Scientists Gather For Orangutan Symposium At Oregon Zoo
PORTLAND, Oregon - In the film classic "Planet of the Apes," chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans speak English. Scientists are now exploring the abilities of orangs using symbols and syntax to express their thoughts. The public can learn more about this research and conservation issues facing orangutans during the Orangutan Symposium, Saturday, Nov. 4, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., at the Oregon Zoo.
http://www.medfordnews.com/articles/index.cfm?artOID=332989&cp=10996
Extreme Animals Takeover San Diego Zoo
Extreme Animals have just signed a deal with San Diego Zoo to perform shows for zoo-goers that include rare and bizarre animals to teach people about the many different species on this planet. The shows will begin summer 2007. Cindy Johnson, founder of "Entertainment for Zoo!" the San Diego Zoo's own version of a live concert series, tells Noisebloid the show will include "bonobos, monkeys, pandas, hippos, giraffes, and other exotic animals." What kind of exotic animals? "Well, we are going to leave that a surprise, but I can assure you they will be 'extreme'!"
http://noisebloid.blogspot.com/2006/10/extreme-animals-takeover-san-diego-zoo.html
Wellington Zoo Celebrates Centenary
Wellington zoo is kicking off its centenary celebrations today.
The zoo started as an exhibit at the botanical gardens in 1906, after the donation of an ex-circus lion dubbed “King Dick” in honour of Prime Minister Richard Seddon.
The zoo moved to its current site in Newtown the following year.
To mark its centenary, today the Zoo is giving the first 100 children free admission, and is offering historic tours of the site.
Wellington Zoo's chief executive, Karen Fifield, says traditionally the city's inclement weather has been a problem for visitors.
She says the zoo also wants to encourage repeat visits by having regularly changing attractions.
http://www.newswire.co.nz/main/viewstory.aspx?storyid=343624
Students take time to serve zoo
Christina Holtzen
Despite busy college lives, students said they're still making time in their schedules to volunteer at the 15th annual Boo at the Zoo.
Nicole Barendt, senior economics major, said about 15 Alpha Phi Omega members planned on attending the Fort Worth Zoo event.
"Its a fun way to get community service hours," said Barendt, service vice president of Alpha Phi Omega, a community service fraternity.
The Fort Worth Zoo festival provides fun that's not too scary for children, said Lyndsay Nantz, the Zoo's public relations and development director.
About 150 volunteers a night, including 20 to 50 are TCU students, help out at the event, said Dennis Myrick, assistant human resources director of the Fort Worth Zoo.
http://www.tcudailyskiff.com/media/storage/paper792/news/2006/10/27/News/Students.Take.Time.To.Serve.Zoo-2406385.shtml?norewrite200610310814&sourcedomain=www.tcudailyskiff.com
Threatened frogs are VIPs for hotel — and Houston Zoo
The critters in Panama are being lodged in style amid rescue effort from fatal fungus
By JEANNIE KEVER
Copyright 2006 Houston Chronicle
Like something from the pages of a fast-paced biological thriller, zookeepers from Houston and elsewhere have haunted the cloud forests of Panama for months, trying to save the revered Panamanian golden frog from a ruthless fungus slowly making its way southward, suffocating virtually all amphibians in its path.
As a result, about 300 frogs are lodged in relative splendor at the Hotel Campestre in El Valle de Anton, a town nestled in the crater of an extinct volcano about 50 miles southwest of Panama City.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4293861.html
Family of sick girl sues fair petting zoo
HILLSBOROUGH -- A Chapel Hill girl who allegedly suffers from permanent kidney and pancreas damage after getting sick from a petting zoo at the State Fair two years ago sued the petting zoo and its owner last week.
According to the lawsuit filed by Aedin Gray and her parents, the family visited the Crossroads Farm Petting Zoo on Oct. 23, 2004. The lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court, is against the fair petting zoo and its owner, Jason Wilkie.
Aedin, then 2, contracted E. coli after visiting the animals, the lawsuit says. Within two weeks, she became ill with diarrhea, which got worse and forced her to be hospitalized for a month with complications that included kidney failure, pancreatic failure and then blood-clotting problems.
Two years later, Aedin's kidneys work at about 50 percent, according to the lawsuit. Her pancreas has stopped producing insulin, requiring constant monitoring, the lawsuits says.
http://www.chapelhillnews.com/106/story/3215.html
Discover tropics at the zoo
Throughout the cold and gray months of winter, plants will remain green inside the new Procter & Gamble Discovery Forest at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Avondale.
The three-story-high Discovery Forest, inside the zoo's new Harold C. Schott Education Center, includes plants and animals that could be found in a tropical forest. Many of the trees are 20 feet tall; most are from Florida. Some of the plants, such as papayas and star fruit, were started from seed.
Kids and adults can see the plants that produce some common food items: coffee, vanilla, bananas, chile peppers, cinnamon, pineapples, papayas, star fruit and chocolate.
http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061028/LIFE0803/610280308/1079/rss04
15 Foot Elephant on Video
http://www.spikedhumor.com/articles/60741/Oregon_Zoo_15_ft_elephant.html
Zoo Expansion's Impact Has Earth in the Balance
By Charles Rabin, The Miami Herald
Can wildlife officials manage one of Miami-Dade's last reserves of pine rockland by setting controlled burns if a dramatic expansion of Metrozoo tourism facilities is built on land next door?
That's one thing voters must take into account on Nov. 7 when they decide whether to turn over 69 acres of public land at Miami Metrozoo to developers -- a move that some way could affect the adjacent pine rockland reserve for decades to come.
The only county question during November's midterm elections asks voters whether to authorize the county to contract for construction of a hotel, water park, restaurants and other amenities.
Backers say the facilities will significantly boost tourism. They also argue that protection of the 350-acre reserve is paramount and that the need to set controlled burns there at least once every seven years will be accommodated.
"I look at this whole thing as a mall, with us being like the anchor store," said zoo spokesman Ron Magill. "If they can't have controlled burns, I'll be the first against this project. I will go ballistic if I see things being done that are contrary to the environment."
Not so fast, say some conservationists.
http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/710575/zoo_expansions_impact_has_earth_in_the_balance_miamidade_voters/?source=r_science
In response to your inquiries…
Posted at 3:34 pm October 27, 2006 by Suzanne Hall
Once again, I thought I would take some time to answer a few of the questions that many of you have posed on the panda blog.
A few of you have asked about the fates of “senior pandas,” ones that are no longer contributing to the reproductive efforts of the captive panda population. Since space is limited at the Wolong center, older animals often do not live at the breeding facility. Instead, they are transferred to other zoos throughout China where they live out the rest of their lives as representatives of their species, visited by Chinese tourists who may not have the opportunity to visit Wolong. It seems, as in the case of Shi Shi, that the bears become honored members of that particular zoo’s population. To the best of our knowledge Shi Shi is living a pretty good life in Guangzhou.
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/general/in-response-to-your-inquiries/
Updated veterinary center boosts zoo's accreditation hopes
By Jennifer Gokhman
News-Sentinel Staff Writer
Last updated: Saturday, Oct 28, 2006 - 08:40:50 am PDT
Comments(0)
For many years at Micke Grove Zoo, staff have used one room to do veterinary procedures, hold quarantined animals and store items. Now, the veterinary and quarantine area has expanded and is officially open with some updated equipment.
The veterinary center was dedicated Friday as the Matt McCarty Veterinary Center for Matt McCarty Construction.
A stuffed bear receives anesthesia at the expanded veterinary center as the new equipment is on display at the Micke Grove Zoo on Friday. (Jennifer Gokhman/News-Sentinel)
"The project has expanded the space significantly," said Ken Nieland, zoo and interpretive services manager.
It is one step toward the zoo being accredited again. It lost its Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation in April.
The Micke Grove Zoological Society has been working on projects such as improving the east end of the zoo and building the veterinary center to boost the zoo back to accreditation status.
http://www.lodinews.com/articles/2006/10/28/news/8_zoo_061028.txt
ZOO in Rotteram
http://www.photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=5131983
John T. Baron: Zoo millage upholds region's quality of life
Ingham County voters will be making critical decisions Nov. 7, as a number of quality of life issues are on the ballot. But one of the most important decisions voters will make is not really even a political issue - it's about supporting our zoo and the vital role it plays in our community.
From the educational and entertainment value Potter Park Zoo presents to the region, to the importance of attracting businesses to this community, the passage of the zoo proposal makes sense - and means just a few cents a day.
The zoo educates more than 40,000 youngsters each year through lessons from wildlife experts, observing animal behaviors and researching animals from all over the world. The week-long BIG Zoo Lesson brings the classroom into the community using innovative tools to teach conservation and develop compassion in our children for wildlife.
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061029/OPINION02/610290652/1087/opinion
Human Zoo – how was it for you?
For those of you who didn’t make it down to London Zoo for this unique exhibit, here’s what happened.
The Human Zoo ran for four days from Friday 26 – Monday 29 August and was a unique event in that it gave a group of volunteers the opportunity to experience life as zoo exhibits, plus our visitors had the unique experience of viewing man in his essential form.
The event aimed to demonstrate the basic nature of man as an animal and examine the impact that Homo sapiens have on the rest of the animal kingdom.
The Human Zoo sparked international media coverage, with opposing opinions fuelling the debate.
Here are some examples of what the public thought of the Human Zoo:
I think that is a fabulous idea and personally I hope the exhibit - or at least the idea of the exhibit - travels to other countries.
Mychel Russell-Ward
Now I've seen just about everything! A "Human Zoo"? There is not one minuscule shred of evidence that evolution is true. Send me any of your so-called "evidence" and I will return ample and well-researched refutation of it.
John Battles
BRAVO! On the Human Zoo!!!
It's wonderful!! Please make it a permanent attraction. What a great idea.
Roy Moore
Equating the value of human life with that of "other animals" is dangerously wrong. It exhibits a frightening trend in modern society, and it is also an outrageous folly.
Emily Miller
FABULOUS! FANTASTIC!! BRILLIANT!!!
While this exhibit may be short lived I better understand why London Zoo stands out as one of the best in the world.
Jack Martin
http://www.zsl.org/london-zoo/news/human-zoo-how-was-it-for-you,185,NS.html
Zoo: All of Ingham County has chance to invest in better zoo, future
A Lansing State Journal editorial
Ingham County voters could choose to reject a small property tax increase to operate Potter Park Zoo.
But what would that accomplish for taxpayers in Lansing and the rest of Ingham County?
By contrast, a "yes" vote on Nov. 7 would create clear benefits for Lansing, Ingham County and the entire region.
That's why we endorse voting "yes" on the Ingham County/Potter Park Zoo millage.
This issue is on the November ballot for a single reason - the financial struggles of the city of Lansing. Under the strain of mid-Michigan's sputtering economy, the city is prioritizing spending. And the $1.6 million the city now spends on Potter Park Zoo could go to other needs.
But the benefits of a millage passage go far beyond budgetary relief for Lansing.
Even getting the zoo millage on the ballot was the result of persistent and high-minded discussion among city and county officials. And it flows from a realization that the zoo isn't just a Lansing asset, but a mid-Michigan one.
And if the zoo helps the entire region, it makes obvious sense to have the entire region support it.
Ingham County, of course, is not all of mid-Michigan. But by having Ingham County assume this burden, the first step is taken toward full regionalization of this particular community treasure.
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061029/OPINION01/610290653/1086/opinion
Portland, Oregon
Hiking, salmon, beaches, vineyards, shopping, eating -- there's plenty to do in a week or more
By Mary Milz
Gannett News Service
He said: Let's go to Portland for a week.
She said: A week? Is there enough to do?
He said: Way too much.
Men's Journal recently ranked Portland as "The Best City to Live in the U.S." It's not a bad place to visit, either.
Situated where the Columbia and Willamette rivers meet in northwestern Oregon, the city is warm and welcoming, often described as having a small-town personality with big-city amenities. Its metro area of 1.7 million enjoys a temperate climate with average highs between 70 and 90 degrees in the summer and 35 to 45 degrees in the winter, and enough precipitation to keep the city very green. Portland has 9,400 acres of parks, including the 5,000-acre Forest Park just west of downtown.
Downtown is dense and vibrant, its streets lined with a diverse mix of distinctive shops, galleries, restaurants and nightclubs.
Not far from the city center, endless outdoor adventures await. Head an hour west and you're at the rugged Oregon coast. Go east, and you're downhill skiing on 11,235-foot Mount Hood -- year round. To the southwest, you'll find Oregon's burgeoning wine country.
Whether you're a rugged adventurer or an urban tourist, the Portland area is a great spot to spend a few days or a few weeks -- even with someone whose idea of perfect vacation is a bit different than yours.
She said: Take a hike!He said: Hot dam! Let's goto Bonneville
For a scenic excursion, nothing beats a drive along the Columbia River Highway, east of Portland. The historic two-lane road winds through the Cascade Mountain Range, providing breathtaking views of the Columbia River Gorge.
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?
AID=/20061029/FEATURES05/610290341
Freak Bear in Zoo – the bear just loves to dance – very cute
http://shrekonline.blogspot.com/2006/10/freak-bear-in-zoo.html
Cameroon wildlife sanctuary awaits "Taiping Four"
By Tansa Musa
DOUALA, Cameroon, Oct 29 (Reuters) - An animal sanctuary in Cameroon, home to dozens of primates endangered by the illegal bushmeat trade, is preparing to welcome some famous guests: the "Taiping Four" gorillas smuggled to Malaysia four years ago.
Felix Lankester, director of the Limbe Wildlife Centre in Cameroon's main port city of Douala, said the centre had gone to great lengths to be ready for the return of the western lowland gorillas, currently held in Pretoria Zoo in South Africa.
Taiping Zoo in Malaysia acquired the animals, smuggled out of the West African country via Nigeria, in 2002 but Cameroon has been lobbying for their return ever since.
"We have constructed a quarantine facility as an annex to our existing gorilla facility," Lankester told Reuters at the weekend, dismissing earlier suggestions by Pretoria zoo that his centre did not have the right facilities to host the gorillas.
http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L29870379.htm
Peguins at the zoo
Originally uploaded by KatColorado. What a stunning penguin photo this is! The colour and clarity are superb and I love the way they are standing. Fantastic photo KatColorado and a big congratulations on having it chosen as today's icon!
http://twtme-icon-of-the-day-winners.blogspot.com/2006/10/peguins-at-zoo.html
Visiting the National Zoo in Malaysia
Malaysia is known internationally to be a multi racial country that is rich in tradition and culture. Last week the country was busy celebrating the Deepavali and Hari Raya festival and I was on a long holiday with my kids. My son love animals, he never misses any shows featured on Animal Planet. He was practically pestering me to take him to the zoo.
So last week I took my two kids to the National zoo located in Kuala Lumpur.
A concrete jungle of building and houses now surrounds the zoo that was once in a virgin jungle. This is because it is only 13km from the heart of Kuala Lumpur, which is one of the busiest cities in Malaysia. The best time to visit would be in the morning, as it could get quite hot during the afternoons. You will not be allowed to bring your own food or water but it should be purchased from the shops that are in the premises of the zoo.
http://www.travguides.com/2006/10/visiting-national-zoo.html
Irwin's fears for Bindi
The late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin explains in a previously unpublished interview how "awful" it would be for his daughter Bindi to grow up without him.
Irwin also reveals how the family employs armed bodyguards to protect them from stalkers and the paparazzi.
Terrorism and drugs scared him and he said "there are a lot of weirdos in this world".
Despite regularly dicing with crocodiles and venomous snakes, he said he wasn't "that worried about getting killed by animals".
http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/irwins-fears-for-bindi/2006/10/25/1161749184501.html
concluding …
