Friday, September 26, 2014

Zoo News Digest 20th - 26th September 2014 (ZooNews 900)


Zoo News Digest 20th - 26th September 2014 (ZooNews 900)





Dear Colleagues,

The biggest story of the week was the death of the unfortunate young man who was killed by the tiger in Delhi Zoo. The press had a field day and there can't have been a paper anywhere in the world which did not carry the story or have an opinion. I don't suppose we will ever get to the truth. Did he fall in, climb in, leap in or jump into the enclosure? I haven't seen 'pushed' but no doubt some paper stated it. Was he drunk or sober or mentally deranged? All have been stated in one report or another. Turns out that he was a married man and not a 'schoolboy' as many papers said. No-one blames the tiger so there is a little common sense at work…..but they have to blame somebody and so the finger is being pointed at the other zoo visitors and the zoo itself. The usual "why didn't they dart the tiger" rubbish comes up….this isn't Daktari, this is real life….and death. The papers like nothing more than a death of this nature but the real clincher for them is that there were photos and video. Not so in the case of the ZooKeeper killed by a tiger in China less than a month ago. Everyone seems to have forgotten him. A living breathing human being with family, friends, hopes and dreams. Yet there were only two very short reports on the incident. Nothing more. It would seem that if you have video to show then everyone will show more interest. I often think about that Chinese keeper.

And of course the Facebook Keeper groups went to town voicing their opinions. Some common sense and others verging on the ridiculous. I really do think that some should get out more, see how the world works. Because it was a 'White' tiger who killed the guy in Delhi there was the inevitable discussion down that road. Statements from keepers that said that 'all tigers are endangered and that most will never be released into the wild and therefore it doesn't matter what colour they are' show a startling lack of education. Zoos need to re-educate (or educate) some of their staff. They could not go far wrong by getting them to read the World Zoo Conservation Strategy in the first place….but then if they are a Dysfunctional Zoo they are not likely to do that.

We have a 'new' zoo in Ras Al Khaima which I hope to visit fairly soon. I will be interested to see the enclosures and facilities but even if these are excellent it will not matter because I have condemned the collection as Dysfunctional before I even visit. Why?....because the newspapers state "The animals include African and white lions, white and rare golden tigers, black panthers and cheetahs, grey and Arab wolves, rare antelopes and deer".  Funnily enough I don't really blame the owner for the choice of animals but the criminals who sell these things….and they are criminals and in more ways than one.

Pata Zoo is in the news again. It is an unfortunate place but believe me there are far worse collections in Thailand. The attacks on Pata take place roughly every two years then disappear from the Radar. I really do wonder if this time it is going to be any different. I doubt it. There is too much corruption. One of the biggest objections to Pata is that it is "in a Shopping Mall". So what? I really cannot see why this seems to get peoples goat so much. If it were located in a building 50 yards from a shopping mall would this make any difference? Or would it just mean that the AR's had just one less thing to moan about.

I note with great interest that Sentosa (SEA Aquarium and Dolphin Island) has been accredited by the AZA. This is a great move. Too often I see it stated in the press that this or that zoo meets International Standards. Hogwash….there aren't any. There are standards set by various zoo bodies including the AZA. How do you think Ras Al Khaima, Pata or Delhi Zoos would fare? Not too well I reckon. Easy to be critical of course because at the same time a huge percentage of North American Zoos would not have a hope in hell of being accredited by the AZA or EAZA or others.
What about SEAZA? Why did Sentosa not seek accreditation there with the Asian body? It's a good question but within the zoo world some accreditation is worth a lot more than others. Unless there has been some sort of radical change with SEAZA they still do not require members to be inspected before they are given accreditation. If someone knows different then please let me know. Most of the time the SEAZA website seems to be down and when it is up and running it is very rarely updated. So Sentosa in my opinion has shown great strength by applying for and gaining AZA membership. I hope more Asian zoos are brave enough to apply….most will fail and that includes a lot of the SEAZA collections.










Although I have been based in Dubai these past three years I prefer to maintain a UK address  for my surface mail. This has changed yet again. It is now:

Peter Dickinson, c/o 2 Highgate, Dolwen, Abergele, Conwy, North Wales, 

United Kingdom, LL22 8NP.

Bear in mind it is NOT where I live. You can send books for review, cheques etc to that address. I will get them eventually....although it may take months. If you prefer to send by courier to Dubai then please email me and I will send details. My contact phone number in Dubai remains the same:

00971 (0)50 4787 122





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Blackbrook Zoological Park near Leek to be relaunched as new zoo next year
ANIMAL lovers have been promised they will once again be able to enjoy their favourite creatures at a zoo – after the venue found new owners.

Administrators overseeing the sale of Blackbrook Zoological Park have confirmed the rural tourist spot has been snapped up and will open next year following "significant improvement work".

And animal fans and community leaders have welcomed plans for the site revealed by new owner T3115 Ltd.

Low visitor numbers and a number of financial problems caused the 30-acre zoo – which boasts birds,






Polar bears chew through silicone in Winnipeg zoo's underwater tunnel
The Assiniboine Park Zoo has temporarily closed its underwater polar bear viewing tunnel after the bears chewed into some of the silicone sealant around the tunnel's glass.

The zoo announced Friday that the tunnel, which is part of the Journey to Churchill exhibit, is closed for repairs for at least one to two weeks. However, officials have yet to determine the full extent of the damage.





Do Elephants Kill People? Elephant Caretaker Tragedy In Maine Sparks Barrier Debate
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums will require all zoos to use barriers between humans and elephants by 2017, following the killing of an elephant caretaker by one of the two elephants in his care. The decision came after the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) sent a team to investigate the man’s death. The death was ruled an accident, but it shed light on the dangers of close-quarter interactions between elephants and humans.

"There were simply too many accidents. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums board wanted to take steps to prevent this from happening again," spokesman Rob Vernon told the New York Times.

An estimated 500 people a year are killed by elephants, according to National Geographic. Most deaths are accidents and a result of elephants being squeezed into smaller spaces. The constriction of elephant habitats happens in zoos frequently; it also happens in the wild. As farmers expand their lands to make ends meet, the territory where elephants can safely roa




http://www.leszoosdanslemonde.com/newsletter.21-09-2014.php 




Experts warn about dwindling giraffe population
Giraffes are some of the most interesting animals in the wild.  For years, people have been captivated by the animals.  But experts say if changes aren't made soon, giraffes will be extinct.

Julian Fennessey is the executive director for the Giraffe Conservation Foundation.  He traveled from Southwest Florida all the way from South Africa.  His mission is to make people aware of the giraffe population problem, and hopefully find a way to help.

"Bottom line -- giraffes are in serious threat," said Fennessey.  "They're such a charismatic species. People love them.  But, we just really didn't know how much peril they're in."

According to Fennessey, studies show the giraffe population has dropped 40 percent in the last 15 years.  It's a shocking reality for Naples Zoo giraffe keeper Charlotte Phillips.
"Seeing those numbers and just seeing how low it is -- it's just really saddening," said Phillips.

For the last five years, Fennessey and his team have worked to establish the history of the mysterious creatures and to find out what's killing them.

"The issue really is poaching and illegal hunting," said Fennessey.

Fennessey says giraffes have already become extinct in 10 countries in Africa.

"If we can't save the giraffe -- if we ca





Inserting Captive-Bred Tigers Into the Wild: Will it Work?
The South China tiger has not been seen in the wild since the 1960s. Although Chinese delegates at a global tiger conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh this week are reluctant to admit it is extinct in the wild, it might as well be, because no confirmed sightings have been made since the 1970s. There were under 60 of the subspecies left in zoos worldwide in 2002.

However there is now hope that captive tigers can be trained to be reintroduced and function in the wild for the first time in decades.

“It is exciting,” says Brad Nilson from Conservation Finance International. “This was controversial, even crazy stuff 20 years ago when we wrote about it, but now its gained acceptability.”

The functional extinction of the South China tiger, after China’s Communist Party declared it an “enemy of the people” for killing livestock, has meant that this was the only route to saving what is viewed as one of the most endangered animals on the planet. With conservators in China reluctant to inter-breed the animals with other subspecies; “we have had to be very careful about how we optimize breeding,” notes Nilson, who is working on the program. With so few animals left, there are risks of inbreeding.

Five South China tigers were taken from Shanghai Zoo to a converted South African sheep farm where they could be “re-wilded.” Within a few years one of the refugee tigers named Tiger Woods was fathering babies born, perhaps for the first time in decades, in at least a semi-wild condition. There are now 18 South China tigers in South Africa, giving hope that this animal may thrive once more. “We’ve gone from around 50 to 110 since 2002,” says Nilson. “It’s safe to say its the only subspecies that has doubled, which makes a major contribution to the global aim of doubling the population by 2022,” he adds.

Back in China a pilot reserve to host the first re-wilded tigers in their natural habitat has been identified and developed in Jianxi province.

While the South China tiger is perhaps the most ambitious program,  it is by no means the only project to reintroduce tigers to the wild. Kazakhstan saw its last Caspian tiger in 1948 near the Ily river in the Balkhash region. While the specific Caspian tiger subspecies is extinct, scientists studying the genes of preserved specimens note remarkable similarity with the Amur or Siberian tiger, which continues to exist wild in Russia’s far east and in captivity. As a result, Dr. Igor Chestin of WWF hopes to reintroduce tigers into the wild in Kazakhstan’s marshy Balkhash region within the next few years.

“We first need to establish populations of prey in the area,” says Chestin, who has received approval from Kazakhstan’s government for the project. The process of building up prey numbers has begun with reintroduction of the enigmatic Saiga antelope, boar and other species into the wetlands south of lake Balkhash. Chestin also notes that there are around 400 households grazing livestock in the area. “We hope to eliminate grazing, its not a traditional grazing area,” he says.

Cambodia is also keen to start a re-wilding progra





Thailand, China expected to renew panda loan contract
China and Thailand have agreed to extend the contract lending pandas Lin Hui and Chuang Chuang to Thailand for another 10 years as Panda Ambassadors. They are expected to renew the agreement in November.

Chiang Mai Zoo Director Dr Karnchai Saenwong told the press at Chiang Mai Zoo earlier today of the progress toward a contract, noting that both China and Thailand have now primarily agreed on the








 The September 2014 issue of ZOO’s PRINT Magazine (Vol. 29, No. 9) is online at <www.zoosprint.org> in a format that permits you to turn pages like a regular magazine.
If you wish to download the full magazine or certain articles click on <www.zoosprint.org/showMagazine.asp>
ZOOS' PRINT
ISSN 0973-2543 (online)
September 2014 | Vol. 29 | No. 9 | Date of Publication 22 September 2014
CONTENTS
Interview with Dr. Onnie Byers, Chair, Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, SSC, IUCN
-- Sally Walker, Pp. 1-4
Observations and Recommendations on Five Selected Indian Zoos: Report of USFWS sponsored Zoo Team to India, March 17-27, 1980, Edited by David A. Ferguson, International Affairs Staff, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. and abbreviated by SRW, Editor
Pp. 5-6
From ZOOKEEPING : Husbandry and Care of Small Mammals
-- Donald E. Moore and Michelle R. Farmerie, Pp. 7-10
Ethology: some observations on animal behaviour
-- Arunachalam Kumar, P. 11
Crocosmia Planch - an addition to Iridaceae of Kerala, India
-- K. Althaf Ahamed Kabeer and J.H. Franklin Benjamin, Pp. 12-13
Crotalaria pallida Aiton var. obovata (G. Don) Polhill (Fabaceae) - an extended distribution for Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Karnataka
-- Sameer Patil, J. Jayanthi, J.S. Jalal and C.R. Jadhav, Pp. 14-15
Orchids as Nutraceuticals
-- Jagdeep Verma, Pp. 16-18
Incidence of Leptospirosis in Captive Asiatic Elephant (Elephas maximus)
-- M.G. Jayathangaraj, M. Palanivelrajan, K. Senthilkumar, S. Vairamuthu and G. Ravikumar, P. 19
The Menacing Threat of Stray Dogs to Wildlife: A Case Report in Wayanad Wildlife Sanctuary, Kerala
-- R. Roshnath, Pp. 20-22
Extended distribution of Caralluma diffusa (Wight) N.E. Br. (Asclepiadaceae) in Tamil Nadu, India
-- Parthipan, M. and A. Rajendran, Pp. 23-25
Resighting of Greater Sand Plover (Charadrius leschenaultia Lesson, 1826) from Rajasthan, India
-- Chhaya Bhatnagar and Deependra Singh Shekhawat, P. 26
Sensitizing local communities through training and awareness to conserve the Greater One-horned Rhino
-- B.A. Daniel and Manas Bandhu Majumder, Pp. 27-29
Regional Workshop on Freshwater Biodiversity Conservation
-- L. Isaiarasu, P. 30
Brief report of One Week Training Course on Use of GPS & Open Source QGIS in Wildlife Management
-- Fatima Sultana, Pp. 31-32
Education Report
P. 33
World Elephant Day at Tribal village in Coimbatore, TN
-- R. Marimuthu, P. 34
ZOO commemorates International Vulture Awareness Day
-- R. Marimuthu, P. 35



Mauritian reptiles get the backing of international philanthropist thanks to local trust company
The Jersey Foundation, established by an international philanthropist, will be making pledges to several local charities throughout 2014, one of which is to Durrell for £50,000. The donation will fund conservation work in Mauritius.

The £50,000 will support Durrell’s mission of saving species from extinction through the delivery of conservation projects on the ground and training Mauritian conservationists. On the ground, the funding will support efforts to restore six species of highly threatened reptile, including the Telfair’s skink, orange tailed skink and Gunther’s gecko, on the network of small islands that lie off the coast of Mauritius. This includes funding a desperately needed 4 x 4 vehicle to move the team and equipment to field sites, trips to each of the islands, and the movement of reptiles between islands to rebuild populations. The funding will also support our work with Mauritian Wildlife Foundation to build local skills for conservation through the provision of scholarships to attend our Endangered Species Recovery course that is based at the new Durrell Conservation Academy – Mauritius campus, as well as support for students coming to the UK and Jersey to receive specialist training.

Jan Kenny, executive director of Nautilus, said: It has been a pleasure to work with our client and to identify some really wonderful causes locally with which we are to provide financial support. We have an affinity with Durrell given that Nautilus also has offices in Mauritius and we can see first-hand the benefits the donation has made already. We hope that this is the start of an on-going relationship between Nautilus and Durrell.’

Oliver Johnson, CEO of Durrell, commented: ‘We are delighted to receive such strong support from a local organisation; it truly reinforces community spirit for both Je








Zoo critters prefer their horse meat
The lions, tigers and bears at the Albuquerque BioPark Zoo couldn’t have cared less about last year’s vociferous debate over whether horse slaughter should be resumed in the United States.

They were content just wolfing down their daily rations of imported horse meat – roughly 38,000 pounds of it per year.

Last year’s planned opening of a horse slaughter plant near Roswell outraged a large contingent – nationwide and in New Mexico – who argued that horse slaughter is inhumane and should not be allowed in the United States.

That controversy didn’t affect Albuquerque’s zoo, or its practice of feeding horse meat to many of its residents.

Zoo animals, it turns out, can be notoriously finicky eaters, said Ralph Zimmerman, the zoo’s head veterinarian. But the majority of the zoo’s large carnivores prefer horse meat over beef or pork, both of which would cost considerably more without offering the nutritional benefits of their equine counterpart.

Zimmerman said horse meat is “nutritionally very sound.” It’s higher in amino acids, B-6 and B-12 vitamins, and iron than beef and many other sources





Zoos add plants to improve habitat, aesthetics
The Virginia Zoo is all about animals - and, increasingly, all about plants.
There are 10 themed gardens that make up the zoo's 53-acre experience.
There's the White Garden with its cooling ambiance of pale flowers.
There's the fiery explosion of the Tropical Garden with its rain forest-like foliage.
And, there's the Organic Rose Garden where oldies and newbies flourish with only natural ingredients.
Brian Francis, the new curator of horticulture at the 100-year-old zoo in Norfolk, Va., hopes to enhance the gardens even more. He wants to add denser plantings to the animal habitats so you feel immersed in the country or continent; he also plans to create a database of plants and envisions future plant sales for the public.
"I'm really hoping to take it to a fresh and exciting new level that hasn't been seen here before," he said. "The zoo currently has many significant plants that are not





CUMBRIA ZOO INQUEST: SARAH MCCLAY'S FAMILY STILL HAVE UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
The family of a woman animal keeper mauled to death when a tiger walked through an open door say they still have questions unanswered following the conclusion of an inquest into her death.

Sarah McClay, 24, was pounced on in the keeper's corridor of the tiger house at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Cumbria before she was dragged by the back of the neck into a den and then to an outside enclosure.

The animal was supposed to never have access to the corridor but male tiger Padang walked straight through a door to where Miss McClay, from Barrow, was as she carried out her cleaning and feeding duties in the house.

An inquest jury in Kendal ruled in a narrative verdict that Padang got to Miss McClay by entering two open internal sliding gates within the house and then an open door that led on to the corridor.

Systems were in place at the park in Dalton-in-Furness in to ensure that animals and keepers remained apart at all times through indoor and outdoor compartments connected by lockable self-closing doors.

But when staff members rushed in after the attack on May 24 last year they found the door to one of the tigers' dens ajar and not locked.

Two internal sliding gates were also open which allowed Padang and his female companion, Alisha, to move in and out of a light den and a dark den to the outside enclosure.

The court heard that a bolt on the top of the dark den door - which had been the one open immediately before the attack - was found to be defective in the hours following her death as the scene was examined but it could not be said if that damage had occurred before the fatality.

An environmental health officer for the local authority told the jury that the top spring-loaded bolt could not be held back and it would bang against the frame when it tried to close, which left a gap of between 20mm and 25mm.

The jury found that one or more of the bolts on that door extended so as to prevent it from closing into the frame.

South Cumbria coroner Ian Smith told jurors though that their task was not to try and apportion any blame for Miss McClay's death but to determine the facts.

A criminal health and safety at work investigation is being held by Barrow Borough Council which licenses the park.

Following the hearing, Miss McCl





RAK Zoo opens its doors to the public
Ras Al Khaimah Zoo opened its doors for the first time yesterday, with its owner and residents confident it will help boost tourism in the emirate.

The zoo, located in Al Dagdaga, is owned by Jasim Ali, general commander of RAK Police, and the first phase of the project has so far cost Dh6 million.

Mr Ali said he was pleased with the opening-day turn out. “There were actually many tourists from Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and Qatar who followed me on Instagram and Facebook, and a large number of tourists from outside UAE came to the opening,” he said.

The zoo features African lions, white lions, white tigers, a rare golden tiger, panthers, wolves, deer and birds.

“The golden tiger that I have in my zoo is the first one in the whole of the GCC,” said Mr Ali. “In addition, it is important how I treat and act directly with the animals to attract visitors.”

During the summer the animals are kept in their own chilled isolation rooms to protect them from the unforgiving temperatures.

The next phase of the project will include the building of an air-conditioned area featuring rare reptiles, birds and an aquarium. It is expected to be completed in the next one-and-a-half years at an extra cost of Dh15 million, Mr Ali said.

There are 45 different types of animals in the zoo, and Mr Ali is planning to increase the number to more than 2,000.

“During the year, we will develop the zoo and over the next 40 years will develop it more and more, because the development doesn’t stop,” he said.

The residents of RAK were pleased with the opening of a zoo in their emirate.

Abdulaziz Ahmed Al Hafri, a 19-year-old Emirati student who was born in RAK, said the zoo would attract many tourists to the emirate.

“The thing that makes this zoo attractive to tourists is having rare and endangered animals,” said Mr Al Hafri.

“It is also close to Saqr Park, about four k





Shanghai Building World's Largest Polar Theme Park
Authorities have announced plans to open a polar theme park in Shanghai's Pudong New Area. The park will be the largest of its kind, housing more than 500 species of polar animals and over 20,000 different types of fish.

Visitors to the park will be able to see killer whales performing tricks in a large water pool and will also bVe able to visit the polar animal and ocean wild zones to see various wildlife, including polar bears, emperor penguins, dolphins and beluga whales. The additional pavilions will contain sharks, penguins and coral.





Six Tiger Attacks in Eight Years Across India's Zoos
A 20-year-old man was mauled to death by a white tiger in the Delhi zoo today. The man apparently slipped and fell into the tiger's enclosure.

Five similar incidents have occurred across India in the last eight years resulting in three deaths. Are our zoos safe enough?

Following are a few incidents of attacks by tigers at zoos across India:

January 1996: Two drunk men tried to garland a tiger after entering inside the enclosure at the Alipore Zoo of Kolkata. The animal killed one of them and injured the other.

December 2000: A tige





A look at recent zoo attacks
1994: A 29-year-old Australian tourist climbed a fence to get close-up pictures of a polar bear at the Anchorage Zoo, Alaska. She was mauled but survived the attack.

2007: A 350-pound Siberian tiger managed to escape its cage in a San Francisco Zoo. It mauled three men, killing one. Authorities were unsure of how the tiger escaped, but it was clear that the animal somehow travelled over a 20-foot wall and a





Death in the Delhi zoo—‘Beast’ vs. the Beast
Delhi and most of its denizens have the least apathy for animals and this is glaring if you ever visit the zoo or the zoological gardens as the 74 hectares of prime forest land in the center of Delhi is called.

“To inspire amongst zoo visitors empathy for wild animals, an understanding and awareness about the need for conservation of natural resources and maintaining ecological balance,” is one of the preambles adopted by the gardens which was set up in 1955 amidst a very urbane Delhi. This has never ever taken up for practical purposes as thi





Opinion: The secret life of zoo poo
Tonka, Jana and Edie have a big, smelly secret.

Every morning, the three resident African Elephants at the Knoxville Zoo plod into the Stokely African Elephant Preserve to begin a long day of eating. Vegetarians, they'll each consume nearly 500 pounds of hay and other plant material over the course of the day. Zoo visitors will ogle their majestic trunks and giggle at their swaying dance moves – a mechanism they use to cope with captivity – and some lucky patrons will even see the elephants deposit their excess waste around the enclosure.

But only one man will see what happens next.

Robert Hodge has been working at the Knoxville Botanical Gardens for a little more than a year. Having earned five years of urban agriculture experience in Knoxville, the quick-talking gardener joined the Botanical Gardens with an elephantine ambition – develop a community garden in a corner of the 47 acres of carefully cultivated green space.

He had accomplished a similar goal at the first community garden he helped organize, a site that he describes as "river bottom land." The project taught Hodge a new appreciation for rich, nutritious soil, and when he embarked on his second community garden in Lawnsdale, he knew he needed some kind of fertilizer to prepare the dirt.

Hodge went to Beardsley Community Farm, a local non-profit run by AmeriCorps volunteers, to see how they started their gardens in the nitrogen-deficient soil. There, the staff let Hodge in






The Zoo Debate: Educators or Entertainers?
Evidence for the Positive Contributions of Zoos and Aquariums to Aichi Biodiversity Target 1
The UN Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020, adopted by the Convention on Biological Diversity in 2010, is a ten-year model aiming to protect biodiversity and the benefits it provides. The plan is essential in global efforts to halt and, optimistically, reverse the current loss of biodiversity. 20 target goals, known as the Aichi Biodiversity Targets, have been put in place with intent to increase value people put on biodiversity, maintain ecosystem services and support global action for a healthy planet. The first of these targets is as follows, “ by 2020, at the latest, people are aware of the values of biodiversity and the steps they can take to conserve and use it sustainably.” Achieving such an ambitious goal





New Multi-Million Exhibit Brings Zoo Guests Closer To The Penguins
A multi-million dollar exhibit is opening this weekend at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore, bringing the penguin world and experiences closer to guests.
Marcus Washington was able to get an early behind-the-scenes look.
The new exhibit is five times bigger, if not more, than the previous living quarters for the penguins at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore. There are so many sights and features around every corner.
After nearly four years of planning and 14 months of the construction, the new $11.5 million Penguin Coast exhibit is here at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
In the wild, penguins typically have one mate for a lifetime. In a more controlled environment, that’s not always the case and with good reason.
“And to keep the genetics going within the penguins, they recommend that we breed one male with a certain female, so sometimes we do have to separate one pair up and try to repair them,” said Jess Phillips,  The Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
At more than 1900 square feet, this is the largest outdoor penguin exhibit in North American and only the second in the world to a facility





Thailand: Campaign to free gorilla from high-rise zoo
Officials in Bangkok have agreed to meet activists campaigning for the release of a female gorilla which has been on display in a department store's zoo since 1987, it's reported.

The campaign to re-house Bua Noi (Little Lotus) from the zoo on the top two floors of Bangkok's Pata department store has more than 35,000 signatures and has resulted in the director of the country's Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) agreeing to speak to activists about the case, the Bangkok Post reports. Sinjira Apaitan, who organised the petition, told the paper: "I don't think animals should be locked up in such unnatural habitat. I hope to help all other animals being held captive in this high-rise zoo as well." Speaking to Bangkok's Nation newspaper Sinjira hopes that the zoo, which has been criticised for its cramped conditions in the world's media for several years, would lose its licence.

A BBC journalist who has visited the Pata Zoo says the cages are small, concrete and some of the hundreds of animals were clearly suffering mental effects from their confinement. In defence of the attraction, zoo director Kanit Sermsirimongk





Pata Zoo fights efforts to move Bua Noi
THE OWNERS of Pata Zoo are fighting back efforts by many people to move the gorilla, Bua Noi, to what they consider "a better home".

"Don't use mob rule here," Pata Zoo director Kanit Sermsirimongkhon said yesterday. "We have complied with all relevant laws".

He said his zoo had a proper licence and its hygiene standards met all existing legal requirements. The licence has been renewed since August 13, he added.

Kanit was speaking after animal activist Sinjira Apaitan and her supporters met with Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation chief Nipon Chotibal yesterday to discuss how Bua Noi's fate can be improved.

Pata Zoo is on the top two floors of Pata Department Store, an ageing building on a busy street in Bangkok. It houses more than 200 species of animals, including reptiles, turtles, birds, monkeys, leopards, tigers, bears and the lone gorilla, Bua Noi.

According to Kanit, Bua Noi is the only female gorilla in Thailand and perhaps Asia.

"We have taken care of Bua Noi well. She is healthy emotionally and physically," Kanit insisted.

Sinjira, a Thai woman who lives in New Zealand, has been trying to raise public awareness, saying a gorilla like Bua Noi deserves a better home than just being locked up in a cage on the top of a Bangkok department store. Her online petition via change.org website had attracted 36,44





Can't fault zoo for the tragedy: CZA
A day after a white tiger killed a youth who had fallen into its enclosure, a two-member probe team of Central Zoo Authority visited the Delhi zoo twice on Wednesday. Though it is yet to file a report, the team didn't fault the zoo for the tragedy.

"We can't say it's the zoo's fault. To be honest, their enclosure is larger than what CZA guidelines provide for. Also, there are three barriers to keep visitors at a safe distance. There are boards warning visitors against disturbing animals. I can't imagine how the man jumped over the metal stand-off hedge and the wall. We are extremely saddened by what happened but the enclosure meets the norms," said an official.

To stress on the safety aspect, the official said that white tigers donated to zoos abroad and in India were all bred in that enclosure. "The tiger was startled to see the man up close. He has never had close physical contact with any human being; even the keepers feed him from outside. His instinct of securing territory probably took over," the official added.

The team, headed by S C Sharma, the founder member-secretary of CZA, is analysing footage of the incident and is expected to submit its report in a day or two. However, CZA had earlier suggested that glass barriers be installed at some enclosures. Delhi zoo had tried to implement it, but it didn't work out.

"They break and are not very useful. We are still plan




His obsession with tigers led him to his death
A pall of gloom has descended over a dingy hutment located below the Zakhira flyover in central Delhi, at Anand Parbat, on Wednesday. Maqsood, 20, who was mauled to death by a white tiger at the Delhi zoo on Tuesday, lived here with his family.

Almost 24 hours after his tragic death, the family recollects that it was his new-found love for tigers that had led to his death. A random visit to the zoo sometime in June had got him obsessed with tigers and he often spoke about it to his wife and family members. The visits became frequent after he lost his job as a porter a few weeks ago.

Maqsood had married Fatima, a woman from Kolkata, a year ago. Of late, he had heard about stories of Bengal tigers and how a tiger had mauled two men at Alipur zoo when they had gone to garland the animal back in 1995. "He never told us what was it about tigers that had aroused his curiosity so much but these stories used to excite him and he often shared his experiences at the zoo," said Mohammad Tahir, his grandfather.

Maqsood's friends say that his obsession only grew and he would often slip out of his house in the afternoon and visit the zoo to watch

the tigers, and lions. The fact that he had lost his job four months ago gave him ample time. He often told his mother he was going out to look for a job but instead landed at the zoo. He used the little money he had saved to buy tickets at the zoo.

"He had gone there even last Tuesday and told the children stories about the white tigers after his return," said Adil, a friend who owns a grocery shop outside the colony. He said Maqsood had dropped out of school in eighth class and was working as a la





Edinburgh Zoo panda enclosure ‘not suitable’ claim
EDINBURGH Zoo’s panda enclosure is unsuitable for breeding and Tian Tian may not even have been pregnant, a leading expert has claimed.

Gareth Starbuck described the £275,000 enclosure as “sparse, has a lot of concrete, one token tree and no cover”.

The animal breeding expert at Nottingham Trent University said it was also a mistake for Tian Tian to be kept in sight of her potential mate as wild pandas live many miles apart.

However, Edinbrugh Zoo has rubbished the claims and insisted the enclosure was designed “in collaboration with Chinese experts who are the foremost authority”.

Dr Starbuck, 42, said: “It strikes me that the best way to get an animal to behave in a successful manner is to recreate their natural environment as best as possible.

“The panda enclosure in Edinburgh is sparse, has a lot of concrete, one token tree and not much cover. In the wild they have plenty of cover.”

Dr Starbuck also said the fact the male and female pandas could see each other from their separate glass-fronted enclosures was a problem.

He said: “We put them next to each other and expect them to mate naturally when in the wild they are miles apart and only come into contact when she is ready to mate.

“Why is she going to be interested in the boy next door?”

Tian Tian was artificiall




Donkeys reunited at Polish zoo after sex scandal
The couple, together for 10 years, got into trouble when mothers expressed outrage that children had to witness their mating. Local conservative official Lydia Dudziak took up their cause and persuaded the director of the zoo in Poznan to have the animals put in separate pens.

The zoo acknowledged making a mistake Thursday and said the donkeys are again in one pen after about a week apart.

“It was never our intention for any animals to feel uncomfortable because of their natural behaviors,” the zoo said in a statement.

The interruption of the long-standing romance turned into a national news item in Poland in the past days. Nearl





Op-Ed: The crocodile suicides: Inside the Thai zoo where things go wrong
On a recent Friday at Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo, a 65-year-old woman slipped off her shoes, clambered over a balustrade and plunged into a pit of hundreds of crocodiles. As workers rushed to distract the reptiles, the woman swam toward them.
Investigators ruled it a suicide. Similar incidents took place at the self-proclaimed "world's largest" crocodile farm in 1992, 2002 and possibly in 2012. The owner said he has invested in safety but that there's not much you can do if someone is determined.
Safety, here on dusty fringe of Bangkok's sprawl, is relative. On a recent weekday morning, I drove out to the Samutprakarn farm to see what kind of a place this was and whether it still poses danger to those with depression. I wanted to ask the owner myself what measures have been taken and whether he thought he could do more.
It's dangerous to write about suicide, and it's dangerous not to. In an essay for the Poynter journalism institute, Cindi Deutschman-Ruiz notes that while many reporters shy from covering suicides, the gap in coverage creates the impression that suicide is not a major public health crisis, which it is. At the same time, vivid descriptions of methods can inspire copycats.
"A reporter should not risk providing another person considering suicide with the details of how it can be achieved," she writes.
In the case of Samutprakarn, that risk is already out there. Thai media, appropriately, snatched up the story immediately. International media quickly followed. The method of achieving death at Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm is well documented. What's not well documen





Kira Davis: ‘Blackfish’ Movie Does More Harm than Good When it Comes to Animal Welfare
By now, many Americans have heard of a documentary called Blackfish, which creates an emotionally harrowing tale of human overreach, greed and the potential risks of holding animals in captivity. The film specifically targets SeaWorld and their killer whale program, as it tells the story of SeaWorld Florida orca Tillikum:
“a performing killer whale that killed several people while in captivity. Along the way, director-producer Gabriela Cowperthwaite complies shocking footage and emotional interviews to explore the creature’s extraordinary nature, the species’ cruel treatment in captivity…and the pressures brought to bear by the multi-billion dollar sea-park industry” – Blackfishmovie.com
It certainly sounds captivating. Seeing that CNN actually gave the movie primetime airtime, and having brushed by it every day for the last few months on Netflix, I thought this might be a good film to watch with my 12-year-old s





RWS Dolphin Island, SEA Aquarium accredited by zoo association
Resort World Sentosa's (RWS) SEA Aquarium and Dolphin Island have been granted accreditation by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA), the integrated resort announced in a release on Friday (Sep 26).

“By meeting the highest standards, SEA Aquarium and Dolphin Island are ranked among the best zoos and aquariums in the world,” said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. “When people visit these attractions at Resorts World Sentosa, they can be assured that they are supporting a facility that is a leader in the care and conservation of wildlife.”

"Marine education, conservation and research, as well as the well-being of our animals have always been our utmost priority," added Senior Vice President of Attractions at Resorts World Sentosa John Hallenbeck. "We are delighted to be one of the few facilities outside of the United States to receive the accreditation from AZA, and we look forward to inspire more visitors to do their part for our o







Moscow Zoo Prepares to Install Webcams in Animal Enclosures
The Moscow Zoo has announced plans to install webcams in its enclosures, allowing animal-lovers to observe their favorite beasts from the comfort of their own homes.

"We have these cameras in our plans, but organizing the broadcast on our own will be problematic: The telecom signal at the zoo is rather weak," spokesperson Anna Kachurovskaya told local broadcaster M24.ru.

The webcam installation, which will be carried out in conjunction with ongoing renovations at the zoo, has an initial startup cost of about 100,000 rubles ($2,600), according to media expert Anton Korobkov-Zemlyansky.

The broadcasts will also cost dozens of thousands of rubles to maintain, Korobkov-Zemlyansky told M24.ru, but added that the money could be generated from advertising. The park is also planning to sell zoo membership cards to raise the necessary funds for the project, the report said.

Natalia Drobova, a World Wildlife Fund coordinator, said the project would likely be a success and that demand should be particularly high for broadcasts showing young animals. She also highlighted raccoons, penguins and monkeys as animals that would be interesting for the public to watch, M24.ru reported.

The locals aren't the only ones set to benefit





First zoo opens in Ras Al Khaimah
The two-stage RAK Zoo, which will be built at a total cost of Dh17 million, is the third biggest in the UAE after Al Ain Zoo and the Emirates Park Zoo in Abu Dhabi.

Jassim Ali, the owner of the zoo, on Tuesday told Khaleej Times that his personal zoo is home to a variety of 40 wild, rare and endangered animals. “The zoo, situated close to Saqr Park, is built on an area of 1 million square metres.”

The animals include African and white lions, white and rare golden tigers, black panthers and cheetahs, grey and Arab wolves, rare antelopes and deer, as well as a variety of beautiful birds and rare animals, he said.

Ali said the zoo, located at Daqdaqa area opposite the Institute of Applied Technology, has an equestrian club for training women and children, an array of restaurants and cafes. “There is also a special corner for children’s toys, cycle tracks, horse and camel riding tracks, prayer rooms for gents and ladies, toilets, footpaths, family walks and rest areas.”

Ali explained that the first stage of the mega project cost him Dh6 million, while the second phase will cost Dh11 million and will be inaugurated within a y







Download full issue of 26 September 2014 - - Pp. 6293-6388
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10.11609/JoTT.26sep14.6293-6388

Contents Pp. 6293-6388
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Indirana chiravasi, a new species of Leaping Frog (Anura: Ranixalidae) from Western Ghats of India
--Anand D. Padhye, Nikhil Modak & Neelesh Dahanukar,  Pp.6293-6312
Abstract    HTML    PDF (7322Kb)

An analysis of the habitat of the Greater One-horned Rhinoceros Rhinoceros unicornis (Mammalia: Perissodactyla: Rhinocerotidae) at the Chitwan National Park, Nepal
--Vivek Thapa, Miguel F. Acevedo & Kul P. Limbu,  Pp.6313-6325
Abstract    HTML    PDF (3203Kb)

Biology and conservation status of Piraja’s Lancehead Snake Bothrops pirajai Amaral, 1923 (Serpentes: Viperidae), Brazil
--Marco Antonio de Freitas, Antonio Jorge Suzart Argôlo, Catherine Gonner & Diogo Veríssimo,  Pp.6326-6334
Abstract    HTML    PDF (6613Kb)

Genetic diversity of the Critically Endangered Philippine Eagle Pithecophaga jefferyi (Aves: Accipitridae) and notes on its conservation
--Adrian U. Luczon, Ian Kendrich C. Fontanilla, Perry S. Ong, Zubaida U. Basiao, Anna Mae T. Sumaya & Jonas P. Quilang,  Pp.6335-6344
Abstract    HTML    PDF (1950Kb)

Pollination ecology of the Gray Nicker Caesalpinia crista (Caesalpiniaceae) a mangrove associate at Coringa Mangrove Forest, Andhra Pradesh, India
--P. Suvarna Raju & A.J. Solomon Raju,  Pp.6345-6354
Abstract    HTML    PDF (2432Kb)

Wildlife art and illustration: stone sculpture and painting - some experiments in Auroville, Tamil Nadu, India
--M. Eric Ramanujam & S. Joss Brooks,  Pp.6355-6362
Abstract    HTML    PDF (7153Kb)

Distribution and conservation status of Croton scabiosus Bedd. (Euphorbiaceae), an endemic tree species of southern Eastern Ghats of Andhra Pradesh, India
--Sugali Salamma & Boyina Ravi Prasad Rao,  Pp.6363-6370
Abstract    HTML    PDF (7680Kb)

Activity pattern of the orphaned Asiatic Black Bear Ursus thibetanus (Mammalia: Carnivora: Ursidae) cubs during rehabilitation processes
--Soumya Dasgupta, Parthankar Choudhury & Parimal C. Bhattacharjee,  Pp.6371-6375
Abstract    HTML    PDF (1978Kb)

New distribution records on the occurrence of the Delavay Summersweet Clethra delavayi Franchert (Clethraceae), a Chinese species in Arunachal Pradesh, India
--Jis Sebastian & H.B. Naithani,  Pp.6376-6378
Abstract    HTML    PDF (8044Kb)

Note on a nest of Saunders’ Embiid Oligotoma saundersii (Westwood) (Insecta: Embioptera: Oligotomidae) from Kolkata, India
--Prosenjit Dawn, Kailash Chandra & K.A. Subramanian,  Pp.6379-6384
Abstract    HTML    PDF (1502Kb)

A first report of symbiotic polychaete Scale Worm Gastrolepidia clavigera Schmarda, 1861 (Phyllodocida: Polynoidae) from Lakshadweep Archipelago, India
--Thangapandi Marudhupandi, Thipramalai Thangappan Ajith Kumar, Sanjeevi Prakash, Mohan Gopi & Thangavel Balasubramanian,  Pp.6385-6388
Abstract    HTML    PDF (1436Kb)



Short shrift for crocodile park
THE proposed creation of a crocodile park got short shrift at the House environment committee yesterday as deputies and local authorities found the whole idea suspicious.

The application submitted recently to the agriculture ministry by a Cypriot-Israeli joint venture sees the importation of around 1,000 Nile crocodiles for a theme park in Psematismenos village in the Larnaca district.

The crocodiles are to come from an Israeli farm that was closed down after 70 of the crocodiles escaped, causing a panic.

Larnaca local authority officials and environmentalists at the House yesterday said that 1,000 crocodiles was way too much for a theme park and suspected the beginning of a breeding industry leading to the slaughter of the protected animals for the production of crocodile-skin items.

“It is obvious that it is about a breeding farm, that due to its size, will turn into a processing company,” Greens MP Giorgos Perdikis said.

A representative of non-governmental-organisation Terra Cypria said the application for a theme park was a Trojan horse aiming to facilitate the trade of crocodile products in the EU.

Olympia Stylianou, permanent secretary of the agriculture ministry said the application concerned a theme park and “not a slaughter house”. She also said that the 70 crocodiles that escaped the farm in Israel were hatchlings.

Most of the committee members expressed their concerns over the large number of the crocodiles involved and the dangers they posed to biodiversity and the environment, the worry about safety issues.

Environment Commissioner Ioanna Panayiotou, said Nile crocodiles were a protected species and that it was Cyprus’ duty under EU law to protect it. She said that this number of crocodiles is far too big for a small place like Cyprus and that the farm posed a threat to the environment.

The representative of the interior ministry said that the farm in Israel had its licence revoked because the Israeli authorities ruled that it was impossible to keep the crocodiles from escaping. He also said that t




EXPOSED! T.I.G.E.R.S: A Tourist Attraction Exploiting Animals in the Name of Wildlife Conservation
It’s hard to pass up a chance to check out animals up close, especially when those animals aren’t easy to find in your neck of the woods. Most of us will never get the opportunity to go on a safari to see a wild tiger in person, much less bottle feed one. Let’s face it, tigers in the wild are pretty dangerous, as well as extremely endangered. Some species of tiger are so threatened that it’s a rarity to find them in the wild at all. Which makes a trip to T.I.G.E.R.S Preservation Station and Safari in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina seem like the perfect trip for a tiger enthusiast!

Not only can you get up close and personal with adorable tiger cubs, you can see rare white tigers and even ligers too. Posing for picture packages helps you to commemorate the experience and the proceeds go toward the Rare Species Fund, a non-profit set up by T.I.G.E.R.S for conservation. That sounds awesome! For the animal lover, this would seem like a spectacular opportunity.

If we look closer, however, it isn’t entirely the wholesome and altruistic venture it leads patrons to believe that it is. For the average consumer, it would seem like spending a couple of hours with a rare tiger while contributing to an establishment that does conservation work would be helping animals. The fact is, the animals at T.I.G.E.R.S are bred solely for profit and some of them are so unsuitable for reintroduction to the wild th






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