Zoos

Big deal: Florida dog is world's smallest
LARGO - (AP) -- Brandy the Chihuahua is six inches long and weighs less than 2 pounds. She's not allowed on the furniture because if she jumped off, she'd break.
She's also, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, officially the Smallest Dog in the World.
Brandy's owner, Paulette Keller, carries her around in a sheepskin-lined purse. For fun, she dresses her in a pink Hawaiian dress. You don't pet Brandy so much as rub her with a thumb and forefinger.
Brandy made the transformation from Keller's lap ornament to the Smallest Dog in the World over a year ago. The breeder told Keller she thought Brandy was smaller than the smallest dog in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Keller took Brandy to the vet, who signed papers listing her vital statistics.
So in the 2006 Guinness book, there is bug-eyed Brandy, on the same page as the dog who can fit five tennis balls in its mouth.
The perks so far have been few. Last year, the Pedigree dog food company paid to fly Ron and Paulette Keller to Reno, Nevada, where Brandy was paired with one of the largest dogs in the world for a three-day exhibit at a casino.
Keller says she doesn't care about the attention.
''I just love her,'' she told The St. Petersburg Times. ``It wouldn't matter if she's the smallest. She's just a really sweet dog.''

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/16238288.htm


Viewfinder: Nature v. nurture
At just a few months old, it seems the last emotion a puppy like Smith, above, could evoke in humans is fear.
Yet, the headlines are common across the nation: "Man attacked by pit bull," or "Residents upset after pit bull kills other dog ."
It is not that I think the stories are unworthy of media attention. Dangerous animals must be dealt with right along with the environment that produced them.
I also believe that if you have the right training and exercise, pit bulls can be wonderful pets.
The folks at the Animal Humane Association of New Mexico and RAAP (Responsibly Adopting Albuquerque's Pit Bulls) offer a free class that is open to anybody who takes in a pit bull, or a pit bull cross, puppy.
The class is held at the association shelter, 615 Virginia St. S.E., every Saturday from 9 to 10 a.m. Pit bulls and mixes under 20 weeks are eligible to attend; they must have all age-appropriate vaccines.
"There is no way in which this different than a class for any other breed of dogs," says Tristan Rehner, a certified dog trainer who teaches the class.
"It's just that we know from the statics that pit bulls are at high risk for relinquishment to the shelters, and we are trying to give people the tools to raise them properly."
Rehner should know. She has two pit bulls of her own.
Any time you adopt a animal, it is a major commitment, and pit bulls are not for everyone. Exercise and discipline are essential, and both take a good deal of time.
Do your own research, and no matter what breed you choose, take your new puppy to school. You'll both learn so much.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2006/dec/04/viewfinder-nature-v-nurture/



Test-tube koalas unveiled
10.16, Tue Oct 31 2006
Three test-tube koala joeys have been unveiled by scientists in Australia.
An artificial insemination programme has been set up at the University of Queensland to help preserve the vulnerable mammal.
The scientists said the programme would lead to the creation of the world's first koala sperm bank, which will enable researchers to screen out koala diseases.
Scientists said a total of 12 koala joeys were produced using test-tube insemination.
The koalas were conceived using a new breeding technology that uses sperm mixed with a special solution to prolong the sperm's shelf-life, said Steve Johnston, the project leader and University of Queensland reproductive biologist.
"Eight of the 12 current test-tube joeys were born following the artificial insemination of freshly diluted sperm samples," he said in a statement. "The next vital step is the use of chilled sperm and then thawed frozen sperm from the sperm bank."
The koala is not classified as an endangered species but it is listed as vulnerable to extinction in parts of two Australian states, Queensland and New South Wales.
Mr Johnston said the koala sperm bank would enable a genetic background check of each koala, screening for koala diseases such as chlamydia, a parasitic bacteria, and management of the genetic diversity of koala populations.
The koala insemination programme is a joint project between the University of Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Dreamworld, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, David Fleay's Wildlife Park and the Zoological Society of London.

http://www.itv.com/news/08667a5894348d67fb97d926887c224c.html


Baby koalas make Japanese debut
3.53, Wed Dec 20 2006
Two tiny baby koalas have made their first appearance at the Saitama children's zoo in Japan.
The two six-month old males, who have not yet been named, have only recently emerged from each of their mother's pouches.
Animal lovers are now queuing up to get their first glimpse of the new arrivals. One visitor, 25-year-old Tomomi Miayano, said: "The babies are smaller and cuter than I thought."
The babies are still adjusting to life outside the pouches and they will spend up to another six months on their mothers' back before becoming able to fend for themselves.
The new additions are two of three babies who have been born this year in Japan's zoos. Saitama children's zoo has previously bred five koalas, but only one male.
Young male koalas are rare in Japan despite the country's nine zoos in which koalas are raised.
Keeper Rieko Tanaka said: "Very few young and energetic koalas are available in Japan. So it will be impossible for us to keep breeding them if nothing is done in near future. I hope some young male and female Koalas are sent here from Australia for that purpose."

http://www.itv.com/news/index_3026653fc06d47ae37a206c016d16d4c.html


MNR requires more funds to improve roadside zoo legislation, enforcement
I would like to clarify WSPA’s position on the MNR’s responsibility for captive wildlife. As mentioned in our letter printed in the Huntsville Forester on December 13, we agree that all captive wildlife facilities, including rehabilitation centres, should be regulated and inspected to ensure compliance with professional standards. This is the only way to ensure the animals are well cared for and that their eventual release back into the wild is successful.
Our concern lies with the fact that the MNR has not put the same effort into inspecting zoos. One MNR wildlife specialist informed me that he is lucky if he gets to visit the five zoos in his district once every three years. Some zoo owners have boasted that they have yet to be inspected once.
Animals are living in deplorable conditions at roadside zoos across the province because of lax legislation and inadequate enforcement. We are fully aware that the MNR is starved of funds and needs more resources to carry out these two important job responsibilities effectively. This is needed to ensure that all captive wildlife receive adequate care, regardless of whether they are released or permanently kept on display.
Melissa Tkachykcampaigns officerWorld Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA

http://www.huntsvilleforester.com/1166629472/


There is some opinion that people should not be as vindicated in pursuing animal rights. Everyone has a right to know the opinions. This article is simply a reference that provides an opportunity to reflect on a personal stand on such rights. The theory is called “Similar Minds” and it is deemed a threat by people who find compassion of other species threatening to human beings. ????????????????? If “Similar Minds” protects the rights of animals due to language barriers and different intellect how could it ever be a threat to the rights of human beings? It’s not logical. In my opinion it is simply being a grouch and not a legal advocate for people.

http://www.animal-law.org/similarminds.pdf


Elephant Exhibit May Expand at Brookfield
It was less than two years ago that the Lincoln Park Zoo went elephant-free after the deaths of several of its elephants. Detroit Zoo no longer has an elephant exhibit either. Seems it might be growing more difficult to visit elephants in the Midwest.
However, Brookfield Zoo has plans to expand its elephant exhibit five times over, the Tribune reported earlier this week. The zoo intends to build a state-of-the-art indoor house and bring in four more elephants, for a total of six. Zoo Director Stuart Strahl told the Tribune the multimillion-dollar improvements would be part of a master plan to modernize the entire zoo. The plans are in the early stages, and about seven years from implementation.
Elephants in zoos — let alone zoos in cold-weather climates like Chicago — is still a heated debate. PETA has been pushing for an elephant-protection ordinance in Chicago, which would require each kept elephant have access to five indoor acres of space and five outdoor acres.

http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2006/12/20/elephant_exhibit_may_expand_at_brookfield.php


Lizard Love a Truly Singular Sensation
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 20 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to males, it seems female Komodo (otcbb: KMDO.OB - news - people ) dragons can take 'em or leave 'em.
That's because female Komodo dragons don't need males to produce offspring, according to an article in this week's issue of the journal Nature.
The article describes parthenogenesis in two female Komodo dragons at zoos in the United Kingdom. Parthenogenesis, the production of offspring without fertilization by a male, is rare in vertebrate species.
Flora, a Komodo dragon at Chester Zoo, used parthenogenesis to produce a clutch of 11 viable eggs earlier this year. Three of the eggs were crushed during incubation and provided researchers with embryonic material for DNA tests. The remaining eight eggs are developing normally and are expected to hatch in January 2007, the article said.
Another female Komodo called Sungai -- a resident of the London Zoo -- produced four offspring more than two years after her last contact with a male. She later produced more offspring after mating with a male.
The authors of the article said these cases of "reproductive plasticity" suggest that female Komodo are able to switch between asexual and sexual reproduction, depending on the availability of a male mate. This has implications for breeding this endangered species in captivity.

http://www.forbes.com/forbeslife/health/feeds/hscout/2006/12/20/hscout600297.html


A film by NOVA sponsored by Google about treatment of animals in their health care system

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4640996096556117585


Two Elephants Must Relocate, Seek Good Home
The elephant Nicholas deserves much better. In the tangled tale of his unhappy limbo, that may be the only thing that everyone can agree on.
A rambunctious adolescent, Nicholas is an endangered Asian elephant who lives in a largely empty barn just north of Chicago. The barn's owner, who rents out circus animals, was ordered by the Agriculture Department to give away his 16 elephants in early 2004 because of a long list of violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Given the popularity and value of elephants, finding potential recipients would hardly seem to be a difficult task.
But nothing is simple in the troubled and contentious world of North America's elephants today, now that a growing and vocal group of advocates and some zoo directors think the social and intelligent animals are often harmed by captivity. The fact that these particular elephants had been exposed to tuberculosis, and so had to be held in quarantine, made any transfers especially difficult.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/21/AR2006122101512.html


Zoo caters to aging animalsAs collection grows, staff tries to ease aches, pains of growing older
By SALATHEIA BRYANT
THE SENIORS
Some of the oldest residents living at the Houston Zoo include:
• Radiated tortoise : Wild, caught in 1957. Estimated birth date is 1932; age 74
• Chinese alligator : Wild, caught as an adult in 1950 with an estimated birth year of 1945; age 61
• Hornbill (female) : Estimated birth date is 1964; estimated age 41 or 42
• King vulture (male) : Keepers call him "the Old Man," aka Scratch. Came to the zoo in the 1960s; estimated age around 41.
• Thai : The Asian elephant is 41.
Bruiser used to be in show business.
The Asiatic black bear performed at festivals and renaissance fairs in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Youthful and fit, his picture once was featured in National Geographic.
But Bruiser isn't the bear he used to be. At 31, arthritis has slowed him down. He doesn't lift his head high or stand on his hind legs for food as a younger bear would.
Each morning, before he starts his day, a zookeeper feeds him a cup of yogurt with a crushed pain pill and a powdered supplement mixed in to help his joints. He greedily gulps it down while sitting as the keeper squats down to hold the container to his snout.
"He doesn't do anything fast," said Hollie Colahan, the Houston Zoo's curator for primates and carnivores. "It's his retirement. With these age-related things ... we have to make quality-of-life decisions. That's why we monitor."
One of several geriatric animals at the Houston Zoo, Bruiser represents a new face of the industry: aging animals in aging collections.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/metropolitan/4425908.html


Texas sanctuary is accused of abusing hundreds of animals
SAN ANTONIO -- The sprawling private animal sanctuary nestled in the picturesque hills above San Antonio was supposed to be a place of comfort and refuge for hundreds of chimpanzees, monkeys, and other animals that had outlived their usefulness as research subjects, movie props, or pets.
And for most of the past 28 years, Primarily Primates enjoyed an esteemed national reputation in the animal-welfare community, attracting donations and support from zoos, universities, and Hollywood celebrities.
But somewhere along the line, according to the Texas attorney general, things began to go terribly wrong behind the chain-link fence that separated the animal refuge from the public. Charitable funds were misdirected, the attorney general alleged, used to buy groceries, liquor, and even a house for one of the staff members. The sanctuary's founder, Wallace Swett, allegedly began "hoarding" hundreds more animals than the facility could hold.
By the time Travis County Probate Judge Guy Herman ordered a temporary receiver to take over the charity in October, finding that the sanctuary's managers were continuing to "neglect and mistreat" the animals in their care, many of the 75 chimpanzees were sealed inside filthy cages behind metal doors that had rusted shut.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/12/24/texas_sanctuary_is_accused_of_abusing_hundreds_of_animals/


YOU SHOULD KNOW, DENNIS PATE: Improving zoo boosts tourism
Jacksonville Zoo's Dennis Pate has guided major projects
By ALISON TRINIDAD, The Times-Union
Any given day, cheetahs, rhinos and random people can peek into Dennis Pate's office. Pate, executive director of the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, says he likes to peek right back.
Formerly the senior vice president of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, Pate took the reins at the Jacksonville Zoo in June 2002. His office, in the zoo's newly opened administration building, is walled with windows, making it seem as if it were in the midst of the wild - except for the train of zoo tourists that rides past.
As one of only 214 zoo directors in North America to lead an Association of Zoos & Aquariums-accredited facility (not an easy feat, given that there are about 2,500 wildlife exhibits in the country), Pate added another job to his plate: chairman of the Jacksonville & the Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau's Board of Directors.
Pate spoke with the Times-Union about moving to Jacksonville, boosting tourism to the area in spite of hurricanes and having a Dec. 25 birthday. Following are edited excerpts.

http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/122506/bus_6720101.shtml


Philadelphia Zoo in the News
Local Elephants Sent to Maryland, Tennessee
By Marianna Bogucki
GUEST WRITER
I am not an angry person. I have in fact been called liquid sunshine on more than one occasion. My natural optimism has seen me through many annoying situations in life, and I think myself to be better for it.
I have hit a wall, however. I am angry. No, I am not angry at the president, TomKat or my roommate. I am in fact angry with zookeepers. I have a long history with the Philadelphia Zoo. Growing up an hour or so outside of the city, at least once a year I would take a field trip to the zoo, in addition to numerous family outings. During high school, my mother would sign me out of class, and then together we would spend the afternoon at the zoo, laughing at monkeys, sighing over the adorable baby cats, and heckling peacocks in an attempt to get them to open up their beautiful tails.

http://www.biconews.com/article/view/5246


Lions and tigers and zebras, too
By Goel Pinto
Yigal Horowitz, the veterinarian of Ramat Gan's Safari park, has been aiming tranquilizer darts at the park's young zebras for the past two days. He first identifies them from within the herd, which roams freely in a 1,000-dunam (250-acre) expanse, takes aim and fires. "I have been shooting [animals] for 16 years already," Horowitz says. "It is a matter of skill."
A few minutes after the dart makes contact, the animal is asleep. The park's team has been awaiting precisely this moment. The sedated animal is lifted onto a flatbed trailer hitched to a vehicle and transported to a treatment area, where it will be administered preventative medications against parasites and then woken. Eight young zebras, aged 8 months to 2 years, will be kept in a quarantine enclosure for a few weeks, until they are loaded onto a plane bound for the Chiang Mai region of Thailand, where a large safari park is being developed. The Thailand park recently contacted the Ramat Gan Safari, asking to purchase 20 zebras at $20,000 each.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/805524.html


Diabetes test to save rhino
A test developed for New Zealand diabetes sufferers is helping the critically endangered African black rhinoceros stave off extinction.
Victoria University conservation biologist Wayne Linklater is leading an international project testing the belief that high sugar levels in female black rhinos is causing a disproportionate number of male births. About 71 per cent of black rhinos born in captivity are male.
There are about 3150 black rhinos in the wild in southern and east Africa, and 250 in captivity around the world. Dr Linklater said the captive black rhino population could be extinct within 10 to 15 years unless the sex imbalance was fixed.
"We believe that female embryos in rhinos are more vulnerable than males to excess glucose in the mother.
"Moving the rhinos to zoos or game reserves seems to increase glucose levels by either increased stress from the move or better nutrition available to the mothers in resource-rich reserves or in captivity."
It seemed female embryos had higher mortality rates if their pregnant mothers were stressed, or fed a sugar-rich diet, Dr Linklater said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/3908652a11.html


Red panda siblings arrive at Chattanooga Zoo
A set of three red panda siblings arrived at the Chattanooga Zoo today. The 6-month-old pandas were reunited in a special enclosure filled with bamboo plants, soft blankets and plenty of fruits, including apples and grapes.One panda had been living at the Bronx Zoo, while the other two were from the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina, where the three were born June 6.The curious, furry animals, which generally weigh between 12 and 15 pounds, explored their new surroundings by climbing a chain-linked fence, a set of pet carriers and their new keeper. “People like the red pandas,” said panda keeper David Bond, 24. “They are definitely one of our most charismatic animals.”

http://www.tfponline.com/absolutenm/templates/breaking.aspx?articleid=8762&zoneid=41


Alpine zoo likely to be moving on
Plan would give animal park 10 times more land
BIG BEAR LAKE - For decades, Moonridge Animal Park has been a top draw for visitors to Bear Valley.
It's a quaint and rarely found alpine zoo, which visitors could pass through in about 20 minutes if they wanted. The facility is on 2.5 acres.
Now, county and federal officials are working to move the zoo from the south shore of Big Bear Lake to the north shore and greatly expand it. The project is still in the proposal stage, but everyone involved in it is trying to ensure its success.
"It's no secret that the (U.S.) Forest Service supports the project," said Paul Bennett, recreation officer for the San Bernardino National Forest.
The zoo needs to move because its lease is set to expire in February 2009 and the owners have other plans for the property.
The question, Bennett explained, is whether the proposal can pass an environmental review.
San Bernardino County and Big Bear Lake officials want to build a 25-acre zoo next to the Discovery Center, which is operated by the Forest Service. The newer facility would be able to house far more animals, and one day would have a veterinary hospital and space for studies by university students.

http://www.sbsun.com/news/ci_4890517


Condor exhibit part of zoo plan
Associated Press
Article Last Updated: 12/23/2006 12:24:48 AM PST
SANTA BARBARA — The long-awaited California condor exhibit is coming to the Santa Barbara Zoo. The city Planning Commission has unanimously approved a $10 million proposal to upgrade the zoo, including the condor exhibit; renovate several other exhibits; and build an education center.
"This is a plan that the entire city should celebrate; our zoo is really beautiful and this will make it better," commissioner Charmaine Jacobs said.
The condor exhibit overlooking the Andree Clark Bird Refuge will make Santa Barbara Zoo one of the few zoos exhibiting the endangered vultures.
"We're building tomorrow's zoo today," zoo director Rick Block said.
The zoo will act as a holding facility for condors. They'll be sent here, then assigned a mate and moved to one of the large condor breeding facilities in California, Oregon or Idaho.
"The exhibit itself is actually a functioning part of the conservation program," Block said.
The zoo is partnering with the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians to incorporate information in the exhibit on the cultural significance of the bird, which is considered sacred by the tribe.


Stuff the threat, offer new plan for the zoo
December 23, 2006
I read with amusement the Blank Park Zoo folks' attempt to play chicken with the public if they don't get the lion's share of the land they want in an adjacent public park ("Zoo Says It Needs To Use Park Land," Dec. 16). It has adopted a popular private sector, shake-down-the-public-strategy: It could move the zoo if its request is denied and the expansive vision thwarted.Where would it go? Norwalk, Polk City, Pella? How about Newton? It's looking for new investments.The value of any cultural enterprise like a zoo is a function of its desirability, its drawing power and the density of demand regionally. It's already in the area of the state with densest demand, and that demand is growing smartly.Does anyone really believe that the zoo would abandon millions of dollars worth of investment value in the existing zoo just to start all over in a new area if it doesn't get its way? Even if it did, it'd still have to be in the overall metropolitan region to maintain its numbers, and in the long run, the overall central Iowa economy could just about care less where that is so long as it is reasonably accessible for most people.I'm betting its black-tailed prairie dog's bark is bigger than its bite. Rethink the strategy.- Dave Swenson,Ames.


Zoo offers Junior Zookeeper Program
12/24/2006
The Sequoia Park Zoo is offering a Junior Zookeeper Program to keep students busy through the holiday break. Participating junior zookeepers will spend a week at the zoo learning about what animals eat, assisting with food preparation and designing special activities, such as building a den for Rosemary the black bear. Interested residents can register at the zoo gift shop, Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or phone 707-441-4217 for more information.

http://www.eurekareporter.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?ArticleID=18773


SAN FRANCISCO
Zoo closes Lion House after mauling
The Siberian tiger that attacked her keeper was roaming her outdoor habitat with the San Francisco Zoo's other big cats Saturday, but visitors can no longer watch the animals being fed.
That's because the zoo's popular Lion House, where the feedings take place, will remain closed indefinitely while officials try to determine what led the tiger to lunge Friday and claw the arms of a keeper who has worked at the zoo nearly 10 years.
The 350-pound cat, named Tatiana, attacked at 2:15 p.m., shortly after feeding time. The San Francisco Fire Department was called at 2:22 p.m. Zoo officials hope that accounts from employees who saw the incident -- and from the keeper, when she is ready -- will clear up what happened, zoo spokesman Paul Garcia said.
Zoo authorities would not identify the keeper, but sources told The Chronicle she was Lori Komejan. She suffered deep lacerations to her arms and underwent surgery Friday at San Francisco General Hospital. Garcia declined to comment Saturday on her condition at the family's request.
Komejan, a talented artist who likes to draw animals, has worked at the zoo since 1997.

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/12/24/TIGER.TMP


3 Young Lions Make Debut Appearance At National Zoo
POSTED: 3:03 pm EST December 23, 2006
WASHINGTON -- Starting Saturday, visitors to the National Zoo were able to see three new lions who recently arrived from South Africa.
Three-year-old Nababiep, two-year-old Shera and one-year-old Luke came to Washington at the end of October. Since then, they've been settling in and getting to know Lusaka, the 15-year-old female who has lived at the zoo since 2003.
Nababiep and Shera, who are sisters, are each about 300 pounds. Luke is nearly 200 pounds, and he's still growing.
The new lions are very healthy, and zoo officials hope they'll breed in a few years.
For now, the new lions and Lusaka will rotate their time in the yard.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/10598730/detail.html


St. Petersburg Zoo Bird Flu Speculation Laid to Rest
It has been determined that the two geese that died in the St. Petersburg Zoo last month did not have bird flu as had been reported. The birds were tested for avian influenza and the results were negative.
Local media in the St. Petersburg area had been speculating that the two geese and three others at the zoo had been infected with an unknown type of the bird flu virus, but the reports have not been conformed by official sources. A spokesman for the zoo has announced that one of the geese died of old age and the other had an infection that was not related to Avian influenza.
St. Petersburg’s Zoo is one of the oldest in Russia and is a popular destination for families and Russian women and men on dates. The zoo was closed on Monday and Tuesday and reopened on Wednesday, prompting speculation that the closure had something to do with the death of the geese.
Tatyana Solomatina, a spokeswoman for the zoo, said the facility was closed for a dispensary check, which is done every year. Some local media outlets claimed the closure was due to an emergency inspection and bird flu vaccinations.
The zoo and St. Petersburg Veterinary Board went to city hall to discuss this situation last week and clear up any rumors. The birds at the zoo were vaccinated twice this year against bird flu and the zoo has been running a special prevention program since the beginning of 2006 to protect the residents of the zoo against the disease.

http://www.loversplanet.com/news/2006/12/23/st-petersburg-zoo-bird-flu-speculation-laid-to-rest/


Panda baby boom continues as twins born in Japanese zoo
TOKYO The 2006 panda baby boom continues.
Twin pandas have been born at a zoo in western Japan. Officials report one of the babies is considered premature, but both are in good condition. The zoo has not yet confirmed the sex of the cubs.
According to China's Xinhua (shin-wah) News Agency, that brings the number of artificially bred pandas born this year to 30, a record. But zoo officials in Japan say they're not sure whether the cubs born Saturday were the result of natural mating or artificial insemination. The zoo has two adult pandas on loan from China.
The panda is one of the world's rarest animals. About 15-hundred are thought to be living in the wild in China. Another 180 have been bred in captivity.


Indians name zoo's white buffalo
FARMINGTON - He was named Kenahkihinen, which means "watch over us.''
The white baby buffalo, born on the mountaintop on Nov. 12 at the Woodland Zoo in Farmington, was officially named during a spiritual ceremony Saturday, conducted by several American Indians who traveled from all over the United States. Oblivious to what was going on in his surroundings, the unique white calf, believed by the Indians to be a "sacred animal," was spirited throughout the ceremony, running alongside his parents in their confine, never leaving their sides, while more than 500 people gathered on a hillside for the ceremony and the anticipated naming.As the ceremony began, several Indian women chanted with ritual drumming while a hearth fire burned, providing the "smudge," the cleansing smoke, offered to the crowd.

http://www.heraldstandard.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=17628991&BRD=2280&PAG=461&dept_id=480247&rfi=6


Don't Shop, Gawk! Toronto Zoo Free on Boxing Day
Posted by Tanja in City
Here we are... so much lead up and before you even sweep up the wrapping paper, it's boxing day.
I, for one, will be avoiding any and all shopping, 'cause really, if the merch is so ugly the stores don't want to keep it around another week, I probably don't want to own it either. Closet and room space is much too limited.
If you want to get out and do something though, here's a cheaper-than-cheap option: The Toronto Zoo is offering FREE admission today.
It's their annual Christmas Treats Walk - yes, where the animals get their holiday treats -- and not only is it free but there's hot chocolate at the end of the walk as well. The event starts at 10am and organizers are only asking that you bring a non-perishable food item for the food bank.
Other than that, the ROM is open, but the AGO is closed. Enjoy the day.

http://blogto.com/city/2006/12/dont_shop_gawk_toronto_zoo_free_on_boxing_day/


Maryland Zoo Facing Multi-Million Dollar Shortage
(AP) Baltimore, MD Facing a record budget deficit, the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is seeking an additional $4 million in state funding to maintain its operations. Rising costs and slumping attendance mean the zoo built up a $3 million deficit during the fiscal year ending in June. Zoo officials blame, in part, a lack of funding for maintenance and upgrades at the aging attraction. Funding for the zoo is mostly subsidized by the state, with a little from Baltimore and area counties. Funding has increased by an average of one percent annually since 1993. Zoo officials say the state funding has not kept pace with cost increases in everything from animal food to construction fees.

http://wjz.com/pets/local_story_360093501.html


Two ocelots will move to zoo at Burnet Park
Money needed to prepare their home and pay for their move and quarantine.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
By Delen Goldberg
Staff writer
Syracuse's zoo family will grow by two this spring when a mother-daughter pair of ocelots arrive in Central New York.
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo at Burnet Park is bringing the small South American cats from their current home at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden. They are expected to arrive in late spring.
The trip won't be cheap: Zoo officials need to raise about $32,000, spokeswoman Lorrell Walter said. About $24,000 will be spent to create a home for the ocelots. About $8,000 will pay for the cats' transportation and quarantine.

http://www.syracuse.com/news/poststandard/index.ssf?/base/news-8/116712827947390.xml&coll=1


Bhubaneshwar zoo launches snake awareness programme during Christmas holidays
Bhubaneshwar, Dec 26 (ANI): A zoo here has launched an awareness campaign about snakes in a bid to remove misconceptions about reptiles.
Officials at the Nandankanan Zoo feel that this is the best time to hold a reptile awareness drive."We want to create an awareness education about snakes," said S.C. Dinaharan, the deputy director of the zoo.Volunteers handling several dangerous snakes like the python and cobra showed people how to handle a snake without threatening it. The volunteers also made people touch and hold the creatures.

http://www.dailyindia.com/show/96929.php/Bhubaneshwar-zoo-launches-snake-awareness-programme-during-Christmas-holidays


Befriending snakes: Helpline educates people
No other reptile evokes as much fear and curiosity or is as misunderstood as the snake. There are a whole lot of myths about snakes that can land both reptiles and human beings in trouble. That is what prompted the Nandankanan Zoo near Bhubaneswar to ask the Snake Helpline people to hold a unique two-day demonstration.The demonstration is actually aimed at making people know the deadly looking reptile. Not many know that the dreaded cobra, is the most shy of all reptiles. That's what the Snake Helpline volunteers tried to impress upon thousands of visitors especially school children at the Zoo.It's fear that provokes people to kill snakes and often it's the non-poisonous ones that account for nearly 90 per cent of the snakes we see around us.

http://www.ndtv.com/features/showfeatures.asp?slug=Helpline+educates+people+on+snakes&Id=1568


Singapore Zoo's polar bear Inuka celebrates 16th birthday
By David Teo, Channel NewsAsia Posted: 26 December 2006 1517 hrs
Singapore Zoo's Inuka the Polar bear turned 16 on Tuesday and he celebrated it in style with family and friends. A polar bear ice carving and a birthday cake, made of ice, carrots and frozen fish, were presented to the birthday boy. His mother, Sheba, at 29, is four years over the average 25-year lifespan for polar bears in captivity. The Zoo has made plans to relocate Inuka to another zoo when his mother dies. It has to do this, it says, as it will now be focusing more on species from the tropical rainforest in line with its Rainforest Zoo positioning. This means, it will no longer bring in Arctic animals. Tuesday's birthday event was also part of a series of conservation and educational activities the zoo has organised from December to end of February next year. Apart from seeing Inuka and his mother, visitors would learn more about polar bears and the effects of global warming on the Arctic. - CNA/ch

http://www.channelnewsasia.com/stories/singaporelocalnews/view/249179/1/.html


Zoo's new attraction: a 25-kg baby hippo
CHENNAI : A newborn hippopotamus is the new attraction at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), Vandalur.
Soundarya, the seven-year-old hippopotamus, brought from the Mysore Zoo on January 31, delivered a calf weighing 25 kgon Saturday, said park authorities.
K.P.M. Perrumahl, Chief Conservator of Forests and Zoo Director, said the young one was in good health. Soundarya has not been released into the exhibit area yet, said the officials, as she was pregnant when she arrived at the Zoo . After a couple of months, both the mother and the baby would be released into an enclosure and visitors could see them.
The diet for Soundarya, after delivery, has been increased, which includes grass fodder, vegetables and wheat bran. Officials were unable to determine the sex of the newborn .
Mr. Perrumahl said: "The mother is keeping the baby close to her."
At present, the zoo houses three hippos, Kala (26), a female hippo and the oldest inhabitant Soundarya, and six and a half year-old Wamburi, a male hippo from the Basel Zoo in Switzerland.

http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/06/stories/2006060614920300.htm


Top-secret mission brings rare white bison to Winnipeg zoo
WINNIPEG - A rare white bison made his official debut yesterday at the Assiniboine Park Zoo after a top-secret mission to bring him to Canada in recognition of his spiritual significance to aboriginal people.
Blizzard marched solemnly before the cameras, displaying the instincts of a show horse on parade. He arrived in a blizzard in March from an anonymous American rancher and the zoo kept him a secret from the public until yesterday.
His coming is especially significant to First Nations because of a 2,000-year-old legend of the Lakota, a northern plains First Nation, which tells of a mystical maiden who appeared bearing a sacred pipe she used to teach the people to pray.
On leaving, she promised to return some day and usher in a time of great peace. As she moved away, the maiden turned into a white buffalo calf.
Scientists, who say the proper name is bison and not buffalo, say a white calf is born only once in 15 million births. The animals do not have albinism -- their colour comes from a rare surfacing of a recessive gene that goes back in time thousands of years.
One of the last was a calf named Miracle who drew pilgrimages of aboriginal people to her owner's ranch in Wisconsin a decade ago.
Zookeepers are poised for pilgrimages to Winnipeg. Never before has a white bison been linked to Manitoba, which holds the bison as its provincial symbol, said zoo curator Bob Wrigley.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=81c6edbd-4224-4684-8a08-dc6b2a16023d


Lioness in Ukrainian zoo kills man who invoked God
A man shouting that God would keep him safe was mauled to death by a lioness in Kiev zoo after he crept into the animal's enclosure, a zoo official said on Monday.
"The man shouted 'God will save me, if he exists', lowered himself by a rope into the enclosure, took his shoes off and went up to the lions," the official said.
"A lioness went straight for him, knocked him down and severed his carotid artery."
The incident occurred on Sunday evening when the zoo was packed with visitors, and was the first of its kind at the attraction. Lions and tigers are kept in an "animal island" protected by thick concrete blocks.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/181_1713592,00050003.htm


Two deaths in two days from bird flu
// 26 Dec 2006
Two Egyptians have died from bird flu in two days, becoming the eighth and ninth victims of the disease in Egypt, according to the Ministry of Health.
The victims were a 30-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl, who may be two of the three family members reported to have bird flu only days ago.
WHO regional adviser for communicable diseases surveillance Hassan el-Bushra said the infected family members were part of an extended family of 33 living in a single house in a village near the town of Zifta in Gharbiya province, about 80 km (50 miles) north of Cairo.
Bushra said the family raised ducks in their home, and that the ducks had been slaughtered after several had become sick and died.

http://www.worldpoultry.net/ts_wo/worldpoultry.portal/enc/_nfpb/true/tswo_portlet_news_singleeditorschoice1_1_actionOverride/___2Fportlets___2Fts___2Fge___2Fnews_singleeditorschoice1___2Fcontent___2FshowDetailsList/_windowLabel/tswo_portlet_news_singleeditorschoice1_1/tswo_portlet_news_singleeditorschoice1_1id/11431/_desktopLabel/worldpoultry/_pageLabel/tsge_page_home_content/index.html


Thai government under fire for zoo trading
John Aglionby, South-east Asia correspondentMonday June 5, 2006The Guardian
The first eight of 100 Thai elephants earmarked for export to Australian zoos are scheduled to leave tonight, despite fierce opposition from animal rights groups who have fought for more than a year to block the move.
They argue that the change of habitat harms the welfare of elephants and accuse the Thai government of shirking its duty to care for the country's national symbol by not taking responsibility for them.
Australia's government approved the transfer of five of the elephants to Sydney and three to Melbourne last July on the grounds that the animals would be used for breeding - despite claims that the move violates international conventions on animal trade.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/australia/story/0,,1790478,00.html


American Indian traditions helped by Scovill Zoo eagles
DECATUR - For several years, feathers from bald eagles and macaws at Scovill Zoo in Decatur have benefited American Indians.American Indian tribes see the feathers as sacred for making ceremonial headdresses and fans.Macaw feathers collected at the zoo are sent to Jonathan Reyman, curator of Anthropology at the Illinois State Museum in Springfield. Those feathers are then forwarded to the Zuni Pueblo Indians and Sandia Pueblo Indians in New Mexico and Arizona."It has been part of their religious tradition for more than a thousand years and are used to decorate clothing and ritual objects, Reyman said. "They are also used for making prayer sticks that are placed next to shrines to request blessings for rain or good health."Reyman also is founder of the Feather Distribution Project that he started two decades ago. He began gathering feathers after a Pueblo Indian man in New Mexico asked him how he could get some macaw feathers. That was in 1970.At least four times a year, a box of feathers from the zoo's two eagles, Zap and Abby, are sent to the National Eagle and Wildlife Property Repository in Commerce City, Co.The nearly 15-pound brown-feathered eagles, with their white heads and large wing, debuted at the zoo in 1998."It is illegal for any entity or individual to keep eagle feathers or any part of an eagle," said Mike Borders, director of Scovill Zoo, about the national bird that is a protected species. "Our zookeepers look for them in the exhibit each day and send them on when a full box is collected."Borders said it took a couple of years before the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a permit for the zoo to adopt the two eagles from the Alaska Rapture Rehabilitation Center in Sitka, Alaska. The eagle exhibit was made possible by a $10,000 donation to the Decatur Park Foundation - other contributions came from Joe and Ramona Borders and Howard Buffett, who is renown for his wildlife photography.

http://www.herald-review.com/articles/2006/06/03/news/local_news/1015594.txt


Zoo's big cats get new home
Associated Press
Published: Saturday, June 03, 2006
PHILADELPHIA -- Thirteen big cats -- from a rare black jaguar to a trio of young snow leopards -- are enjoying spacious new digs in the city after some time away "vacationing" at other zoos.
The Philadelphia Zoo has formally opened its new $20 million US habitat, which is designed to give the animals a more natural setting and visitors a more intimate experience.
The exhibit also preaches conservation, using interactive games, video clips and other tools to describe the threats humans pose to big-cat species around the world.
Exhibits describe the human encroachment that has largely driven jaguars from the southwestern United States into Mexico and pumas -- also called mountain lions or cougars -- from the eastern United States.
The zoo also offers information on a program in Kenya it supports that teaches ranchers how to build lion-proof corrals for their herds, so they don't shoot the endangered lions.
Big Cat Falls is likely to be a summer blockbuster for the zoo, which attracts as many as 13,000 visitors on a weekend summer day and 1.2 million visitors a year. It is the first new exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo since 1999, spokeswoman Ginette Meluso said. For more information:

http://www.philadelphiazoo.org.



End of the free zoo a symptom of an underlying problem
By Dustin Block
Like many people, I was sad to hear about the Racine Zoo's decision to charge admission. I admired the zoo's long-standing tradition of opening its gates, and can't help but feel we have failed in our responsibility as a community to provide for children and families.Charging $4 for adults and $2 for children will further restrict who can attend the zoo. (I say further because even a free zoo comes with the costs of finding the time to go and figuring out a way to get there - two obstacles that prevent many hard-working families from enjoying even a free activity.) Charging 1 cent for admission will keep more people away; charging $12 for a family of four cuts out many more.Any fee is a simple solution, backed by a simple argument: Charge the people who use the zoo. Why should anyone who never goes to the zoo pay their hard-earned taxes so others can go free? It's un-American. A fee is the only reasonable way to manage a community resource.

http://www.journaltimes.com/articles/2006/06/03/local/columns/iq_4047943.txt


Four Tiger Cubs Debut At Argentinean Zoo
Pups Still Feeding From Mother
POSTED: 9:58 am CDT June 2, 2006
UPDATED: 10:07 am CDT June 2, 2006
BUENOS AIRES, Argentina -- Four new additions to an Argentinean zoo are making quite a roar.
Four tiger cubs born last month are the latest attraction at a zoo east of Buenos Aires.
The pups -- two females and two males -- are still feeding from their mother, but made their public debut on Thursday.
The zoo is considering giving local students the chance to name the baby tigers.
Zookeepers said the new cubs are spending much of their days alongside their mother.

http://www.nbc5i.com/news/9311562/detail.html


Going green at the Joburg Zoo
The Johannesburg Zoo is planning a special day for children that will be filled with entertainment - and information - to commemorate World Environment Day this year
June 1, 2006
By Tabisa Mntengwana
CHILDREN can celebrate World Environment Day a few days early this year with an activity-filled day at the Johannesburg Zoo on Friday 2 June.
Under the theme "Deserts and Desertification", activities will run from 10am to 1pm.
The event is a joint venture by the zoo, the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, Food and Trees for Africa, Birdlife Africa, Joburg Water, The Spider Club of Southern Africa, Rand Water and 20/20.
The zoo and its partners will set up "edutainment stalls" with information on how to take care of the environment. There will also be visits to the animal enclosures.

http://www.joburg.org.za/2006/june/jun01_enviroday.stm


Zoo guard charged with stealing from donation boxes
From Press staff reports
Published: Friday, June 2, 2006
MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — An overnight security guard at the Cape May County Park & Zoo was charged with stealing money from donation boxes, according to Middle Township police.
Police charged Allen B. Smith, 32, of the Villas, with theft, burglary and official misconduct, police Capt. Scott Webster said.
Webster said park supervisors uncovered evidence that a security guard had access to donation boxes, which are located at four spots throughout the grounds.
Police said Smith allegedly took money from donation boxes while on his rounds as a security guard.
The theft occurred during a one-year period, police said.
Police said Smith has been suspended without pay from his position. Police have not said how much money may have been taken.
“At this point, it's still being tabulated, because basically you're talking donations. So the amount varies on a day-to-day basis,” Webster said.
County park employees cooperated with Middle Township police detectives in the investigation.

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/capemay/story/6404201p-6257690c.html


SF Zoo Prepares Sea Pups for Release into Wild
SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS) -- Four elephant seal pups found abandoned and in extremely poor health on the California coast are now dining lavishly in their temporary home at the San Francisco Zoo.
The pups stay in the zoo is preparation for their return to the wild, after being nursed back to health by the Marine Mammal Center. Because of a $25 million restoration, the center cannot house the pinnipeds as it normally would.
The smallest seal pup now weighs 77 pounds, but by the time they return to the sea, the seal is expected to tip the scales at around 200 pounds. Eating is an important part of the zoo’s agenda for the pups.
“This is providing this graduate fish school, if you will, for these guys to hone their techniques and learn to compete with their brothers and sisters for fish,” said B.J. Griffin, executive director of the center, to KCBS reporter George Harris.
Nearby a group of children watched as the pups dined on herring.
“Our role here is to assist the Marine Mammal Center in getting them fattened up, getting them ready, getting them to the point where they can be re-released out into the ocean,” said the zoo’s executive director, Manuel Mollinedo.
Meanwhile the biologists from the Mammal Center plan to use the pups’ month-long tenure at the zoo to conduct research on the challenges the animals currently face in the ocean.

http://kcbs.com/pages/41997.php?contentType=4&contentId=151059


Devious Butterflies, Full-Throated Frogs and Other Liars
By CARL ZIMMER
Published: December 26, 2006
If you happen across a pond full of croaking green frogs, listen carefully. Some of them may be lying.Skip to next paragraph
A croak is how male green frogs tell other frogs how big they are. The bigger the male, the deeper the croak. The sound of a big male is enough to scare off other males from challenging him for his territory.
While most croaks are honest, some are not. Some small males lower their voices to make themselves sound bigger. Their big-bodied croaks intimidate frogs that would beat them in a fair fight.
Green frogs are only one deceptive species among many. Dishonesty has been documented in creatures ranging from birds to crustaceans to primates, including, of course, Homo sapiens. “When you think of human communication, it’s rife with deception,” said Stephen Nowicki, a biologist at Duke University and the co-author of the 2005 book “The Evolution of Animal Communication.” “You just need to read a Shakespeare play or two to see that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/12/26/science/26lying.html?ex=1167714000&en=118b7ed69fcd5658&ei=5070&emc=eta1

concluding …