Zoos (continued)

Prices Going Up
By Christa Smith
If you plan to go to the Ellen Trout Zoo next week, you better bring some extra money. Starting Tuesday prices will go up two dollars for adults and a dollar for children. Group rates will be going up as well. The zoo has been adding on many new animals and a new learning center is in the works. It's seems prices on everything have been going up lately. Local residents say they don't mind the higher price if the zoo is expanding and making things better. They just hope they can keep going as much as they normally do.

http://www.ktre.com/Global/story.asp?S=6822150&nav=2FH5



Zoo animals to visit Jordan Creek event
July 22, 2007
Jordan Creek Town Center will host its weekly free Family Festival from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday in its lake district.
The event will feature representatives and several small animals from the Blank Park Zoo in the amphitheater at 101 Jordan Creek Parkway, West Des Moines.
There will also be inflatable rides, clowns, face painting, balloons, games and crafts.

http://desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070722/NEWS/70720023/1001/NEWS



Elephant celebrates 1st birthday at zoo
Party, crafts and other fun mark Dickerson Park's first ZooFest.
Dirk VanderHart
News-Leader
It was a birthday party anyone would wish for.
There were magicians, a clown, balloon animals and real animals. The parking lot was filled with the cars of well-wishers by noon.

http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070722/NEWS01/707220403/1007



Tigers destined for Tasmanian zoo
Posted Mon Jul 23, 2007 5:45am AEST
A southern Tasmanian wildlife park is defending plans to house two Bengal tigers at its Richmond property.
Operators of Zoo Doo say their enclosures will meet stringent regulations.
However, the organisation Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania yesterday staged a protest at the park entrance.
They says keeping tigers in enclosures is unnatural.
But the Zoo owner, Trevor Cuttriss says every capital city zoo in Australia has Bengal tigers.
THe Department of Primary Industry says the plans exceed national standards and a permit will be issued if the enclosures are completed according to these plans.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/23/1985077.htm



Cincinnati Zoo achieves artificial insemination of Indian rhino
The Associated Press
Published: July 22, 2007
CINCINNATI: The world's first Indian rhino baby to be conceived by artificial insemination is due in December at the Cincinnati Zoo.
"I think it's a remarkable achievement, an incredibly important success," said Dr. Evan Blumer, a board member of the International Rhino Foundation, on Sunday. "The next step is where it becomes really important. The first is to be successful, the second is to be reliable and repeatable."
Nikki, the mother, is 15 and has a life expectancy well into her 40s, so if all goes well, she could produce several more offspring.
In the 20th century, the Indian rhino — native to northern India and southern Nepal — was nearly wiped out. About 200 remained before tough preservation laws began to be stringently enforced, experts say.

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/23/america/NA-GEN-US-Rhino-Breeding.php



Tigers destined for Tasmanian zoo
July 23, 2007 05:45:00
A southern Tasmanian wildlife park is defending plans to house two Bengal tigers at its Richmond property.
Operators of Zoo Doo say their enclosures will meet stringent regulations.
However, the organisation Against Animal Cruelty Tasmania yesterday staged a protest at the park entrance.
They says keeping tigers in enclosures is unnatural.
But the Zoo owner, Trevor Cuttriss says every capital city zoo in Australia has Bengal tigers.
THe Department of Primary Industry says the plans exceed national standards and a permit will be issued if the enclosures are completed according to these plans.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/07/23/1985077.htm?site=idx-tas



Zoo forced to split up otters in new exhibit
Male and female just not getting along
GALEN EAGLE
Local News - Sunday, July 22, 2007 Updated @ 8:52:32 PM
It seems an arranged marriage between two of the zoo’s most recent additions is not exactly marital bliss.
A domestic dispute has forced the Riverview Park and Zoo to split up the new river otters, whose display officially opened Thursday.
Hundreds of eager parents and children flocked to see the pair this weekend, only to find one on display.
To put it simply, zookeeper Bruce Reed said the male and female just aren’t getting along.

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/webapp/sitepages/content.asp?contentid=622486&catname=Local%20News&classif=News%20Live



Zoo chimps ‘cool’ without cigarettes
Sunday, July 22 2007
The Emperor Valley Zoo would not have to invest in nicotine patches to curb the chimpanzees’ cravings for cigarettes because the monkeys do not seem to mind the no-smoking rule.
The two chimps “Sudi” — meaning “good girl” and “Nujo” — meaning “clown” have been at the zoo for almost 30 years. They are well known for taking their occasional “smoke” since they developed the habit from their original owners.
Officials at the zoo revealed since the decision was made to ban smoking at the zoo the chimps have not shown any withdrawal symptoms.

http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,61040.html



Boggie at the zoo
Review by Blast reporter Tim Joyce
The staff of Bristol Zoo Gardens are a hardy bunch. Whilst almost everyone else in the South West furiously ran for cover as the clouds gathered and the rain fell, they were busy staging their annual festival, Boogie for Brizzle.
With big-name Bristol natives such as The Scrub, Kid Carpet and Glitzy Baghags all on parade, as well a whole host of other activities to enjoy, the 2007 event, held in aid of the Mad for Madagascar campaign, looked certain to get Bristol back in its festival stride.
Even the dismal weather in Bristol on Friday couldn't dampen the party atmosphere, and after a slow start, the event started to warm up, thanks to something just a touch on the wild side.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/bristol/content/articles/2007/07/23/boogiebrizzle_feature.shtml



Valley Zoo targets young environmentalists
By ISHA THOMPSON, SPECIAL TO SUN MEDIA
When it comes to endangered wildlife and the threats posed by environmental pollutants, the Valley Zoo is using a hands-on approach to educate some of its youngest visitors.
"It is very important to have hands-on demonstrations and crafts that the kids can actively participate in so you can hold their attention," said Kim Chung, an environmental expert hired to help with events at the zoo.
Yesterday the facility, which houses more than 50 animals, hosted an event called Creatures in Crisis: On the Edge of Extinction.
Designed for children under 12, it focused on how the most vulnerable creatures are harmed by environmental damage.

http://www.edmontonsun.com/News/Edmonton/2007/07/23/4361058-sun.html



Test time approaches for Mill Mountain Zoo
The zoo was given a year to pass its accreditation review. The zoo staff and volunteers have been fundraising and tackling a hefty to-do list.
By Pete Dybdahl
Last summer, two inspectors went up Mill Mountain and surveyed the zoo.
There was a lone prairie dog in the prairie dog pit. The barnyard exhibit was past its prime. The zoo's budget didn't look strong enough to make the improvements.
These were some of the reasons why Mill Mountain Zoo didn't pass its requisite five-year review to maintain accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/125285



Midsummer's Night for the Zoo
The Pocatello Zoo continues to raise money as they host their biggest fundraiser of the year tonight.
This is the fourth annual "Midsummer's Night for the Zoo".
The theme this year is "75 Years- Honoring our Wildlife Heritage."
The evening provided hot appetizers and delicious desserts by the Bistro, fine wine tasting, and music by David Wise and dancing to US Bluez.
Our very own Matt Davenport was the Emcee and took some time to enjoy that music.
All of the proceeds will go back into the zoo and towards their major renovations coming soon- including a new bear exhibit for Charlie.
The name for the new Zoo Mascot was announced also.
He is now known as HuckleBeary.

http://www.kpvi.com/Global/story.asp?S=6822389



Zoos kill healthy tigers for the skin trade
Daniel Foggo
ZOOS are killing healthy tigers and other endangered species and selling their skins to be stuffed and mounted as trophies for private collectors, an investigation has found.
The skins are sold by the zoos to taxidermists who prepare them for clients in defiance of attempts by the government to stifle the trade in tiger products.
Last week undercover reporters from The Sunday Times were offered the skins from two zoo tigers, which were both only a few years old when they died, for £6,000. “There are too many of them and if they are not put down they will die of old age, get incinerated and thrown away,” Andre Brandwood, a Hertford-shire taxidermist, told them.
He said zoos had recognised there was a market and were placing a “shelf life” on animals to cash in by having them stuffed before they got old, suffered illness and then cost them money. “What’s happening is that various zoos . . . [have] realised there’s a market, hence . . . there is a fixed price on tigers.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2116179.ece



Berlin Zoo under fire from animal rights group over Knut
Berlin (dpa) - The Berlin Zoo came under fire Monday from an animal rights group for allowing a keeper to raise polar bear cub Knut after he was rejected by his mother.
"The socialization project has failed, Knut has become too much like a human," said Wolfgang Apel, president of the German Society for the Protection of Animals.
Speaking at the opening of an animal protection centre in the German capital, Apel said polar bears did not belong in zoos and that breeding cubs like Knut should not set an example to others.
Knut, now seven months old and weighing more than 50 kilograms, attracted worldwide attention when his keeper started raising him by bottle after his mother rejected him as a newborn on December 5.
Zoo director Bernhard Blaszkiewitz dismissed Apel's criticism, saying that raising polar bears in zoos "was one of the most important methods of breeding such an endangered species."

http://www.eux.tv/article.aspx?articleId=11761



At the zoo, every picture tells a story
Published by ImagingInsider.com July 23rd, 2007 in NewsStream
There’s a common misconception that wildlife photographers must spend hours or even days sitting in the bush waiting for just the right shot. It doesn’t have to be like that, says Michael Wilhelm, a professional wildlife photographer. Especially if you’re working from inside the zoo. “Wildlife photography is a lot like photojournalism,” says Wilhelm, who teaches workshops using the Oregon Zoo in Portland as a classroom.

http://www.imaginginsider.com/?p=43674



Friday is open night at the zoo
By Mark Prigg, Evening Standard 23.07.07
London Zoo is to stay open until 10pm in a bid to lure more visitors.
The attraction will have its first late-night opening on 27 July and bosses say the event could be repeated regularly if it is a success.
The zoo will be serving drinks all evening and has hired a troupe of circus performers to entertain visitors, as well as opening all its normal exhibits, including the new Gorilla Kingdom enclosure.
The move follows recent late-night openings by a host of London museums.
Tate Modern, the V&A and the British Museum all now regularly stay open late to make them more accessible to Londoners.
James Bailey, marketing manager of the Zoological Society of London, said: "As the sun sets over the city, Zoo Nights will give visitors the opportunity to spend an exciting and unique evening at the zoo. We plan to make Zoo Nights an annual event and a key date in any Londoner's social calendar."

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/events/article-23405433-details/Friday+is+open+night+at+the+zoo/article.do



Zoo gets another baby siamang
Business First of Louisville - 1:26 PM EDT Monday, July 23, 2007
The Louisville Zoo has acquired another baby male siamang, a small primate that originates from Southeast Asia.
The zoo acquired 8-week-old Zain from Albuquerque Biological Park in Albuquerque, N.M., to be a companion to 4-month-old Zoli, who was orphaned in April.

http://louisville.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/07/23/daily8.html?jst=b_ln_hl



Peacock eggs shattered by Hillcrest Zoo patrons
By Sharna Johnson: Freedom Newspapers
July 23 2007 9:32 PM
Mother peacocks herd a community brood of young Monday at the Hillcrest Zoo. Zoo officials said a select few of the birds are allowed to hatch young in an effort to control the bird’s population numbers at the park.
Teen visitors disturbed a peacock nest and destroyed eggs Friday afternoon, Hillcrest Zoo officials said.
Police were called to the park but were unable to locate the youth, zoo director Herschel Arnold said.
The incident was reported by a zoo visitor who said she had seen two teens wreck the nest, according to Arnold. He said the witness reported the teens had an adult with them.
Zookeepers found remnants of a shattered egg but couldn’t find the nest or the remainder of the eggs.

http://www.cnjonline.com/news/zoo_22369___article.html/arnold_eggs.html



Food, Live Jazz, Exclusive Tours of the John Ball Zoo – It’s Saturday Night Alive!
Join WGVU and The John Ball Zoo for Saturday Night Alive, featuring a taste of Grand Rapids restaurants, live jazz music, zoo tours, performances by GR Improv and more!
Date Released: 07/24/2007
When: Saturday, August 18, 7 – 10 p.m.
Where: John Ball Zoo in downtown Grand Rapids
What: Taste the best from Grand Rapids dining, with samples from:
Bono’s Pit Bar-B-Q Celebration Banquets and Catering Charley's Crab Marie Catrib’s McFadden's The Press Box Deli and Catering Company Tap's Sports Bar W.g. Grinders Zoup! Fresh Soup Company
More restaurants are being added, so visit wgvu.org for a complete list.
As you enjoy the food, exclusive zoo tours, rides on the zip line and selections from the cash bar by International Beverage, stop to listen in on two of Grand Rapids' finest jazz acts, The Carlos Melendez Trio with Randy Marsh and Dr. John Hair and New Connections. Between bands, the GR Improv will perform throughout the zoo.
Tickets are $25 per person and are available by calling 616-336-3309. Proceeds benefit WGVU and The John Ball Zoo. Attendees must be 21 years of age or older. For more information, visit wgvu.org.
WGVU's continued mission is to provide educational, informative, and entertaining programs and events to the West Michigan community as a service of Grand Valley State University.

http://www.fastpitchnetworking.com/pressrelease.cfm?PRID=13996



Look Ma, No Leash
The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo turned to Total Systems Integration of Galion, Ohio. TSI's solution was to install a Polycom videoconferencing platform on a portable cart, one rugged enough to roll around the grounds. To get the signal out to the world, TSI installed Cisco Aironet 1500 outdoor WiFi access gateways around the zoo's 168 acres.
"We put a Cisco wireless LAN controller and 20 WiFi access points in particular locations throughout the zoo," explained Bob Lynch, TSI's director of sales and marketing. "Because the Cisco system uses mesh technology, all of the access points provide the same degree of speed and reliability connected back to the zoo's LAN, and from there to the outside world." (Note: In a mesh wireless network, any access point can communicate with the wired LAN, thus providing users with the most robust and redundant signals paths.)

http://governmentvideo.com/articles/publish/article_1196.shtml



Trouble in the Panhandle
July 19th, 2007 by admin
Last week, The Zoo in Gulf Breeze announced that it may have to close if it doesn’t raise $3 million by the end of the year. The zoo is struggling to recover from hurricane damage and poor attendance. Today’s news probably won’t help their fundraising efforts.
“Sammy,” a 10-year-old giraffe, was found dead at the zoo after suffering a neck injury. Zoo officials guess that the animal was startled and ran into something. The incident is sad, but not surprising. The giraffe enclosure is next to busy Highway 98; a noisy truck could easily have startled the animal.
It’s been a horrible few months for The Zoo. Earlier this month, a young hippo died after being injured by one of her parents. Last December, four kangaroos at the zoo died from a bacterial infection. In November, visitors were rushed out of the zoo after two cougars escaped from their enclosure. The day before that incident, a zoo employee was clawed by a leopard.

http://www.blog.animalrightsflorida.org/?p=269



Appeals court allows horse slaughter plant to stay open
Associated Press - July 19, 2007 5:44 PM ET
CHICAGO (AP) - A federal appellate court is allowing a horse slaughter plant in northern Illinois to reopen.
The Cavel International plant in DeKalb is the last plant in the United States where horses are slaughtered for human consumption.
A state law signed in May bans horse slaughtering and forced the plant to shut down.
But a Chicago-based appeals court yesterday ruled that the plant can stay open while the company challenges the state law in federal court.

http://www.wqad.com/Global/story.asp?S=6814524&nav=1sW7



Giraffe could make a move
By Brent Killackey
Journal Times
RACINE — Twiga, the female Masai giraffe at the Racine Zoo, may be making a move in the coming months, according to zoo officials.
Racine Zoo officials currently are talking with three other zoos — all members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums — about moving Twiga into a breeding situation at another zoo and bringing in a “bachelor’s herd” of two young male giraffes to Racine, according to Eric Hileman, director of conservation, education and animal welfare.
Twiga came to the Racine Zoo in June 2002 from the San Diego Zoo.

http://www.journaltimes.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=14382



Cohanzick Zoo seeks national accreditation
By JOHN MARTINS Staff Writer, (856) 794-5114
Published: Saturday, July 21, 2007
BRIDGETON — The Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton City Park, the state’s oldest menagerie, is embarking on a years-long journey toward getting accredited by a national organization.
Mayor Jim Begley said Friday that officials hope to gain the certification, which is administered by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, before 2010.
“We have a series of projects for the next few years,” Begley said. “The city is committed to getting accreditation for the zoo.”
According to zoo curator Kelly Shaw, the work that needs to be done to earn the accreditation ranges from normal maintenance and upkeep to beefing up the zoo’s master plan.
“There’s a lot to do,” Shaw said. “It’ll be a lot of work and it’ll take the concerted effort of the administration, the (Cohanzick Zoological) Society and the community as a whole.”

http://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/news/local/cumberland/story/7492235p-7387876c.html



Elephants benefit from fight between zoos and activists
ANNIE FLANZRAICH
Associated Press Writer
SEATTLE — On a sunny July day, Chai the elephant browses on grass and branches in the one-acre elephant exhibit at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo. Children lean over the metal barriers, trying to reach the enormous charismatic creature.
In the nearby elephant barn, Watoto stretches her trunk to a net filled with vegetation and munches on her lunch before wandering back to the outdoor exhibit. Teenagers watch her, mimicking the movements of her trunk.

http://www.theolympian.com/northwest/story/168927.html



Mayor Martin Chavez travels to China to work on getting a panda
By Erik Siemers (Contact)
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Mayor Martin Chavez, fresh off a nine-day visit to China, sees a land ripe with opportunity for forging business relationships.
But China's roaring economy might make it difficult to accomplish another of Chavez's stated goals - securing a giant panda for the Rio Grande Zoo.
Four U.S. zoos have negotiated deals with China to host pairs of pandas for an average price of about $1 million a year.
But with China's robust economy, the lure of the dollar isn't what it used to be, said David Towne, president of the Giant Panda Conservation Foundation and the United States' chief negotiator with China over pandas.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/jul/21/mayor-martin-chavez-travels-china-work-getting-pan/



‘For a price I can get you any animal’
Daniel Foggo and Hala Jaber
JEAN-PIERRE GERARD walked between the ranks of elk antlers stacked neatly against the walls of his taxidermy warehouse, past the folded skin of an elephant and the remains of a crocodile before stopping next to the mounted body of a gigantic roaring lion.
In front of him, spread out upon the floor under the baleful gaze of a stuffed vulture on a nearby pedestal, was an array of beautiful animal skins.
Three tigers, a cheetah and two lynx had recently died to provide the colourful spectacle that Gerard now proudly unveiled to his British guests.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2116207.ece



Zoos kill healthy tigers for the skin trade
Daniel Foggo
ZOOS are killing healthy tigers and other endangered species and selling their skins to be stuffed and mounted as trophies for private collectors, an investigation has found.
The skins are sold by the zoos to taxidermists who prepare them for clients in defiance of attempts by the government to stifle the trade in tiger products.
Last week undercover reporters from The Sunday Times were offered the skins from two zoo tigers, which were both only a few years old when they died, for £6,000. “There are too many of them and if they are not put down they will die of old age, get incinerated and thrown away,” Andre Brandwood, a Hertford-shire taxidermist, told them.
He said zoos had recognised there was a market and were placing a “shelf life” on animals to cash in by having them stuffed before they got old, suffered illness and then cost them money. “What’s happening is that various zoos . . . [have] realised there’s a market, hence . . . there is a fixed price on tigers.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/europe/article2116179.ece



Chinese border police seize 270 smuggled crocodiles
23 Jul 2007, 1836 hrs IST
BEIJING: Police in southwest China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region have seized 270 crocodiles smuggled from Vietnam for apparently making fashion accessories, the state media reported on Monday.
The seizure was the largest this year in Guangxi, where 25 illegally captured crocodiles were discovered in the first six months.
Border police noticed the iron-hulled boat trying to land on the Chinese side of the Beilun River, which marks the border with Vietnam, on Saturday evening.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/China/Chinese_border_police_seize_270_smuggled_crocodiles/articleshow/2227689.cms



Learning to listen to elephants
By Diane Carman
Denver Post Staff Columnist
Article Last Updated: 07/24/2007 09:01:42 AM MDT
Even at 10 acres and $52 million, the Asian Tropics exhibit at the Denver Zoo won't satisfy all the critics.
It won't be Namibia, Tanzania or Sumatra, after all. The elephants won't be free to travel miles in herds that communicate through distinctive rumbles across the landscape. They won't be able to teach their young how to distinguish friendly herds from enemies or how to find medicinal plants to cure their illnesses or how to protect their babies from hungry lions.
It won't be perfect.
Dale Leeds is tired of trying to persuade those who will settle for nothing less than a pristine wild habitat that is increasingly endangered.

http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_6446997



Protecting Endangered Species: San Diego Zoo
Posted by jen_chan as Eco-Friendly, Features, Education, United States, Nature, Travelogger
Did you know that in the United States alone, there are 496 species of endangered animals listed? And that worldwide, there are about a thousand more animals whose lives are in danger? These are not just numbers, mind you. These are issues that affect every living being on this planet, whether we are conscious of it or not. Perhaps one of the main causes for the endangerment of these animals is habitat destruction. Over the decades, man has been a little less considerate when it comes to expanding and construction. Sure, there are new roads being paved and new infrastructures being built. Still, at what cost?
In recent years, a lot of things have been done to help the environment recover from past mistakes. Laws have been enacted to protect various wildlife. Organizations have been set up to ensure that these laws are being put into good use.
Also, there are now places where endangered species can stay in the meantime. The San Diego Zoo, for example, has its Zoological Society of San Diego’s center for Conservation and Research for Endangered Species (CRES). This is the largest zoo-based multidisciplinary research team in the world.

http://www.travelogger.net/travelogger/protecting-endangered-species-san-diego-zoo/



Four lions leave Zoo for Africa
Four lions, generally seen as tormented by the poor living conditions in the Buhusi and Bacau zoo gardens, will be released in the wild, in an African reservation.
The move was planned and pursued by the “Romanian Association for Animal Protection”, cooperating with the “Born Free” foundation in UK. The plans begun 14 months ago, negotiations taking place up to this moment.
On July 13, the lions will be released from their claustrophobic cages and will be transported via a charter plane to Frankfurt and then Johannesburg.
Within the African sanctuary, the felines will benefit from 2 hectares of natural habitat, permanent medical care and appropriate food.

http://english.hotnews.ro/Four-lions-leave-Zoo-for-Africa-articol_45565.htm



Cottonwood Christian Fellowship children take on zoo goo
Alamogordo Daily News
By Karl Anderson, Staff Writer
Article Launched: 07/25/2007 12:00:00 AM MDT
A group of children from Cottonwood Christian Fellowship in Alamogordo have been volunteering one day each month for the past three years at the Alameda Park Zoo.
Known as the "zoo crew," the children are members of the church's children's ministry, which is directed by Pastor Ben King.
The children devote one Saturday each month to helping at the zoo.
Their duties include cleaning up the zoo grounds, cleaning out cages and preparing and delivering of food to the animals.

http://www.alamogordonews.com/features/ci_6456372



Zoo closing early today for Jammin' at the Zoo
07/25/2007
The St. Louis Zoo will close early at 5 p.m. today. The early closing is to prepare for an evening program, Jammin' at the Zoo.
The Zoo will close at 5 p.m. Aug. 22 for another session of Jammin' at the Zoo.
The Infinite Scholars and The 4sho4kids Foundation will have its College/Scholarship Fair, open to everyone, from 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Jennings High School, 8850 Cozens Avenue.
Students should register in advance or get more information at www.infinitescholar.com. Students should bring ACT or SAT scores, letters of recommendation, resumes and copies of their transcripts.

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/stlouiscitycounty/story/2310447DF54797108625732300130092?OpenDocument



Indianapolis Zoo, Children's Museum Receive Gifts
InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report
The Children's Museum of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Zoo have each received gifts of $1.4 million from the estate of the late Dr. Frances T. Brown. The Children’s Museum's gift will go into an endowment that will support a new Global Perspectives exhibit. The Zoo says its gift will go toward a fund used for urgent capital needs. Dr. Brown served as a physician in Indianapolis for 54 years.

http://www.insideindianabusiness.com/newsitem.asp?ID=24603



Sana’a Zoo: Educating the public on animal rights
By: Amel Al-Ariqi amel11ariqi@yahoo.com
A group of honey badgers put on an unusual show for onlookers this past Saturday at the Sana’a zoo. Four honey badgers began climbing a small tree and spinning in a small wheel located in their cage, attracting the attention of visitors who, upon witnessing such behavior, began clapping and whistling. Dutch zoologist Marjio Hoedemaker revealed that it was the zoo owner’s idea to place a wheel and small tree inside the honey badger cage. He clarified, “The honey badger is an active animal. It likes moving, climbing, and digging. So I put simple natural materials, such as trees, sand and rabbit excrement beside the wheel in an attempt to copy their natural environment. Such environment will motivate them to behave naturally.”

http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=1069&p=report&a=1



Zoo's six tips for success apply to any business
When it comes right down to it, the business of a zoo is no different than any other business. Whether we sell retail, sell financial products or sell aircraft parts, we all want our customers' experience to be one of a kind. And, most importantly, we want them to keep coming back.
It's my hope that when you visit Sedgwick County Zoo, you embark on a one-of-a-kind voyage of adventure and discovery. Through this adventure, we hope that we inspire a desire to learn more about the animals in our care and in the wild. Certainly, the experience must be a fun one -- but in everything we do, we strive to carry forth the zoo's mission: "To provide discovery, appreciation and respect for animals and nature."
Our mission invigorates our passion to be a leader among zoos in the world and certainly to be one of the best attractions the state of Kansas has to offer. It's a passion we take very seriously.
And we accomplish it through the following six steps. None are unique to us, but certainly all are crucial to the success of any business.
Keep it healthy

http://www.kansas.com/business/perspectives/story/125877.html



Squid of any variety reproduce in large numbers when the ocean waters are warm. Thailand has suffered a loss of many fisheries to these beasts. There are all kinds of recipes now for squid from Thailand and along the Indian Ocean. Curry squid is taking on the population explosion of the squid in warming oceans.

Jumbo squid invade California waters, affecting fish populations
mongabay.com
July 25, 2007
Jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) are invading California waters, putting commercial fish populations at risk, reports a study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The cephalopods, which can measure 7-feet long and weigh 110 pounds (50 kg), seem to be expanding their range in California waters and beyond, according to researchers tracking the beasts. First spotted in 1997, Jumbo squid are now frequently found off the California coast, with periodic "mass wash-ups" of squids on beaches. No one is sure what causes Jumbo squid to end up on beaches.
Now researchers from Stanford University and the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute report that the presence of squid is having an impact on marine food chain, triggering a drop in Pacific hake fish populations.

http://news.mongabay.com/2007/0725-squid.html



Dated

Akron Council regulates petting zoos
By Stephanie Kist
DOWNTOWN AKRON — In its first meeting after summer recess Sept. 11, Akron City Council approved legislation enacting regulations for petting zoos.
The regulations provide for proper licensing of petting zoos, proper hand-washing and sanitation practices, proper first aid and educational materials that advise the public of the risk for disease transmission when there is contact with animals.
The regulations also list which animals visitors are not to come in contact with (tigers, bats, bears, skunks and wolves, for example).
According to Deputy Director of Health Michael Smylie, the regulations are consistent with recommendations made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In other business, City Council will consider at a future date whether to apply for a grant that would fund the creation of a DUI Specialty Court for the Akron Municipal Court. The court was awarded a one-year grant in the amount of almost $50,600 for fiscal year 2006 and is seeking authorization to apply for additional grant funding for the next two years.

http://www.akron.com/20060914/wsl3.ASP


Byculla, Goregaon zoos won’t be combined
Surendra Gangan
Wednesday, September 13, 2006 23:50 IST
MUMBAI: The State Government has finally dropped the idea of combining the Byculla Zoo with its ambitious Rs1,200 crore international zoo project at Goregoan.
The BMC has opposed the merger, and has announced plans to renovate of the zoo.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1052896



Animal advocates air concerns over region’s ‘sub-standard’ zoos
(13-09-2006)
HCM City — Delegates to the opening of the 15th annual Southeast Asian Zoos’ Association (SEAZA) conference in HCM City on Monday united in their concerns over the state of the region’s zoos.
The conference was appropriately titled "Zoos on the Fringe" focusing on improving shabby conditions at sub-par regional zoos. As co-operation on regional issues was discussed, Viet Nam also had a chance to elaborate on its zoo development plans.
SEAZA President Dr Jansen Manansang said that while large affluent zoos are important, the majority of the region’s animal collections are held in smaller, less-affluent zoos that are currently suffering.

http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/showarticle.php?num=08SOC130906



Zoos Targets for Exotic Animal Thieves
European thieves are stealing exotic animals like marmosets and penguins for rich collectors
LONDON, Sep. 10, 2006
By SUE LEEMAN Associated Press Writer
(AP) Missing marmosets, abducted alligators, purloined penguins: Thieves are targeting Europe's zoos and safari parks to supply animal collectors who want to own ever more exotic species.
Conservationists say the practice is harming animals, threatening vital breeding programs, and adding to an already flourishing illegal trade in exotic birds and animals.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/09/10/ap/tech/mainD8K1S7J02.shtml



Protecting Petting Zoos and Nuclear Reactors from Terrorists
By Matt Gnaizda
Epoch Times Los Angeles Staff
Sep 14, 2006
What do Old MacDonald's Petting Zoo, the Apple and Pork Festival, and the Association for the Jewish Blind have in common?
They are all listed among the 77,069 potential terrorist targets in the Department of Homeland Security's updated National Assets Database (NADB), according to a recent report by the Inspector General.
The Inspector General's report expressed concern that "the varying presence of non-critical assets—and they are difficult to quantify—confirms that the NADB is not an accurate representation of the nation's CI/KR [critical infrastructure and key resources]."
The Database was created to help identify America's CI/KR and protect them against terrorist attacks and natural disasters. Critical infrastructure is defined as "systems or assets... so vital to the United States that the incapacity or destruction of such systems or assets would have a debilitating impact on security, national economic security, national public health or safety..."

http://en.epochtimes.com/news/6-9-14/45960.html

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