Sunday, January 25, 2015

Zoo News Digest 11th - 25th January 2015 (ZooNews 905)


Zoo News Digest 11th - 25th January 2015 (ZooNews 905)

Tigers in the snow at the
Highland Wildlife Park



Dear Colleagues,

I was updated on the Gorilla in Dubai Zoo (Thanks Tim), it is still there and well. Must have been hiding away on my visit. Learned too that the Dubai Safari is developing fast and is most likely to become operational towards the end of this year.

Going by the images I have seen lately on the internet there are far more Orangutans in Dubai than I previously thought. This is very disturbing considering that officially there are none. There also appears to be a connection to the Orangutans being sold in Russia. Is this going to be another fad to take over from the Cheetahs. Do these people really believe that they are legal, captive bred imports? Would they really care to know that their mothers were butchered just so they can take the babies and dress them up like funny little people? It is somewhat appropriate that Dr. Jane Goodall is in Dubai at the moment talking on keeping exotics as pets. I wonder though if the right people will listen? More likely they will invite her along to meet their 'pets'...some people just don't get it.

Ark Avilon Zoo in the Philippines has fallen out of my favour (They were one of the better Philippines Zoos) now that they have started the same silly games with their Orangutans....see below.



One wonders where it is all going to end. Other Philippine zoos have Orangutans now as well. I don't doubt that they will have the correct paperwork because providing you know which palms to grease you will get it. It doesn't make it right, or legal, though. On the 31st December 2010 the Avilon Zoo held 24 Bornean Orangutans. One wonders where they all are now.

A feeling of accomplishment crept over me this week when I learned that my HubPages had reached two million views. It has taken a while but then I do publish, in the main, on a rather specialised subject and that is zoos. I do write on other things however and my top three unrelated to zoos articles are:
The Thai Oil Massage

The Night Butterflies of Bali

How To Kill A Chicken (actually this is slightly zoo related)

Most all of the zoo related articles can be found under:

The Zoo Hubs

LinkedIn continues to do well also (over 2,500 connections). It is another way to get the 'Good' zoo message out...amongst other things. I had a message from them this week congratulating me on the 17th anniversary of ZooNews Digest. This actually refers to the Yahoo Group which continues. I reckon the 17 years is a little bit out because it was in existence before that but under another name. Migrating over to Yahoo made management so much easier.

ZooNews Digest on Facebook continues to go from strength to strength with nearly 17,000 'Likes' and a fluctuating weekly reach of over 33,000. I did lose a few like's this past week but it was no great loss as the numbers were quickly made up again and overtaken. There is a percentage of the Facebook generation who will continually misconstrue postings and very quickly condemn....pity is they don't actually think, which is a lot of what I am about. I definitely don't lose any sleep over a threat to unlike me.

 My personal life continues to be as complicated as it has been this past ten years or so. Sometimes I begin to wonder what 'ordinary' was like...but I definitely don't yearn for it.

 Off to the US in just a few days now.


****
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I remain committed to the work of GOOD zoos, not DYSFUNCTIONAL zoos.



*******************************************************************************

Interesting Links

 
Wild animals are not pets, leading expert warns
The wildlife expert, Dr Jane Goodall, warned the public to forgo domesticating wild animals as an alarming number of cases are being reported where their owners incur injuries.

Goodall, PhD DBE, primatologist, is visiting the UAE and shedding light on different aspects of the rising trend of domesticating wild animals in homes. In an exclusive interview with The Gulf Today, she said that chimpanzees are wild animals and cannot be domesticated.

“When they are small they are cute. They can be dressed up and they are very loving if treated well. They are clever and can learn much from humans, like drinking from a cup, riding a tricycle, and so on. But when they reach adolescence, they can become very dangerous; at 8 years old, they are stronger than us. They are unpredictable and can suddenly lose their tempers,” she added.

According to information from different parts of the world, she said that a woman had her face and both hands bitten off. Other wild pet owners have been injured. To get a baby chimp, the mother has often been killed. Members of their community who come to the rescue, often the top ranking male, are likely to be shot also. Many infants are wounded and die before they ever reach the market. Chimpanzees once numbered 2 million in Africa. Today, the maximum number is 300,000, spread over 21 countries, many in isolated groups in fragmented forest patches that will not survive in the long run due to inbreeding.

Describing the behaviour of the animals, the expert pointed out that when a pet becomes too strong, what will happen to him or her? They will either be shut in a small cage for life or sent to a bad zoo. They can never be successfully integrated into an existing captive group – the





Endangered Bonobo Chimp Imported to Armenia Goes Missing: Preliminary Investigation Drags On
An endangered bonobo primate has disappeared from the Jambo Exotic Park in Armenia’s Tzoraghbyur village.

The park’s founder, Artyom Vardanyan, claims that the animal, listed in the international Red Book of endangered species, died last month.

All such animals can only be imported with special permits and must be kept in special conditions.

The importer of the bonobo and many other endangered animals is a company called Zoo Fauna Art. A criminal case of contraband was launched against company director ArturKhachatryan a year ago and is still on-going.

Hetq asked the ministry of finance to provide information about the criminal investigation and whether it has revealed any wrongdoing.

In reply, the ministry said that inquiries have been made to authorities in Guinea and the Congo in order to finalize the preliminary phase of the case but that it hasn’t received any answers as yet.

ArturAfrikyan, first deputy to the president of the State Revenue Committee, provided us with a list of the animals imported to and exported from Armenia between 2010 and 2013 with CITES permits. According to that list, in addition to two bonobos (Pan panicus) imported to Armenia in 2011, another two were imported in 2012 and not exported. Furthermore, f





Biggest pride of white lions anywhere in a zoo
Apart from President Paul Kruger and President Nelson Mandela, only one other South African has a street named after him in an overseas city, Nic Anicic, a Benoni businessman. The street is not just any street in Belgrade, the capital of Serbia, it is in the Belgrade Zoo.

Nicifor Anicic came to South Africa more than 40 years ago from a little village, Prijepolje, in the spectacular and mountainous part of South Eastern Serbia and established Anicic Heavy Engineering where one would find the 76 year-old before his staff arrive in the mornings.

He kept his links with the country of his birth and several years ago, don





Controversy surrounds captive killer whale in Miami





Dolphin with kidney disease euthanized at Shedd Aquarium
One of the oldest Pacific white-sided dolphins in the Chicago area was euthanized Friday at the city’s Shedd Aquarium.

Tique — a 30-year-old dolphin that had been at the Shedd since the opening of the aquarium’s Abbot Oceanarium in 1991 — was euthanized after suffering from a deteriorating kidney disease for years, according to Andrea Rodgers, a spokeswoman for the aquarium.

“It is a very sad day for Shedd Aquarium,” said Tim Binder, vice president of collection planning at Shedd. “We’ve had the tremendous privilege to care for, and learn from, Tique for more than two decades.”

Tique, which means waterborne in Tinglit, an aboriginal language in Alaska, was collected in southern California and was one of the first dolphins to live at Shedd. Out





A First: Sea Otter born in Captivity after Conception in the Wild
Researchers at the University of California Santa Cruz have claimed that a sea otter conceived in the wild has been born in captivity for the first time ever.

A university spokesman said the birth took place on November 26 at UC Santa Cruz's Long Marine Laboratory, but it was ensured that the news did not disseminate widely to prevent the species from excessive exposure to people.

The Monterey Bay Aquarium said a rescue team had saved the life of the pup's mother, Clara, and it was later determined that she had become too accustomed to survive on





South Lakes zoo owner faces prospect of losing zoo licence
A SPECIAL licensing meeting next week will determine whether the owner of a South Lakes animal park is fit to hold a zoo licence.

David Gill, who runs South Lakes Safari Zoo, will appear before Barrow Borough Council’s Licensing Regulatory Committee faced with the prospect of having the zoo closed down.

The review follows Mr Gill’s conviction in November for three counts of allowing an animal to escape into the wild.

The offences related to a flock of Sacred Ibis, and during the trial it emerged that Mr Gill had shot dead 13 of the birds following a nu








Rare rhinos given animal VIAGRA to help them conceive a zoo baby
Two rhinos struggling to conceive naturally at a zoo are to be given animal viagra.

The southern white rhinoceros, Rumbull and Rumba, have become long-term partners after spending more than a decade at the animal centre.

They are now reaching sexual maturity but the 14-year-old pair have so far failed to conceive naturally.

Keepers at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm in Wraxall, North Somerset, are now hoping to speed up the process by giving them an aphr





Giant Panda Zoo Awards 2014: the winners revealed
The winners of the annual Giant Panda Zoo Awards were revealed on Friday at the Belgian panda zoo, Pairi Daiza.

According to the results, Hao Hao from Pairi Daiza received the gold award for favorite panda outside of China. The ZooParc de Beauval in France received the gold award for favorite panda enclosure outside of China.

In addition, Chinese president Xi Jinping and King Philippe of Belgium's visit to Hao Hao and Xing Hui at Pairi Daiza was awarded a first prize for panda moment of the year.

From December 12, 2014 until January 18, 2015, panda fans from around the world were invited to vote for their favorite pandas, people, institutions, organizations, and zoos. There were 258,490 votes cast in ten categories during the one-month online contest.

"The third edition of the Giant Panda Zoo Awards was again a huge success," said Belgian panda aficionado and award founder Jeroen Jacobs. Most zoos with giant pandas in their collections were very proud and enthusiastic about participating and to promote their nominees, he said.

According to Jacobs, the awards are the time of year for the general public to speak up and support those who have worked very hard in the panda conservation field.

The Giant Panda Zoo Awards are organized





Zoo fires keeper for torturing South China tiger cub
A zookeeper suspected of torturing a South China tiger cub, which enjoys first-grade protection at state level, has been fired in Nanchang, East China's Jiangxi province, Qianjiang Evening News reported.

In a video that went viral online, a man is seen grabbing the neck of a cub, which is the size of a kitten, suspending the animal in the air, and punching it in the head when it tries to escape.

The suspect is also filmed holding the cub's feet tightly and slapping or flipping its face until it can't move. In another scene, the keeper allows the tiger to fall on the ground while feeding it improperly. 

Kuang Huaming, a manager at the zoo, has confirmed the authenticity of the video and says the keeper involved has been fired.

The zoo currently hosts 18 adult South China tigers and one cub.

Kuang said the one-month-old cub has received a full checkup and is deemed to be healthy.

South China tigers, believed to have been extinct





Why It's So Hard to Stop Zimbabwe's Export of Baby Elephants
When it recently came to light that Zimbabwe is planning to export dozens of baby elephants, conservation organizations, elephant experts, and concerned citizens expressed horror and condemnation.

Such export is legal under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), the global treaty organization that sets rules for and monitors trade in live animals.

Clear facts around Zimbabwe's planned export are hard to come by, but CITES confirms that a number of captive elephants are destined for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Various news reports say China and France are also interested in importing some of the young elephants.

National Geographic asked John Scanlon, secretary general of CITES, a post he's held since 2010, to clarify the role of the convention.

Speaking from his home in Geneva, the headquarters of CITES, Scanlon explained that his priorities are to represent the convention globally, to enhance the depth and breadth of partner agencies (such as Interpol) that help implement CITES's policies, and to effectively manage the secretariat itself.





Exotic Pet Statistics | Lion, Tiger, and Big Cat Attacks and Fatalities in the United States (1990-2014)





Woman, 54, severely injured after being mauled by caged BEAR she was trying to pet at wildlife center
A woman was mauled by a caged bear at a wildlife center after sticking her arms through the bars in the hope of petting it.

The unnamed 54-year-old was touring Wildlife Haven Rehab in Dade City, Florida, in the hope of adopting two birds.

But when she spotted the 400-pound black bear, named Abner, resting in a cafe, she th





Govt shuts down Rimini dolphinarium for good
The environment ministry has decreed the shutdown of a dolphinarium that operated without a license for almost a decade in the seaside resort town of Rimini on Italy's eastern coast, Italy's Anti-Vivisection League (LAV) reported Thursday. "This is the first dolphinarium to be shut down by ministry decree in Italy," the animal rights group said. "This puts a final stop to any attempt on the part of the facility to keep





Taiwan toughens law after star hippo death
Taiwanese authorities toughened animal cruelty laws on Friday in the wake of the death of a performing hippopotamus that once starred in a popular soap opera.

The new rules were drawn up after A Ho, a male hippo who regularly performed for spectators at a private zoo, died last month after breaking a leg and sustaining other injuries while being transported from the site.

The legislation, dubbed by the local media as the "A Ho clause", doubles the maximum fine for intentionally causing serious injury or death to animals to $32 200 in addition to up to one year in prison, official










Zoo-Kept Female Tiger Eats Own Offspring
Siberian Tigers are designated as natural monuments, and the non-disclosure of births and deaths of these animals is to be punished under a new law on wild animals. Since the grace period of the said law is due to terminate this July, the Nakdong River Basin





SeaWorld offers details on whale tanks
Imagine strolling alongside a sandy shoreline as mammoth killer whales no further away than 20 feet glide through shallow water, its perimeter lined with plants and rocky formations. That’s just the teaser for an interactive experience that will ultimately guide visitors to SeaWorld along a 40-foot descent into a wide-open underwater vista of orcas swimming and frolicking overhead.

Blue World, as it’s being called, is a $300 million initiative that SeaWorld Entertainment hopes will captivate and educate its patrons while recognizing it is unlikely to silence its harshest critics.

Although former CEO Jim Atchison officially left his post last week amid a planned reorganization and months-long search for a new leader, the Orlando, Fla.-based company is still forging ahead with its previously announced plan to double the size of its orca tanks, commencing construction later this year at the San Diego marine park. Construction of similar tank projects at SeaW





Undercover investigations allege abuse of tiger cubs at roadside zoos
Results from two undercover investigations at roadside zoos — including one in central Oklahoma — resulted in allegations of inhumane treatment, according to a national animal protection group.
The alleged abuse includes inhumane of tiger cubs exploited for photographic opportunities, indiscriminate breeding of tigers, rampant trade in cubs for public handling and dumping of the cubs once they were no longer profitable. The Humane Society of the United States conducted the investigations at Tiger Safari in Oklahoma and Natural Bridge Zoo in Virginia. These roadside zoos allow members of the public to pet, feed, pose and play with baby tigers for a fee.
The investigations documented the business of using infant tigers for public photo shoots and other moneymaking events — fees ranged from $50 to $1,000 per session, according to HSUS reports.
Video footage shows distress and handling which HSUS alleges is abusive. In the Tiger Safari video, the owner tells employees not to "tell the USDA a f.... thing."
HSUA alleges that tiger cubs were forcibly separated from their mothers during birth and the first few months of their lives were dictated exclusively by public handling schedules. Further allegations include that cubs who were tired, overheated, thirsty, hungry or sick were required to sit still for a parade of paying customers.
The investigations also provided a snapshot of the unfettered breeding of big cats for the exploitation of their cubs, the resulting surplus of adult big cats, and the animal welfare and public safety implications when large cubs are discarded after ceasing to be profitable, HSUS alleges.
 “Our investigations revealed never-before seen abuse, neglect, and the overbreeding that goes on behind the scenes at these tiger cub handling operations," Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The HSUS said. "We must put an end to this dangerous and cruel business.”
The HSUS alleges that it documented:
At Tiger Safari, one tiger cub’s diet was so insufficient that the facility’s veterinarian expressed concern about improper development of the infant’s leg bones. At one point, the cub was purposefully fed inappropriately in the belief that it would make him more tractable during photo ses





Overcoming Our Differences to Tackle Poor Animal Welfare in Zoos
Poor captive wild animal welfare is globally prevalent and the challenge to make improvements is vast; addressing wild animal welfare concerns within captivity is, and will, remain complicated. From assessment challenges, cultural diversity and differing attitudes, to changing global demands and expectations, via the complexity of meeting a variety of specific species needs, it is only complicated further by the ever questioned ethical conundrum of keeping wild animals in captivity.

Let's assume for now, rightly or wrongly, zoos and aquariums (including private collections and un-regulated sanctuaries) will continue to successfully exist worldwide. In doing so, there is a real fear that the gap between the "good" and "bad" zoos for animal welfare will continue to grow. The better zoos are already investing in, and developing, better animal welfare practices. They are also recognising animal sentience as a growing player in decision processes and adopting responsible actions based on the well-being and needs of the animals in their care.

On the one hand, these improvements can contribute to driving forward better protective legislation, guidance and policies in poorer wild collections. On the other, while attempting to imitate the better zoos, sub-standard collections could inadvertently cause further suffering owing to limited resources, expertise and an incapability to manage complex species.

International reporting and in particular the power of social media continues to highlight some of these worst capt





America Has a Tiger Problem And No One’s Sure How to Solve It
Tiger attacks in the United States are always dramatic news—there were 27 reported between 1990 and 2006, with seven people and most of the tigers killed. But maulings aren’t the only problem arising from the perhaps surprising fact that there are more captive tigers in the U.S. than there are wild tigers on earth.

Conservationists estimate that about 3,200 wild tigers remain around the world, while there are some 5,000 tigers in captivity in the U.S., according to the World Wildlife Fund. Even that number is probably low, says Carole Baskin, the founder of Big Cat Rescue, an animal sanctuary in Tampa, Florida, because reporting is “based on the honor system, and we’re dealing with a lot of people that are really dishonorable.” Edward J. Grace, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s deputy assistant director for law enforcement, estimates that the nation is home to more than 10,000 captive tigers. Only about 350 of those, says the WWF, are held in facilities accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

For the thousands of tigers in private hands, from those in big-top circuses and roadside attractions to others in backyard dens, the regulations are inconsistent at be





Bear-faced history of life in Dudley Zoo ravine
Engineers revamping Dudley Zoo’s Bear Ravine were surprised to discover the names of bears formerly housed at the building still painted over their den doors.

The discovery was made as workers began clearing out the den area at the base of the famous Tecton enclosure.

The names of the bears – Tina, Drownie and Mr Tumper – are daubed in paint above the metal den doors. All three would have lived within the enclosure and been a draw for visitors to the attraction.

Workers also discovered a steel-spiked roller used as a security measure on the lower cantilevered platform to prevent the animals





Lovelorn porcupine breaks into Safari park in central Israel
The mystery of who's been dropping a load at night outside the porcupine pen at the Ramat Gan Safari Park has been solved by an industrious zookeeper making the rounds one night: it's a wild porcupine coming to visit his lady love.

The story starts eight years ago with a tiny baby porcupine rescued by passersby after her mother had been run over. They brought the wee thing to the Safari Park. The park people decided she couldn't return to nature, named her Dorit, and have housed her in a pen ev





The Middle Flipper Is….(Part 13)
Normally, I like to write Middle Flipper events about completely different stories or individual animals.  You know, to keep the content fresh.  But due to recent events that have since transpired, I figured you’d all appreciate an update on little Chopper dearest.

Unsurprisingly, Chopper lost some interest in lodging his toys under the docks.  I say unsurprisingly because as trainers, we all know about desensitization.  At some point, putting EEDs* in hard-for-humans-to-reach-places was going to get kind of lame and boring.  And if you’re not an animal trainer, but an animal lover and/or parent, then you know how easily kids get over toys, games, or movies they once could barely exist without.  I mean, even in high school I watched Monsters Inc about eleven times....in theaters.  And then when it came out on DVD I watched it every day for at least a month solid, mostly because my mental age has never progressed past 10 and also because Pixar is amazing.  Obviously, I ha





Lynx attacks dog after Swedish zoo escape
A teenage girl in northern Sweden had the fright of her life on Wednesday night when a lynx which had escaped from a local zoo leapt out of the woods and pounced on her two-year-old Siberian husky.





Four tigers shifted to rescue centre
Four tigers — two rescued/captured in the wild and two born in captivity — have been shifted to the conservation, rescue and rehabilitation centre set up by the Mysore zoo at Koorgalli on the outskirts of the city. One of the reasons for shifting the tigers is the space constraint at the zoo hospital and the Tiger House (where tigers are kept for public display).

Usually, animals — mainly carnivores such as tigers — that have been rescued or captured from the wild are housed in a specially-built enclosure at the zoo hospital. In the absence of an independent rescue centre, the animals were kept at the zoo. The rescue centre was therefore proposed as the zoo lacked space to accommodate animals brought in for rehabilitation.

Zoo Executive Director B.P. Ravi, who is t




And there is a lot more. Check out ZooNews Digest on Facebook




Introducing Joel Sartore ... and his many animal images
-Sally Walker, Pp. 1-4
Population Management, ZOOKEEPING (Part 4, Chapter 20)
- Linda M. Penfold, Pp. 5-7
Difference in foraging patterns between male and female Temminck’s Tragopan (Tragopan temminckii) at Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling
- A. Mitraand A.K. Jha, Pp. 8-9
Breeding Behaviour of Red Panda (Ailurus fulgens fulgens) in Padmaja Naidu Himalayan Zoological Park, Darjeeling, West Bengal
-Bhupen Roka, Alankar K. Jha and U. Rai, Pp. 10-13
Breeding record of the Indian Courser Cursorius coromandelicus (Gmelin, 1789)in Koonthankulam Bird Sanctuary, Tamil Nadu
-Jayakumar Samidurai and Muralidharan Subramanian, Pp. 14-15
Announcement: World Wetlands Day 2015: Wetlands for Our Future
P. 15
Captive Breeding of Ring-tailed Lemur (Lemur catta) in Indira Gandhi Zoological Park, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh
- G. Ramalingam, K. Uma Maheswari, V. Srinivas, B.V. Ramana and K. Srinivas, Pp. 16-19
Ground Beetles (Coleoptera: Carabidae) from Chhattisgarh, India
- R.K. Kushwaha, V.D. Hegde and Kailas Chandra, Pp. 20-23
Occurrence of Near Threatened River Lapwing Vanellus duvaucelii (Charadriiformes: Charadriidae) in agriculture dominated landscape of north-east Haryana, India
- Nishikant Gupta, Pp. 24-25
Species composition of amniotes in a section of River Beas and its floodplain (Punjab) India
- Mohd. Shahnawaz Khan and Anjana Pant, Pp. 26-32
Standing Sedation with Detomidine – Acepromazine and Low dose of Ketamine for Hoof Trimming in a Captive Zebra (Equus burchelli boehmi) – A Case Report
- Bharathidasan, M., B.J. William, R. Thirumurugan, R. Sivasankar and A. Arun Prasad, Pp. 33-35
Workshop on Master Planning for Zoo Education held at WII, Dehradun
- R. Marimuthu, Meena Nareshwar and Bitapi C. Sinha, Pp. 36-38
Report on the International Training Course on Frontiers in Animal Ecology and Conservation Biology, Beijing, China
- Brawin Kumar, Pp. 39-40
Education Reports
P. 41
Zoo Lex: Yorkshire Wildlife Park - South America Viva
Pp. 42-44

http://www.zoosprint.org/





http://us9.campaign-archive1.com/?u=9a402d65513c851c2f8b6ca99&id=64670c110b&e=926536953b







www.zoolex.org in January 2015

~°v°~  ~°v°~  ~°v°~  ~°v°~  ~°v°~

Hello ZooLex Friend,
We have worked for your enjoyment!

              ~°v°~

NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTATION

Asian Elephants are part of the Wild Asia theme area besides many other 
animal species at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia. The historic barn, 
designed after a Thai temple, was renovated for the requirements of 
keeping a breeding group of Asian elephants. Visitors can explore the 
barn and exhibitions in the "Asian village" on biology and cultural 
history of as well as threats to Asian elephants.

http://www.zoolex.org/zoolexcgi/view.py?id=1186

              ~°v°~

ZOOLEX EDITOR

We would like to welcome and introduce Jonas Livet, biologist, author of 
www.leszoosdanslemonde.com and consultant for zootechnique as ZooLex
editor and French speaking correspondent:

http://www.zoolex.org/editors.html

The ZooLex newsletter is currently distributed in English, German, 
Russian, Spanish and Chinese to several thousands of readers
worldwide, most of whom are working at or for zoological institutions.

              ~°v°~

We keep working on ZooLex ...

The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization is a non-profit organization
registered in Austria (ZVR-Zahl 933849053). ZooLex runs a professional
zoo design website and distributes this newsletter. More information and
contact: http://www.zoolex.org/about.html





https://www.aazk.org/








Celebrating Plants and the Planet:

Primate fans be glad: this month's links feature the dependence of primates
on trees. Except for the links highlighting two newly discovered plant
strategies for fooling insects. January's news links can be seen at
 www.zooplantman.com (NEWS/Botanical News):

. What does a monkey look for in a tree? Tall, dark and leafy? Or
something more? Scientists in Indonesia have identified specific traits
sought by different monkey species. (There's another interesting study
recently that looked at wood qualities orangutans sought in suitable rocking
trees.) Can this insight help minimize animal/human conflict? In fact, can
it be applied to zoos to improve husbandry?

. For that matter, what does a chimpanzee look for in a fruit?
Botanists in Africa have discovered a new tree species whose fruits chimps
suck and suck and suck, spitting out seeds as they travel through the
canopy. Call it, "Gob stopper seed dispersal."

. The plight of the rare Hainan gibbons becomes all the clearer (and
more worrisome) as Hainan island's primary forests are logged. Will the
Hainan gibbon be the first gibbon species to disappear in this century?

. Flowers lure pollinators using some unexpected strategies. The
newest to be observed is a flower mimicking the smell of dead insects to
attract kleptoparasitic flies that believe they are stealing the dead prey
from other predators. How's that for complicated?

. Plants grow specialized hairs for a variety of purposes. A new
study suggests that some grow them to resemble spider webs, fooling
leaf-munching insects into keeping their distance.

A visitor filmed the play between a tiger and an orang at the Virginia Zoo.
Enjoy two minutes of great zoo interaction:


Please share these stories with associates, staff, docents and - most
importantly - visitors!

Follow on Twitter: 

Facebook: 

stories every day as well as hundreds of stories from the past few years.


Rob



During this last quarter of the year 2014, WAR has been continued its tireless efforts on all three programmes including conservation, law enforcement and wildlife education. The Cu Chi and Hon Me Wildlife Rescue Stations have rescued a number of wildlife and upgraded its facilities for more effective rescue activities. Dugong conservation efforts including Dugong Festival 2014 have been implemented on Phu Quoc Island. The SOS Exhibition has been travelling to secondary schools in Ho Chi Minh City. In the year 2014, WAR received continuous supports from companies and individuals. This newsletter is dedicated to WAR’s supporters and staff. Hope you enjoy and thank you very much. Mr. Nguyen Vu Khoi – WAR’s CEO.
http://www.wildlifeatrisk.org/new/upload/download/newsletter.What%20up%20Issue28%20Dec%2014-1.pdf


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