Zoos

Baby Pandas being feed (Video)

http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=31363&category=Viral%20Fever


Bleak outlook for polar bears

THE polar bear population could be reduced by two-thirds by mid-century, if forecasts of melting sea ice hold true, the US Geological Survey has reported.
The fate of polar bears could be bleaker than that estimate, because sea ice in the Arctic might be vanishing faster than the models predict, the geological survey said in a report to determine if the big white bear should be listed as a threatened species.
"There is a definite link between changes in the sea ice and the welfare of polar bears," said Steve Amstrup, who led the research team.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/09/08/1188783558358.html


Dartmoor Zoo
Dartmoor Wildlife Park has had a sad history. It was opened about 30 years ago, with a variety of native UK rescued animals. Over the years, it grew and developed, and expanded its collection into more exotic “zoo” species. It became the largest collection of cat species in the South-West of England. About 10 years ago, it ran into financial troubles and the owners had difficulties keeping up with changes in Zoo Licensing regulations. The park went into a major decline, and the owners were prosecuted for bad animal management issues. The zoo licence was taken away.Last year, the park was eventually sold to the Mee family, a family with no zoo keeping experience, but a great love of animals and they were ready to take on the challenge of the zoo.The Curator and I were contacted by the Mee family at the start of 2007, to run the animal department of the zoo. I have always believed that bad zoos should not be shut down, they should be renovated and brought up to modern standards, and this was my opportunity to try.It hasn’t been an easy process. The enclosures were extremely dilapidated, with rotten fence posts and gaping holes in the wire mesh. The staff already at the park had no formal training and needed to be taught basic husbandry of the animals. Diets were appalling – chocolate cake for the tapir and jam sandwiches for the coati. The animals hadn’t been seen by a vet in years. The concept of enrichment had been lost on the previous owners. The record keeping system was incomprehensible and largely useless, as most of the animals had the same name and were unable to be identified as individuals.

http://www.zoobeat.com/38/dartmoor-zoo-9158/


Tennessee Aquarium Researcher Awarded Conservation Grantposted
September 12, 2007
Stargazing Minnow, Warpaint Shiner and Rosyside Dace may not be common names to most fisherman in the Southeast, but according to one researcher, they are just as important to area rivers and streams as bluegill, largemouth and stripers. "Tangerine Darters and Flame Chubs in particular are gorgeous and would amaze people anywhere," says Dr. Anna George, director of the Tennessee Aquarium's Research Institute.Dr. George has been awarded a Conservation Endowment Fund Grant from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to examine the genetic diversity of 10 fish species in the region. Her study will cover 10 stream systems in the upper Tennessee River drainage which run through parts of North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia.

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_113218.asp



Stick to pumpkins
JENNIFER O'CONNOR
The Record's profile of the Shantz farm was a reminder of how much hard work goes into keeping the family farm viable (It Takes A Family To Run a Farm, Sept. 7). But farmers are taking a big risk by offering petting zoos, which are hotbeds of E. coli bacteria. Numerous children have been infected with the potentially deadly disease after visiting such displays. Infections can spread through direct animal contact or simply by touching the surroundings near an animal exhibit.
If farmers want to avoid potential liability nightmares, they'll stick with pumpkin patches and corn mazes and leave petting zoos in the "bad idea" file.
Jennifer O'Connor
People for the Ethical Treatment
of Animals
Fort Erie

http://www.therecord.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=record/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1189581343670&call_pageid=1024322168441&col=1024322594318


A response to Dale Jamieson’s article “Against Zoos”
In Dale Jamieson’s article, “Against Zoos,” Jamieson describes four reasons for why some think zoos are ethical and why he thinks these reasons have no validity. The four main reasons Jamieson says advocates feel zoos are ethical is for their amusement purposes, educational services, opportunities for research, and uses in preservation. Jamieson states that none of these four justifications are adequate enough to warrant the keeping of zoos, since not even the top zoos in the country employ them properly. I agree with the idea presented by Jamieson that many zoos do not employ these components adequately, but I feel instead of getting rid of zoos entirely, we should be advocating the reforming of zoos.

http://ursenvethics.blogspot.com/2007/09/response-to-dale-jamiesons-article.html


Longleat Meerkats take photos of themselves
By Sally Peck
Last Updated: 1:37am
BST 09/09/2007
News of budding photographic talent amongst the UK's meerkat population has been greatly exaggerated.
According to reports earlier this week, a mob of meerkats turned their paws to photography when Ian Turner, deputy head warden at Longleat Safari Park, in Wiltshire, accidentally left a camera unattended in their enclosure.
Upon his return, Mr Turner was reportedly "stunned" to discover that the meerkats had used the camera to take photographs of each other, and that they were all stored on the camera's digital memory card.
But, while the media - including the Telegraph - embraced images of the curious animals, and readers registered their interest (or incredulity) by driving up the articles' clicks online, bloggers and photographers pointed out one small hitch in the story.
The camera the furry photographers were supposedly using to capture family snaps is a Canon EOS 650, a traditional camera that only takes film.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml;jsessionid=VPZANYJ2UAZ1TQFIQMFCFFOAVCBQYIV0?xml=/news/2007/09/07/nmeer107.xml



World's zoos to launch campaign to save frogs
By Pablo GorondiBudapest - In a global effort to save amphibians from a deadly disease, zookeepers around the world want to turn 2008 into the "Year of the Frog."As many as 2 000 of the world's 6 000 known amphibian species - like frogs, toads and salamanders - are in danger of extinction due to the spread a parasite fungus called chytrid, which causes frogs to suffocate."This is the biggest extinction crisis since the last age of the dinosaurs," said Jeffrey Bonner, chairman of Amphibian Ark, an initiative that hopes to collect 500 frogs from each of at least 500 different species for breeding programs."Amphibians have been on planet Earth for 360 million years," he said. "Now we stand to lose one-third to one-half of those species within the blink of an eye."

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=31&art_id=nw20070830191023513C972795


Easy to spend a day
By ALLI VAILNews Reporter
Sep 11 2007
Travel the world’s exotic locales and see the wildlife at the Calgary Zoo.
The zoo spreads across continents with featured areas playing host to a multitude of animals like gorillas, dwarf crocodiles, wallabies, bearded dragons, piranhas, anteaters and more. The Australia section houses a Western Grey Kangaroo, the Africa section a Grevy’s Zebra.
See how Western Canada may have looked long ago in the Prehistoric Park, which features plant life and a collection of cast dinosaurs from an ancient time.

http://www.pqbnews.com/portals-code/list.cgi?paper=50&cat=46&id=1061309&more=0


My Experience Selling Raw Diets To Zoos
11 09 2007
I have written other articles regarding my interesting experiences in dealing with the Zoos in the United States. But, I have one that tops them all.
A late fall regional zoo conference in Texas several years ago was the ultimate experience. We were invited to attend the AAZPA regional conference at the Glady Porter Zoo in Texas. Because of our affiliation with the Zoos as a supplier of raw meat diets for the larger carnivores, we had the privilege of visiting the back room quarters( that other visitors are not allowed to be in). There were about 100 people attending the zoo for a personal tour of the facility. I have always been fascinated with the large ape collections at the zoos , so once we had a chance to tour the Gorilla complex I couldn’t wait to see the exhibit. The holding pens behind the scenes are just strong barred cages that house the apes off site from the visitors.

http://www.barfworld.com/blog/?p=20


Armadillos In European Animal-Keeping
During the past ten years or so armadillos of several species have become more commonly kept and bred within Europe, both on zoological institutions and in private collections. Although various species have a long history within European animal-keeping – especially the Nine-banded Armadillo (Dasypus novemcinctus) which has been used as a research model particularly for leprosy studies for many years – it is only relatively recently that consistent breeding has been achieved.

http://europeanvacationhub.blogspot.com/2007/09/armadillos-in-european-animal-keeping.html


UNC-Chapel Hill's David Plaisted writes:
"We can assume that in many cases the Lord created animals that would be a delight to man, and created man to be a blessing to the animals. Even today, both children and adults enjoy seeing gorillas and chimpanzees in zoos. It is reasonable to assume that these creatures were partly made for just this reason, to be a joy and entertainment to us."
Duke's Eric Michael Johnson responds:
"So, in His infinite wisdom the purported Creator of the Universe specifically chose to make great apes because He knew, one day (six thousand years hence), little Jimmy could point at one with amusement. And He said it was good. This is what passes for a 'reasonable' explanation in creationist circles (and from a university professor at that)?"

http://chronicle.com/blogs/footnoted/index.php?id=547



Beat Box Parrot

http://media.smh.com.au/?rid=31374&category=Viral%20Fever


September 12, 2007
Editorial Notebook
Alex the Parrot
By VERLYN KLINKENBORG
Thinking about animals — and especially thinking about whether animals can think — is like looking at the world through a two-way mirror. There, for example, on the other side of the mirror, is Alex, the famous African Grey parrot who died unexpectedly last week at the age of 31. But looking at Alex, who mastered a surprising vocabulary of words and concepts, the question is always how much of our own reflection we see. What you make of Dr. Irene Pepperberg’s work with Alex depends on whether you think Alex’s cognitive presence was real or merely imitative.
A truly dispassionate observer might argue that most Grey parrots could probably learn what Alex had learned, but only a microscopic minority of humans could have learned what Alex had to teach. Most humans are not truly dispassionate observers. We’re too invested in the idea of our superiority to understand what an inferior quality it really is. I always wonder how the experiments would go if they were reversed — if, instead of us trying to teach Alex how to use the English language, Alex were to try teaching us to understand the world as it appears to parrots.
These are bottomless questions, of course. For us, language is everything because we know ourselves in it. Alex’s final words were: “I love you.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/12/opinion/12wed4.html?ex=1190260800&en=cf6a115c8d0ec7d8&ei=5070&emc=eta1



Vic border patrols target horse flu
September 8, 2007 - 1:59PM
Victoria will deploy a small army of private security guards at state border crossings to stop equine influenza spreading from NSW and Queensland.
State premier John Brumby, speaking at Flemington, said about 100 security guards would augment police and Department of Primary Industry (DPI) patrols that guard the 28 river crossings from NSW into Victoria.
"We will employ additional security guards, who will work and assist police and DPI, to ensure we have 24/7 protection on the 28 river crossings into Victoria," Mr Brumby told reporters.
"We want to make sure we safeguard the industry fully and properly right throughout the Spring Carnival period and ensure there are no horse movements into the state of Victoria."

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/09/08/1188783541970.html



Major horse flu announcement due Sunday
Racing NSW will make a major announcement on the equine influenza (EI) crisis at a press conference in Sydney on Sunday after racing resumed at Warwick Farm in the city's south-west and Eagle Farm in Brisbane on Saturday.
Racing NSW chief executive Peter V'Landys has called the urgent press conference for 11am at the organisation's head office in the Sydney CBD.
The in-house Warwick Farm meeting, exclusively for horses trained on the track, only got the final seal of approval to go ahead on Saturday morning after tests taken on Friday from all gallopers engaged returned negative to EI.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/09/08/1188783552903.html




Tribe Denounces Whale Shooting
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published: September 9, 2007
Filed at 9:08 p.m. ET
NEAH BAY, Wash. (AP) -- The Makah Tribal Council on Sunday denounced the killing of a California gray whale that was harpooned and shot several times off Washington's coast, calling it ''a blatant violation of our law'' and promising to prosecute those responsible.
But one of the men suspected in the killing told a newspaper Sunday that he was ''feeling kind of proud'' and whaling is ''in the blood.''
''We are a law-abiding people, and we will not tolerate lawless conduct by any of our members,'' the council said in a statement released Sunday.
The U.S. Coast Guard detained five men believed to have killed the whale on Saturday, then turned them over to tribal police for further questioning.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Whale-Shot.html?ex=1190001600&en=27276a16f74f9fe1&ei=5070&emc=eta1



September 8, 2007
Editorial
Once Around the Park
Animal rights activists have long warned that the horses that haul hansom cabs around Central Park had a bad deal. New Yorkers began to pay a bit more attention after a horse collapsed last year before horrified onlookers. Now we learn, not from the horse’s mouth but from City Comptroller Bill Thompson, that some carriage owners may be neglecting their horses and that the city needs to do a better job policing the business.
Some will latch onto the comptroller’s findings as a reason to do away with the carriages altogether. Considering how popular they are with tourists and romantics, that seems drastic.
What’s needed is tighter regulation to ensure the horses get regular checkups, have clean stables and are treated humanely. An equine retirement age would also be a good idea. As a result of the report, the Department of Consumer Affairs and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, which are responsible, respectively, for monitoring the carriages and the well-being of the horses, have made commitments to step up their diligence. The health commissioner agreed to organize an oversight board called for some 25 years ago.
The charm of the hansom cabs is that they are a throwback to old New York, “The Age of Innocence” New York. But it’s hard to maintain that innocence in the concrete city that never sleeps. Horses, carriages and their drivers snarl traffic on Central Park South and leave an unmistakable rural essence.
Right now, they have no place else to congregate. The comptroller suggests opening a stable in Central Park, one that could also accommodate the recreational horseback riders who disappeared last spring with the closing of the nearby Claremont stables on the Upper West Side. The idea deserves exploration.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/08/opinion/08sat3.html?ex=1189915200&en=0316674a8cd2bc64&ei=5070&emc=eta1


Is every zoo good?
Topic : Is every zoo good?Nowadays, zoo is a popular resort of animals. Thus people can see many kinds of animal at zoo. However zoo is more harmful than good to animals. And this zoo spread in the world. There are some causes to this such as bad environment for animals, small enclosure and price advance of entry costs at zoos. One of the reasons for bad effect on zoo is a loss of real conservation. Today animals are endangering since their habitats are changing because of pollution, less of food and destruction of ecosystem. Thus many kinds of animal were sent to zoo because of people who argued that being have to save endangered animals. By the way the environment of zoo is not suitable for animals and not same natural circumstance as theirs. Because many animals in the zoo are separated from their families and friends in their native place then they live in new group which are made by raisers. These unnatural social groups sometimes let them hurt from fighting with other creatures and make them lonesome. Also the creatures are always fed by feeders therefore their natural hunting instincts are decrease and they become fat and lazy.

http://cuteje7.blogspot.com/2007/09/is-every-zoo-good.html


Tyler @ Niagara Zoos

http://tjbray.blogspot.com/2007/09/tyler-niagara-zoos.html


It's not an ugly duckling, it's a smew (video)

DENVER - A smew is a small duck which is native to Northern Europe and Northern Asia.

That's right, smews like cold water! Since the hatching of some "smewlings" at the Denver Zoo, keepers had to make sure their water was nice and cold. The five siblings don't live with their parents who spend their days in a pond by other cold weather friends, the polar bears. Denver Zoo keepers were hoping for some smewlings but weren't counting on it. These ducks are difficult to breed in the zoos. They're exceptionally picky about having the right surroundings for a nest. Smews are also overly choosey about mates. So, it was a surprise to keepers when they spotted eggs in a nest.

http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=76945



Maasai role debated: educators or exhibits?
By Ryan Pearson
Associated Press
Two West Coast zoos played host to visitors from Kenyan Maasai tribes over the summer, eliciting mixed – and at times, awkward – reactions from zoo-goers and outside observers.
In the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, people wandering the paved walkways to check out lions and gazelles also saw a group of the Maasai outside a hut. Wearing brightly colored traditional garb, they demonstrated dance rituals and chatted with visitors about how they interact with animals at home in the savannas of East Africa.

http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070909/NEWS03/709090374


Kangaroo a springboard for debate
Tyson is AWOL - and Ontario candidates are promising animal-welfare laws
TIMOTHY APPLEBY
September 8, 2007
LONDON, ONT. -- Where's Tyson, the roadside kangaroo? Australian Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull was asking that question earlier this year, his attention caught by a furor over the small Ontario zoo where Tyson lives - or perhaps lived.
"We think he's being hidden," said Melissa Tkachyk, programs officer for the Toronto office of the World Society for the Protection of Animals, which spearheaded a long and ultimately successful campaign for Ontario's 40-plus privately run menageries to be scrutinized and policed.
Other speculation suggests Tyson - a "big red" kangaroo thought to be about six years old - has been relocated. Or possibly eaten.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20070908.ANIMALS08/TPStory/TPNational/Ontario/


Rescued animals get a new chance for a better life
Story by Laura McHugh, 6 News Lawrence
5:24 p.m. Friday, September 7, 2007
"Quite a few snakes and lizards..."
The journey for these animals began Tuesday, more than 200 miles away, at the Critter Connection pet store in Hays.
According to the Animal Health Department, state and local officials found numerous fish, snakes, guinea pigs and other animals dead inside the store. They report the surviving animals suffered from severe malnutrition, neglect and illness.
So Wednesday night, more than 250 animals made the trip to Lawrence.
"They're okay. Some will need vet care for injuries, absesses. They mainly just need to be fed," said Jeaneen Hercha of the Lawrence Humane Society.
Several birds, a dog, two ferrets and three cats stayed at the Lawrence Humane Society.

http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2007/sep/07/rescued_animals_get_new_chance_better_life/


Pandas headed to Spain as diplomatic gesture
September 7, 2007 - Finally, two giant pandas are leaving their southwest China home Friday for Spain.
The pandas are a goodwill gesture promised to Spain's King Juan Carlos during his visit to Beijing earlier this year.
The pair - seven-year old "Bing Xing" and four-year old "Hua Zui Ba" - are due to go on display in about two weeks.
The pandas will remain in Spain for ten years.
China regularly sends the animals abroad as a sign of warm diplomatic relations.
China uses payments from zoos that host the pandas to fund extensive research and breeding programs.

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=nation_world&id=5645684


IMLS grants available
The following is a text-only press release from the federal Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). An HTML version of this release can be read on the agency's Web site at www.imls.gov/news/2007/090507.shtm.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2007
Press Contacts
202-653-4632
Jeannine Mjoseth, jmjoseth@imls.govMamie Bittner, mbittner@imls.gov
Museums, Libraries, and Archives Urged to Apply for Free IMLS Connecting to Collections BookshelfWashington, DC-To help raise the conservation IQ of museums, libraries, and archives, the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in cooperation with the American Association of State and Local History (AASLH), is offering 2000 free copies of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, a core set of books, DVDs, online resources, and an annotated bibliography that are essential for the care of collections. A simple electronic application for the IMLS Bookshelf is available at www.aaslh.org/Bookshelf.

http://mlaupdate.blogspot.com/2007/09/imls-grants-available.html


A kingdom too small
DIONNE BUNSHAin Sasan, Gir forestPhotographs: Ashima Narain
Lions in Gir look for new territories as the sanctuary is not large enough for their population.
A LION prowling on the beach? Yes, small groups of the world's last surviving Asiatic lions have moved out of the Gir sanctuary in Gujarat's Saurashtra region towards the coastal forests of Diu. They have not disturbed any sunbathers so far. Nor have they attacked people in the coastal villages. The Gir Protected Area (GPA) is simply too small to hold the 327 Asiatic lions that the planet has in the wild, so the younger ones have moved out in search of new territory - as far as Diu, around 80 km away.
http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2210/stories/20050520000106500.htm

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