Zoos
Human Aid Helps Zoo Weather Storm
By TIMOTHY DWYER, The Washington Post
NEW ORLEANS -- As the late afternoon was lolling toward dusk, Dan Maloney was on a mission. The giraffes needed food and water. He hopped into his green golf cart and headed down the path past the reptile center, around a sharp curve near the bear exhibit, darted slightly left to avoid a scurrying rabbit and finally parked in front of a wooden blind overlooking the giraffe's spread of land.
Maloney, vice president and general curator of the Audubon Zoo, has not left his post since before Hurricane Katrina struck. He and about a dozen other workers have been clearing trees and feeding and watering the 1,500 animals living on 58 acres.
Located in uptown New Orleans across Audubon Park from Tulane University, the zoo is situated on some of the highest ground in the city. Water came up to the entrance during the height of Katrina, but the zoo itself was spared from flood.
"We stayed because the animals can't leave," Maloney said. He said two small animals died in the storm and that some waterfowl are missing. "And one alligator," he said, "but I think it's just in another lagoon."
But the white tigers, bears and Satchmo the baby rhino came through the storm fine. Unlike the Miami zoo, which herded some animals into buildings, Maloney let his animals stay outside, figuring the stress from the storm would be less than if the flamingos were locked in a restroom. "We have five flamingo chicks, still with their down, and they came through fine," he said.
Maloney, dressed in a zoo T-shirt, tan cargo pants and a bush hat, enlisted some visitors to help him water the giraffes. "They're really thirsty," he said.
A military helicopter roared overhead. "It would be a real shame if these animals made it through the storm and then get injured or killed because they got spooked by these helicopters," Maloney said. "I wish they would declare the zoo area a no-fly zone."
He coaxed the giraffes with his bucket of water. Another helicopter buzzed by. He said he was getting supplies from the zoo in Baton Rouge and had a promise of help from the Houston zoo.
As Maloney spoke, Alex the giraffe lowered his majestic head and stuck his tongue in the bucket. He slurped up a good bit of water and as he raised his long neck skyward, he spit a stream of water toward Maloney and the visitors.
"Hey, Alex," Maloney laughed. Alex bent his head, took another long drink and, apparently not listening to his keeper, sprayed him again.
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/daily/09-05/09-06-05/a02wn704.htm
Effort to save rare cheetahs
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Dareh Anjir: Asiatic cheetahs, photographed by camera traps in Dareh Anjir, in an isolated wildlife refuge in central Iran. AP
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The picture was released yesterday by the Environment Protection Organisation of Iran.
Iranian wildlife scientists have seen four rare adult Asiatic cheetahs last month, two months after camera traps revealed a female cheetah with her four cubs resting under the shade of a tree in central Iran.
http://www.gulfnews.com/Articles/RegionNF.asp?ArticleID=180110
Iran seeks to save rare cheetahs
Two groups of rare Asiatic cheetahs were spotted in central Iran during recent months, raising hopes that one of the world's fastest moving creatures could be saved from extinction, a conservation official said Saturday.
Iranian wildlife scientists saw four adult cheetahs in August, two months after camera traps revealed a female cheetah with her four cubs resting under the shade of a tree, said Houshang Ziaei, an official of the Environment Protection Organization of Iran.
Once ranging from the Red Sea to India, the Asiatic cheetahs today are hanging on by only the thinnest of threads. Fewer than 60 exist on the entire Asian continent, mostly on Iran's arid central plateau.
http://english.people.com.cn/200509/05/eng20050905_206592.html
Gabriel's Angels are honored with bricks
Realtors pitch in so therapy dogs' names grace park
Cary Aspinwall
The Arizona Republic
Aug. 23, 2005 12:00 AM
The kisses and cuddles of Gabriel's Angels therapy dogs have helped many abused and at-risk children in the Valley.
So it was only fitting that the dogs' work be recognized with commemorative bricks in Gilbert's new dog park, said Linda Bechtel, owner and broker of Mesa-based Keller Williams Legacy One Realty.
Bechtel's office recently purchased 78 bricks to be placed in Gilbert's dog park when it opens next spring. Each brick will feature a therapy dog's name, along with the Gabriel's Angels logo and its motto: Pets helping kids.
http://www.azcentral.com/community/gilbert/articles/0823gr-dogparkZ12.html
Chicago Zoo To Aid New Orleans Zoo Animals
New Orleans Has Lost Fish, Otters In Hurricane
POSTED: 3:21 pm CDT September 6, 2005
UPDATED: 3:40 pm CDT September 6, 2005
CHICAGO -- Lincoln Park Zoo is coming to the rescue of the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans and the aquarium where animals are struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
Officials say fish are dying by the hundreds and some otters have died. A white alligator and a black vulture are missing, but the elephants, orangutans and rhinoceroses have fared relatively well.
A skeleton staff of about 12 people, instead of the usual 200, has remained around the clock, feeding and tending to the animals.
The American Zoo and Aquarium Association announced a national fundraising initiative headed by the Lincoln Park Zoo.
People can donate through the Lincoln Park Zoo Website and follow the links to Hurricane Relief.
http://www.nbc5.com/news/4940997/detail.html
Zoo To Preview Landmark Sculpture
(KSDK/SLBJ) -- The St. Louis Business Journal reported in its Sept. 2 issue that Saint Louis Zoo officials will preview Sept. 21 plans for a landmark sculpture by world-famous sculptor Albert Paley and a new plaza that will welcome millions of visitors to the Zoo and Forest Park.
The projects are being funded through leadership gifts from Thelma Zalk for the sculpture and Steve and Andi Schankman for the plaza.
The sculpture, gates originally designed by Paley for the New York Zoo, were snapped up by Zalk for $1 million after a New York benefactor renegged.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/business_article.aspx?storyid=84304
Zoo picnic heralds union labor
Showing power of unity adds to day of fun, food
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20050906/STORMBLATCH06/TPInternational/Americas
Show Your Fangs for the Camera!
Animal fans turn to zoo Web cams to spend time with furred, feathered or finned favorites.
By Claudia Zequeira, Times Staff Writer
While searching for a Bay Area hotel a few weeks ago, Laurie Deddens insisted that its business center have Internet access.
After all, how else could she watch the giant pandas?
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-zoocam6sep06,0,6491568.story?coll=la-tot-promo&track=morenews
Scientists of future earn awards for studies of zoo animals
AWARDS designed to encourage the scientists of the future have been presented to youngsters at an event at Edinburgh Zoo.
More than 65 fifth-year pupils from across Scotland were at the zoo to receive their awards for the Nuffield School Bursary Scheme.
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The scheme allowed them to carry out projects during their summer holidays, to help them find a career in science or engineering.
http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1892992005
Oregon Zoo Hosts Multicultural Festival Of Animals
Portland, Oregon - The World Animal Festival at Oregon Zoo will showcase the "cultural lives" of animals throughout the world. The event, presented by the Weyerhaeuser Company Foundation for eight straight years, is slated for Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 24 and 25, then again on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 1 and 2. Activities run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.
http://www.medfordnews.com/articles/index.cfm?artOID=311143&cp=10996
Beijing Zoo giant panda celebrates 10th birthday
BEIJING, Sept. 5 (Xinhuanet) -- Having had a big piece of fruit cake for her 10th birthday, the giant panda Niu Niu gave a stretchin a shy way, and left people heartfelt happiness as usual.
In the giant panda's "private garden" full of bamboo and flowers in the Beijing Zoo here on Monday, hundreds of people fromdomestic and overseas together attended her 10th birthday party, singing songs for her and sharing the large cake with her.
"It's very nice that so many people came for Niu Niu's birthday," said Wang Baoqiang, vice manager of the zoo.
According to him, since the lifespan of a giant panda averages around 25 years, Niu Niu is now at her best age. By the end of last year, there were altogether 163 giant pandas in captivity, among which the oldest one Mei Mei died of disease this July at the age of 36.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-09/06/content_3448330.htm
Another Popular Animal Dies At NY Zoo
Sep 6, 2005 6:16 am US/Eastern
(1010 WINS) (SYRACUSE) A popular penguin at Rosamond Gifford Zoo has died from a fungal infection, marking the latest blow for the zoo that's lost two other popular animals this summer.
Fuzzy the penguin was part of the penguin colony at the zoo since the three-point-seven million Penguin Coast exhibit opened June 29th.
Nancy Porter, spokeswoman for the zoo, says Fuzzy became ill with respiratory problems and from a fungal infection commong among birds.
http://1010wins.com/topstories/local_story_249062144.html
Capybara kills monkey at zoo
Sep 6, 2005, 1:43 GMT
ASAHIKAWA, Japan (UPI) -- Officials at Japan`s most popular zoo say a territorial dispute might have led a capybara, a large South American rodent, to kill a spider monkey.
The fatal attack occurred in the spider monkey-capybara exhibit at the Asahiyama Zoo on the island of Hokkaido.
'There are no problems with them living together,' a zoo official told Mainichi Shimbun. 'The accident occurred at a stage in which they were coming to understand each other.'
The capybara, native to the Amazon basin, is the world`s largest rodent, weighing up to 145 pounds, and looks like a cross between a beaver and a pig. Spider monkeys also inhabit South American tropical forests.
While capybaras spend their time on the ground, spider monkeys are at home in the branches.
The unfortunate spider monkey was in a pool used by the capybara. Officials say the two animals appear to have startled each other, and the capybara seized the monkey by the neck, inflicting a fatal wound.
There are no plans to break up the two species, since zoo officials believe the attack was a one-time occurrence.
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/asiapacific/article_1046152.php/Capybara_kills_monkey_at_zoo
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