Zoos
Tai Shan Meets the Press
Tai Shan, the National Zoo's Giant Panda cub, climbs on the rocks in his enclosure during a press-only preview Tuesday morning. Zoo keepers said that the cub gets up early to play with his mother, but still spends most of his day sleeping. Tai Shan means "peaceful mountain" in Chinese. The 21-pound cub debuts to the public on December 8.
Interviews:
Lisa Stevens, Assistant Curator for Pandas
Jo Gayle Howard, D.V.m., Ph.D. - reproductive scientist
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/video/2005/11/29/VI2005112900476.html
North Carolina
STATE NEWS IN BRIEF
MOREHEAD CITY
Oyster hatcheries planned at aquariums
The state is moving ahead with preparations for oyster hatcheries in North Carolina.
A planning team under the N.C. aquariums has determined the scope of the projects as laid out by the General Assembly this past year, said J.P. McCann, director of the Roanoke Island Aquarium and chairman of a committee that is in charge of the research.
"It's thought that one large facility would be constructed to support the Division of Marine Fisheries and their efforts," McCann said.
DMF currently has nine sanctuary sites in coastal waters where it is working - in some cases in conjunction with environmental groups - to build oyster reefs, according to a report the state submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service. The state has plans to increase these efforts.
Two or three additional, smaller demonstration sites would be established near the three state aquariums to support public oyster gardening efforts and the Under Dock Oyster Cultivation program, McCann said.
The larger, commercial-sized hatchery would have a production capacity of a billion larvae and include a nursery area for setting, McCann said. The demonstration hatcheries would have a production capacity of 8 to 10 million larvae, he said.
South Carolina already has one commercial oyster hatchery in operation.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/13299141.htm
Zoo angling to become state `crown jewel'
Associated Press
APPLE VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota Zoo officials are counting on grizzly bears, leopards and otters to raise the institution's standing among the nation's zoos and make it a "crown jewel" of state tourist attractions.
The zoo is in the midst of a $100 million fundraising campaign to upgrade the grounds. Between now and 2010, the zoo plans to add new exhibits, including an outdoor trail of the Russian far-eastern coast and a new penguin habitat.
"We want to be one of the state's crown jewels. This is not pie in the sky at all," zoo director Lee Ehmke said. "This is a very solid vision, and it's achievable."
http://www.twincities.com/mld/twincities/news/state/minnesota/13275371.htm
Memorable, successful zoos are a work in progress
"We're in the job of creating memories," says the director of the Virginia Zoo.
By Marques G. Harper
Traditionally zoos have a vested interest in the preservation of animals and conservation efforts.
However, in this day of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and "Fear Factor"-style entertainment, an amount of
marketing savvy also is necessary to attract zoo visitors.
"Zoos are just not about animals," said Lewis Greene, director of the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk. "We're in the job of creating memories."
http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/42270
Zoo says smear campaign hurting finances
The Darling Downs Zoo, in south-est Queensland, says it is losing thousands of dollars in bookings because of negative publicity surrounding the conditions its animals are living in.
The RSPCA and Department of Natural Resources officials visited the site yesterday, with the department expected to renew the zoo's operating licence for the next six months.
One of the zoo's directors, Steve Robinson, says he has been the victim of a smear campaign that is now affecting the zoo financially.
"Already we have lost an enormous number of bookings," he said.
"These are schools, for example, that were booked in for their end of term excursion, vacation care groups have cancelled because the perception from the smear campaign in the paper was that this was not a safe place to take children."
http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200512/s1520657.htm
Lehigh Valley Zoo kangaroo dies from unknown ailment
2-year-old marsupial began stumbling, was to undergo MRI.
By Romy Varghese
Of The Morning Call
This story would be a lot different if things had gone as planned.
Ideally, an anesthetized kangaroo would have been hoisted onto a table Wednesday. Workers would have carefully placed its head and shoulders under a magnetic resonance imaging scanner. A photograph would have shown the animal receiving a test that may have diagnosed its ailment.
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/allentown/all-b1_5kangaroo-5rdec01,0,548709.story?coll=all-newslocalallentown-hed
Oldest gorilla at OKC zoo dies
By The Associated Press
A 46-year-old female gorilla that has been a fixture at the Oklahoma City Zoo for more than 30 years has died.
Fern, a Western lowlands gorilla, was euthanized Tuesday after several weeks of deteriorating health, zoo officials said.
"She had been under medical watch for the last couple of weeks, acting lethargic and had a loss of appetite," said Dwight Scott, the zoo's director of animal management. "Within the last 48 hours, she really took a turn for the worse."
Fern, who arrived at the Oklahoma City Zoo in 1972 from a zoo in Philadelphia, was the fourth oldest gorilla in the United States, Scott said. He said gorillas in captivity typically live to between 35 and 40 years old.
"She obviously lived a good, long life," Scott said.
A necropsy performed after her death showed she was in the early stages of heart failure, the leading cause of death among older gorillas in captivity, Scott said.
"It's a big loss for our zoo," Scott said. "It's especially difficult for the animal keepers who worked with Fern on a daily basis.
"She was very personable, and she got along very well with other gorillas. She was great about playing with youngsters in the group, interacting with other females. She was a real good animal."
Fern had three offspring, one of which is still alive at the Jersey Wildlife Preservation Trust in England, Scott said.
http://newsok.com/article/1692325/?template=home/main
N.C. Zoo starts $8 million expansion to double elephant exhibit
11/30/2005 3:11 PM
By: Associated Press
African elephant photo from the NC Zoo's website
(ASHEBORO) -- The 500-acre North Carolina Zoo plans to double the size of its three-elephant exhibit to make it one of the nation's largest such collections.
Work on the $8 million expansion started Wednesday and is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2007.
The expansion comes when other zoos are giving up on the elephants because of space and financial constraints.
The only existing exhibit larger than the one proposed by the zoo in Asheboro is the nine-acre exhibit at Disney's Animal Kingdom outside of Orlando, Florida.
http://rdu.news14.com/content/top_stories/default.asp?ArID=77576
Officials Finally Break Ground On New Greensboro Zoo
Greensboro voters approved $3,500,000 bond money in 2000 for Animal Discovery Experience. After five years, construction is ready to begin.
Greensboro, NC -- It has taken five years but a $3,500,000 bond is paying off.
Those behind Greensboro's Natural Science Center's newest exhibit broke ground on Wednesday.
The Animal Discovery Experience will transform 22 acres around the Science Center into a habitat for more than 150 animals.
The project came from a bond referendum back in 2005 where voters in Greensboro approved the money for the project.
Center officials say the idea is to not only benefit the community but to attract attention from outside the area as well.
They say the exhibit could be open as soon as December 2006 but could be postponed until spring 2007.
Center officials expect a $500,000 a year increase for operating costs so they expect the cost of touring the center to go up as well.
There's no word yet on how much.
http://www.wfmynews2.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=52899
Horse show attracts rights protests
By Beena Nadeem
Objections: campaigners claim the performing horses in Spirit of the Horse do not get enough rest
Animal rights campaigners from Barnet will gather outside Brent Cross shopping centre on Saturday to protest against a live show featuring 30 performing horses.
The Spirit of the Horse show will be concluding its national tour for the year in what it describes as a £2 million equestrian theatre show, featuring 30 horses.
The protesters said they are campaigning against the treatment of the horses, which they say are made to act in up to three performances a day, each lasting two hours each, on top of regular weekly shows without decent breaks.
The protesters will gather on the pavement opposite the John Lewis car park, next to where the show is being held.
http://www.thisishertfordshire.co.uk/news/barnet/display.var.654483.0.horse_show_attracts_rights_protests.php
Zoo sparkles for the holidays
November 24, 2005
Thousands of twinkling lights and animals are the highlight of ZooLights 2005, which is Saturday through Dec. 31 at the Oregon Zoo.
More than a half-million lights that form the shapes of about 200 animals and decorate fences, cages and poles throughout the zoo are the main attraction at the annual event.
The zoo's train also will be decorated, and there will be live music and entertainment each night of the festival.
Animal characters such as Eliza Elephant, Nate the Eagle, Rock E. Goat and Titus Tiger will be at the entrance, along with holiday "elves" who will greet visitors.
Some of the real animals at the zoo will be active during the festival. However, zoo officials have said most will be sleeping or not visible.
Admission to ZooLights is $8.25, $6.75 for ages 65 and older, $5.25 for ages 3 to 11 and free for ages 2 and younger. Admission to ZooLights plus a train ticket is $1.25 more per person.
Hours for ZooLights are 5 to 8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays and 5 to 8:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.
Oregon Zoo is at 4001 SW Canyon Road, Portland.
Call (503) 221-1561 or go to www.oregonzoo.com
-- Angela Yeager
http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051124/ENT/511240317/1059
Zoo lights up the night
THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Published: November 24th, 2005 02:30 AM
BRUCE KELLMAN/THE NEWS TRIBUNE
Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium workers Dennis Parkhurst, left, and Joe Graber near the end Wednesday of several thousand hours of stringing lights. Debuting this year is a display featuring the new and old Tacoma Narrows bridges. Zoolights opens at 5 p.m. Friday at Point Defiance Park and will run until Jan. 1.
What: Zoolights, Point Defiance’s popular annual holiday lights display, which attracts tens of thousands of visitors each year.
Where: Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Point Defiance Park. From Highway 16, take Pearl Street to its northern terminus in the park. Follow signs to the zoo.
When: From 5 to 9 p.m., every day, Friday through Jan. 1. (Closed Dec. 24 and 25.)
Cost: $5, Monday through Thursday; $7, Saturday and Sunday. Advance tickets good for any night are $5 each at Bartell’s drugstores and online at www.pdza.org.
http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/5353586p-4845788c.html
Kentucky Horse Racing Authority modifies drug rules
Addressing concerns from horsemen and administrative issues, the Kentucky Horse Racing Authority amended some of its racing medication rules at a meeting on Monday at Keeneland Race Course.
The changes followed comments at a public hearing and meetings with horsemen. When the Authority’s drug rules were put into place as an emergency regulation for the start of the Turfway Park meet on September 7, some trainers boycotted the start of the meet.
The Authority hopes to implement the current rules, which will include threshold levels for the permitted race day medications, by February 3.
http://www.thoroughbredtimes.com/todaysnews/newsview.asp?recno=58945&subsec=1
Stacy Westfall First Woman Competitor at Road to the Horse
MURFREESBORO, Tenn., Nov. 14 /PRNewswire/ -- After six months of secrecy,
event producer Tootie Bland announces reining champion Stacy Westfall as the
fourth clinician and the first woman to compete at the 2006 Road to the Horse
Colt Starting Challenge. Westfall will make history as she meets well-known
cowboys Craig Cameron, Van Hargis, and Martin Black to start, ride, and
compete on previously untouched horses in Murfreesboro, Tenn., February 25-26,
2006.
http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/11-14-2005/0004214770&EDATE=
Album Review: Patti Smith, "Horses/Horses" (Arista)
November 07, 2005 10:06 AM
by Jim Harrington
liveDaily Contributor
Patti Smith (music)'s landmark 1975 debut melded punk rock and poetry like no other album to come before or, really, since. The work was so achingly raw and hypnotically rhythmic that its punch hasn't lessened one iota over the decades.
In fact, if anything, "Horses" has grown more powerfully persuasive with age.
That's the lesson to be learned with the newly released "Horses/Horses," a two-disc set that marks the 30th anniversary of what surely is one of the most impressive and influential debut recordings in rock history.
The other lesson to learn is that the album has never sounded better than it does on the first disc of this set. That's really saying something, given how well John Cale did in producing the original record. Yet, Greg Calbi pulls off the seemingly impossible with a remastering job that somehow makes this diamond shine even brighter.
Besides featuring the original album in its entirety, the first half of "Horses/Horses" also includes a stellar interpretation of The Who's classic "My Generation," which was originally released as the B-side to the album's signature track, "Gloria."
http://www.livedaily.com/reviews/Album_Review_Patti_Smith_HorsesHorses_Arista-9084.html?t=98
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