Hogle Zoo plans $3 million health center
Hogle Zoo plans to build a new $3 million animal health center with the help of a $1.5 million grant from the ALSAM Foundation.
The new facility, which will be named in honor of ALSAM Foundation founder L.S. "Sam" Skaggs, will include expanded diagnostic and treatment areas, updated surgical and quarantine elements and office space for the zoo's two full-time veterinarians and their staff.
"This is another big step in our Renew the Zoo Master Plan and our commitment to excellence," said Craig Dinsmore, Hogle Zoo's executive director.
"Our hope is that the ALSAM Foundation's leadership will spur other gifts from generous individuals and foundations to help transform Hogle Zoo for future generations of people and animals," said Beth Wolfer, Hogle Zoo's associate director of development.
The zoo plans to break ground on the new health center next September with construction expected to take about one year.

http://deseretnews.com/article/1,5143,695235051,00.html



Terri Irwin and Bob on his fourth birthday at Australia Zoo
By Shannon, CBB Senior Contributor
Australia Zoo owner and wife of the late Crocodile Hunter, Terri Irwin, 43, holds son, Robert Clarence 'Bob', as he blows out the candles on a cake for his fourth birthday. The family, including older sister Bindi Sue, 9, celebrated at Australia Zoo on the 1st of this month.

http://www.celebrity-babies.com/2007/12/terri-irwin-and.html




Holiday Show Brightens Nights at National Zoo
Map It:
THE FINAL DAYS OF FALL might seem like a strange time to check out the mostly-outdoor offerings at the National Zoo — especially since daylight's in short supply. But the temperatures this week are mild, and the Smithsonian's home for animals has a show that thrives on darkness.
If you're in the vicinity of the zoo after sundown, check out Zoo Lights, which is live from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays until Dec. 30. The wildlife-focused illuminations feature a number of animals and nature scenes crafted with energy-efficient lights that use about 90 percent less juice than traditional incandescent bulbs.
Pepco, which is sponsoring the display, will have representatives on hand to show visitors how they can reduce their household energy use. That probably won't excite the kids, but young ones might enjoy the event's other activities, which include arts and crafts, ice sculpture demonstrations and opportunities to meet with zookeepers.
Admission is $6 for members of Friends of the National Zoo and $10 for nonmembers. Families of four can purchase a $20 ticket package.

http://www.readexpress.com/read_freeride/2007/12/to_do_national_zoos_holiday_lights.php



Zoo animals weather the storm
By Carrie Coppernoll
Staff Writer
Animals at the Oklahoma City Zoo are surviving the ice storm fine, a zoo spokeswoman said this morning.
All animals have access to shelter, zoo spokeswoman Tara Henson said. Heated barns are available for outdoor exhibits, and water features are heated.
"Animals are pretty smart," Henson said. "They're sometimes smarter than humans. They seek shelter, and we make sure they have avenues to their food and their shelter."
The animals that aren't accustomed to cold weather had been moved to winter quarters before the storm, she said. Some animals, such as the snow leopards, are enjoying the cold and ice.
The four lion cubs born the first week of November have been moved out of their pen in the Lion Overlook to the zoo hospital, Henson said. The cubs have been spending the night at the hospital anyway, but officials decided moving them during the storm would be safer for staff who otherwise would have to trek across zoo grounds.
Keepers are doling out extra food and keeping the exhibits clean, Henson said. Security guards are patrolling the zoo around the clock as usual.
The zoo had power as of Thursday morning, but backup generators are ready in case electricity is cut, she said.
"We haven't sustained any damage to facilities," she said. "We do have a lot of branches down."
Zoo groundskeepers are checking all the exhibit areas for fallen tree branches, she said. Downed trees or limbs could damage fencing or give animals an escape route out of their exhibits. She said that hasn't happened so far.

http://newsok.com/article/3179561/1197396448



Zoo to throw birthday party for polar bears Conrad, Tasul
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
PORTLAND - At 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 28, the Oregon Zoo will host a polar bear birthday party in honor of 22-year-old Yugyan and 23-year-olds Conrad and Tasul. The birthday bears will receive presents, snow treats and ice cakes made by the zoo's executive chef, Paul Warner.
Zoo visitors are invited to join the party and enjoy cupcakes from Haggen Food and Pharmacy.
"Polar bear birthday parties are fun for the bears and for our visitors," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "However, we plan these activities to bring attention to what's happening to polar bears in the wild."

http://www.oregonlive.com/news/argus/index.ssf?/base/news/1197401020176260.xml&coll=6



Baby gorilla born in Sydney zoo
Wed, 12 Dec 2007 09:05a.m.
A baby gorilla has been shown to the public for the first time at Sydney's Taronga Zoo yesterday.
The youngest gorilla in Australia caused much excitement amongst the crowd of spectators and photographers who came to see it being doted over by its mum and dad.
The baby boy had a healthy colour and strong grip which is a good sign for a species with a 30 - 40 percent infant mortality rate.
The mother, Frala, is 26-years-old and has given birth six times, but only four have survived.
The baby will feed on breast milk alone for around eight months.

http://www.tv3.co.nz/News/BabygorillaborninSydneyzoo/tabid/209/articleID/41429/cat/41/Default.aspx



Erie Zoo gets new polar bear
Published: December 11. 2007 12:40PM
The wait is over for a new polar bear at the Erie Zoo. Patches, a 20-year-old polar bear, arrived in Erie on Monday night from the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha, Neb.
Patches has recovered well from the move and is outside in her exhibit, said the Erie Zoo’s chief executive, Scott Mitchell.
The zoo hopes the 500-pound Patches and the 700-pound Mizar, the zoo’s other polar bear, will breed. Patches’ age might prevent that from happening, Mitchell said.
“It’s unlikely, but not impossible,” he said.
Mizar, 9, has been alone since his brother, Alcor, died hours after undergoing surgery to repair a broken leg in August 2006.
The public will have to wait to visit Patches. The zoo closed for the season and reopens March 1.
— Kara Rhodes

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071211/NEWS02/71211016



Panda cub debuts at Chongqing zoo

http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/235340.htm



Beijing Zoo to Open Australian Animals Exhibition Hall from May 2008
Published : 7:11 A.M. EST, Dec 12, 2007
News from Beijing Zoo says that the construction of the new Australian Animals Exhibition Hall is now partially complete. The prediction is for the entire construction work to be finished and open to the public by May 2008.

Located to the west side of the Tiger Hill, the Australian Animals Exhibition Hall covers an area of about 1.8 acres, which is two percent of the land area of the zoo. From the next year, visitors to the Zoo will have a chance to see Australian rare birds, amphibians and the lovely Australian koalas.

The Australian Animals Exhibition Hall is Beijing Zoo's first hall set up for a specific habitat. Meanwhile, Beijing Zoo is also planning to build an American Animals Exhibition Hall and a Polar Animals Exhibition Hall following the Beijing 2008 Olympics. This will enable visitors to see animals in their natural habitat as well as having an opportunity to admire representations of the regional scenery.

http://travelchinaguide.com/news/show.asp?nid=860



Europe News
Twin polar bear cubs make an early Christmas present to Vienna zoo
The handout picture made available on 12 December 2007 by the Tiergarten Schoenbrunn shows 15-year old polar bear Olinka taking care of one of her recently born twin cubs in Vienna's Schoenbrunn zoo, Austria. Shoennbrunn has proved successful in breeding polar bears. Seven cubs were born at the zoo in the last ten years. EPA/MICHAELA HOFMANN/TIERGARTEN SCHEONBRUNN/
Dec 12, 2007, 15:02 GMT
Vienna - A White Christmas has come early to Vienna's Schoenbrunn zoo, in the form of two cubs born to polar bear Olinka.
Deputy zoo director Harald Schwammer, thrilled by the latest additions to Schoenbrunn's growing bear population, said Wednesday the baby bears were about the size of guinea pigs, judging from first grainy images snapped by the keepers.
Keepers had managed to sneak a first peek at Olinka's offspring, born three days ago, and Schwammer said: 'They are still completely helpless and blind, but look round and healthy. I am really happy, as polar bears are extremely endangered in the wild.'

http://news.monstersandcritics.com/europe/news/article_1380512.php/Twin_polar_bear_cubs_make_an_early_Christmas_present_to_Vienna_zoo



Local zoo hammered
CECILIA HUME
THE Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA) is in the process of compiling a report on the conditions in which animals are kept at the Tygerberg Zoo.
This follows complaints by a local resident who describes the conditions under which the animals are kept as atrocious.
Ms Helanne Malan contacted the SPCA shortly after she and her husband took a friend of the United States to the zoo. She also e-mailed a letter to the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism.
Malan said they wanted their friend to experience “Africa”, but they were shocked out of their minds.
In the letter, adressed directly to Mr Marthinus van Schalkwyk, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Malan says the animals are kept under circumstances too painful to describe.

http://www.news24.com/Regional_Papers/Components/Category_Article_Text_Template/0,2430,407_2237375~A,00.html



Australia Zoo Conserves Bandwidth, Enjoys 100 Percent Network Uptime with OpenDNS
OpenDNS, the award-winning DNS service that makes the Internet safer, faster, smarter and more reliable, today announced Australia Zoo is using the service across the entire corporate network to improve the Internet experience for its more than 500 employees. Australia Zoo is the home of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, spans more 600 acres and houses more than 1,000 native and exotic animals. OpenDNS is the world's largest, fastest-growing DNS service.
Prior to making the switch to OpenDNS, Australia Zoo was reliant upon a single local server that referenced the root name servers directly, as well as limited "deep packet inspection" capabilities on its firewalls, all of which proved tedious to the network administrators. Zoo IT staffers sought a solution that would ease the job of managing DNS and also provide a way to filter Web content and save bandwidth. After testing OpenDNS on individual machines, the team decided to roll it out network-wide.

http://www.pr-usa.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50240&Itemid=9



National Zoo Gets New Animals
POSTED: 1:56 pm EST December 12, 2007
UPDATED: 2:07 pm EST December 12, 2007
WASHINGTON -- New alpacas and Ossabaw Island hogs have been added to the Kids' Farm at Smithsonian's National Zoo.
The new arrivals are part of the zoo's effort to add more kid-friendly animals, officials said.
The three new alpacas, 15-month-old Cirrus, 2-year-old Ziggy and 8-month-old Orion, recently arrived from a local Virginia farm.
Zoo officials said that because alpacas have such a gentle disposition, visitors will be able to touch them through the fence at their exhibit.
Alpacas, known for their fleece, are common to the mountainous and extremely cold regions of South America, so zoo officials said they will be well-suited for mid-Atlantic winters. They grow up to weigh about 100 pounds.
The zoo's new hogs were born at Mount Vernon two months ago. Sisters Carolina and Savannah weigh about 25 pounds now, officials said, but will weigh about 100 pounds when they are fully grown.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/14832841/detail.html



Seventh state cougar cub off to zoo
Posted December 12, 2007
A 6-week-old cougar kitten that was captured southeast of Cle Elum and cared for by an East Wenatchee veterinarian waits to be shipped to the Denver Zoo. The 7-pound cub was flown to Denver on Sunday, where it joins a 3-month-old cub captured in South Dakota. In the past four years, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has sent seven cougar kittens to zoos in the United States. (Rich Beausoleil photo)
WENATCHEE — A 6-week-old orphaned cougar kitten captured southeast of Cle Elum and nursed back to health by an East Wenatchee veterinarian last week is on her way to the Denver Zoo.
The kitten is the seventh orphaned baby cougar in the state to be sent to a zoo in the last four years, said Rich Beausoleil, bear and cougar specialist for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
In all but one of the cases, the mothers were believed to have been illegally killed by hunters, he said.
Beausoleil said motorists and residents first reported seeing the young cougar Dec. 4 wandering near the intersection of Highways 97 and 10, about seven miles from the edge of the Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest.
State wildlife officers chased down and caught the baby, and took her to a location in the Swauk Creek drainage where they thought her mother may have left her. But on Wednesday, the officers learned that a man had killed an adult cougar in the area where the baby was found, and Beausoleil said it was likely the kitten's mother.

http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071212/NEWS04/712120001/1001/rss1001



Rare tiger celebrates first birthday at Woodland Park Zoo
Story Published: Dec 12, 2007 at 3:28 PM PST
Story Updated: Dec 12, 2007 at 3:28 PM PST
By KOMO Staff
SEATTLE -- When her keepers placed a cinnamon smeared paper mache reindeer in her habitat Wednesday morning, Hadiah was a bit timid.
But after eyeing the new toy for a while and sniffing it a few times, the 1-year-old Sumatran tiger made a quick pounce and appeared to be having fun toppling the inanimate intruder.
"She was afraid of it at first, but she's dismembering it very happily now," zookeeper Dana Wooster said with a laugh. "She's a funny cat. She's very shy at first and afraid of new items, but she gets over it pretty quickly and has a lot of fun."
Wooster has been the tiger keeper at Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo for 15 years, and said Wednesday's birthday festivities were partly a celebration that Hadiah was still with the zoo.

http://www.komotv.com/news/local/12442206.html



Mystery Beast Kills Animals in S.C.
2 days ago
BOLIVIA, N.C. (AP) — An unknown predator mauled a pit bull and killed two puppies in Brunswick County, and residents fear it's the same animal that killed three dogs in September. No one has reported ever seeing the animal.
The county's animal control agency investigated the animal's tracks, droppings and other clues but couldn't determine what attacked the dogs. Locals call the unknown animal the Beast of Bolivia.
Some residents and experts said the predator may be a bear, a wayward panther or cougar, or even a wolf because 3-inch paw tracks were found at the scene.
Many suggest the predator came from the nearby Faircloth Zoo, which had a lion and a tiger before it closed more than a year ago. Animal control officials said the animals were sent elsewhere.

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5iUVAndZ9e20fkolB1-YT82zFFCdwD8TG6FU00



Sedgwick County Zoo promotes two from within
Wichita Business Journal
Sedgwick County Zoo filled two spots on its management team Wednesday by promoting a pair of longtime workers.
Lynn Duncan will be the new membership manager, having formerly served in the capacity of development assistant. The Wichita State University graduate will continue her work on development projects and capital campaigns as well as managing all facets of the membership program.
Karen Bates will become the new public relations coordinator. The former education assistant will work closely with the special events manager to promote zoo attendance and participation.
Bates is a graduate of Kansas State University and previously worked in the zoo volunteer department.

http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2007/12/10/daily20.html



Plzeň zoo gets rare Siamese crocodiles
By ČTK / Published 11 December 2007
Plzen, West Bohemia, Dec 10 (CTK) - The Plzen zoo has acquired three young Siamese crocodiles, a south-east Asian freshwater species, thereby becoming the only Czech zoo to keep this endangered reptile, the zoo director Jiri Travnicek told CTK Monday.
The zoo has gained the three-year-old crocodiles, two males and a female, from the Zurich zoo. They are one metre long now.
The keepers hope that the crocodiles might start breeding after they grow adult in five years.
"It would be optimal if we had two females and a male. One male should have three to ten females with him. Males have even more of them in the wild," said Travnicek.
Siamese crocodiles are on the brink of extinction in southeast Asia, their homeland, due to landscape changes and to poachers seeking their valuable skin.
The crocodile is listed among the toughest-protected animals in the Red Book of endangered wild species.
In the wild, Siamese crocodiles reach the length of up to 4 metres, but in captivity it is "only" 3 metres, experts from Plzen said.

http://www.praguemonitor.com/en/231/life_in_the_czech_republic/15826/



Zoo sacks boss in dispute over 'exploitation' of star polar bear
By ALLAN HALL
BERLIN Zoo has sacked its managing director in a dispute about the marketing of its most famous resident - Knut the polar bear.
Gerald Uhlich promoted the superstar status of Knut, who has been the subject of two million photos and numerous TV documentaries since he was raised by human hand after being rejected by his mother a year ago.
Mr Uhlich oversaw the most dramatic rise in the zoo's fortunes in history. When radical animal rights activists demanded that Knut be put down rather than be raised by man, the bear became an overnight draw and the zoo got rich.
But he fell out in recent weeks with the board, which is concerned with what it sees as the "exploitation" of the bear, whose image is on everything from key rings to carpets. It complained of a "cult of personality" surrounding Knut.
Nevertheless, Knut boosted the zoo coffers by £7 million this year.
Mr Uhlich said he had reached an "amicable" agreement with the zoo about leaving. But the real reason is apparently a dispute with his fellow director, Bernhard Blaszkiewitz.
Mr Uhlich wanted the zoo to make money, while Mr Blaszkiewitz - a zoologist - wanted it to concentrate on breeding programmes and protecting species.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/ViewArticle.aspx?articleid=3589789



Visitors Bureau offers zoo $575,000
By THOMAS B. LANGHORNE
Courier & Press staff writer 464-7432 or langhornet@courierpress.com
Thursday, December 13, 2007
It appears the Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden will get the remaining $575,000 it needs for its new entry complex from the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Saying their need for the money is not as immediate as the zoo's, Convention & Visitors Bureau officials told the Vanderburgh County Council on Wednesday they are willing to transfer $575,000 to the zoo from a pool of money for tourism construction projects that comes from the county's 8 percent tax on hotel rooms.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2007/dec/13/visitors-bureau-offers-zoo575000/



New born white-cheeked gibbon at Brookfield Zoo

http://www.chicagosuburbannews.com/westernsprings/homepage/x1908590102



Toyota to help zoo project
Staff report
Originally published 09:36 a.m., December 13, 2007
Updated 09:36 a.m., December 13, 2007
During a press conference next Wednesday afternoon, Toyota is expected to make a sizable donation to the AMAZONIA rain forest exhibit under construction at Mesker Park Zoo & Botanic Garden.
The presentation, to the Friends of Mesker Park Zoo, will take place during a 4:30 p.m. press conference inside AMAZONIA.
Shaun Koyama, president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Indiana, will speak, along with R.J. Reynolds, vice president of administration at the plant, and Zoo director Dan McGinn.
A news release this morning from the zoo, alerting media to the press conference, said Toyota’s support reflects the company’s interest in conservation and preservation.
It’s the second straight day of good news for Evansville’s expanding zoo, coming on the heels of an Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau announcement that it is willing to transfer $575,000 to the zoo to complete a new entry complex off Mesker Park Drive.
-- Rich Davis

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2007/dec/13/13web-zoo/



Baby wallaby being hand-raised by workers at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

http://www.wkyc.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=79788&provider=gnews



Zoo bird strike leads to eviction
By MICHAEL CUMMINGS - Waikato Times Friday, 14 December 2007
A peacock is being evicted from Hamilton Zoo after attacking a toddler.
Megan Daysh was visiting the zoo with her 20-month-old son, Jaycob, on Wednesday, when the bird struck.
"My little one went up to it and tried to get it and next thing it jumped on him and knocked him to the ground," Miss Daysh said.
"I picked him up and he had blood pouring out of his head."
Jaycob received a cut to his head and was taken to the doctor. Although there were a few tears immediately after his run-in with the peacock, Jaycob was all smiles when the Waikato Times visited later.
"It's not that major but it's still quite shocking really," Miss Daysh said. "It's certainly not the birds that you worry are going to attack you when you go to the zoo."
Hamilton City Council spokeswoman Naomi Reynolds said the zoo was looking to relocate the bird as a result of the incident.
"They've recognised that a farm would suit this particular peacock's needs better," Miss Reynolds said.
The zoo is hoping someone will take the bird in and "it's looking promising", she said.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/waikatotimes/4324036a6579.html

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