I am asking for any reader to take a political stand at the end of this entry. I don't like to do that, but, I feel there is a wrong being done and it cannot go unaddressed by this blog. I appreciate your patience in this matter. I am not asking anyone to agree with me if one strongly feels differently just for the sake of doing so, but, more to consider our special insight and dedication, so as not to trivialize any 'good purpose' that comes out of efforts that might be spawned in the names of zoos.
Veterinary hospital set to be relocated to purpose-built new premises
By Daniel Bardsley, Staff Reporter
Dubai: Everything from snakes to budgerigars will be treated at a new multi-million dirham veterinary hospital that is set to open on October 1.
The Veterinary Hospital is moving from its current site close to the Iranian Hospital in Jumeirah to a new purpose-built base near Interchange Three on Shaikh Zayed Road.
A special operating theatre designed for treating birds will be among the features of the new hospital.
Dr Max Spicer, one of two partners in the practice, said there would be more advanced equipment for the diagnosis of injury and illness.
"We have very much outgrown our current premises. We have many vets with their own specialities and this centre will be ideal for them. We have a very good record with our procedures and surgical success, and now it should improve further," he said.
Spicer, who trained as a vet in Liverpool in England and has worked in the UAE for about 10 years, said the new hospital would contain four operating theatres, compared to two in the current centre.
Three of the operating theatres will be for small animals and the fourth for birds, primarily falcons.
Five veterinary surgeons, four Britons and an Australian, work for The Veterinary Hospital practice.
All of them are members of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.
The practice dates back 28 years, making it, according to Spicer, the longest-established private veterinary practice in the UAE.
http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Society/10053170.html
Meerkats teach their young to hunt, study finds
Washington, United States
14 July 2006 10:54
Meerkats actively teach their young how to catch and eat their prey, British researchers said in a study that is one of the first to prove that animals show such complex behaviour.
While animals are known to learn from one another by watching, the team at Britain's University of Cambridge said they had demonstrated that the animals actually teach, as defined by clear principles.
Older meerkats will bite the stinger off a live scorpion and give it to a youngster to kill and eat, and if the pup fails to do the job before the prey can crawl away, will nudge it back, Alex Thornton and Katherine McAuliffe reported.
Older meerkats -- not necessarily the parents -- will watch youngsters to see how they are doing, the researchers report in Friday's issue of the journal Science.
Meerkats are a type of mongoose and live in groups of three to 40 in dry regions of Southern Africa. Each group includes a dominant male and female who produce 80% of the pups, and older animals that help to watch over and rear the young.
The animals rely on hard-to-catch prey such as grasshoppers, and various species of scorpions, including poisonous ones.
Thornton and McAuliffe watched 13 different groups of meerkats as part of the Kalahari Meerkat Project, in South Africa's Kuruman River Reserve.
They used accepted criteria to define teaching: that an individual modifies its behavior only in the presence of a naive observer, that the "teacher" gets no benefit from its actions and in fact may lose opportunities to forage itself, and that the "student" learns more rapidly than it would have on its own.
"Teaching is ubiquitous in human societies, but although social learning is widespread in other species, it is not yet clear how commonly teaching is involved," the researchers wrote.
The meerkats demonstrate clearly that they teach, and do not merely allow the pups to learn by observing, Thornton and McAuliffe said.
"A greater understanding of the evolution of teaching is essential if we are to further our knowledge of human cultural evolution and for us to examine the relations between culture in our own species and cultural behavior in other animals," Thornton said in a statement. - Reuters
SMS 'mg' to 31883 to surf M&G Online breaking news on your cellphone via GPRS or 3G at only R10 a month plus WAP charges (SA users only)
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?articleid=277506&area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/
Enjoy an African savannah at the new-look Al Ain zoo
By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
Al Ain: The Al Ain Zoological Park has received a facelift in a Dh15-million rapid improvement programme, with new theme exhibits and recreational and resting facilities.
The programme includes a series of developments that will give the zoo a more natural look and offer more facilities to visitors, said Mark Craig, the zoo's director.
An African savannah has been created on five hectares to house animals in their natural environment. "It's a new concept and facility that offers the environment in which these animals live in the African wild," he said.
A similar exhibit for Arabian animals is also under construction where Arabian Oryx, Gazelles and other animals would be kept in the natural settings. "These exhibits have been designed to provide better viewing options for the visitors [along with] two African-style watchtowers," he said.
The zoo's entrance has recently been renovated and some 15 cages have been demolished to set up the new display.
The improvement programme also includes a redesign of the zoo's landscape and the introduction of a visitors' train that will add to the beauty of the enclosure with Jebel Hafeet as the backdrop, said Craig.
"This is the biggest zoo in the Middle East as it covers ... 850 hectares with more than 200 species of animals, reptiles and birds."
The director said that the visitors' area would also be reduced to 50 hectares.
"This would be the core area of the zoo with facilities such as air-conditioned rest areas, refreshment dispensers and provision outlets," he said.
This was planned keeping in mind that visitors can never walk around the entire 850 hectares. The visitors' walkway now has roofs and mist dispensers.
Work on a special centre has begun to offer information on animals, their habitats and other related aspects to visitors to enhance the zoo's educational value. The centre would be equipped with the latest audio-video aids and expert staff, said Craig.
He said that the improvement programme is an on-going one but most of its objectives would be achieved by the end of the year.
The zoo was taken over from Al Ain Municipality by the Environment Agency - Abu Dhabi last year. It also became a member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (Waza). "We [are] implementing Waza codes of ethics and practices," said Craig.
This will help promote the zoo on an international level.
http://www.gulfnews.com/nation/Leisure/10053641.html
Maine Moose on the Loose
http://yourphotos.boston.com/pages/photo_page.php?mm=51246&gallery=1336
Yes, "Superman Returns'' ... to the Cape! Congratulations to Richard Coutts of Cambridge, who linked to another icon in his winning entry. Among this week's 400 captions were references to Kryptonite, Aqua Man, Lois Lane, the 2004 Boston Red Sox, Jane Swift, and the Cape's notoriously busy hotels and ferries. Check out the runners-up as well below. Although the submission period has ended, check back Sunday to see the winners for this week's contest.
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/city_region/cityweekly/toons/
Sen. Murkowski lands 63-pound king salmon
In this photo provided by the office of Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, Sen. Murkowski hugs a 63-pound king salmon she caught July 7, 2006, along the Kenai River in Alaska, during the annual Kenai River Classic. The event, primarily attended by senators, corporate executives and lobbyists, raised about $800,000 for river conservation. BP Vice President Peggy Hudson caught the largest fish, a 67-pound king. (AP Photo/Office of Sen. Lisa Murkowski)
July 20, 2006
FAIRBANKS, Alaska --Alaska U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski had the home river advantage. She caught a 63-pound king salmon in the 11th annual Kenai River Classic, the biggest catch among the nine senators who took part in the annual fundraiser July 6-10 for conservation of habitat along the Kenai River.
Participants included Sen. Mike Enzi, R-Wyo.
BP Vice President Peggy Hudson caught the largest fish, a 67-pound king. The event raised about $800,000.
Alaska's other U.S. senator, Ted Stevens, and Gov. Frank Murkowski co-hosted this year's event. It drew about 200 people, many of them lobbyists and executives from major U.S. industries.
Others senators attending this year were Kit Bond of Missouri, Thad Cochran of Mississippi, Larry Craig of Idaho, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Pat Roberts of Kansas and John Sununu of New Hampshire. All are Republicans. No House members attended.
Ricky Gease, executive director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, said genetic samples from the largest three kings caught showed they all came from eggs spawned in 1999 and all had spent one year in the gravel, one year in freshwater and five years in saltwater
http://www.boston.com/news/odd/articles/2006/07/20/sen_murkowski_lands_63_pound_king_salmon/
Elephant kills handler in Tennessee sanctuary
Updated 7/21/2006 10:28 PM ET
By Christopher Berkey, AP
Winkie, a female Asian elephant, prepares to cool down at a nine-foot deep pond in The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn., in 2003. On Friday she killed one of her handlers and injured another.
ELEPHANT ATTACK 90 YEARS AGO ENDED IN HANGING
The 1916 death of a circus employee in upper East Tennessee ended with the elephant's execution by hanging.
The animal in question was a circus elephant named Mary. She killed the circus worker as the troupe visited Kingsport, in upper East Tennessee.
The local populace, with the apparent cooperation of the circus owner, Charlie Sparks, decided Mary should be put to death — somehow.
Reportedly, a hail of gunfire and electrocution were tried, but without success.
Finally, the pachyderm was led to the Clinchfield Rail Yard in Erwin, Tenn., where a large chain was placed about the large animal’s neck and a railroad crane lifted her until she died. Reportedly, thousands witnessed the spectacle.
Source: Blue Ridge Country magazine
By Leon Alligood, USA TODAY
A 36-year-old woman whose love for pachyderms led her from her native Maine to rural Lewis County, Tenn., was attacked and killed Friday morning at a preserve for aging elephants, authorities said.
Also, a man who handles the 22 Asian and African elephants at The Elephant Sanctuary was injured and hospitalized late Friday at Maury Regional Medical Center in Columbia, Tenn.
Because the employees' next of kin had not been notified Friday night, the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and the Lewis County Sheriff's Department would not release their names.
The aggressor was Winkie, a 40-year-old female Asian elephant who has been at the sanctuary for six years and who has a history of attacking humans who worked with her.
The veteran handlers were tending to Winkie around 11:30-11:45 a.m. Friday.
"She was on one side. He was on the other. The elephant turned on her. She was apparently on the side where the elephant had an injury, an eye injury," said Doug Markham, spokesman for the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency. The agency licenses and inspects facilities, such as the sanctuary.
http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-07-21-elephant-attack_x.htm
Agriculture Board Approves New Rules For Petting Zoos
POSTED: 1:08 pm EDT July 20, 2006
RALEIGH, N.C. -- The state Board of Agriculture has approved new sanitary rules for petting zoos in hopes of preventing illnesses such as E. coli, which more than 40 people contracted at the State Fair petting zoo in 2004.
"This is an attempt to achieve a balance between protecting the public from E. coli and making sure that kids have the opportunity to be educated about farming and the importance of agriculture," said Agriculture Commissioner Steve Troxler.
The 11 members of the state Board of Agriculture, the policy-making body for the state Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, supported the new rules Wednesday.
The rules require the department's animal health technicians and veterinarians to inspect the petting zoos before they open. The zoos will have to have 29-inch high fences to separate animals from people and warning signs about the possible health risks of touching the animals and hand-washing stations.
Food, drink and pacifiers are prohibited in the animal exhibits.
The regulations go into effect in September, the busiest month for county fairs.
Last year, all 45 North Carolina county fairs voluntarily complied with the animal exhibit guidelines before they became law, agriculture officials said.
http://www.wsoctv.com/news/9549376/detail.html
Haifa Zoo Locks Animals in Bomb-Proof Cages
18:25 Jul 18, '06 / 22 Tammuz 5766
(IsraelNN.com) The Haifa Zoo, fearing that rocket explosions may allow dangerous animals to roam in the city, have put lions and tigers in bomb-proof cages. Zookeeper Yoav Ratner told Reuters News Agency, "If a rocket hits the open-air pen and one of the carnivores escapes into the city, it would not be a nice prospect."
Leopards and bears also have been placed in secure cages. The zoo was closed shortly after the Hizbullah terrorist war began.
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/news.php3?id=107713
Orphaned Cougars Find Home At Oregon Zoo
PORTLAND, Oregon - Chinook and Takini faced an uncertain future until Michelle Schireman stepped in. The two orphaned cougar cubs were rescued by Schireman, the Association of Zoo and Aquariums' puma population manager and a keeper at the Oregon Zoo. The young cougars will make their debut at the Oregon Zoo on Aug. 4.
http://www.grantspassnews.com/articles/index.cfm?artOID=331671&cp=4275
SpongeBob the monkey stolen from zoo
Jul 18, 2006, 13:20 GMT
Police in London are today hunting for an animal thief after an endangered squirrel monkey was stolen from a zoo.
The two–year-old squirrel monkey, called SpongeBob, is believed to have been taken from the zoo at Chessington World of Adventures in south-west London after a break-in was discovered yesterday morning.
Nine other monkeys in his troop were found near or in their enclosure but SpongeBob, a breeding male brought to England from South Africa at the end of last year, was not among them.
Police and zoo officials believe this was a 'pre-planned strike' and are concerned for the safety of the endangered animal, which has a highly specialised diet.
http://news.monstersandcritics.com/uk/article_1181935.php/SpongeBob_the_monkey_stolen_from_zoo
Elephant calf born at Dickerson Park Zoo this morning
Springfield News-Leader
A 238-pound female elephant calf has been born at Dickerson Park Zoo.
The mother, 25-year-old Moola, delivered the calf outdoors at the zoo's new cow barn after a brief labor early this morning.
It?s the sixth successful elephant birth at the zoo.
Moola and the calf, who hasn?t been named yet, will remain off exhibit for a period of time to foster a strong bond.
Zoo officials say they are preparing a communitywide naming effort.
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060718/BREAKING01/60718004
Peacock attacks child at Oregon Zoo
10:53 AM PDT on Wednesday, July 19, 2006
By ANTONIA GIEDWOYN, kgw.com Staff
It was a case of a foul fowl -- a peacock at the Oregon Zoo attacked a toddler Monday, prompting the boy’s parents to rush him to the hospital and zoo officials to emphasize the infrequency of such incidents.
“We were next to the tigers when the peacock came up… it goes down to get a piece of purple candy and my son stepped towards the peacock and it jumped up on him and grabbed my son on both shoulders with its talons and stuck its beak into his chest,” said Shane Woodward.
He kicked the bird, which then ran off toward some other children, according to Woodward.
“When it happened, everyone grabbed their kids and picked them up right away,” Woodward said.
He said his two-year-old son Zach was, “really traumatized. He kept saying, ‘bad peacock, bad peacock.’ “
Zach suffered two deep scratches to his left shoulder, and the wounds were still bleeding an hour and a half after the incident, according to Woodward. The child also has welts on both arms. He was treated by zoo staff, who described the wounds as superficial.
http://www.kgw.com/news-local/stories/kgw_071806_news_peacock_attack_.258a87c5.html
Nashville Zoo to open new habitat
Nashville Business Journal - 9:04 PM CDT Tuesday
The Nashville Zoo announced Tuesday it will open its newest habitat, Alligator Cove, on July 22.
The habitat is located at the former otter exhibit. It will have more than a dozen alligators, and the zoo plans to add turtles and fish at a future date. Alligator Cove is the result of a donation from Mr. and Mrs. David B. Johnson.
Last year, the Nashville Zoo set an attendance record with 513,561 visitors, a 4 percent increase from the previous year.
http://www.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2006/07/17/daily18.html
Petting zoo safety
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Children who enjoy petting zoos at community fairs and festivals are getting some gentle reminders to wash their hands afterward from the Allegheny County Health Department.
Free signs promoting hand-washing are being handed out by the department to event organizers, if they call 412-687-ACHD or download from the Web site www.achd.net.
Hand-washing reduces the risk of contracting diseases that animals can sometimes carry, such as E. coli and salmonella.
Health officials suggest these tips on how to enjoy petting zoos without getting sick:
Don't kiss the animals and limit your contact with them and nearby fencing, stalls and gates, because manure may be present on their body and in their environment.
Watch young children and tell them to keep their hands out of their mouths.
Don't take food or drink into the animal area.
Wash your hands as soon as you leave the animal area, and help young children wash their hands properly. Washing with soap and warm water is best.
Clean your shoes when you return home and after doing so wash your hands.
Call your doctor if you or your children get sick with stomach cramps, vomiting or diarrhea within a week of visiting a petting zoo. Tell the doctor you were around farm animals.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06200/706688-114.stm
China delegation visits giant pandas in Zoo Atlanta
By Huang Zhiling (Chinadaily.com.cn)
Updated: 2006-07-24 08:27
Some 500 people gathered together here Saturday morning in Zoo Atlanta to welcome the arrival of a Chinese delegation which came specially to see the two giant pandas in the zoo.
The 11-member delegation, which consists of government officials, a panda researcher, journalists and a TV production crew, was from Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan Province.
"We came here to visit Lun Lun and Yang Yang whose parents live in the Chinese city with 10 million people and 80 percent of the world's giant pandas," said Song Minwen, chief of the delegation, in the ceremony marking the arrival of the Chinese group
Both pandas arrived in Zoo Atlanta on a 10-year loan from the Chinese Government in 1999. "Since then, they have brought great joy to locals, children in particular," said Blythe Randolf, vice-president of Zoo Atlanta, in an interview with chinadaily.com.cn.
Jennifer Mullins, associate director of the Office of Student Financial Planning and Services in the Atlanta-based Georgia Institute of Technology, visits Zoo Atlanta with her 2.5-year-old daughter Abbey Headerson once in a month to see pandas and elephants.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-07/24/content_647530.htm
A zoo with birds and bees
24 July 2006
Though I have no formal training in the zoological sciences, I pride myself on the fact that I was first among the crowd of onlookers at Wellington Zoo last weekend to realise what was going down – or, perhaps, going up – when a male lion began enthusiastically licking his partner's fur.
"How lovely, he's grooming her," cooed an elderly woman in a strikingly unbecoming South American hat. He? Grooming her? I may not be an expert on lions, but I know that males of any species don't bother grooming their womenfolk unless they want something.
In this case, as the lion obviously wasn't buttering up his partner as a prelude to asking her to bring him a beer or let him watch the rugby on television, it didn't take David Attenborough to figure out what he was after.
Inevitably, the lion didn't waste much time on the grooming. A frisson of barely concealed delight ran through the crowd when everyone realised the treat in store – live porn, free of both fees and guilt.
http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3742416a1861,00.html
Weekend Getaways: Exotic Resort Zoo (Video)
(CBS 42) JOHNSON CITY For Marylin Baque, a stroll around her land in the Hill Country could mean running into some of her pet donkeys, but Baque’s love for animals extends way beyond that.
As owner of Johnson City’s Exotic Resort Zoo, Baque hosts hundreds of visitors each week who come and enjoy mingling with her 500-plus animals from around the world.
“What most people enjoy about this (is) it’s a hands on experience.” Baque said. “You touch animals in the petting zoo when you’re doing the tour -- when you hear people laughing because Omar stole their bucket.” She explained: “He’s our camel.”
Baque’s exotic animal experience started more than 10 years ago. She said keeping her animals happy and healthy is a big job, but it’s not as difficult as people might think.
Baque said one of the most interesting things about caring for her exotics is that she gets to know them individually.
“They’re all different,” she said. “Every one has a different personality. It’s like children and adults. Some are moody. Some aren’t.”
Baque said people have enjoyed her animals so much she decided to expand the business. She recently added overnight accommodations so that folks can get that safari feeling for the entire weekend.
“We do have 4 cabins that we rent and two of them have full kitchens,” Baque said. “We have a swimming pool and hot tub. We do camp fires in the evenings so the kids can do smores or marshmallows.”
Operating nearly every day of the year, the work is hard, but the payoff is worth it. The zoo is a childhood-goal-come-true for an animal lover who likes sharing her passion for exotic critters.
“That’s my dream.” Baque told CBS 42. “It’s just for people to enjoy my place -- my animals. That’s all.”
Baque said her cabins have become so popular, even business people have chosen to stay at her resort while doing business nearby.
http://keyetv.com/topstories/local_story_364022834.html
Gulf Coast zoo dodging hurricanes
July 23, 2006
The Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo will relocate from Gulf Shores to a nearby 25-acre site in Baldwin County in hopes of avoiding future hurricane damage.
Hurricane Ivan's floodwaters in Gulf Shores forced the evacuation of the animals in September 2004. Two more evacuations last year were caused by Hurricanes Dennis and Katrina.
Advertisement
The zoo became known as "The Little Zoo That Could" in an Animal Planet television feature in February.
Ivan flooded the zoo with several feet of water and destroyed much of the park. Zoo director Patti Hall hosted 267 animals at her home in Elberta, Ala.
The zoo will move to land along Baldwin County 6 just east of Alabama 59, the main beach route from Interstate 10, according to the Mobile Press-Register newspaper.
The property was donated by businessman Clyde Weir and his daughter, Andrea Weir Franklin, owners of the Souvenir City shops in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.
Construction could begin next year.
Last month, 18,311 paying customers visited the zoo, compared with 8,411 in June 2004, the summer before the park was struck by Ivan, Hall said.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/mca/travel/article/0,1426,MCA_532_4860774,00.html
Zoo visit as community service?
The Denver Housing Authority's liberal reading of a federal requirement for service draws criticism
Marla Big Horse, right, owed about 100 hours of community service when she was evicted from her Denver Housing Authority duplex after 19 years. Her son Christopher, 17, is at left. (Post / Cyrus McCrimmon)
Denver public-housing residents have been fulfilling federal requirements to perform community service by reading at the library; visiting the zoo, botanic gardens or art museum; and attending the ballet or symphony.
Those activities wouldn't qualify with other housing authorities nationally, officials say. And a former congressman who sponsored legislation creating the rule questions Denver's liberal interpretation of it.
Denver Housing Authority officials defend the practice. They say getting residents to put in eight hours of community service or self-sufficiency activity each month is so difficult - statistics show that barely one in six residents does - that practically any activity is acceptable.
For instance, helping a senior citizen who lives in public housing play bingo can be counted toward community service.
"At least it's getting them into the outside world," DHA Director Sal Carpio said of the non-traditional activities. "This enhances their quality of life, and for people that don't or won't leave their units or the complex, it's progress."
Advocates for the poor agree, saying any activity that can help improve someone's life should be enough, even if it's as simple as reading a book.
"People in need have a host of issues that need addressing, and any type of positive activity that can help fulfill that is better than nothing," said John Parvensky, director of the Colorado Coalition for the Homeless. "Anything that is a piece toward self-improvement is useful to getting their lives back together."
But DHA admits it doesn't know whether such activities are contributing to the community or self-improvement. No one monitors the quality of activities, only attendance.
It's unlikely residents gain community service credit by reading a library book to themselves, Carpio said. Rather, it's presumed the book is read to a child. Same with the museums. Or they could share a book with other tenants.
Those not complying can lose housing
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_4087212
Zoo the place for mom, kids
I just love the zoo. Having grown up in Jackson I can remember watching in awe as the enormous polar bear would swing his head back and forth just before plunging into the deep water hole causing waves to crash over the edge. He would get in and out dozens of times swing his head again as if to say, "Hey ya'll, watch this!"
Over the years I have had the joy of exposing my kids to some pretty interesting things at the Hattiesburg Zoo.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060724/LIFESTYLE/607240321/1024
Ag Expo a petting zoo for some visitors
by ERIN CUNNINGHAM erinc@herald-mail.com
SHARPSBURG - For some of its youngest visitors, the Washington County Ag Expo was more like a trip to a petting zoo.
Raven Morningstar, 12, of Sharpsburg, her sister and two friends spent Sunday afternoon petting animals.
"Come pet this one," she said. "He's real sweet."
There were other larger, more active rabbits, but Raven said her favorite was the brown rabbit that stayed still when she pet him.
Raven and Rachel Morningstar, 13, Michael Selby, 6, of Funkstown, and Anna Blevins, 6, of Sharpsburg, said they enjoyed petting all of the animals, including sheep and cows.
The rabbits, though, were their favorites.
"They're soft, cute and cuddly," Raven said.
http://www.herald-mail.com/?module=displaystory&story_id=143186&format=html
Killer elephant spent 30 years at Henry Vilas Zoo
HOHENWALD, Tenn. The elephant that killed its handler at a Tennessee sanctuary earned a reputation as dangerous while cared for at a Madison zoo.
Caregiver Joanna Burke was killed Friday at The Elephant Sanctuary in Lewis County, Tennessee when an Asian elephant named Winkie stepped on her or kicked her.
The elephant's biography on the sanctuary's Web site say Winkie spent 30 years at the Henry Vilas Zoo and hurt several staffers and visitors.
She was moved to the Elephant Sanctuary in September of 2000 upon recommendation of the U-S Department of Agriculture.
The nonprofit sanctuary says Burke would not want the animal euthanized. The sanctuary's seven-member board will be responsible for determining the elephant's fate.
The 36-year-old Burke had been the primary caregiver for the Asian elephants at the sanctuary for eight years. She
http://www.wbay.com/Global/story.asp?S=5189116
Zoo gets federal funds for biomass
Written by Staff
Monday, 24 July 2006
CHERRY CREEK - A one million dollar appropriation will support Denver Zoo’s plans to build a new, environmentally-sound, 10-acre exhibit called Asian Tropics, the future home of 15 Asian species including elephants and rhinoceros. An exceptional component of the new exhibit will be the installation of a biomass gasification system designed to convert the zoo’s solid waste materials into on-site energy generation and distribution.
The funds were secured by Senator Wayne Allard.
“We are thrilled. This has been in the works the better part of a year and we are very grateful for Senator Allard’s efforts and vision,” says Denver Zoo President and CEO Clayton Freiheit.
The biomass gasification system is expected to convert more than 90 percent of the zoo’s trash into useable energy that will be utilized to operate the Asian Tropics facilities. “The concept of being able to convert animal waste and human trash – both of which the zoo produces in abundance – to provide heating, cooling and power for Asian Tropics’ buildings and animal exhibit water features is mind boggling. Widespread future use of this technology could, over time, mean an end to sanitary landfills and have a huge positive effect on our environment. As a conservation-oriented institution, vitally concerned with the future of our natural world, we're extremely pleased” says Freiheit.
http://www.thecherrycreeknews.com/content/view/598/2/
Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo Historical Tours
2006-07-24
Author: Linsay Rabyj- CJWW News
The Kinsmen Express mini train is giving guided tours of the Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo.
The tour will interpret the history of the Sutherland Forest Nursery Station.
John Moran, Manager of Saskatoon Forestry Farm Park and Zoo says the nursery played a vital role in the settlement and development of the Prairies.
The nursery was closed in 1965 but a portion of the site was reopened as the Forestry Farm Park by the City of Saskatoon 1966. It has been the site of recreational activities for residents and visitors ever since.
The tour will also showcase many of the heritage buildings and landscapes of the park.
The guided tours are ongoing for the remainder of the summer between 10am and 6pm.
http://www.saskatoonhomepage.ca/news_view_story_2147496304.php?story_id=2147503598&cat_id=2147483652
Zoo elephant steps up for casting call
Research could yield information on dinosaurs, climate change
By Sophia Maines (Contact)
Tuesday, July 25, 2006
advertisement
Elephants aren’t dinosaurs, but they’re close enough for Brian Platt.
The Kansas University doctoral student took his research to the Topeka Zoo on Monday where he called on Tembo, an 8,000-pound African elephant, to be his guinea pig.
“It is kind of crazy,” he said of his research. “No one’s tried it before.”
Tembo’s only chore was to walk across a sandy path, enticed by the occasional carrot.
Platt measured Tembo’s footsteps — hoping the study of her tracks in the sand can help him formulate an equation. He wants to find a way to determine the amount of moisture present in prehistoric soil by studying a dinosaur’s tracks.
With enough data, researchers could track moisture and precipitation at various points in prehistoric times, Platt said.
And while Platt’s primary focus is measuring the moisture of the soil, he and others believe the research could also have implications for the study of climate change.
http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/jul/25/zoo_elephant_steps_casting_call/?ku_news
El Paso Zoo welcomes spectacled bear
By Leonard Martinez / El Paso Times
A recent trip to the Manila Zoo in the Philippines left Jackie Blankenship even more appreciative of the El Paso Zoo.
"The El Paso Zoo is better," she said. "It has better animals, and they take care of them better."
Blankenship said she has to check out the orangutans whenever she goes to the El Paso Zoo.
"My favorite is the biggest one -- the laziest one," Blankenship said. "They've done a lot to improve the zoo, especially the sea lions exhibit. It was really nice, especially when you go down below and see the entire pool."
This week, another change is coming to the zoo with the debut of Inca the spectacled bear.
The spectacled bear's scientific name is Tremarctos ornatus. The species is endangered.
Liz Kern, the zoo's marketing coordinator, said the bears are called "spectacled" because they have pale yellow bands across the base of the nose and sometimes across the foreheads to the cheeks and throat. This pattern makes the bears look as if they were wearing glasses.
http://www.elpasotimes.com/entertainment/ci_4090324
Temps melt crowds at zoo
By ADAM CLAYTON, STAFF
When it gets this hot, people tend to stay indoors or seek out shade. And the animals at the Assiniboine Park Zoo are no different.
Zoo co-ordinator Doug Ross said attendance has dropped slightly during the heat wave gripping Winnipeg. Ross said the zoo typically has less visitors when the weather is extremely hot as many animals are resting during the peak hours of the day.
"One thing we don't do is force our animals out on display," he said. "They've got lots of shade and lots of water."
MORNING VISITS BEST
http://winnipegsun.com/News/Winnipeg/2006/07/25/1701028-sun.html
TV show will spotlight college's Teaching Zoo
By Star staff
July 24, 2006
The national spotlight will shine on Moorpark College on Friday, when NBC-TV's "Today Show" plans to broadcast a segment about America's Teaching Zoo on campus, according to a college official.
The TV segment will feature Boston writer Amy Sutherland, author of a new book that gives an inside look at the experiences of students in Moorpark College's Exotic Animal Training and Management program.
http://www.venturacountystar.com/vcs/mo/article/0,1375,VCS_167_4868353,00.html
Flamingo chicks lively at Riverbanks Zoo
By Joey Holleman
McClatchy Newspapers
No. 23 attacks every creature in sight, straining to peck even when held back by friendly hands.
No. 4 is calm, self-sufficient. Needs no attention. Fast learning curve.
No. 5 wants to eat all the time. Begs for food even right after eating.
Seems baby flamingos can be as different as baby people.
Riverbanks Zoo's bird keepers have been especially busy in recent weeks with the hatching of 15 flamingo chicks from eggs imported from Hialeah Park in South Florida. They don't have names yet, just numbers based on the red bands placed on their legs.
Hundreds of flamingos, part of the ambience of the now-closed Hialeah Park horse racing facility, still live in the track infield. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association has encouraged zoos to raise eggs harvested from nests at Hialeah, helping to diversify the genetic pool in zoo populations, said Martin Vince, bird curator at Riverbanks.
http://www.myrtlebeachonline.com/mld/myrtlebeachonline/news/local/15115524.htm
Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation donates to Chilean flamingo conservation group
by Heather Muller , 7/25/2006
The Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation, in collaboration with the Zoo Conservation Outreach Group, recently donated $500 to support the Chilean Flamingo Conservation Program in Chile’s Atacama Desert.
“Chilean flamingos are crowd favorites at many zoos around the world, with their colorful plumage and gregarious behaviors,” according to a news release issued by the zoo foundation.
Sequoia Park Zoo has about a dozen Chilean flamingos, which, during a Sunday visit, entertained visitors by pecking noisily at each other, grooming themselves and taking leisurely strolls around the mud flats and shallow waters in their enclosure.
In the wild, however, Chilean flamingo populations have suffered dramatic population declines since the mid-1980s, as a result of habitat disturbance, the release stated.
The primary culprits are thought to be mining activities and unregulated tourism, which can interrupt feeding and breeding behaviors. But until recently, according to the release, few field investigations had been conducted to determine the exact causes of flamingo population decline.
The principal goals of the Flamingo Conservation Program are to gather information regarding flamingo health, habitat selection and flight pattern behavior, and to work with local mining and tourist industries to protect remaining flamingo populations and their unique habitat.
Sequoia Park Zoo manager Gretchen Ziegler said that because of their vulnerability in the wild, Chilean flamingos are one of few species encouraged to breed in captivity at the zoo.
“As a flagship species for the zoo, their survival in the wild is important to us, and we’re proud to help support all efforts to that end.”
While the flamingos at Sequoia Park Zoo are not as brightly colored as some, they are fascinating to watch. Their necks move like snakes, and the animals appear to stand on their heads while feeding.
According to signs posted around the exhibit, the technique is called “filter feeding.” Water is pumped through the beak and runs off, leaving small aquatic plants and animals trapped in the bristle-like edges of the bill.
The sharply bent shape of the beak allows flamingos to keep their heads mostly above water while feeding, enabling the birds to keep an eye out for signs of danger.
The news release stated that promoting conservation — “in our own backyard and worldwide” — is an important aspect of the zoo’s mission.
The Sequoia Park Zoo Foundation supports the zoo through fundraising and promotion of the zoo’s mission and programs. The foundation is a California Public Benefit corporation.
For additional information about the foundation, visit the foundation offices at 2414 W St., in Eureka, e-mail info@sequoiaparkzoo.net or phone 707-442-6552.
http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=13279
New restaurant opens at Joburg Zoo
The leafy surrounds of a new restaurant at the Johannesburg Zoo is a great experience for both parents and children.
July 25, 2006
By Thabang Mokoka
A NEW addition has been made to the Johannesburg Zoo Рthe recently opened Caf̩ Fino restaurant.
Situated near the Ape House, the restaurant is in the zoo's Heart of Africa zone, under leafy, tropical vegetation.
The restaurant is just one of several additions to the zoo, which is in the midst of an ambitious five-year renovation plan, with the development of seven distinct zones and the refurbishment of several of the zoo's enclosures.
With colourful maroon tents outside, Café Fino, part of the Fournews Group that runs the News Cafés, blends into the zoo's atmosphere.
The restaurant caters for families, allowing parents to enjoy the tranquil scenery over a cup of bottomless filter coffee and freshly baked muffins, while on weekends an entertainer, like a magician, will keep the small people occupied.
http://www.joburg.org.za/2006/july/jul25_restaurant.stm
I wanted to wait for the dust to settle a bit on this issue before adequately addressing my concerns. I RARELY advocate for political action, but, zoos are a weekly feature here and I believe in responsibly. I believe people involved with responsible treatment of animals want to be taken seriously. I also believe their insight to the connection between society, family, children and the keeping and appreciation of exotic animals is unique.
Something very disturbing occurred in the name of zoos, and primarily petting zoos. There was a name of a petting zoo entered into the 'database' of terrorist targets. It was a very bad mistake. I'd like to say why here and what has happened to Homeland Security funding because of a 'bad formula' for setting funding in the country.
How did New York City loose it's Homeland Security funding?
In an article spawned by the inclusion on a terrorist list of a petting zoo there was this paragraph. It reveals a poorly conceived idea of a Homeland Security Funding equation.
"Lewis thinks that Old MacDonald's was entered in the database when the feds asked the state to come up with places where large gatherings occur. Then the state asked the county, which asked Woodville. "I live in a town of 800, so when I have 50 people in my zoo, that's a large gathering of people," she explained. Then the list was compiled and given to the state, which, in a race against the terrorists, didn't have time to review the list before rushing to ask the government for money."
http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/commentary/la-oe-stein18jul18,0,2232051.column?coll=la-util-opinion-commentary
This is very manipulative and the bottom line is quite frankly 'the bottom line' of state and local funding. I don't know why any petting zoo would even participate in such ludicrous assessment. Have everyone park their backpacks at the gate ANYWAY. Having a list of terrorist sites is a way of frightening the public. It also asks the public to take control over the policing of their own safety. It is irresponsible of government to even provide such frightening 'ideas' to places as this. If the government can't do better than this then we truly have people with no leadership ability. The problem is that zoos/parks/petting zoos are not the highest priority of terrorist networks like al Qaeda. It doesn't serve their primary interest. The attacks of September 11, 2001 were huge events. The terrorists literally wrested four huge commercial airliners away from their pilots. In doing so they killed innocent people on board those planes in brutal acts of murder. Then they aimed these jets laden heavy with 'highly flammable jet fuel' in the infrastructure of the USA. The World Trade Towers was a successful attack on commerce. The Pentagon was a successful attack on our highest military. I am confident if the pilot of that plane knew exactly where Rumsfeld was that morning he would no longer be alive today. The fourth jet liner was scuttled by it's passengers to stop it from reaching either the Capitol Building or White House.
All those structures are hugely significant to the functioning of our society. For some time afterward the Stock Exchange floundered in disbelief and fear. The Pentagon was shocked to the point where the retaliate attacks which probably required some of the personnel that were killed that day took nearly a month to launch. Our country did not attack al Qaeda until October. The Shanksville, Pennsylvania site is now hallowed ground to frightened passengers that were determined to save their own lives and unwittingly saved a devastating strike against the core structure of the government. I think they were headed for The Capitol Building myself.
The point is I sincerely believe any of 'the list' is likely NOT a target unless is fulfills the criteria of the events of September 11, 2001, as a very close match. Al Qaeda and terrorist networks like them including Hezbollah want to permanently damage and disable this country and other great societies such as found in Spain, Britain, Egypt, Israel and Indonesia. There are many, many others such as Kenya and Turkey that have had incidents mar their landscape for the purpose of destroying the civilized world. Although any 'nut case' in the country might try an event of such stature scaring people and possibly injure and possibly kill; those are domestic haphazards that should be stopped before they happen by the FBI. There is no guarantee any such person so badly demented could ever be tracked by law enforcement although everyone sincerely hopes it does, life is without guarantees but exist only 'margins of safety' by people that give a damn.
When silliness or perhaps it's corruption occurs, it hurts the reputation of all. The 'Old McDonald' Petting Zoo has been used today to make an example of the type of tragedy poor leadership brings to damage reputation while causing unnecessary public concern.
Old McDonald Had a Bomb
http://www.outsidethetent.com/wp/archives/old-mcdonald-had-a-bomb/
I strongly feel if we are to be brave, as Americans determined to have a secure country, we need to first protect what seem "LIKELY" targets, namely our big cities. If anyone reading this would kindly stop to realize how ludicrous this formula is that Washington is using to determine where best to spend our tax dollars in sincere efforts to stop dangerous, international terrorists; then write your state and federal legislators and tell them to 'get serious' about our country's security and stop creating bad jokes from bad government policy.
Thank you.
Best regards.
concluding …
