also found no reason for the 8,500-pound animal to move toward James and found she exhibited no signs of aggression before, during or after the incident.
When Edie moved forward, she pinned James against the metal bar. The bars are spaced 2 feet apart. The report says injury to James could have been avoided if James had been standing in that open space.
The zoo also today included a special report issued by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the organization that accredits zoos.
The AZA report says that the zoo's elephant management procedures are consistent with its own standards and that the park's elephant keepers are qualified and experienced.
However, the AZA report does
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/mar/24/aza-report-raises-questions-about-elephants-behavi/
Why would an unbiased report use a word like 'cell' for animal accommodation?
No, Please don't bother to tell me....I guessed already.
Zoo authorities clueless on elephant's aggression
Zoo authorities are clueless as to how to deal with the three-month-long period of aggression of Rajmangal, a 55-year-old male elephant at Chhatbir zoo. Wildlife lovers feel elephants should be shifted to forest and sanctuary areas in keeping with guidelines of CZA ( Central Zoo Authority).
According to wildlife experts, elephants are mega herbivore animals and they need extra surface to roam around. A circular issued by CZA in 2009 said elephants should be moved out from captivity areas. 'When a team from CZA had visited Chhatbir zoo last year, why it did not direct zoo authorities to shift the elephants to sanctuary areas is incomprehensible,' said Payal Sodhi, founder of People for Animals (PFA) Chandigarh.
Zoo authorities say they are helpless as they cannot leave the elephant for it to walk around openly during the period of aggression. 'We have no option but to chain the elephant, otherwise he could harm visitors. Elephants are treated well under supervision of experts. However
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Zoo-authorities-clueless-on-elephants-aggression/articleshow/7783589.cms
Aquamarine Fukushima - Japan - Before tsunami
Dubai Zoo: Looking forward to a better day
Yet another summer will come by with hundreds of animals, at the Dubai Zoo, languishing in cramped conditions even as authorities continue to delay plans for a bigger facility. Most of the animals at the zoo are either victims of illegal trafficking or unwanted pets. In trying to find them a better home, the authorities have see-sawed over the past few years between plans on building a new zoo and shelving those decisions. Gulf News reporters take a look at the venue’s struggle to become more than just an animal shelter.
There seems to be no respite for the more than 1,000 animals at the Dubai Zoo who will continue to languish in the sweltering summer heat due to inordinate delays in plans to construct a new and bigger facility.
While the Dubai Municipality, the authority that manages the zoo, acknowledges that the zoo has its limitations, it added that there is no immediate solution to alleviate the space constraints.
"There are many plans for Dubai Zoo but all these plans are long term and no change is expected to take place at least until the end of this year," said Engineer Eisa Al Maidour, Assistant Director-General of the Dubai Municipality.
Not only is the Dubai Zoo housing animals in cramped conditions, it has also been earning bad press with limited or no promotion in hotel advertisements luring tourists to the emirate.
The zoo has grown considerably since it was launched in Jumeirah, in May 1967, with a few animals. Today, it is home to around 230 species while the total number exceeds over 1,000 animals — all of whom reside in an area measuring 20,000 square metres, which also includes offices and a visitors' centre.
More than 80 per cent of the zoo's population consists of animals either donated by people or seized by customs or municipality officials. Now, the zoo has stopped accepting
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/dubai-zoo-looking-forward-to-a-better-day-1.782391
Dubai Zoo
Plans for albino zone in Byculla zoo
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to create a special zone for albino animals within the premises of Veer Jijamata Udyan, popularly called the Byculla zoo.
According to officials, the zone will be set up in a two-storey structure to be constructed inside the zoo for educating children and creating awareness among them on wildlife conservation. To be called the Interpretation Centre, the structure will be built as part of the plans to modernize the zoo.
On Thursday, Neelim Kumar Khaire, director of Katraj Snake Park in Pune, met Rahul Shewale, BMC standing committee chairman, to discuss the feasibility of transferring some of the albino animals to the Byculla zoo.
"We already have a white peacock and a white crow. But Khaire wants to transfer some white cobras and turtles as well. We also plan to add a white porcupine. It will be a small area in the intepretation centre, near the penguins. It's aimed to be different so that school children can appreciate it,"said an official from the zoo. "The idea of having a white
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Plans-for-albino-zone-in-Byculla-zoo/articleshow/7783575.cms
Zoo's revenue goes in part to conservation efforts
We refer to the letter "Attractions need to charge less" (March 23) by Ms Marietta Koh.
The Singapore Zoo, operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, is a self-funded organisation, while the Melaka Zoo is managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, a government organisation responsible for the protection, management and preservation of biodiversity in Malaysia.
All profits and revenue earned from our parks is injected back into the care of the animals and exhibits, as well as conservation efforts and skills upgrading of our employees. A portion of our entrance fee is also donated to the Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund (WRSCF), which was set up by WRS to support the conservation of endangered native wildlife, as well as for capacity building, education and awareness programmes on key species and conservation issues in the South-east Asian region.
The role of zoos has changed through the years. In addition to offering recreation for families and tourists, our mission is to connect people with wildlife to inspire nature conservation and to educate people on the human effect on living things and habitats. To run a successful social enterprise with such a mission, we need to be financially independent.
Therefore, we have invested resources in making sure that we maintain world-class exhibits, while introducing new in-park attractions to remain competitive and relevant. We also have ongoing initiatives to transform our parks from "viewing zoos" to "learning zoos". This involves installing interactive signage at all exhibits, organising outreach activities for the young such as overnight camps, and working with partners such as the Ministry of Education to publish educational materials for use in the classroom.
We constantly try to balance the maintenance of our financial health, the protection of local and global biodiversity and the support of community development.
That said, at WRS, we have different price points targeted at various groups. Local senior citizens can purchase admission tickets at half price. Park hopper specials allow visitors to purchase 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 admission tickets to either three or two of our parks - Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo - at a discounted price. Locals and residents keen to visit several times in a year can sign up for a reasonably-priced membership package which comes with perks such as tram rides and complimentary parking. Additionally, WRS extends heavily subsidised rates to visiting schools. For a value-added visit, teachers can make advanced bookings for complimentary enrichment pr
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110328-0000005/Zoos-revenue-goes-in-part-to-conservation-efforts
Zoo gets $15 million gift and a new look
Philanthropist Conrad Prebys makes largest donation in zoo history
San Diego philanthropist Conrad Prebys is giving the San Diego Zoo $15 million to launch a major redesign of its big cat and koala areas. This gift, announced Sunday afternoon, follows Prebys’ 2007 donation of $10.1 million to revamp the polar bear plunge and elephant care center.
Not only is this new pledge the largest single gift in the history of the Zoo, but CEO Doug Myers said Prebys is also the largest single donor to the Zoo at over $25 million. (In 2004 Joan Kroc bequeathed $10 million to the Zoo.)
The bulk of Prebys’ new gift will transform the Zoo’s Big Cat Trail into a winding walkway like San Francisco’s Lombard Street and enhance its Africa Rocks section. The donation also will
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/27/the-zoo-gets-15-million-gift-and-a-new-look/
Meet the Zoo: Alexandra and Nicholas (Great Photos)
Section Sponsored By Nicholas is a sweetie, but Alexandra can be downright mean.
At many zoos, smaller animals are often overshadowed by their popular, larger cousins.
Not so for Alexandra and Nicholas at the Prospect Park Zoo, where there are no lions or tigers to steal their thunder.
This little pair of Pallas’s cats are about the size of house cats, but look much larger because of all their fur.
They were born in the Moscow Zoo in April of 1998. When they were just a year old, they moved to the San Diego Zoo where they gave birth to several litters of kittens. In 2008 they moved to the Prospect Park Zoo, where they’re spending their golden years.
Alexandra and Nicholas are the first wild cats exhibited at Prospect Park Zoo since it was renovated in 1993. Visitors
http://prospectheights.patch.com/articles/meet-the-zoo-alexandra-and-nicholas#photo-5403451
Prague zoo opens 80th season
Thousands of people attended the ceremonial opening of the 80th season of the Prague Zoo despite cloudy weather Saturday to see the christening of a pair of rare iguanas and the reconstructed buildings with a new restaurant and gallery.
The Blue Iguanas, a critically endangered species, were christened by Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda and the Zoo director Miroslav Bobek. The lizards were named Faust and Margarita.
The Prague Zoo sought to get the nearly extinct lizards coming from the Grand Cayman island for more than ten years, curator Petr Velensky said.
He said the Prague Zoo is the only one in Europe to have them.
Velensky expressed hope that the pair would multiply.
Bobek said he believed the timbered Cubist houses built by renowned Czech architect Josef Gocar at the beginning of the 20th century would be one of the main attractions of the Prague Zoo even though there are no animals in them.
The houses were originally built at the city's first
http://praguemonitor.com/2011/03/28/prague-zoo-opens-80th-season
Death of German polar bear doesn’t affect KC’s Nikita, zookeepers say
Kansas City’s polar bear, Nikita, is four years and four months old and appears to be in the pink, er, white of health.
But Knut, the superstar polar bear at the Berlin Zoo, also appeared healthy before he suddenly keeled over and died in front of hundreds of horrified visitors. And he was only four years and three months old.
The shocking death points to the challenge facing zookeepers in managing the health of their animals, especially the ones that capture the hearts of the public.
Before Nikita came to the Kansas City Zoo last year from the Toledo Zoo, he was tranquilized to allow extensive tests. That included blood work to see how well he carries oxygen to his organs, X-rays of his head, a check of his reproductive system and even a glaucoma exam. Veterinarians also removed two baby canine teeth that failed to emerge
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/27/2756926/death-of-german-polar-bear-doesnt.html
1,200 mails exchanged to bring home cheetahs
Visitors from south India may have the chance of witnessing cheetahs in captivity in the 118-year old Sri Chamarajendra Zoologoical Gardens here, but they are oblivious of the untiring efforts made by the authorities to procure these majestic animals. But for the existence of the e-mail system, it would not have been possible for the authorities to get these endangered species in a short span of one and a half year.
Mysore zoo authorities exchanged more than 1,200 e-mails with various agencies and government organizations before they got the four cheetahs from Johannesburg. With the arrival of these four cheetahs, Mysore Zoo has become the only zoo in south India and second in India after Junagad zoo in Gujarat to have cheetahs as exhibits.
The idea to import cheetahs took off a year-and-a-half ago when Mysore zoo authorities wrote to Central Zoo Authority(CZA) seeking its permission to import cheetahs from an African safari. But since the proposal did not go down well with the CZA for various reasons
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/1200-mails-exchanged-to-bring-home-cheetahs/articleshow/7801410.cms
Putin's animal antics questioned in Russia
"There's a good kitty, a pretty kitty," Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was shown by state media telling snow leopard last weekend, who stared back at him, covered in fresh blood.
The rare species is the latest to go under "personal control" of the Russian leader, who is overseeing research programs on a handful of mammals, including the tiger, beluga whale and polar bear.
As part of that work he has taken part in several tagging missions with scientists from the Moscow-based Severtsov Institute.
But other scientists have said the snow leopard was harmed, and that the program is scientifically unreasonable and directed more towards publicity.
The leopard, called Mongol, had to be flown to Khakasia, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from its habitat in the Sayano-Shushensky reserve, and was held in captivity for five days, released only after meeting Putin.
The removal of the animal was "criminal", according to the regional UNDP-funded programme on biodiversity, since the Severtsov institute only had permission to tag Mongol, which could have been done in 15 minutes.
On Sunday, the Severtsov institute said on its website that the animal had to be held and treated for wounds on his neck and cheekbone.
"He was ill," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP, dismissing allegations that the animal had been held captive in order to meet the prime minister as "absolutely groundless."
But Alexander Bondarev, the manager
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jNp_lxEWFaxUjP-OX3N42D8ATY8Q?docId=CNG.1b64a6725906cfcabaa4f4b42fc1a3bf.321
THE ELPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM - Theatrical Trailer
In Select Theaters April 2011
Villagers Protest 'Illegal' Swiftlet Building Close To Homes
More than 100 people of Kampung Gajah Merangkak here Sunday staged a protest against the construction of a building to breed swiftlets in their village, less than 100 metres from the nearest house.
The demonstration was held at the site of the building to draw the notice of the Kulim Municipal Council and the Kedah government to the matter.
The chairman of the village development and security committee, Ismail Jusoh, 52, said the committee sent a memorandum to the council in September last year but there had been no action.
"We went to the office of the menteri besar in Alor Setar in December but only met State Executive Councillor Datuk Phahrolrozi Zawawi with whom we registered our objection, but in vain.
"The construction of the building is illegal because I did not get any information on the structure from the Kulim Municipal Council," he told reporters.
Ismail said the committee had received a copy of the approval letter for a similar building, also in the village but located 1.5 kilometres
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/state_news/news.php?cat=nt&id=568897
Bird Nest Soup
Malaysia's tourist city bans breeding of birds after UN issues warning over old buildings
Tens of thousands of birds cultivated for their edible nests are being banned from the capital of a Malaysian tourist island after the U.N. cultural agency warned that the business endangered efforts to preserve decades-old buildings prized for their historical value, officials said Thursday.
The bird breeders on Malaysia's northern Penang island voiced fears that the ban would disrupt their lucrative business, which existed for years before UNESCO placed Penang's capital of Georgetown on its list of World Heritage Sites in 2008.
A spot on the list helps attract tourists and U.N. grants, but authorities have to follow restrictions to limit changes to the landscape. The restrictions pose a problem for entrepreneurs in Georgetown who convert old buildings and houses into small farms where sparrow-like swiftlets live and breed.
Cup-shaped nests made from the swiftlets' glutinous saliva are sold across Asia as a delicacy and can fetch up to $1,000 per pound ($2,000 per kilogram). Many Chinese serve the nests in a soup, saying it has medicinal qualities.
Chow Kon Yeow, a Penang state legislator, said authorities have ordered all swiftlet farms in Georgetown to move to agricultural areas elsewhere on the island by 2013. Twenty-seven have closed so far, while another 101 remain.
"It's too heavy a burden if we lose" the U.N. heritage status, he said.
UNESCO has expressed concerns to Malaysian
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ihs_VTgM0AFI5XS9AKsP0hJmgkQg?docId=6199813
Lucy has a comfortable life here-zoo
Re: "Let's get Lucy the help she needs," by Dr. Debi Zimmermann, Letters, March 18.
As the head of the Edmonton Valley Zoo, I would like to correct the portrayal of Lucy the elephant's life in Edmonton.
She enjoys a comfortable life at the zoo, where she is loved and cherished. Visitors often see Lucy out and about enjoying the whole zoo as her home.
Lucy has unique needs and must be understood and treated as an individual elephant.
She has a complicated medical condition that is being managed responsibly at the zoo. Elephants usually breathe through their trunks; Lucy breathes through her mouth.
Under stress, or during other times of increased need for oxygen, Lucy's ability to breathe is stretched almost beyond her capacity. It is imperative to keep her calm and quiet.
Dr. James Oosterhuis, an elephant specialist, returned to the Edmonton Valley Zoo earlier this year for a followup examination of Lucy. He concluded Lucy's medical condition precludes any thought of moving her and, in fact, it would be life threatening
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/Lucy+comfortable+life+here/4501304/story.html
Endangered condors lay 10 eggs at the Oregon Zoo
California condors have laid 10 eggs, with one more possibly on the way, at the Oregon Zoo.
The Oregonian reports that's the most eggs since the Portland zoo joined the effort to save the critically endangered species in 2003 with a captive breeding program. The zoo has 11 breeding pairs and 38 condors total.
For the first time this year the zoo plans to transfer two to four of the eggs to California where they'll be placed in nests in the wild.
The rest of the eggs will be hatching in coming weeks
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17699298?nclick_check=1
College goes wild over zoo
EXOTIC animal encounters will be just around the corner with plans for a Ponteland zoo.
Monkey business and comparing the meerkats will soon become the norm in the Northumberland countryside as the Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens gets set for opening to the public.
The new tourist attraction is being created at the Northumberland College campus to improve its learning environment for animal management and horticultural students.
But the facility will also invite the public to meet its animals, which will include more than 100 different species, from emus to wallabies, pygmy goats to marmosets and meerkats to ring tail lemurs.
Visitors will be able to chat to zookeepers, who will introduce them to the animals and tell them more about their behaviour and habitats.
There will also be a river and forest trail, ornamental and walled gardens, an aquatics centre, picnic
http://www.morpethherald.co.uk/news/college_goes_wild_over_zoo_1_3216665
Terri's secret sell-off - Australia Zoo growth on hold
STEVE Irwin's widow Terri has been quietly selling off properties from a multi-million dollar portfolio amassed by the star couple.
In a sign Australia Zoo has hit hard times, Mrs Irwin has placed several Sunshine Coast properties on the market. A number of zoo exhibits are on hold or delayed.
Mrs Irwin has admitted a horrific wet summer drastically affected visitor numbers and forced job cuts.
An investigation reveals Mrs Irwin has been trying to offload properties since late last year - many at a loss.
Four directly border the zoo on Fraser and Bunney roads, Beerwah, and were originally purchased back when expansion plans were at full throttle.
A sprawling 95ha parcel at Peachester, with views of the Glass House
http://www.news.com.au/money/property/terris-secret-sell-off-zoo-growth-on-hold/story-e6frfmd0-1226028704440
Zoo's Dolphin Habitat Celebrates 50th Anniversary
More than two million people each year visit the Brookfield Zoo’s Seven Seas exhibit in suburban Chicago. The exhibit, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is the oldest inland dolphin habitat in the United States. It focuses on the Chicago Zoological Society’s efforts to promote marine conservation.
Fifty years ago, the only way people in the US. Midwest could see dolphins up close was by visiting the coastline. The Chicago Zoological Society wanted to bring that experience closer to home.
"This was a very groundbreaking facility," said Rita Stacey, curator of the Seven Seas exhibit at Brookfield Zoo. She's worked with dolphins at the zoo for twenty years. "It was the first inland Dolphinarium. It was the first one to
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/environment/Zoos-Dolphin-Habitat-Celebrates-50th-Anniversary-118679504.html
Missing Cobra Shutters Reptile House At Bronx Zoo
The Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo was closed Saturday after an adolescent Egyptian cobra went missing from an off-exhibit enclosure.
Zoo staff said they immediately closed and secured the building after learning the snake was missing. Egyptian cobras are poisonous.
Officials at the zoo said they were confident that the snake, about 20-inches long, was confined to an isolated, non-public area of the building. Snakes typically seek closed-in spaces, and are uncomfortable in open areas.
“We are informing the public out of an abundance
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/03/26/missing-cobra-shutters-reptile-house-at-bronx-zoo/
What a Sign to See at the Zoo: Cobra Is Missing
Visitors to the Bronx Zoo were greeted with locked doors when they tried to enter the reptile exhibit this past weekend, and with good reason: a venomous snake was on the loose.
“The World of Reptiles is closed today,” a sign explaining the closing said. “Staff observed an adolescent Egyptian cobra missing from an off-exhibit enclosure on Friday.”
The Egyptian cobra, a favorite of snake charmers — and probably the asp whose venom Cleopatra used to commit suicide — is a dark snake with a narrow hood, and grows up to two yards in length. (The missing animal was only 20 inches, a zoo employee said.) Native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, it usually preys on toads and birds, not humans, but zookeepers
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/nyregion/28snakes.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Epilepsy killed celebrity polar bear Knut: report
Knut, the celebrity orphan polar bear who drew thousands of visitors to Berlin zoo, died after an epileptic fit, according to neurologists quoted by Focus magazine.
A CAT scan had revealed abormalities in the brain of the bear, who may have inherited epilepsy from his father Lars, also a sufferer.
Four year-old Knut, who won global fame as he grew from a cute cub but grew into a 200 kg predator, died in front of horrified visitors at the zoo last weekend.
Neurologists said the fit was triggered by a brain disorder yet to be identified. The magazine said Knut's brain is now being studied at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wild
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/us-germany-knut-idUSTRE72P1US20110326
Shocking new ADI cruelty exposé shames UK circus industry from Animal Defenders on Vimeo.
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Death in zoo pool
Animal minder goes down with boat that sprung a leak on the Tunku Abdul Rahman lake
A zookeeper drowned on duty on Saturday morning and three of his colleagues were lucky to survive — after the boat they were in sprung a leak and went down in the lake inside Zoo Negara.
It was a tragedy that was probably waiting to happen after staff members warned the zoo management about the leak-prone boat used to trim foliage hanging down the banks of Tunku Abdul Rahman Lake.
In the incident at about 10am Zulhakimi Suhaimi, 24, and his three colleagues were in the boat trimming over-hanging dropping branches from islets within the lake in the middle of Zoo Negara home to over 300 free-roaming birds.
In about about 20 minutes, water filled the boat causing it to sink and spilling the four men overboard.
The tragedy was witnessed by an Indonesian maid, Rose, who was decorating a gazebo on one of the islets in preparation for celebration of the daughter of her employer.
"I was alone then. The children and their parents were sight-seeing. As I was setting out the place, I heard loud shouts for help by four men in the water."
Rose said two of the men managed to swim to the islet and haul themselves on shore while holding on to the overhanging branches.
Another man managed
http://www.mmail.com.my/content/67779-death-zoo-pool
Tiger population rises by 295 in India
The Census exercise was carried out in 2010 in the designated 39 tiger reserves of India.
According to the last Census report of 2008, the population of big cat was at 1411.
In the Sundarbans archipelago in the Bay of Bengal, the tiger count is 70, according to the latest Census, busting the myth that the number is 275 as bandied about by the West Bengal government for long.
"Someone from the West Bengal government should answer what they were doing in the past ten years. Will they accept the figure," asked tiger expert Valmik Thapar speaking to NDTV after the figures were made available.
According to the Census, the tiger population in Shivalik-Gangetic plains is 353, in the Central and Eastern Ghats 601, in Western Ghats 534 and in the Northeast
http://www.indiablooms.com/EnvironmentDetailsPage/environmentDetails280311a.php
Zookeeper sues Woburn: full report
A FORMER zookeeper at Woburn Safari Park has claimed he was forced out of his job after highlighting health and safety and animal welfare breaches.
At an industrial tribunal in Howard Street, Bedford this week, Dr Paul O’Donoghue, 32, claimed constructive dismissal saying that a number of incidents – including events leading to the escape of an elephant – stopped him from being able to do his job.
But a solicitor, representing Bedford Estates, claimed Dr O’Donoghue left his role at the safari park voluntarily, and that the firm had adhered to all disciplinary matters and grievances at the park within given guidelines.
Solicitor Abayomi Alemoru, said: “Let me suggest to you that saying you were pushed out of your job for making complaints about health and safety and animal welfare is a post-employment construct made with your claim in March 2010.”
He suggested Dr O’Donoghue’s motive for the claim were the result of a vendetta against the park.
Dr O’Donoghue, who represented himself at the tribunal supported by his partner Emily, left his position on December 5, 2009.
He claimed that he was not able to carry out his health and safety responsibilities at the park because of a “culture in which health and safety issues seem to be tolerated within the organisation”.
When giving evidence to the tribunal he claimed that issues he raised, including a leak of human waste from the restaurant toilets which was contaminating the monkey house, breaches in security which led to an elephant escaping, and inexperienced workers tending to the park’s pride of lions, were overlooked by park chiefs.
He said: “I resigned from a permanent position at Woburn to take up a temporary position at Chester University.
“I strongly feel that I will never work in a zoo again and being a lecturer is not my long-term career ambition.”
Dr O’Donoghue described an alleged incident in which staff member Neil Berry got out of his Land Rover in the lion enclosure to free a vehicle which was stuck on a hill.
He said: “I was concerned that inexperienced staff were managing a dysfunctional and unnatural pride of lions.”
Dr O’Donoghue said that Mr Berry reacted violently when he confronted him and urged him to report it.
Mr Alemoru claimed that the reason Mr Berry behaved in this way is because Dr O’Donoghue swore at him, not because he didn’t want to file the report.
During the hearing Dr O’Donoghue claimed that he had suffered detriment and victimisation as a result of highlighting issues at the park.
He said: “During October and November there were actions and occurrences that made me question the tenability of my position.
“Comments were made about my job security, I was assaulted at work, and my employer has failed in its contact to provide a reasonable working environment
http://www.bedfordtoday.co.uk/news/local/zookeeper_sues_woburn_full_report_1_2533934
Napier's Marineland to be closed and cleared (December 2010)
Marineland will be permanently closed and the site cleared "ready for something new."
More than two years after the marine park closed to the public, Napier City Council announced this morning it will not be reopened.
The decision came after the government confirmed it would not support marine mammals being kept in captivity.
Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott said the government's stance, and the need for major upgrades at the aging facility, forced the council's hand.
The decision was made to "close the facility and clear the site ready for something new".
Mrs Arnott said many alternative options were
http://www.hawkesbaytoday.co.nz/local/news/napiers-marineland-to-be-closed-and-cleared/3933445/
And Then
What happened to Marineland's stars?
As a city which suffered a massive quake, the thoughts of Napier residents are very much with the people of Christchurch, but there is another matter on the minds of many Hawkes Bay residents; The future of Marineland.
You may remember the Napier city council announced Marineland's closure, but local opposition to this has led to a judicial review.
The sea mammals which were once Marineland's celebrities are now kept out of the spotlight, behind locked gates.
The council allowed Campbell Live in to try and find out what will happen to them.
Whena Owen met
http://www.3news.co.nz/What-happened-to-Marinelands-stars/tabid/817/articleID/203677/Default.aspx
Watch VIDEO
Further information on the above.
AZA report raises questions about Knoxville Zoo elephant's behavior
Knoxville Zoo sticking with protective contact for handlers
An independent review panel has determined the Jan. 14 death of Knoxville Zoo elephant keeper Stephanie James was an accident. In the aftermath of James' death, the zoo will continue to care for its African elephants through protective barriers.
James, 33, died from internal injuries after female elephant Edie pinned her against a wide steel pole called a bollard. At the time, James was giving Edie her evening treats in one of the stalls at the Stokely African Elephant Preserve.
The four-member panel's report concluded that James' death was accidental.
The report also found no reason for the 8,500-pound animal to move toward James and found she exhibited no signs of aggression before, during or after the incident.
When Edie moved forward, she pinned James against the metal bar. The bars are spaced 2 feet apart. The report says injury to James could have been avoided if James had been standing in that open space.
The zoo also today included a special report issued by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the organization that accredits zoos.
The AZA report says that the zoo's elephant management procedures are consistent with its own standards and that the park's elephant keepers are qualified and experienced.
However, the AZA report does
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/mar/24/aza-report-raises-questions-about-elephants-behavi/
Why would an unbiased report use a word like 'cell' for animal accommodation?
No, Please don't bother to tell me....I guessed already.
Zoo authorities clueless on elephant's aggression
Zoo authorities are clueless as to how to deal with the three-month-long period of aggression of Rajmangal, a 55-year-old male elephant at Chhatbir zoo. Wildlife lovers feel elephants should be shifted to forest and sanctuary areas in keeping with guidelines of CZA ( Central Zoo Authority).
According to wildlife experts, elephants are mega herbivore animals and they need extra surface to roam around. A circular issued by CZA in 2009 said elephants should be moved out from captivity areas. 'When a team from CZA had visited Chhatbir zoo last year, why it did not direct zoo authorities to shift the elephants to sanctuary areas is incomprehensible,' said Payal Sodhi, founder of People for Animals (PFA) Chandigarh.
Zoo authorities say they are helpless as they cannot leave the elephant for it to walk around openly during the period of aggression. 'We have no option but to chain the elephant, otherwise he could harm visitors. Elephants are treated well under supervision of experts. However
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/chandigarh/Zoo-authorities-clueless-on-elephants-aggression/articleshow/7783589.cms
Aquamarine Fukushima - Japan - Before tsunami
Dubai Zoo: Looking forward to a better day
Yet another summer will come by with hundreds of animals, at the Dubai Zoo, languishing in cramped conditions even as authorities continue to delay plans for a bigger facility. Most of the animals at the zoo are either victims of illegal trafficking or unwanted pets. In trying to find them a better home, the authorities have see-sawed over the past few years between plans on building a new zoo and shelving those decisions. Gulf News reporters take a look at the venue’s struggle to become more than just an animal shelter.
There seems to be no respite for the more than 1,000 animals at the Dubai Zoo who will continue to languish in the sweltering summer heat due to inordinate delays in plans to construct a new and bigger facility.
While the Dubai Municipality, the authority that manages the zoo, acknowledges that the zoo has its limitations, it added that there is no immediate solution to alleviate the space constraints.
"There are many plans for Dubai Zoo but all these plans are long term and no change is expected to take place at least until the end of this year," said Engineer Eisa Al Maidour, Assistant Director-General of the Dubai Municipality.
Not only is the Dubai Zoo housing animals in cramped conditions, it has also been earning bad press with limited or no promotion in hotel advertisements luring tourists to the emirate.
The zoo has grown considerably since it was launched in Jumeirah, in May 1967, with a few animals. Today, it is home to around 230 species while the total number exceeds over 1,000 animals — all of whom reside in an area measuring 20,000 square metres, which also includes offices and a visitors' centre.
More than 80 per cent of the zoo's population consists of animals either donated by people or seized by customs or municipality officials. Now, the zoo has stopped accepting
http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/environment/dubai-zoo-looking-forward-to-a-better-day-1.782391
Dubai Zoo
Plans for albino zone in Byculla zoo
The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is planning to create a special zone for albino animals within the premises of Veer Jijamata Udyan, popularly called the Byculla zoo.
According to officials, the zone will be set up in a two-storey structure to be constructed inside the zoo for educating children and creating awareness among them on wildlife conservation. To be called the Interpretation Centre, the structure will be built as part of the plans to modernize the zoo.
On Thursday, Neelim Kumar Khaire, director of Katraj Snake Park in Pune, met Rahul Shewale, BMC standing committee chairman, to discuss the feasibility of transferring some of the albino animals to the Byculla zoo.
"We already have a white peacock and a white crow. But Khaire wants to transfer some white cobras and turtles as well. We also plan to add a white porcupine. It will be a small area in the intepretation centre, near the penguins. It's aimed to be different so that school children can appreciate it,"said an official from the zoo. "The idea of having a white
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Plans-for-albino-zone-in-Byculla-zoo/articleshow/7783575.cms
Zoo's revenue goes in part to conservation efforts
We refer to the letter "Attractions need to charge less" (March 23) by Ms Marietta Koh.
The Singapore Zoo, operated by Wildlife Reserves Singapore, is a self-funded organisation, while the Melaka Zoo is managed by the Department of Wildlife and National Parks, a government organisation responsible for the protection, management and preservation of biodiversity in Malaysia.
All profits and revenue earned from our parks is injected back into the care of the animals and exhibits, as well as conservation efforts and skills upgrading of our employees. A portion of our entrance fee is also donated to the Wildlife Reserves Singapore Conservation Fund (WRSCF), which was set up by WRS to support the conservation of endangered native wildlife, as well as for capacity building, education and awareness programmes on key species and conservation issues in the South-east Asian region.
The role of zoos has changed through the years. In addition to offering recreation for families and tourists, our mission is to connect people with wildlife to inspire nature conservation and to educate people on the human effect on living things and habitats. To run a successful social enterprise with such a mission, we need to be financially independent.
Therefore, we have invested resources in making sure that we maintain world-class exhibits, while introducing new in-park attractions to remain competitive and relevant. We also have ongoing initiatives to transform our parks from "viewing zoos" to "learning zoos". This involves installing interactive signage at all exhibits, organising outreach activities for the young such as overnight camps, and working with partners such as the Ministry of Education to publish educational materials for use in the classroom.
We constantly try to balance the maintenance of our financial health, the protection of local and global biodiversity and the support of community development.
That said, at WRS, we have different price points targeted at various groups. Local senior citizens can purchase admission tickets at half price. Park hopper specials allow visitors to purchase 3-in-1 or 2-in-1 admission tickets to either three or two of our parks - Jurong Bird Park, Night Safari and Singapore Zoo - at a discounted price. Locals and residents keen to visit several times in a year can sign up for a reasonably-priced membership package which comes with perks such as tram rides and complimentary parking. Additionally, WRS extends heavily subsidised rates to visiting schools. For a value-added visit, teachers can make advanced bookings for complimentary enrichment pr
http://www.todayonline.com/Voices/EDC110328-0000005/Zoos-revenue-goes-in-part-to-conservation-efforts
Zoo gets $15 million gift and a new look
Philanthropist Conrad Prebys makes largest donation in zoo history
San Diego philanthropist Conrad Prebys is giving the San Diego Zoo $15 million to launch a major redesign of its big cat and koala areas. This gift, announced Sunday afternoon, follows Prebys’ 2007 donation of $10.1 million to revamp the polar bear plunge and elephant care center.
Not only is this new pledge the largest single gift in the history of the Zoo, but CEO Doug Myers said Prebys is also the largest single donor to the Zoo at over $25 million. (In 2004 Joan Kroc bequeathed $10 million to the Zoo.)
The bulk of Prebys’ new gift will transform the Zoo’s Big Cat Trail into a winding walkway like San Francisco’s Lombard Street and enhance its Africa Rocks section. The donation also will
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2011/mar/27/the-zoo-gets-15-million-gift-and-a-new-look/
Meet the Zoo: Alexandra and Nicholas (Great Photos)
Section Sponsored By Nicholas is a sweetie, but Alexandra can be downright mean.
At many zoos, smaller animals are often overshadowed by their popular, larger cousins.
Not so for Alexandra and Nicholas at the Prospect Park Zoo, where there are no lions or tigers to steal their thunder.
This little pair of Pallas’s cats are about the size of house cats, but look much larger because of all their fur.
They were born in the Moscow Zoo in April of 1998. When they were just a year old, they moved to the San Diego Zoo where they gave birth to several litters of kittens. In 2008 they moved to the Prospect Park Zoo, where they’re spending their golden years.
Alexandra and Nicholas are the first wild cats exhibited at Prospect Park Zoo since it was renovated in 1993. Visitors
http://prospectheights.patch.com/articles/meet-the-zoo-alexandra-and-nicholas#photo-5403451
Prague zoo opens 80th season
Thousands of people attended the ceremonial opening of the 80th season of the Prague Zoo despite cloudy weather Saturday to see the christening of a pair of rare iguanas and the reconstructed buildings with a new restaurant and gallery.
The Blue Iguanas, a critically endangered species, were christened by Prague Mayor Bohuslav Svoboda and the Zoo director Miroslav Bobek. The lizards were named Faust and Margarita.
The Prague Zoo sought to get the nearly extinct lizards coming from the Grand Cayman island for more than ten years, curator Petr Velensky said.
He said the Prague Zoo is the only one in Europe to have them.
Velensky expressed hope that the pair would multiply.
Bobek said he believed the timbered Cubist houses built by renowned Czech architect Josef Gocar at the beginning of the 20th century would be one of the main attractions of the Prague Zoo even though there are no animals in them.
The houses were originally built at the city's first
http://praguemonitor.com/2011/03/28/prague-zoo-opens-80th-season
Death of German polar bear doesn’t affect KC’s Nikita, zookeepers say
Kansas City’s polar bear, Nikita, is four years and four months old and appears to be in the pink, er, white of health.
But Knut, the superstar polar bear at the Berlin Zoo, also appeared healthy before he suddenly keeled over and died in front of hundreds of horrified visitors. And he was only four years and three months old.
The shocking death points to the challenge facing zookeepers in managing the health of their animals, especially the ones that capture the hearts of the public.
Before Nikita came to the Kansas City Zoo last year from the Toledo Zoo, he was tranquilized to allow extensive tests. That included blood work to see how well he carries oxygen to his organs, X-rays of his head, a check of his reproductive system and even a glaucoma exam. Veterinarians also removed two baby canine teeth that failed to emerge
http://www.kansascity.com/2011/03/27/2756926/death-of-german-polar-bear-doesnt.html
1,200 mails exchanged to bring home cheetahs
Visitors from south India may have the chance of witnessing cheetahs in captivity in the 118-year old Sri Chamarajendra Zoologoical Gardens here, but they are oblivious of the untiring efforts made by the authorities to procure these majestic animals. But for the existence of the e-mail system, it would not have been possible for the authorities to get these endangered species in a short span of one and a half year.
Mysore zoo authorities exchanged more than 1,200 e-mails with various agencies and government organizations before they got the four cheetahs from Johannesburg. With the arrival of these four cheetahs, Mysore Zoo has become the only zoo in south India and second in India after Junagad zoo in Gujarat to have cheetahs as exhibits.
The idea to import cheetahs took off a year-and-a-half ago when Mysore zoo authorities wrote to Central Zoo Authority(CZA) seeking its permission to import cheetahs from an African safari. But since the proposal did not go down well with the CZA for various reasons
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mysore/1200-mails-exchanged-to-bring-home-cheetahs/articleshow/7801410.cms
Putin's animal antics questioned in Russia
"There's a good kitty, a pretty kitty," Prime Minister Vladimir Putin was shown by state media telling snow leopard last weekend, who stared back at him, covered in fresh blood.
The rare species is the latest to go under "personal control" of the Russian leader, who is overseeing research programs on a handful of mammals, including the tiger, beluga whale and polar bear.
As part of that work he has taken part in several tagging missions with scientists from the Moscow-based Severtsov Institute.
But other scientists have said the snow leopard was harmed, and that the program is scientifically unreasonable and directed more towards publicity.
The leopard, called Mongol, had to be flown to Khakasia, about 160 kilometers (100 miles) away from its habitat in the Sayano-Shushensky reserve, and was held in captivity for five days, released only after meeting Putin.
The removal of the animal was "criminal", according to the regional UNDP-funded programme on biodiversity, since the Severtsov institute only had permission to tag Mongol, which could have been done in 15 minutes.
On Sunday, the Severtsov institute said on its website that the animal had to be held and treated for wounds on his neck and cheekbone.
"He was ill," Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told AFP, dismissing allegations that the animal had been held captive in order to meet the prime minister as "absolutely groundless."
But Alexander Bondarev, the manager
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jNp_lxEWFaxUjP-OX3N42D8ATY8Q?docId=CNG.1b64a6725906cfcabaa4f4b42fc1a3bf.321
THE ELPHANT IN THE LIVING ROOM - Theatrical Trailer
In Select Theaters April 2011
Villagers Protest 'Illegal' Swiftlet Building Close To Homes
More than 100 people of Kampung Gajah Merangkak here Sunday staged a protest against the construction of a building to breed swiftlets in their village, less than 100 metres from the nearest house.
The demonstration was held at the site of the building to draw the notice of the Kulim Municipal Council and the Kedah government to the matter.
The chairman of the village development and security committee, Ismail Jusoh, 52, said the committee sent a memorandum to the council in September last year but there had been no action.
"We went to the office of the menteri besar in Alor Setar in December but only met State Executive Councillor Datuk Phahrolrozi Zawawi with whom we registered our objection, but in vain.
"The construction of the building is illegal because I did not get any information on the structure from the Kulim Municipal Council," he told reporters.
Ismail said the committee had received a copy of the approval letter for a similar building, also in the village but located 1.5 kilometres
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/state_news/news.php?cat=nt&id=568897
Bird Nest Soup
Malaysia's tourist city bans breeding of birds after UN issues warning over old buildings
Tens of thousands of birds cultivated for their edible nests are being banned from the capital of a Malaysian tourist island after the U.N. cultural agency warned that the business endangered efforts to preserve decades-old buildings prized for their historical value, officials said Thursday.
The bird breeders on Malaysia's northern Penang island voiced fears that the ban would disrupt their lucrative business, which existed for years before UNESCO placed Penang's capital of Georgetown on its list of World Heritage Sites in 2008.
A spot on the list helps attract tourists and U.N. grants, but authorities have to follow restrictions to limit changes to the landscape. The restrictions pose a problem for entrepreneurs in Georgetown who convert old buildings and houses into small farms where sparrow-like swiftlets live and breed.
Cup-shaped nests made from the swiftlets' glutinous saliva are sold across Asia as a delicacy and can fetch up to $1,000 per pound ($2,000 per kilogram). Many Chinese serve the nests in a soup, saying it has medicinal qualities.
Chow Kon Yeow, a Penang state legislator, said authorities have ordered all swiftlet farms in Georgetown to move to agricultural areas elsewhere on the island by 2013. Twenty-seven have closed so far, while another 101 remain.
"It's too heavy a burden if we lose" the U.N. heritage status, he said.
UNESCO has expressed concerns to Malaysian
http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/article/ALeqM5ihs_VTgM0AFI5XS9AKsP0hJmgkQg?docId=6199813
Lucy has a comfortable life here-zoo
Re: "Let's get Lucy the help she needs," by Dr. Debi Zimmermann, Letters, March 18.
As the head of the Edmonton Valley Zoo, I would like to correct the portrayal of Lucy the elephant's life in Edmonton.
She enjoys a comfortable life at the zoo, where she is loved and cherished. Visitors often see Lucy out and about enjoying the whole zoo as her home.
Lucy has unique needs and must be understood and treated as an individual elephant.
She has a complicated medical condition that is being managed responsibly at the zoo. Elephants usually breathe through their trunks; Lucy breathes through her mouth.
Under stress, or during other times of increased need for oxygen, Lucy's ability to breathe is stretched almost beyond her capacity. It is imperative to keep her calm and quiet.
Dr. James Oosterhuis, an elephant specialist, returned to the Edmonton Valley Zoo earlier this year for a followup examination of Lucy. He concluded Lucy's medical condition precludes any thought of moving her and, in fact, it would be life threatening
http://www.edmontonjournal.com/opinion/Lucy+comfortable+life+here/4501304/story.html
Endangered condors lay 10 eggs at the Oregon Zoo
California condors have laid 10 eggs, with one more possibly on the way, at the Oregon Zoo.
The Oregonian reports that's the most eggs since the Portland zoo joined the effort to save the critically endangered species in 2003 with a captive breeding program. The zoo has 11 breeding pairs and 38 condors total.
For the first time this year the zoo plans to transfer two to four of the eggs to California where they'll be placed in nests in the wild.
The rest of the eggs will be hatching in coming weeks
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_17699298?nclick_check=1
College goes wild over zoo
EXOTIC animal encounters will be just around the corner with plans for a Ponteland zoo.
Monkey business and comparing the meerkats will soon become the norm in the Northumberland countryside as the Kirkley Hall Zoological Gardens gets set for opening to the public.
The new tourist attraction is being created at the Northumberland College campus to improve its learning environment for animal management and horticultural students.
But the facility will also invite the public to meet its animals, which will include more than 100 different species, from emus to wallabies, pygmy goats to marmosets and meerkats to ring tail lemurs.
Visitors will be able to chat to zookeepers, who will introduce them to the animals and tell them more about their behaviour and habitats.
There will also be a river and forest trail, ornamental and walled gardens, an aquatics centre, picnic
http://www.morpethherald.co.uk/news/college_goes_wild_over_zoo_1_3216665
Terri's secret sell-off - Australia Zoo growth on hold
STEVE Irwin's widow Terri has been quietly selling off properties from a multi-million dollar portfolio amassed by the star couple.
In a sign Australia Zoo has hit hard times, Mrs Irwin has placed several Sunshine Coast properties on the market. A number of zoo exhibits are on hold or delayed.
Mrs Irwin has admitted a horrific wet summer drastically affected visitor numbers and forced job cuts.
An investigation reveals Mrs Irwin has been trying to offload properties since late last year - many at a loss.
Four directly border the zoo on Fraser and Bunney roads, Beerwah, and were originally purchased back when expansion plans were at full throttle.
A sprawling 95ha parcel at Peachester, with views of the Glass House
http://www.news.com.au/money/property/terris-secret-sell-off-zoo-growth-on-hold/story-e6frfmd0-1226028704440
Zoo's Dolphin Habitat Celebrates 50th Anniversary
More than two million people each year visit the Brookfield Zoo’s Seven Seas exhibit in suburban Chicago. The exhibit, celebrating its 50th anniversary, is the oldest inland dolphin habitat in the United States. It focuses on the Chicago Zoological Society’s efforts to promote marine conservation.
Fifty years ago, the only way people in the US. Midwest could see dolphins up close was by visiting the coastline. The Chicago Zoological Society wanted to bring that experience closer to home.
"This was a very groundbreaking facility," said Rita Stacey, curator of the Seven Seas exhibit at Brookfield Zoo. She's worked with dolphins at the zoo for twenty years. "It was the first inland Dolphinarium. It was the first one to
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/environment/Zoos-Dolphin-Habitat-Celebrates-50th-Anniversary-118679504.html
Missing Cobra Shutters Reptile House At Bronx Zoo
The Reptile House at the Bronx Zoo was closed Saturday after an adolescent Egyptian cobra went missing from an off-exhibit enclosure.
Zoo staff said they immediately closed and secured the building after learning the snake was missing. Egyptian cobras are poisonous.
Officials at the zoo said they were confident that the snake, about 20-inches long, was confined to an isolated, non-public area of the building. Snakes typically seek closed-in spaces, and are uncomfortable in open areas.
“We are informing the public out of an abundance
http://newyork.cbslocal.com/2011/03/26/missing-cobra-shutters-reptile-house-at-bronx-zoo/
What a Sign to See at the Zoo: Cobra Is Missing
Visitors to the Bronx Zoo were greeted with locked doors when they tried to enter the reptile exhibit this past weekend, and with good reason: a venomous snake was on the loose.
“The World of Reptiles is closed today,” a sign explaining the closing said. “Staff observed an adolescent Egyptian cobra missing from an off-exhibit enclosure on Friday.”
The Egyptian cobra, a favorite of snake charmers — and probably the asp whose venom Cleopatra used to commit suicide — is a dark snake with a narrow hood, and grows up to two yards in length. (The missing animal was only 20 inches, a zoo employee said.) Native to Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, it usually preys on toads and birds, not humans, but zookeepers
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/nyregion/28snakes.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss
Epilepsy killed celebrity polar bear Knut: report
Knut, the celebrity orphan polar bear who drew thousands of visitors to Berlin zoo, died after an epileptic fit, according to neurologists quoted by Focus magazine.
A CAT scan had revealed abormalities in the brain of the bear, who may have inherited epilepsy from his father Lars, also a sufferer.
Four year-old Knut, who won global fame as he grew from a cute cub but grew into a 200 kg predator, died in front of horrified visitors at the zoo last weekend.
Neurologists said the fit was triggered by a brain disorder yet to be identified. The magazine said Knut's brain is now being studied at the Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wild
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/26/us-germany-knut-idUSTRE72P1US20110326
Shocking new ADI cruelty exposé shames UK circus industry from Animal Defenders on Vimeo.
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Journal of Threatened Taxa
March 2011 - Vol. 3 - No. 3
Date of Publication 26 March 2011 (online & print)
Please click HERE
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Hello ZooLex Friend,
We have worked for your enjoyment!
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NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTATION
Giraffes at Duisburg Zoo can be seen from various levels. Indoors and outdoors plants play an important role for sight control and for the creation of atmosphere. The giraffe building receives much light through its UV-translucent roof and glass panels on two sides.
http://www.zoolex.org/zoolexcgi/view.py?id=536
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TIME TO PLAN FOR BROWSE FOR NEXT WINTER
Keeping browsers such as giraffe, deer, black rhinoceros, tapir, gorilla, howler monkeys and rock hyrax in temperate climate raises the problem of adequate feeding during the winter. The best choice is browse silage. Clauss et. al explain the producing of browse silage and its advantages for feeding browsers. The articles first appeared in EAZA News in 2001 and 2003 and were published on ZooLex with permission of the author Markus Clauss.
You can find the documents at www.zoolex.org/research.html
http://www.zoolex.org/publication/clauss/browse_silage_2001.pdf
http://www.zoolex.org/publication/clauss/browse_silage_2003.pdf
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