Zoos
British Zoo Considers Penguin Name Contest
By DEREK KRAVITZ , 01.24.2006, 05:55 PM
Zookeepers in southern England said Tuesday they were considering a contest to name a chick expected by the parents of a juvenile penguin stolen just before Christmas.
Dozens of well-wishers sent Amazon World congratulatory e-mails after news spread that the mother had laid a new egg, said Derek Curtis, owner of the zoo on the Isle of Wight. The kidnapped 3-month-old jackass penguin, named Toga, is presumed dead.
Curtis urged caution, saying he would wait three weeks to assure the chick is healthy before going ahead with the contest.
"We don't want to count our chickens before they hatch, so to speak," he said.
If all goes well, the penguin chick is expected in February.
http://www.forbes.com/home/feeds/ap/2006/01/24/ap2473744.html
After Toga, zoo waits for patter of penguin feet
By Stewart Payne
(Filed: 24/01/2006)
The parents of Toga, the baby penguin that was stolen from a zoo last month, are having another chick.
Kyala, who is partnered for life with Oscar, has laid an egg at their nest site in their enclosure at Amazon World Zoo Park at Newchurch on the Isle of Wight. It is expected to hatch in about 40 days.
Staff at the zoo said the black-footed penguins pined for their missing offspring for more than a week but then started to build a new nest, giving rise to the hope that an egg may be laid.
Toga, who was three months old, was the first penguin to be reared successfully at the zoo. Staff said they were delighted another was on the way.
Kath Bright, the zoo manager, said yesterday: "This is fantastic. Kyala and Oscar seem a happy pair of penguins and we are keeping our fingers crossed."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/01/24/npeng24.xml&sSheet=/portal/2006/01/24/ixportal.html
At US zoo, breeding rare leopards means breaking rules
Tue Jan 24, 2006 1:05 PM GMT
FRONT ROYAL, Virginia (Reuters) - Zoe purrs and grunts when she hears women talking. Just like any house cat wanting her ears scratched, she rubs against the chain-link fence invitingly.
But Zoe, who lives at the Smithsonian National Zoo's Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Virginia, is no kitty cat; she's a rare clouded leopard. And the specialists at the center are among the few animal experts in the world who have been able to get clouded leopards to breed without literally killing one another.
Since the zoo started its captive breeding program in 1978, 75 clouded leopard cubs have been born.
"The common theme is that these make horrible exhibit animals and you can't show them and they kill each other," said JoGayle Howard, National Zoo's animal fertility specialist.
Fewer than 10,000 clouded leopards are believed to survive in the wild. The breeding program may hold the key to the future of a species vanishing fast as its forest homes disappear and as poachers learn how to capture them.
http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=scienceNews&storyID=2006-01-24T130428Z_01_N18278223_RTRIDST_0_SCIENCE-SCIENCE-LEOPARDS-DC.XML
Zoo raising $3M for giraffe habitat
Judy Sarles
Nashville Business Journal
Nashville Zoo has a tall order for the Middle Tennessee community. It's looking to raise $3 million for its giraffe habitat, which three giraffes are expected to occupy in March.
The zoo's signage has featured giraffes, but the animals have been noticeably absent from its exhibits. A male giraffe is coming from Los Angeles Zoo and two females are on their way from the Houston Zoo and the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin, Texas.
The zoo's "Stick Your Neck Out" campaign was launched by Maggi Margaret Turner, who has pledged to match $2 for every $1 raised; Phyllis and David Vandewater, whose donation supports the purchase and delivery of the Masai giraffes; and Genesco Inc., the initial corporate contributor.
http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2006/01/23/daily11.html?jst=b_ln_hl
Cougar Kittens Ready For Zoo Debut
POSTED: 11:44 am EST January 24, 2006
UPDATED: 1:31 pm EST January 24, 2006
PHILADELPHIA -- Visitors to the Philadelphia Zoo this weekend will be the first to see the zoo's new addition.
Three young pumas, also known as mountain lions or cougars, will be the first of their kind at the zoo in 10 years.
The zoo says the cubs were born last July or August, but were orphaned while still very young. They came to the zoo in October. Their keepers have named them after South Dakota's Black Hills, where they were born. The male is named Dakota and the two females are Sage and Cinnabar.
The zoo plans to have the young pumas on display this weekend. They are the first big cats to go on display at the zoo before this spring's opening of Bank of America Big Cat Falls. The zoo's large felines have been out of the public's view or on loan to other zoos.
While still young, the mountain lions' coats are spotted and their eyes are blue. Like deer, they will lose their spotted markings as they get older.
The Philadelphia Zoo says adult males can grow to more than 8 feet long and weigh about 150 pounds. Females are a little smaller and can be as long as 7 feet and weigh around 100 pounds. They have very long tales that measure more than half the length of their head and body.
Cougars once lived in most parts of the United States, including Pennsylvania and New Jersey, but the Philadelphia Zoo says there are now found mostly west of the Mississippi with a small population in Florida.
http://www.nbc10.com/news/6400216/detail.html
Minnesota Zoo dolphin calf dies
Jan 23, 2006, 18:09 GMT
APPLE VALLEY, MN, United States (UPI) -- The Minnesota Zoo`s youngest bottlenose dolphin, Harley, has died after leaping from his pool and fracturing his skull.
The mishap happened Saturday, as the animal was in training to swim between the east 'maternity' pool and the west back pools through a channel, zoo officials said.
While following his 33-year-old mother Rio, the 7-month-old calf leapt onto the concrete deck, the St. Paul Pioneer Press reported Monday.
Trainers returned him to the water, but after a while, he stopped coming up for air. Divers were sent in to aid him, but to no avail.
Born at the zoo on June 21, the 5.5-foot-long, 120-pound calf was the fourth offspring of Rio, the zoo said in a statement.
An examination at the University of Minnesota determined Harley had a skull fracture and his lungs were full of blood, zoo officials said.
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/northamerica/article_1078620.php/Minnesota_Zoo_dolphin_calf_dies
Minnesota Zoo's youngest dolphin dies
The youngest dolphin at the Minnesota Zoo died Saturday after fracturing his skull in an accident.
Harley, which was 7-month old, had been learning to swim with his mother between two back pools, when he jumped out of the water and hit his head on the concrete deck, said Kevin Willis, director
of biological programs at the zoo.
A staff member quickly got the 5 1/2-foot-long, 120-pound male dolphin back into the water and he took a breath and followed his mother, Willis said. But soon divers monitoring the dolphin realized the calf had died.
"We've never had a dolphin death due to trauma before," Willis said.
X-rays showed that Harley had fractured his skull and his lungs were full of blood. A necropsy will be done at the University of Minnesota.
Harley was born June 21 and his name was chosen from 10,000 names in a contest. Harley was just learning to negotiate his way between the east and west pools, and the training was going well,
Willis said.
Saturday, Harley was swimming with his mother, Rio, from one pool to the other before the accident. The two back pools are separated by a 6-foot-long, 6-foot-wide, 6-foot-deep channel. Gates separate the back pools and the presentation pool where dolphin shows are performed.
Rio swam back across the channel, but Harley trailed behind. Either frightened or confused, Harley jumped out of the water, zoo officials said.
Harley, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin, was never on display, but could be seen 24 hours a day on the zoo's Webcam.
Atlantic bottlenose dolphins live in temperate to tropical waters from as far north as Greenland to as far south as Central America. Adults weigh between 350 and 600 pounds and range from 7 to 12 feet in length.
Other dolphins in the zoo's exhibit are Semo, a 42-year-old male, Chinook, a 23-year-old male, Ayla, a 13-year-old female with a kink in her back caused by scoliosis, and Spree.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Zoo dolphin dies in accident
BY JIM McCARTNEY
Pioneer Press
Harley, the Minnesota Zoo’s newest dolphin, died Saturday afternoon after jumping out of his pool and fracturing his head on the concrete deck.
The dolphin calf, which had just turned seven months of age, apparently panicked in swimming between two back pools at the zoo that have been his home since birth.
Harley — whose name was picked from 10,000 entries last summer in a zoo-sponsored naming contest — had started training Wednesday to go between the east and west back pools through a channel, zoo officials said.
Saturday afternoon, the calf had gone from the east “maternity” pool to the west pool with his mother, Rio. Rio returned to the east pool, and as Harley swam toward the channel, he leapt out of the water and landed on the deck.
Trainers returned him to the water, zoo officials said. After a while, Harley stopped coming up for breaths. Divers were sent in to aid him, but to no avail.
An examination at the University of Minnesota determined Harley had a skull fracture and his lungs were full of blood, zoo officials said.
Harley was never on display for zoo visitors, but could be seen 24 hours a day on the zoo’s Webcam. He was born June 21 to Rio, a 33-year-old dolphin who has long been a fixture at the Minnesota Zoo.
Baby Dolphin Dies At MN Zoo
VIDEO
(WCCO) Apple Valley, Minn. Harley, a baby dolphin at the Minnesota Zoo, died Saturday in what zoo officials are calling a freak accident.
Harley was training to "channel," or swim between pools, with his mother when he apparently struck his head on the side of a pool, zoo officials said.
The baby dolphin jumped completely out of the water, and trainers immediately put him back.
Zoo officials said Harley swam a few strokes with his mother, Rio, before they realized he was badly injured.
Divers brought Harley to the surface when he did not breathe and said there was nothing they could have done to save him.
Harley died around 2:45 p.m. from complications associated with severe head trauma and a fractured skull, zoo officials said.
Rio called for Harley a few times after the accident, but officials said she was doing better Saturday night.
Harley was 5-1/2 feet long and 120 pounds at the time of his death. He was born last June 21 and was Rio's fourth calf.
Minnesota Zoo Director of Biological Programs Kevin Willis said the zoo's staff had been looking forward seeing Harley make his public debut and was having a hard time dealing with the accident.
"This is a sad day here," Willis said. "This is hard. This is a baby that was really healthy and really doing well."
Zoo officials said it was unclear why Harley swam into the side of the pool.
The Minnesota Zoo will be open Sunday, but all dolphin shows have been canceled. Zoo officials said they were unsure how much trauma Harley's death was causing for the other dolphins.
The zoo is not planning on replacing Harley. The dolphin was scheduled to go to another zoo after he matured, in about 10 or 11 years.
Zoo officials said this was the first dolphin death of its kind at the Minnesota Zoo.
In the past seven years, two other Minnesota Zoo dolphins have died. In 2000, a dolphin died of a mysterious illness and in 1999, another dolphin died of old age.
Rio and four other dolphins -- Ayla, Spree, Chinook and Semo -- are exhibited at the zoo's Discovery Bay.
http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_021222520.html
Zoo Prepares For Bird Flu Battle
POSTED: 3:57 pm PST January 23, 2006
UPDATED: 4:55 pm PST January 23, 2006
SAN DIEGO -- The San Diego Zoo is preparing to spend at least $500,000 to protect its 3,000 birds, some of them very rare and only found captivity, from bird flu.
Zoo officials said past threats, such as the exotic Newcastle disease three years ago, have prepared them for the steps they'll need to take if bird flu reaches the United States.
The steps include vaccinations and possible quarantines of birds questioning delivery drivers about where they have been and spraying truck undercarriages with disinfectant.
All those steps can get expensive. Zoo officials said they spent more than $500,000 on precautions for Newcastle.
"Ninety percent of what we plan to do [in the case of] influenza outbreak, we've done for Newcastle," Donald Janssen, the zoo's director of veterinary medicine said.
Officials would also close walk-through aviaries to guests, and any contact between visitors and birds would be halted. The zoo would even try and shoo away wild birds that could carry the deadly virus.
http://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/6378347/detail.html
Fresno's Chaffee Zoo Re-Opens to Visitors
January 23, 2006 - Fresno's Chaffee Zoo re-opened Monday with a little more shine after being closed two weeks for clean up.
Crews worked on animal exhibits, fixed walkways and made other improvements to get ready for a visit by the American Zoological Association in February.
The A.Z.A. will decide whether to give the zoo national accreditation.
The zoo opened at 10:00am Monday morning.
One zoo staffer says the best thing about the clean-up is the morale boost it gave to employees.
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=3838644
Oregon Zoo Experts Lead Exotic Travel Adventures
PORTLAND, Oregon - Those looking for an 'Out of Africa' experience or desiring to follow in Darwin's footsteps can explore travel opportunities at the Oregon Zoo's Wild World Tours program preview, Tuesday, January 24. The event takes place in the zoo's Skyline Room at 7:30 p.m.
http://www.medfordnews.com/articles/index.cfm?artOID=327125&cp=10997
Contact between birds and visitors would be halted
By Jeanette Steele
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER
When you have 3,000 birds – some rare and endangered – you've got to be worried about the bird flu.
No one at the San Diego Zoological Society wants to lose an endangered red-crowned crane, for instance, or a colorful little Micronesian kingfisher, which is extinct in the wild.
But San Diego Zoo officials say past maladies, such as the exotic Newcastle disease three years ago, have prepared them for the arduous steps that will be needed if a virulent form of avian influenza crosses American shores.
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060123-9999-1m23birdflu.html
Zoo animals in Britain to gain freedom
Jan 23, 2006, 4:05 GMT
LONDON, England (UPI) -- Rare specimens such as cheetahs and black rhinos will roam through replicas of their natural habitats north of Bristol, England.
The Sunday Times of London reported a plan for the animal equivalent of the Eden Project, a 132-acre attraction, is an attempt to move away from the more traditional 'animals in cages' model typically seen in British zoos and safari parks.
Instead, visitors will take jeep rides to view big cats and rhinos in an African savannah zone, or rock pythons and giant millipedes in a re-creation of the Congolese jungle.
The project`s backers at Bristol Zoo claim it will be the first time a visitor attraction has tried to show how different animals live together in the wild rather than exhibiting them as separate species.
Plans call for the zoo, provisionally called the National Wildlife Conservation Park, to be built on the grounds of a country mansion and to include 12 separate zones. Elevated walkways will enable visitors to view the animals at close range.
http://science.monstersandcritics.com/news/article_1078428.php/Zoo_animals_in_Britain_to_gain_freedom
Turtles at Zoo Moved
Veterinarians at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium have moved two sea turtles from public view after X-rays confirmed they had been eating coins and other pieces of metal tossed at them or dropped by visitors.
The animals' doctors worried the objects might cut the turtles or cause an infection.
Veterinarian Gwen Myers first noticed the problem while conducting a routine exam of the turtles' droppings last week. She found nickels, pennies and a dime, as well as a nail and a key chain.
Myers said visitors to the zoo sometimes don't follow the rules.
"They throw bubble gum at the turtles. They throw stuff at the alligators to see if they move," Myers said. "One night, one guy dumped his whole container of popcorn into the cougar exhibit. We usually ask security to escort them off the grounds. It's a pretty simple rule: 'Don't feed the animals."'
But even visitors who accidentally drop items can cause problems for the animals, zoo officials say.
"At the Indianapolis Zoo, people would drop cell phones and sunglasses and the ostriches would eat them," Columbus veterinarian Andrea Goodnight said about her former employer.
John Dinon, director of animal conservation programs at the Cincinnati Zoo, said sunglasses and children's shoes are the items most frequently lost in zoo exhibits.
The two sea turtles in Columbus are healthy despite eating the objects, Myers said. They have been swimming together in a deep holding tank.
"We really don't want to lose these animals," Myers said.
http://www.10tv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4395278&nav=LUESMuat
Chaffee Zoo to Reopen After Cleanup
January 22, 2006 - A new and improved Chaffee Zoo will be back open to the public again Monday.
It's been closed the last two weeks for an important cleanup. Crews worked on animal exhibits, fixed walkways and made other improvements in preparation for a visit by the American Zoological Association.
The AZA will decide whether to give the zoo national accreditation. That visit was recently pushed back until April, but people who work at the zoo say they're glad the improvements are done now.
"We miss the public and stuff, but it's worth it. We're getting a lot of work that needed to be done accomplished that we can't do while the public's here because we want safety. You can't have a tractor running while you have small children," said Jody Wright.
The zoo resumes it regular hours Monday, opening at 10:00am.
http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=3836326
Zoo director talks about career at Rosamond
Updated: 1/21/2006 7:02 PM
It's a bigger space, with a bigger staff and nearly four times as many animals, but Dr. Anne Baker said excitement, not nervousness, comes to mind when she thinks about her new position.
"It's a group of people that's been without a director for almost a year and are very, very eager and anxious to sort of move ahead and move on into the next era for their zoo, and I'm just thrilled to be a part of it," Baker said.
Baker's been with the Rosamond Gifford Zoo for more than a decade and during that time has seen some great plans come to fruition.
She said she proud of all the exhibits, big and small, "I think what we've done has been good. It's been of high quality, and it's served the community well, so I'm pleased with that."
And while Baker will be leaving behind friends of all kinds, there will be some familiar faces in Ohio. Baker will be reunited with a couple of old friends. A baby gorilla she hand-raised at Brookfield Zoo in Chicago is now a breeding male at the Toledo Zoo, and a snow leopard from right here in Syracuse will be making the move to Toledo as well.
Zoo director talks
After 13 years at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo, director Dr. Anne Baker will be leaving Syracuse for Toledo, Ohio. Baker accepted the position of executive director at the Toledo Zoo.
Her first day at the Toledo zoo will be April 1st.
The County Executive and the Friends of the Rosamond Gifford Zoo Board will meet soon to set up the parameters for the search for a new zoo director.
http://news10now.com/content/all_news/?ArID=57840&SecID=83
Winter Days entices both young and old
Posted: 01/21/2006 05:44 pm
Last Updated: 01/22/2006 02:21 pm
South Bend, IN - It was a beautiful day in Michiana, and many people got outside to enjoy the wonderful sunshine.
Saturday was one of three scheduled South Bend Potawatomi Zoo Winter Days.
The zoo opened its doors for three hours from 12:00PM to 3:00PM where people were able to enjoy the wildlife of the zoo.
While people were able to walk through and see the animals that are out in the winter, the animals got a break from their winter hibernation as well.
Kelly Ulrich, the education curator, said, "Well, the zoo closes right after Thanksgiving, so this gives people an opportunity to come out and see the animals before we open in April. It also gives the animals a chance to see people again, too."
The second Winter Day for the zoo will be in February, and the last in March.
Potawatomi Zoo officially opens for the season on April 1st.
http://www.wndu.com/news/012006/news_47430.php
Zoo Throws Birthday Bash For Sloth Bear Cubs
Saturday January 21, 2006 10:46pm Posted By: Whitney Bissell
Little Rock - Two Sloth Bear Cubs celebrated their first birthday at the Little Rock Zoo on Saturday. The two cubs, Tasha and Thor are the offspring of Sloth Bears, Nocona and Franois.
The zoo held a big bash for the cubs and the pair got to feast on their own birthday cakes.
(Mike Blakely, Little Rock Zoo Director) "The mother, Noccona, did raise them, they were able to watch them grow up. People just love these animals because they were able to see them throughout the year from the little cubs up into the size they are now."
The cubs were born December 27th, 2004 and went on exhibit in April of 2005.
http://www.katv.com/news/stories/0106/296105.html
It's an Adventure: Zoos offer wintertime animal watching
(Messenger-Inquirer (Owensboro, KY) (KRT) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Jan. 21--You can still talk -- and walk -- with the animals this winter even though it might be with chattering teeth.
Area and regional zoos are offering reduced rates, special exhibits and programs or just a chance to get a look at animals in less-crowded conditions.
Some animals indigenous to cold climes or adapting to them might even look back at those willing to bundle up and get out, said Jim Bartoo with the Nashville Zoo at Grassmere.
Animals are indifferent to a steady stream of visitors in warm weather, but not in the winter when people shy away from cold weather, the marketing/public relations director said.
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2006/01/21/1303829.htm
Syracuse zoo boss heads to Toledo
January 20, 2006, 9:12 AM EST
SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) _ Anne Baker, who helped the Rosamond Gifford Zoo become one of the nation's top breeding zoos, will leave her job as director in April to become executive director of the Toledo Zoological Gardens in Ohio.
Baker, 58, has served as director at the county-owned zoo for 13 years, leading it through a seven-year $6 million expansion and renovation project. The zoo boasts one of the world's top breeding programs for Asian elephants, an endangered species. It also has successfully bred Amur tigers, red pandas and golden lion tamarins, three other endangered species.
Baker gave the zoo a new mission, too, that focused on environmental education.
"The decision to take the Toledo Zoo position has been a difficult decision to make and is bittersweet. I am very excited about taking the next steps of my career," Baker said in a statement.
Baker will officially begin in Toledo on April 1.
The Toledo Zoo selected Baker following a nationwide search that considered more than 125 candidates. The position pays more than $200,000 per year in salary and benefits. Baker's salary in Syracuse was about $75,000 per year, not including benefits.
"She has tremendous leadership skills, she has very strong managerial skills, and that's all backed up by outstanding animal skills," said Stephen Staelin, president of the Toledo Zoo's board of directors.
Rosamond Gifford Zoo: www.RosamondGiffordZoo.org.
http://www.newsday.com/news/local/wire/newyork/ny-bc-ny--zoodirector0120jan20,0,134798.story?coll=ny-region-apnewyork
Zoo set to sell off 12 acres for new homes
BRIAN FERGUSON CITY COUNCIL REPORTER
EDINBURGH Zoo is planning to sell off a massive chunk of its land for housing to help fund a £58 million redevelopment of the attraction.
Zoo chiefs have earmarked 12 acres of land on its site in Corstorphine as surplus to requirements in the hope of ploughing the expected £15m proceeds from a sale into its plan for the site.
Up to 100 new homes will be built on a huge swathe of zoo property to the west of its 90-acre site under the plans.
The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which runs the attraction, has struck a deal in principle with EDI, the development firm set up by the city council.
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=97242006
Sloth Bear Cub Born at National Zoo
Jan 20th - 1:33pm
WASHINGTON -- Forget the panda, there's a new cub at the National Zoo.
Hana, an 11-year-old female sloth bear gave birth to a cub on Jan. 9, Zoo officials say.
Veterinarians say it's too early to get near the cub because it is so fragile and dependent on its mother's care. Instead, they will monitor the cub and Hana via a camera mounted in the sloth bear den for the next few weeks.
http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=676206
Elephant Expert: Zoo Is Mistreating Ailing Pachyderm
Zoo May Have To Euthanize Elephant
POSTED: 6:44 am EST January 20, 2006
UPDATED: 7:50 am EST January 20, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Toni, a 40-year-old Asian elephant at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park, is being treated for arthritis in her front legs.
But Joyce Poole, an animal behaviorist with the Elephant Trust, visited the Elephant House this month and met with zoo director John Berry.
Afterward, she said the zoo is making the elephant's problems worse by putting the animal in small quarters with hard surfaces. Her statement was reported in The Washington Post.
Some animal rights groups now want Toni moved to the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where she would have more room to exercise and be on softer ground.
Poole has also urged zoo officials to give elephants more space in a more natural environment.
Zoo officials did say that if Toni's condition gets any worse, she might have to be euthanized.
http://www.nbc4.com/news/6269736/detail.html
concluding ...
