Zoos
An elegant affair celebrates the magic of the Staten Island Zoo
Bank official and editor are honored as funds are raised for the facility
Friday, February 16, 2007
By TEVAH PLATT
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- It's just a facet of zoological magic -- every person finds different favorites among the beasts.
The honorees at last night's ball benefiting the Staten Island Zoo, Advance Editor Brian Laline and Frank Besignano of SI Bank & Trust, have been enchanted by the tropical fish, the prairie dogs and otters, and the turtle who lived into its ancient years at the West Brighton institution.
http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/117163260264730.xml&coll=1
Philadelphia Zoo to Officially Debut Baby Tamarin
Feb. 16, 2007 - Kids off from school on Monday, Feb. 19th? The Philadelphia Zoo will host PECO Primate Day in PECO Primate Reserve and officially debut our newest baby golden lion tamarin, born Jan. 22nd.
This birth is another step forward in the conservation success story for this beautiful Brazilian monkey. Keepers will give talks about the Zoo's tamarins, orangutans and lemurs and conservation projects to save these endangered animals in the wild.
Arts and crafts items will be available for children. Free with admission, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=animals_oddities&id=5040133
Vendors sought for Zoo Day flea market
The Clarion-Ledger
Arts and crafts and other vendors are sought by the Jackson Zoo for a limited number of spaces at the zoo’s March 10 AT&T Zoo Day flea market area (no food vendors, please).
Live music, games, face painting, cartoon characters and keeper chats are part of the 10 a.m.-4 p.m. event. This year’s AT&T Zoo Day will raise funds to build a new exhibit for the wreathed hornbills.
Call Amanda Blackwell at 601-352-2500 to reserve space.
Two of zoo's elephants are pregnant
By Allison M. Heinrichs
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Friday, February 16, 2007
The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is expecting some big babies.
Officials announced today that two of the zoo's elephants are pregnant. The zoo plans to release 4-D ultrasound images of the babies in utero and more details about the pregnancies on Tuesday.
"The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium is thrilled to announce the pregnancy of our African Elephants," spokeswoman Tracy Gray said in a press release.
The last time an elephant at the zoo was pregnant was seven years ago.
http://pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/rss/s_493548.html
LA ZOO Sumatran Rhino Makes Historic Journey to Indonesia
ANDALAS, the first Sumatran rhinoceros born in captivity in over 100 years will leave his Los Angeles Zoo home of three years later this week to go to Indonesia. Andalas will become the first Sumatran rhino ever to be transported from the United States to Indonesia as part of an international breeding program. He will join two female rhinos, at the Sumatran Rhino Sanctuary in the Way Kambas National Park on the Island of Sumatra.
“Andalas’ journey to Indonesia is vital to the future of Sumatran rhinos” states Zoo Director John Lewis, “This breeding program is just one example of the extent zoos will go to in order to save a species from extinction.”
Andalas (the original name of the Island of Sumatra) received great fanfare when he was born on September 13, 2001, to rhinos Emi and Ipuh at the Cincinnati Zoo. His birth marked the first time that a calf was born at a zoo since 1889 when a live birth was recorded at the Calcutta Zoo in India. His mother Emi, who had several unsuccessful pregnancies prior to having Andalas, has been on loan to the Cincinnati Zoo from the LA Zoo since 1995.
http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=45&a=18145
Baby Gorilla On Display At Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (video)
Reporter: McKenzie Martin
Email: mmartin@kktv11news.com
For the first time since a baby gorilla was born more than 2 weeks ago, The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has re-opened their primate exhibit.
The building has been closed since the birth of a baby to Asha, one of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s female gorillas. Asha immediately picked up her baby after delivery and has been nursing and caring for her offspring since the January 31 birth. Zoo officials have kept the building closed and have not allowed the general public access to the gorilla exhibit since the birth, giving the gorilla troop and the Zoo’s primate keepers an opportunity to adjust to the new arrival.
Large crowds are expected at the Zoo this weekend there will be a limit on the number of guests that can be in Primate Building at any one time.
This gorilla birth comes nearly one year after the birth of Umande, the male gorilla born on February 18, 2006 at the Zoo. Umande was hand-reared by Zoo staff and volunteers after his mother, Kwisha, did not care for him. Umande was sent to the Columbus Zoo in October of 2006 to be united with his surrogate mother, Lulu, who has adopted him.
Zoo family welcomes baby chimp
ALBUQUERQUE -- It was quite a celebration at the Rio Grande Zoo today as everyone welcomed a new member of the family.
The zoo was showing off its baby chimp born Monday to 30-year-old Elaine.
Officials said it's the first chimpanzee birth at the zoo since the new Adventure Africa exhibit opened in 2004.
The birth is extra special for two reasons..
“I've been here 21 years, and this first one since I've been here,” animal curator Rick Janser said. “And anytime you can add a member to the endangered population, that's always a significant event.”
The proud papa Alf is about 20 years old.
http://www.krqe.com/expanded.asp?ID=19902
Manatee Dies At Columbus Zoo
Feb 16 2007 5:10PM
A female manatee died this week at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, zoo officials announced Friday.
The manatee, known as Willoughby and was about 15 years old, came to the zoo in 2005.
According to zoo officials, Willoughby was rescued in June 1995 from the St. Lucie River after being struck with a propeller from a watercraft and was moved to Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.
At the request of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Willoughby and one other female manatee were transported to the Columbus Zoo in October 2005. She was part of a group of manatees at Homosassa infected with a papilloma virus, and Willoughby and another manatee were sent to Columbus as part of a research program on the papilloma virus.
The cause of Willoughby's death is pending and a necropsy will be conducted by the staff from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Marine Mammal Pathobiology lab, according to a press release issued by the Columbus Zoo.
In the fall of 2006, Willoughby became sick and Zoo staff began to treat her and closely monitor her condition. Despite treatment, her condition continued to decline, the press release said.
Manatees are protected at a federal level by the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is one of eleven institutions holding letters of authorization to serve as rehabilitation facilities under the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services Manatee Recovery Program.
Stay with WBNS-10TV and 10TV.com for more information.
http://www.10tv.com/?sec=news&story=sites/10tv/content/pool/200702/1758679243.html
Cops nab zoo wolf on run
ARMED police were called yesterday after a wolf was spotted roaming through a village.
Cops and animal keepers with tranquilliser guns spent hours tracking the animal after it jumped a fence at Dartmoor Wildlife Park and wandered along a road in Lutton, Devon.
The wolf — called Parker — was eventually darted and returned to its enclosure.
Wealthy widow Amelia Mee, 76, bought the park and its animals last year for £1million and gave it to her sons Duncan, 41, and Ben, 46. They want a zoo licence but face fierce local opposition following the escape of a jaguar in October.
Craig Redmond, of the Captive Animals Protection Society, called the brothers “irresponsible”.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2007070904,00.html
Oregon Zoo establishes endangered species justice fund
The Oregon Zoo is receiving money from criminals -- criminals who violate wildlife statutes, that is. Community service payments ordered by Oregon's federal court as part of wildlife-crime sentences will now go into an Endangered Species Justice Fund, created by the zoo and the U.S. Attorney's Office in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Money in the fund will be used to help endangered and threatened species.
"It's sad to see crimes that hurt wildlife, but we are pleased with the opportunity to have some good come from tragedy," said Oregon Zoo Director Tony Vecchio. "It's an honor for us to team up with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to help endangered wildlife."
http://www.bendweekly.com/Outdoors/2886.html
Zoo Prepares for Freezing Night
By Ryan Duffy
First Coast News
JACKSONVILLE, FL --When the king of the jungle has to come in, you know it's cold.
Friday night the African plains and grasslands of South America habitats were empty at the Jacksonville Zoo as zookeepers moved animals inside.
"I'd say 75 to 80 percent of animals will be inside tonight. Animals native to Florida, panther, black bear, those will stay outside," says zookeeper Brett Smith.
Zookeepers expect six hours of freeze Friday night.
That's why Smith is leading confused giraffes and elephants into heated rooms.
The lions don't seem happy about it, but they get special heaters, extra hay and stay inside.
http://www.firstcoastnews.com/news/topstories/news-article.aspx?storyid=76178
The silence of the frogs
Ponds eerily quiet as mystery fungus kills amphibians worldwide
By Dorie Turner,
Associated Press
Atlanta | Ponds and swamps are becoming eerily silent.
The familiar melody of ribbits, croaks and chirps is disappearing as a mysterious killer fungus wipes out frog populations around the globe, a phenomenon likened to the extinction of dinosaurs.
Scientists from around the world are meeting Thursday and today in Atlanta to organize a worldwide effort to stem the deaths by asking zoos, aquariums and botanical gardens to take in threatened frogs until the fungus can be stopped.
The aim of the group, called Amphibian Ark, is to prevent the world's more than 6,000 species of frogs, salamanders and wormlike sicilians from disappearing.
Scientists estimate up to 170 species of frogs have become extinct in the past decade from the fungus and other causes, and an additional 1,900 species are threatened.
http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070216/NEWS/702160336/-1/State
Zoo turning into a plastic dump
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Even though it is a plastic-free zone, the city zoo has turned into a huge dump for plastic items, including carry bags and PET bottles.
Zoo rules stipulate that any plastic item brought by a visitor be kept either in the cloakroom or outside the gate.
Exceptions are often made in the case of plastic feeding bottles and / or water bottles for very young children.
The white-uniformed zoo guards are supposed to be alert enough to prevent people from discarding plastic material near animal enclosure. In spite of this, many carry bags and bottles can be seen thrown near many enclosures.
On Friday afternoon, the zoo officials were alerted to a big plastic bag found in the middle of the lion enclosure.
http://www.hindu.com/2007/02/17/stories/2007021701110200.htm
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