Zoos

It's down to three names for zoo's big newcomer Choice is Angus, Jonesy or Scotty
By Sheldon S. Shafersshafer@courier-journal.comThe Courier-Journal
The Louisville Zoo's new baby elephant will be named Jonesy, Angus or Scotty.
Zoo staff members chose those finalists from the more than 7,000 entries in the zoo's name-the-baby-elephant contest sponsored by Norton Healthcare.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070508/NEWS01/705080407



Zoo campaign gets financial boost
Two major donationshelp foundation reachfundraising milestone
Cassandra Kyle, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, May 08, 2007
The Saskatoon Zoo Foundation announced Monday it has raised 75 per cent of the $2.1 million needed to build new attractions at the zoo.
Curtis Kimpton, president of the Saskatoon Zoo Foundation, said he is amazed at how much money has been raised since the Who's Whoo at the Zoo campaign began last May. Two large donations given to the foundation on Monday -- $200,000 from FirstSask Credit Union and $100,000 from Saskatoon Lions Clubs -- pushed the total to $1.4 million.

http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/third_page/story.html?id=ec972a15-7ce5-466a-a071-15330aa29d80



Saving the rhino
James Coburn
The Edmond Sun
EDMOND — Thousands of rhinoceros roamed Kenya about a century ago. Today, the World Wildlife Federation and the Kenya Wildlife Service estimate the country’s black rhino population at 539 animals.Amy Dee Stephens is impassioned to save the five species of rhinos from extinction. The Oklahoma City Zoo naturalist educator recently returned from Kenya where she studied the species’ survival needs.The Oklahoma City Zoo supports the Lewa Wildlife Conservancy in Kenya, a sanctuary for rhinos, zebra and other indigenous wildlife. Proceeds from the zoo’s annual fundraising event, Bowling for Rhinos, go to Lewa.“This year we raised a record of $21,000,” Stephens said. “As a ‘thank you,’ the zoo invited myself and a guest, my husband Michael, to go to the reserve and see how the funds are used and how it was operating and come back and share it with other people.”


http://www.edmondsun.com/local/local_story_125230204.html



Crowds, pride returning to city zooOpening month strong, despite wintry weather
By Brian LiberatorePress & Sun-Bulletin
BINGHAMTON -- Despite an opening month marred by snow and cold, the Binghamton Zoo at Ross Park has seen an influx of visitors far surpassing last year's attendance. The spike gives merit to zoo Director Mike Janis' claim that the zoo is on the rebound.
"It's been a fantastic opening month," Janis said from his office at the 132-year-old zoo. In April, average attendance soared to 300 visitors per day, nearly doubling last year's average of 172. The opening weekend in mid-April saw 3,000 people, Janis said.
"That's been a real blessing," Janis said. "It shows that the publicity works."
A steady stream of school buses as the academic year winds down should keep attendance high as the season continues, Janis said.


http://www.pressconnects.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS01/705060333/1001



Butterflies find popularity in zoos, museums, exhibits
By JOHN SEEWER Associated Press Writer
WHITEHOUSE, Ohio - First, she flinched. Then Caitlin Myers covered her face with her hands and squealed.
The 2-year-old didn't know which way to turn.
Butterflies with blue, orange, yellow and white wings fluttered and swooped around her.
"She loves them," said her mom, Chris Myers. "They're fine as long as they don't come too close."
It's nearly impossible to avoid erratic movements of the Monarchs, Longwings and Swallowtails skipping about the Butterfly House, an indoor garden filled with tropical plants and hundreds of butterflies.
"These guys travel around like drunken sailors on a 10-day binge," said Gilbert Martinez, who visits the exhibit in suburban Toledo at least twice a month. "That's part of their beauty."
Whether it's the butterflies' spectacular colors or their close interaction with visitors, these walk-through exhibits have become big crowd pleasers. There are at least 100 nationwide, with many at zoos and museums where visitors are sometimes charged an extra fee - usually $2 to $3 - to walk among the winged insects, according to the International Association of Butterfly Exhibitions.


http://www.zanesvilletimesrecorder.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS01/705060334/1002/rss01



Zoos benefit from YouTube -- mostly
TECHNOLOGY Clips show ape helping boy; animals, um, in love
May 7, 2007
BY ANDREW HERRMANN Staff Reporter
Call it ZooTube: Hundreds of amateur mini-movies shot at the Brookfield and Lincoln Park zoos as well as at the Shedd Aquarium are posted at the video clip-sharing site YouTube.com.
Brookfield's new polar cub, which debuted only weeks ago, has already inspired a handful of clips, joining a filmfest ranging from ho-hum "we're here, now" travelogues of human visitors, to animal yawnings and scratchings and the occasional squabble.


http://www.suntimes.com/news/373768,CST-NWS-zootube07.article

and

http://www.chicagoist.com/archives/2007/05/07/zoo_animals_get_their_15_minutes.php

and

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=8922875251875301807&pr=goog-sl

and

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1986260681870742580&pr=goog-sl


Video: Dog gets head stuck in pipe
LeROY -- Mark Pearce thought he had lost his dog, Trinka, until discovering the 5-year-old German shepherd with her head wedged in an old, discarded stovepipe at Lake Louise State Park.
"Have you heard someone with pneumonia, how they breathe?" Pearce said Monday. "That's how she sounded when we found her. There was a little rust hole where she could breathe.
Trinka had been within sight of Pearce's driveway, which is near the state park north of LeRoy. But the trapped dog was unable to bark or howl because of the position of her head in the tin pipe.
It took about 30 minutes of pulling and cussing, and then finally cutting the stovepipe to get the dog out.


http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=293431&z=2



Zoo director resigns after 7 months
5/7/2007 11:57:08 AM
Associated Press
DULUTH -- Seven months after taking over as the director of the Lake Superior Zoo, Ryan Gulker has resigned.
Gulker gave his two week's notice on Monday, said Duluth Parks and Recreation Director Carl Seehus.
"He said it wasn't for any one reason, but a variety of small frustrations and, ultimately, he said he had to think of his family," Seehus said Tuesday.
Seehus said Gulker and his family plan to leave the Duluth area. But Seehus was unsure of Gulker's future plans.
Gulker had no comment Wednesday, but he plans to release a statement on Thursday.
The city-funded zoo has been struggling financially and in September, soon after Gulker took over, the zoo lost its accreditation from the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Before Gulker took the job, the post had been vacant for nearly a year.


http://www.postbulletin.com/newsmanager/templates/localnews_story.asp?a=293363&z=2


A new arrival
LAHORE: Zebra mare at the Lahore Zoo on Monday gave birth to a baby, an official statement read. Both, mother and child are healthy. With the birth of this baby, the zebras at the zoo have become five. The Lahore zoo had brought two zebras (a mare and a stallion) from Belgium in 1983. The couple has given birth to 16 zebras uptil. The baby zebras have been donated to other zoos and the wildlife parks across the country. Staff Report

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C05%5C08%5Cstory_8-5-2007_pg13_11


Name this Cub! What do you call an energetic, cute-as-a-button, fish-eating, 42-pound ball of white fur? No, really, we are asking… Keepers did all the hard work to get Arki Polar Bear and her cub ready to make their public debut recently. Now, you get to help by submitting names for the itty-bitty bear.Submit your entry online now Good luck!

http://www.brookfieldzoo.org/0.asp?shttplink=../pgpages/pagegen.351.aspx&nsection=2


Bill bans smoking at zoos
By AP OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — A bill signed by Gov. Brad Henry will prohibit smokers from lighting up at zoos, which the measure’s Senate sponsor classifies as outdoor classrooms.Sen. Cliff Brannan, R-Oklahoma City, said he was pleased that the governor signed the bill Monday. The new law will take effect Nov. 1.“There are literally hundreds of thousands of children who visit the Oklahoma City and Tulsa zoos each and every year,” Brannan said.“We would be shocked if these children were being exposed to cigarette smoke in their classrooms at school, but in reality, zoos are an outdoor classroom. We need to ensure our kids’ health and safety there as well.”

http://www.examiner-enterprise.com/articles/2007/05/02/news/state/news531.txt


BOOZE IN THE ZOOS - Pulse Beats
A rundown of the newsy, the notable, and the notorious…
May 02, 2007
The Tennessee Senate passed a measure that would allow Chattanooga, Nashville and Knoxville zoos to apply for an annual liquor license that would let them serve booze at after-hours events open only to adults.
Although zoos can apply for a temporary license, this would help them reduce administrative costs, Sen. Douglas Henry of Nashville told NewsChannel 9. The measure still has to make its way through the House of Representatives and receive a signature from Gov. Phil Bredesen before it becomes law.
It goes without saying, but please, should you attend any booze-friendly after hours events at the Warner Park Zoo, don’t give Hank any beer.


http://www.chattanoogapulse.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2007/05/02/463791e3285fa


Zoo vet lobbies for full-time care at the facility
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
By Rick Wilson
The Grand Rapids Press
GRAND RAPIDS -- During the 25 years he has cared for the animals at John Ball Zoo, veterinarian Richard Bennett has seen the needs of a vast array of animals grow beyond what he can provide.
Bennett, a partner in Animal Clinic Inc. in Grand Rapids, has worked one day a week overseeing the health of an impressive range of species in the zoo collection. Now, he believes the animals deserve a full-time vet devoted to their care. Bennett, 65, said he plans to keep consulting with the zoo before he retires in about five years.
He hopes county officials will listen to him as well as to zoo Director Bert Vescolani and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which accredits the zoo. All recommend the zoo hire a full-time veterinarian. John Ball Zoo is the only accredited zoo in the state without one.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ssf?/base/news-36/117811711414860.xml&coll=6


Rescued Hawks Find New Home at Prospect Park Zoo
by Brooklyn Eagle (edit@brooklyneagle.net), published online 05-02-2007

PROSPECT PARK — It’s a tragic story with a happy ending. The lives of red-tailed hawks Manipi and Seneca were in peril when they were found abandoned and injured in two separate parts of New York State.
Seneca, a female, was found upstate suffering from an eye injury, while Manipi, a male, fell from a nest in Prospect Park, only to survive with a bad mouth infection. When the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) heard about these two tragedies, the organization stepped in to offer the birds a new home at the WCS’s Prospect Park Zoo.
Now, after finding a safe haven at the Prospect Park Zoo, these two magnificent raptors are on exhibit on the Zoo’s Discovery Trail. Though their injuries would make it impossible for the birds to survive in the wild, the two red-tails are quite active and can often be seen soaring to the tops of trees in their exhibit, overlooking the surrounds of their new digs.


http://www.brooklyneagle.com/categories/category.php?category_id=27&id=12634


What are the EU Structural Funds and how can my zoo can benefit?
The Structural and Cohesion Funds, over one third of the European Union budget, are used by the EU for social and economic restructuring across the EU, on the basis that some areas have special economic and social difficulties. They also serve the objective of generally bringing EU states together, especially in terms of transport and infrastructure
They can be used for activities such as developing infrastructure and telecommunications, developing human resources and supporting research and development.
However, these funds can in principle, and depending on national and regional priorities also be used to develop your zoo or aquarium, provided it is a designated area and you can make a case that you will generate jobs, prosperity, economic, cultural self confidence, etc.

http://zoofunding.wordpress.com/2007/05/03/what-are-the-eu-structural-funds-and-how-can-my-zoo-can-benefit/


Cincinnati Zoo's Rhino Makes History With An Unprecedented Third Calf
Science Daily — Emi, the Cincinnati Zoo’s world-famous critically endangered Sumatran rhino has done it again! On Sunday evening, April 29, Emi became the first Sumatran rhino in history to produce three calves in captivity, breaking her very own record. Emi delivered a healthy, 86-pound male calf at 10:59 p.m. in her indoor stall. Emi’s legacy has grown as she continues to be the most prolific Sumatran rhino in history.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/05/070501095539.htm


NEWS: 60 Senators Join 162 Representatives in Seeking $85 Million for State Wildlife Grants in Fiscal Year 2008
Under pressure from the more than 5,000 organizations of the Teaming with Wildlife Coalition, a record 60 Senators signed-on to a "Dear Colleague" letter seeking $85 million for the State Wildlife Grants Program, our nation's core program for preventing wildlife from becoming endangered in every state. Similar letters in the House of Representatives received 162 signatures and Congressional Sportsmen's Caucus Co-Chairs Senators Baucus (D-MT) and Crapo (R-ID) sent a letter urging caucus members to sign. These signers, representing 48 states, Guam and the District of Columbia, demonstrate broad, bipartisan support for increased State Wildlife Grants funding.

http://www.teaming.com/


Ford Bell rings in a new career in Washington, D.C.
The civic leader and veterinarian, who ran for the U.S. Senate last year, is taking a museum job in nation's capital.
Star Tribune
Last update: May 04, 2007 – 2:05 PM
Ford W. Bell, a veterinarian, educator and former political candidate from Minneapolis, has been chosen as the new president and chief executive of the American Association of Museums.
The century-old AAM is based in Washington, D.C.; Bell, his wife, Amy, and two of their four children will move there. He succeeds Edward H. Able Jr., a widely respected museum spokesman who retired after 20 years.
"I was not looking for a job outside of Minneapolis, but this is such a great opportunity to work for a great organization," Bell said Thursday.


http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1161498.html


Eight legs, but 'armless arrival at Wellington Zoo
It looks like an arachnophobe's worst nightmare, but in fact this Chilean Rose tarantula is fairly harmless – at least if you're a human.
The creature is one of six species of tarantula, including the Goliath Birdeater, which can grow to 30 centimetres, that have recently arrived at Wellington Zoo.
Animal training and conditioning specialist Gerry Whitehouse-Tedd, pictured, said the spiders were placid and relatively harmless to humans. "A tarantula bite is similar to a bee sting."
And despite its name, the Goliath Birdeater is harmless to birds too. It feeds on crickets, locusts and cockroaches.
The tarantulas, commonly kept as pets in the United States, go on display today at the zoo's Scaly Nursery. They will be rotated for public viewing and some will be transferred to other organisations around New Zealand.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/4048032a11.html


Elephant Deaths at Facilities Accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA) (2000 to Present)
The lives of elephants in zoos typically are far shorter than their 70-year life expectancy. More than half of the 51 elephants who have died at AZA-accredited facilities since 2000 never even reached the age of 40.


http://www.savewildelephants.com/deaths.asp


Hogle Zoo welcomes rare white alligator guest
By Greg LavineThe Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 05/03/2007 03:00:28 PM MDT

Posted: 2:05 PM- Just don't call him an albino alligator. Sure, Antoine has an all-white body, but he prefers the term white alligator. And technically, the blue-eyed Louisiana gator isn't an albino. All 9 feet of rare white alligator will make his Hogle Zoo public debut on Saturday as part of a temporary visit. Zoo officials, who showed off Antoine during a press event today, said the 20-year-old, 220-pounder is on loan from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, La. through October. Antoine will be living in a faux bayou setting along with several normal colored American alligators, some bullfrogs and a few cottonmouth snakes. Albinos are either missing pigment cells that create black, or have cells that don't work. White alligators lack any kind of pigment cells in their skin. Zoo staff said this is one of only 10 known white alligators alive in the world, and all were found in the Lousiana Bayou in one nest in 1987. They are the only white alligators listed in recorded history, though the mythology of some cultures consider white alligators a symbol of good luck. Hogle Zoo, 2600 E. Sunnyside Ave., is open daily 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.hoglezoo.org/.

http://origin.sltrib.com/news/ci_5810470


Buy a Shirt and go to Hogle Zoo for Free
(KSL News) -- If you do a little shopping at Macy's this week, you can get in free at the Hogle Zoo.
All you have to do is go to Macy's kids department and by a "Mom and Me at the Zoo" T-shirt for $7. That shirt acts as a ticket to the zoo this Saturday.
It's all part of a pre-Mother's Day celebration. There will be live entertainment, face painting, clowns and arts and crafts, and for moms, free massages.
Three dollars from each T-shirt purchase will be donated to the zoo.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=1190005



How Cute are These Girls? Warthogs Debut at Zoo
WATCH VIDEO OF WARTHOGS IN PLAYER TO RIGHT
A pair of warthogs, an animal immortalized by the character "Pumbaa" in "The Lion King," took their first stroll Thursday for crowds at the Detroit Zoo.
The warthogs, 4-year-old sisters named Lilith and Rebecca, came from the Toronto Zoo -- and are the first warthogs ever to take up residence at the Detroit Zoo.
They are part of the Zoo's African Grasslands exhibit.


http://www.wxyz.com/content/onairlinks/seenon7/story.aspx?content_id=f456d7d3-0bdb-49bb-a685-270acff0cd86

and

http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070504/METRO02/705040379/1009



Students Hurt On Way To Zoo Field Trip
Three kindergarten students are hurt after an object hit their bus on the way to a field trip at the Cincinnati Zoo Thursday morning.
The incident involved students, a teacher, and chaperones from Adena Elementary School in the Lakota School District.
Investigators say a brick or a rock hit the bus and grazed one of the students.
Broken glass hit two other children.
Paramedics took all three students to the hospital.


http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=6b657564-7c58-44b2-8f58-3004c63ff5bc


Ghostly gator glides into zoo
Antoine, a rare white specimen, is visiting Utah
By Greg Lavine The Salt Lake Tribune
Article Last Updated: 05/07/2007 08:27:12 AM MDT
Antoine, the white alligator, lazes in a pond at Hogle Zoo... (Paul Fraughton/The Salt Lake Tribune)
Just don't call him an albino alligator. Sure, Antoine has an all-white body, but he prefers the term white alligator. And technically, the blue-eyed Louisiana 220-pounder isn't an albino. All 9 feet of the rare white alligator will make a Hogle Zoo public debut Saturday. Zoo officials, who showed off Antoine during a press event Thursday, said the 20-year-old is on loan from the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans through October. Because of Antoine's skin condition, his accommodations require that no sunlight seep through, said Shane Provstgaard, one of the zoo's reptile keepers.

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5815563


Zoo decides against 'candling' of eagle eggs
BLOOMINGTON — Not wanting to upset the egg basket, officials at Miller Park Zoo have rethought an earlier decision to examine two eagle eggs laid in captivity at the Bloomington facility last week. Photo galleryZoo director John Tobias earlier had said he planned to wait until Mother’s Day to “candle” the eggs, which are considered a rare occurrence for zoos, to see if life is developing inside. The procedure is considered a routine, unobtrusive method requiring only that light pass through the shells.But Tobias said Thursday he’s decided against candling after consulting with Twin City veterinarian Matt Fraker, a past president of the John Wesley Powell chapter of the Audubon Society based in Bloomington.

http://www.pantagraph.com/articles/2007/05/04/news/doc463a01ea95bb6751399304.txt


Oregon Zoo puts down sick giraffe
Lung disease - JC, a gentle carrot-loving giraffe, had stopped eating and drinking
Friday, May 04, 2007
NOELLE CROMBIE
JC, a 16-year-old reticulated giraffe known for her gentle manner and love of carrots, has been euthanized.
The Oregon Zoo announced JC's death Wednesday, saying the animal suffered from a pulmonary disease. Zoo staff decided to euthanize JC after she stopped eating and drinking.
For two years, JC suffered from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a disorder commonly seen in horses and domestic cattle and similar to emphysema in humans. For large animals, chronic exposure to allergens can lead to the disease.


http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/1178241926162920.xml&coll=7


Fears of Mass Frog Extinction
Reported By: Marc Pickard
Web Editor: Michael King
Last Modified: 5/7/2007 1:14:59 PM

There is a monster on the loose, shrouded in the soupy mist and clogging vegetation of the world's rainforests. It is deadly and unstoppable."It's staggering and it requires a conservation response on a scope and a scale that simply has never even been attempted before," said Dr. Joe Mendelson, curator of herpetology at ZooAtlanta.This monster poses a threat that has not been seen since pre-history."We lost wooly mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats -- those mass extinctions; we just never had one when humans were here to see it," said Mendelson.

http://www.11alive.com/news/article_news.aspx?storyid=96427&provider=top



Zoo Choo Move
Karen McNew / WSLS NewsChannel 10
May 3, 2007
Breaking news about a Roanoke landmark on the move.
Newschannel 10 has learned the Zoo Choo at Mill Mountain Zoo is expected to be moved from the zoo, to the Transportation Museum.
We're told the announcement was made at a special meeting of the Roanoke Jaycees Thursday night.
The move comes after issues over a contract between Mill Mountain Zoo and the Roanoke Jaycees regarding the Zoo Choo.
More information is expected to be released Friday.


http://www.wsls.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSLS%2FMGArticle%2FSLS_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351065725&path=!news!localnews


Mill Mountain Zoo Will Get Another Zoo Choo
Britt Conway / WSLS NewsChannel 10
May 4, 2007
Mill Mountain's Zoo Choo is just as important to the zoo as the animals themselves. But the train you've come to know and love will soon have a new home at the Transportation Museum.
But even though this train won't be here anymore, another train will be and it will still be called the zoo choo. A new train for new generations to grow and love.


http://www.wsls.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSLS%2FMGArticle%2FSLS_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1173351077984&path=!news!localnews



Singapore zoo says it will keep polar bear despite animal rights concerns
Derrick Ho, Canadian Press
Published: Friday, May 04, 2007
SINGAPORE (AP) - The Singapore Zoo said Friday it will keep its male polar bear - reportedly the only polar bear to be born in the tropics - in a reversal of its earlier decision to move it to a temperate country, while animal rights activists urged the zoo to improve conditions in the bear's enclosure.
The zoo's parent company, Wildlife Reserves Singapore, said its animal welfare and ethics committee had recommended that Inuka, the 17-year-old bear, remain at the Southeast Asian zoo because of the risks involved in moving it.
"The transport of a full grown polar bear to an institution in a temperate country will be a stressful situation and carries its own share of risks, most extreme being that Inuka may die during transportation or during the introduction process in the new facility," the company said in a statement.


http://www.canada.com/topics/news/world/story.html?id=cef30e38-6aad-416f-ac59-239fdb0309eb&k=300


93 skins of wild animals found in Aurangabad zoo
In a never before kind of seizure from a zoo, the forest department here has taken into possession over 90 skins of black bucks, some tigers and lions and their skeletons, and even an elephant tasks, found inside a room at the Siddarth garden zoo of the Aurangabad municipal corporation on Friday. While the zoo in charge, Dr SV Rizvi, who is already surrounded in a controversy following the sudden death of over 13 bluck bucks last month, has said the remains were lying at the zoo for the last fifteen years as forest officials had failed to turn up to collect them. According to a procedure laid down by the central zoo authority, such remains should be handed over to the forest officials soon after the death of the animals.

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryPage/StoryPage.aspx?id=44002922-0290-4bac-87ac-a6dda5e47096&&Headline=93+skins+of+animals+found+in+Aurangabad+zoo



Modernisation of Dhaka Zoo awaits approval
By Sheikh Arif BulbonFri, 4 May 2007, 12:59:00
The modernisation of Dhaka Zoo, costing Tk 10 crore, has been waiting for the approval of the Planning Commission for four years.The cost was initially estimated at Tk 19 crore. Later, it was cut down to Tk 10 crore but still has not received approval from the Planning Commission. The zoo cannot go for some much needed face lifting to attract more visitors, said an official of the zoo.

http://nation.ittefaq.com/artman/publish/article_35819.shtml


Rare tiger cub roars into Calgary Zoo
The Calgary Herald
Published: Saturday, May 05, 2007
CALGARY - The Calgary Zoo has one very good reason to celebrate Mother's Day, after Siberian tiger Kita gave birth to a new cub.
The cub, born on March 21 at 11:30 p.m., is still in the den being cared for by its mother. The zoo had been sitting on the news until they were certain the cub would survive.
"In the wild, reproduction is not considered successful until the critical post-partum period has passed and the mother emerges from the den with her young," said Kevin Strange, the zoo's manager of conservation education and communication.


http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/story.html?id=6fc4eaa6-2dc6-4389-b469-d2a617cf2d62




Rare Fox Pup Born at Zoo
A rare Channel Island fox pup is the latest addition to the Santa Barbara Zoo. The baby, a male, was born April 12 and is being hand-raised because its mother isn't able to nurse. It opened its eyes last weekend and is "doing really well," said the zoo's director of animal medicine, Dr. Karl Hill.
The pup is being kept in an incubator at the zoo's veterinary hospital and is given bottles of puppy formula six times a day.

"We were feeding around the clock for the first week," Hill said. The mother was unable to nurse because of damage to her teats. Hill said she came to the zoo in that condition and its not known if she had been injured or was born with a defect.

http://www.santabarbaranewsroom.com/content/view/219/1/


Family fun at Chester Zoo
CHESTER Zoo is gearing up for a bank holiday of family fun after coming on board an Enjoy England campaign.
Enjoy England, together with the National Trust, has launched its Family Fun guide for 20007/8, featuring 90 of England's top family attractions.
Included on a child-friendly map and interactive Family Fun website is Chester Zoo, currently enjoying one of the busiest years for visitors in its history. So far this year, more than 350,000 people have visited the zoo.
Sharon Leeson, Head of Marketing and Development at Chester Zoo said: "As one of the top tourist attractions in the country, we are always supportive of campaigns that promote family activities and tourism, not just in the North West but in the UK as a whole.

http://www.thisiswirral.co.uk/display.var.1377700.0.family_fun_at_chester_zoo.php


Zoo hopes panda bear is pregnant
Officials on lookout for changes in habits
Associated Press
MEMPHIS — Workers at the Memphis Zoo are monitoring a young female panda in hopes of detecting if she is pregnant.
Ya Ya, the possibly pregnant giant panda, was artificially inseminated in January after she and a male companion failed at mating the old fashioned way.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070506/NEWS07/705060355/1024/NEWS



Warm temps lure Noname the dragon out to greet zoo visitors
By Diana Nelson JonesPittsburgh Post-Gazette
Noname the Komodo dragon emerged from his winter digs in fine form yesterday, lumbering into his outdoor exhibit at 240 pounds, 12 more than he weighed when he was socked away for the winter in October.
The 13-year-old resident of the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium has been a fascination to zoo-goers since he arrived from the National Zoo 10 years ago. A crowd of about 25 waited at his empty exhibit yesterday while, up the path in the reptile house, curator Henry Kacprzyk crawled into one end of a crate and dangled smelt to lure him into it.
Noname inched along like an adolescent boy following his mother into a dress shop. He answered cheery entreaties to "c'mon" with a demeanor of such languor, it was hard to believe he can run up to 20 mph if he hankers to.


http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07126/783865-53.stm


One of the Pueblo Zoo's new meerkats pauses and poses.
Meerkats often in motion in zoo's new exhibit
By TOM GALUSHASPECIAL TO THE CHIEFTAIN
From their first meeting with the South African crested porcupines, the Pueblo Zoo's four slender-tailed meerkats badgered the herbivorous rodents.
Pthalo, his son Copper, and daughters Hazel and Fievel, braved bristling quills without stop as they darted around the larger animals, stole their food, and slunk near to sniff at the porcupines and their new babies. They even stuck their faces right into the midst of the quills, and tried to slither under the porcupines, yet miraculously escaped unperforated. When charged, they scampered off for a few seconds before renewing their investigations. One meerkat edged after a porcupine into a hollow in the rocks - until the porcupine whirled around and trapped the meerkat in the hollow. The porcupine's quills stood quivering 2 feet high, but in a single bound, the squirrel-sized meerkat leapt completely over the spines into the open.


http://www.chieftain.com/life/1178514141/3


Erie Zoo's newest cats fuzzy but fierce
By KARA RHODES - Erie Times-News
ERIE, Pa. --
They look so cute, the little Pallas' cats that have made their home in a new enclosure at the Erie Zoo.
But be warned.
If you stand close to fawn over the fuzzy felines, they're more likely to hiss than purr.
That's how they responded to 7-year-old Grace Hagberg.
The recent visitor to the zoo said the Pallas' cats reminded her of Mischief, her cat at home in Warren.
Then the Pallas' cats twitched at her and looked annoyed. Grace decided that, unlike Mischief, they might not like to cuddle.
"They did that thing with their mouth," she said. "They seem kind of wild."
Zoo spokesman Scott Mitchell agreed.
"They sure aren't house cats," he said. "If you live in the wild and you're as small as they are, you better be quick and tough. And they are."


http://www.centredaily.com/129/story/89408.html


Baby giraffe born at Roger Williams Park Zoo
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP)
May 7, 2007 - 11:36AM
The stork makes an appearance at the Roger Williams Park Zoo -- bringing a new baby giraffe over the weekend. The male calf was born at 4 p-m Saturday as zoo visitors looked on. The zoo says the baby giraffe is doing well, as is his mom, Sukari. His father, Griffin, also lives at the zoo. The baby giraffe doesn't have a name yet, but the zoo will be holding a contest to name him. It's the first time a male giraffe has been born at the zoo -- and it's the first giraffe to be born there in the last five years.

http://www.abc6.com/news/zoo_25846___article.html/giraffe_baby.html


First Zoo Without Bars Celebrates its Centenary
Hamburg's Hagenbeck Zoo, which opened in 1907, was the first zoo to keep animals in something resembling their natural environments. This summer the facility is celebrating one hundred years of innovation.
There's a lot to discover at the Hagenbeck Zoo, everything from aardvarks to zebras, but there's one thing visitors won't see: animals behind bars. That may not seem like such a big deal today, but in 1907, when the zoo opened, its design was revolutionary. In fact, most contemporary zoos owe a huge debt to a family business that began as something more like a circus.

The Hagenbeck Zoo marked its one-hundredth anniversary on May 7 with ceremonies celebrating its legacy of innovation -- and Hamburg mayor Ole von Beust inaugurating a new tropical aquarium. There visitors can get up close, if not personal, with alligators, anacondas and a host of other reptiles.

http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2480660,00.html



Be Aware of Bears
Posted at 9:43 am
May 7, 2007
by Suzanne Hall
Over the weekend, the San Diego Zoo began its celebration of Bear Awareness Week, which runs through May 13. This effort is in collaboration with many other institutions and organizations and is an effort to better inform the public about the role of bears in our world. Understanding the diversity of species that share our planet with us, and appreciating the balance that results from each plant or animal filling their niche, helps to inspire people to promote conservation of these creatures and their habitats.
There are eight living species of bear today, most of which are conservation dependent. Even those species that are not considered threatened or endangered, such as the brown bear or American black bear, have some subpopulations that are in need of assistance from conservation managers to ensure their survival. Like wolves, bears have historically suffered from a rash of negative propaganda, and some people have advocated against coexistence with bear species. Some bear species, particularly those in Asia, have been hunted for their parts for sale in medicinal markets. All species have suffered from loss of habitat, usually due to encroachment by humankind.


http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/be-aware-of-bears/


Zoo receives $1.1M check from York estate
St. Louis Business Journal - 2:51 PM CDT Monday, May 7, 2007
First Banks Inc. said Friday that its Wealth Management Group presided over a $1.1 million check donation to the St. Louis Zoo Endowment Trust on behalf of longtime Saint Louis Zoo supporter, the late Betty York.
York, who passed away last fall at age 82, also donated several wildlife paintings to the Zoo. She was a professional animal portrait painter who owned her own art shop. York lived in Brentwood, Mo.


http://washington.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2007/05/07/daily5.html


SJ Zoo Now Accepting Suggestions For Horse's Name
POSTED: 4:20 pm PDT May 7, 2007
UPDATED: 4:23 pm PDT May 7, 2007
SAN JOSE, Calif. -- San Jose's Happy Hollow Park and Zoo announced Monday a contest where residents and zoo visitors will be able to vote on the name of the zoo's newest resident.
The female horse was born on April 13 and currently stands 19 inches tall. When fully grown she will stand less than three feet tall.
"It's a miniature horse. The requirements for a miniature horse are no more than 34 inches at the withers," Happy Hollow spokeswoman Vanessa Rogier said.

http://www.nbc11.com/news/13273394/detail.html


Ajloun reserve becomes breeding centre for Roe Deer
Deer reintroduced after being extinct for 70 years
By Hana Namrouqa
AMMAN — The Royal Society for the Conservation of Nature (RSCN) has officially opened the Ajloun Forest Reserve as a captive breeding ground for the once extinct Roe Deer.
The environmental society reintroduced this species from Turkey in 1989, but only released them into the 13-square-kilometre reserve last year, ending more than 70 years of extinction.
“There are around 30 to 35 Roe Deer in the reserve now. At first, we brought back three Roe Deer from Turkey, which has a similar climate to Jordan’s. It took us more than 10 years to breed the animals and in 2006 we let 20 of them out into the forest,” Wild Jordan Director Chris Johnson told The Jordan Times.
“Before releasing them, we needed to create a rangers’ team to watch over them and keep hunters away, particularly as they became extinct due to hunting,” he added.

http://www.jordantimes.com/fri/homenews/homenews4.htm


Migratory Bird Day at the Naples Zoo
Tuesday, May 8, 2007
Celebrate the "snowbirds" at the Naples Zoo on Saturday.
In honor of International Migratory Bird Day, the zoo will offer information on the world of migratory birds, birding and places to bird.
Biologists and staff from three area national wildlife refuges will be on hand for talks and to field questions. Learn how to make your yard more bird-friendly and how shade-grown coffee helps maintain forests and habitats.
The zoo’s Subway Cafe will serve up shade-grown coffee.

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2007/may/08/migratory_bird_day_naples_zoo/?breaking_news



Out of zoos and into Africa
Kalay Maistry in Free State, South Africa
A programme to save the endangered South China species of tiger has got under way at a nature reserve in South Africa.
Officials at the reserve hope to breed the programme's latest Chinese tiger with another tiger at the reserve in the hope of later re-introducing the animal into its natural habitat.
"This is a very ambitious and exciting project to take the South China tigers out of zoos and into the wilds," Peter Openshaw, the reserve's manager, told Al Jazeera.


http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/E9FCCFA5-4D86-45FF-9AAE-53A2EFB66BCE.htm


Dated

What a Mississippi Zoo, Rhode Island Politics Have in Common
By Daphne Retter 10:50 AM; Jun. 27, 2006
In his effort to unseat Sen. Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I., Cranston Mayor Steve Laffey seems to be taking an odd path that runs far south of his state — and the nation’s capital.
In fact, Laffey’s route runs to Mississippi and through the middle of the Jackson Zoo.
Laffey, seeking to upset Chafee in the Sept. 12 GOP primary, has accused the incumbent of supporting a $950,000 earmark for the zoo that was added to the fiscal 2006 Transportation-Treasury spending bill (PL 109-115). The money was secured by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., but Laffey is trying to tie it to Chafee simply because he voted for the bill.
“Rhode Island Sen. Lincoln Chafee voted in favor of spending tax dollars on the Jackson Zoo,” Laffey noted in a press release Monday. If that’s true, then so did 93 other senators who supported the bill, including all but two Republicans.
A Thompson aide, meanwhile, said Laffey’s reference to the zoo in his campaign literature might be good for tourism.
“In fact, we want to invite him down,” said Thompson chief of staff Lanier Avant. “He may well be the first Rhode Islander to tour the Jackson Zoo. He could make history.”
This story originally appeared in the June 27 edition of CQ Today. For more information about CQ Today, please visit CQ.com.


http://www.cqpolitics.com/2006/06/what_a_mississippi_zoo_rhode_i.html


Nine flamingo chicks born at zoo
4:03 p.m. June 27, 2006
SAN DIEGO – Nine Caribbean flamingos have been born at the San Diego Zoo in the last month, and more could be on the way, the park's senior bird keeper said Tuesday.
The first hatching of the downy gray chicks was May 28, and the births continued up to June 23, Amy Klotz said.


http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/metro/20060627-1603-flasmingos.html


From the zoo to the links, June's rain takes its toll
BY MICHAEL GELBWASSER/SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Wednesday, June 28, 2006 12:26 AM EDT
It's been raining cats and dogs, and the Capron Park zookeepers are get ting antsy.What is shaping up as the wettest June on record has left the Attleboro zoo's trails and concessions stands bare of visitors, rather than over run by the 300 or so a sunny day draws, Zoo Director Jean Benchimol said Tuesday.
And with the National Weather Service in Taunton forecasting at least a 50 per cent chance of more rain through Thursday night, nothing may be happening at the County Street zoo for much of this week.

http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2006/06/28/city/city4.txt


Kids' Farm Moves Birds as Precaution
Maneuver Is Part of Plan to Reduce Threat of Avian Flu
By Karlyn Barker
Washington Post Staff WriterThursday, June 29, 2006; Page B03
The National Zoo has temporarily moved the chickens and ducks at its Kids' Farm exhibit to reduce the potential risk of visitors and other animals contracting bird flu, zoo officials said yesterday.
In what was described as a precautionary measure, 18 ducks and 27 chickens were moved to the zoo's Conservation and Research Center in Front Royal, Va., last week to guard against infections caused by influenza viruses that can occur naturally in birds.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/28/AR2006062801938.html


Zoo gains grrrrand new digs
Asian Highlands exhibit brings big cats, visitors face-to-whisker
Standing outside the new digs for snow leopard Dawa, you can hear the big cat breathing, smell her wet fur and see her tail wrapped neatly between her paws.
It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience to stand mere feet from an 83-pound carnivorous feline, and an endangered species. But the new $6 million Asian Highlands exhibit at Hogle Zoo, which opens today, puts the public and big cats practically nose-to-whiskers.
"We've used a lot of glass to let people get up close and personal with the animals," said Craig Dinsmore, the zoo's executive director. "The philosophy behind Asian Highlands is we wanted to design homes for our animals, not just exhibits."

http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,640190838,00.html


Queens Zoo’s Aviary Really Is For The Birds
The historic aviary at the Queens Zoo—described by Borough President Helen Marshall as a giant bird cage—is now more visitor friendly with new railings and pathways. Closed since January, the aviary reopened last Thursday with youngsters from P.S. 26 in Flushing getting the first tour along with the borough president. Her office provided $640,000 for the renovations.
“I am delighted with these improvements and hope they will help attract a new generation of visitors to enjoy this great attraction,” she said prior to cutting the ribbon with giant scissors. She was joined by Zoo Director Robin Dalton and Estelle Cooper, Flushing Meadows Park administrator. The zoo director called the aviary unique since it is housed in a geodesic dome designed by noted engineer and inventor Buckminster Fuller, and was one of the last before he died.


http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=16862949&BRD=2731&PAG=461&dept_id=574902&rfi=6


Glen Oak Zoo lion dies
Posted: Thursday, June 29, 2006 at 6:12 PM
PEORIA -- Glen Oak Zoo is mourning the loss of another lion.
Leah, the last member of a three lion pride at the zoo, was approaching 20 years old when a golf ball sized lump appeared on her shoulder in march.
After removing the growing lump, Leah's health declined rapidly because of her old age.
Captive lions live about 16 years which is much longer than their wild relatives.
Zoo officials do not yet know how long they will have to wait for new lions.

http://www.hoinews.com/news/news_story.aspx?id=12096



Zoo Official Calls For End To Exotic Pet Purchases
(CBS4) BOSTON Two birds and a genet are among the latest exotic pets to be dropped off at the Franklin Park Zoo in Dorchester, where an average of 20 animals are abandoned every year. These animals include a cockatoo, pythons, iguanas, and even an eight-foot boa constrictor. President of Zoo New England, John Linehan, says people should stop buying exotic animals they are unable to care for. “People buy those iguanas in the pet stores as cute little things – they become a five foot, six foot iguana,” said Linehan. “The claws on it are… they're walking up your back and leaving a blood trail.”The genet -- one of the most recent abandoned animals -- is sick, according to Linehan. The animal is still under quarantine at the zoo’s hospital. This type of animal was linked to the 2003 SARS outbreak in China.


http://wbztv.com/local/local_story_181112150.html


Zoo Officials: Gita Elephant Seen Sitting Before Her Death
LOS ANGELES -- Gita, an Asian elephant who died June 10, was reported sitting down eight hours before she received medical care, Los Angeles Zoo officials said Friday, confirming claims by animal rights activists.
An internal zoo investigation found someone reported seeing Gita sit down at 8:45 p.m. June 9. However, zookeepers did not discover the animal until 5 a.m. the next day.
"The basic reason is that procedures weren't followed," said zoo director John Lewis. "Gita hasn't laid down or sit down in years, literally, but that was known by the staff that worked with her. They immediately knew something wasn't right."

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/9456554/detail.html


Zoo gorilla dies during surgery
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — A 23-year-old western lowland gorilla at the National Zoo died Saturday as a team of veterinarians tried to implant a cardiac device, officials said.
"He went into heart failure and we do not yet know the cause of that," said Dr. Suzan Murray, chief veterinarian of the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo.
The gorilla, Kuja, was one of two adult males in the zoo's collection of seven western lowland gorillas. The animals are considered endangered.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2003099601_gorilla02.html


Tai Shan to Get 1st Birthday Bash
Party Favors, Chinese Music Planned for Public Event Sunday
By Karlyn Barker
Washington Post Staff WriterMonday, July 3, 2006; Page B02
Tai Shan, the National Zoo's rare and popular giant panda cub, turns a year old Sunday, and the scientists, keepers and volunteers who helped bring him into the world are holding a big public birthday party.
The celebration, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday at the animal park, will feature entertainment, children's activities and the opportunity to talk with the zoo's panda staff, scientists and veterinarians.


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/02/AR2006070200865.html


Second Gorilla Death in 3 Days Shakes Zoo
By Martin Weil
Washington Post Staff WriterTuesday, July 4, 2006; Page B02
A mature male gorilla died yesterday at the National Zoo -- the second such death in the past three days.
M'geni Mopaya, known as "Mopie," was being introduced to the family group of gorillas that had been headed by Kuja, the gorilla who died Saturday.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/03/AR2006070301108.html


Gorillas caught up in sexual politics at Calgary zoo
CALGARY - An amorous ape and his two brothers have been sent packing after a gorilla family feud at the Calgary Zoo.
They're moving to a bachelors' pad in a Montreal zoo.
The western lowland gorilla trio -- N'sabi, 10, Jawara, 8, and Zwalani, 6 -- will head to the Granby Zoo on Thursday.
It's best to see them go before things get too hairy, said zookeeper Garth Irvine.
Sexual politics in the gorilla pavilion started heating up last year.
N'sabi, physically mature with a lust for life, started making the moves on one of the females. The problem is, N'sabi won't be attractive to females for at least another 10 years.
"He's is a big, muscular bag of hormones," Irvine said. "There's not a lot of manners there. The females don't really want to be around him."


http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html?id=d0c3ac55-2437-4ab7-a292-b672281ce2ef&k=65811


County to consider $1 billion entertainment complex at zoo
By Charlotte LibovMiami-Dade commissioners are to consider a package of three ordinances today (7/6) to speed creation of a $1 billion entertainment district on 740 acres owned by the county at MetroZoo.The destination would include a water park, a ride-themed adventure park and resorts."The vision seems to be moving forward at this particular time. The commission has embraced it," said Commissioner Dennis Moss, a key proponent. "I think it will be a great thing." Included are measures to:Request the US Army to remove a covenant preventing use of the site for anything but recreation and open space.Hold a referendum Nov. 7 to seek approval of private development on county park land.

http://www.miamitodaynews.com/news/060706/story2.shtml


Teens Ordered to Work at Zoo They Broke Into
July 17, 2006 02:34 PM EDT
JULY 5, 2006 -- Three Wilmington teenagers pled guilty Wednesday to breaking into an area zoo last October.
Joshua Grant, 17, Joshua Honeycutt, 18, and Jordan Johnson, 17, all pled guilty to felony breaking and entering. The three teens, along with David Ballard, 18, broke into the Tregembo Zoo on Carolina Beach Road last October.
Ballard is serving a 10 to 14 month prison sentence.
A Wilmington judge sentenced the other three to supervised probation and 100 hours of community service. A portion of that will be at the Tregembo Zoo.
The judge also said the teens may not own any pets until they are off probation.


http://www.wect.com/Global/story.asp?S=5116560


New arrivals hog the limelight
ADRIAN MATHER (amather@edinburghnews.com)
WITH their fearsome tusks and love of wallowing in pools of stagnant mud, they might be expected to attract looks of disgust rather than ones of affection.
But three baby warthogs have thrown aside their species' reputation for being unlovable and are charming the crowds at Edinburgh Zoo.


http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=986802006

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