This could be Iceland. Not sure. Doesn't matter. These are the radar elements to MDS.

No doubt Iceland didn't want to be the target of Russian missiles. The Brits should begin negotiations for a military base there. I mean even Russia has been known to attend conferences in Iceland. The pathetic aspect of this is that Iceland deployed troops to assist the USA as an ally. Bush is a jerk ! They can't be left without a defense force. They are a benign, little country considered to be part of Europe. Enough already. Iceland is not wealthy either. The USA should be ashamed of itself.

U.S. to Remove Military Forces And Aircraft From Iceland Base
By Josh WhiteWashington Post Staff WriterFriday, March 17, 2006; Page A14
The United States plans to withdraw four Air Force fighter jets and a rescue helicopter squadron from its military base in Iceland by September, a move that will leave the island nation with virtually no military defenses and that has caused diplomatic tension between the two NATO allies.
Bush administration officials told Icelandic leaders this week that the United States would remove the F-15 fighter jets and several helicopters from Keflavik Naval Air Station, a base that has provided for Iceland's security since 1951 as part of a bilateral agreement. The base was first used as an air bridge to Europe during World War II and later played a role in deterring the advance of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, when the U.S. military patrolled Icelandic airspace and conducted anti-submarine missions in the North Atlantic.

I told you so.

Way to go, North Korea. China must be seething that US/Japanese relations have warmed to the point of allowing the missile defense shield to forward deploy.

Gates plays down Russian missile fears (click on above)

Robert Gates, US defence secretary, on Wednesday downplayed comments by a top Russian general who warned that Moscow would target Poland and the Czech Republic if they participated in a controversial US missile defence system.

U.S. missile shield expansion may trigger new arms race - expert (click on)

MOSCOW, April 25 (RIA Novosti) - U.S. plans to expand and deploy elements of its missile defense system around the world threaten the start of a new arms race, a Russian expert said Wednesday.
In January, the U.S. announced plans to deploy a radar facility in the Czech Republic and a missile base in Poland to counter possible attacks from Iran or North Korea, whose nuclear programs have provoked serious international concerns. Moscow has strongly opposed the U.S. plans, saying they would threaten Russia's security and destroy the strategic balance of forces in Europe.
Sergei Rogov, head of the Institute of the U.S. and Canadian Studies, said that today strategic stability in the world is maintained by treaties limiting strategic offensive weapons and banning strategic missile defenses, which are due to expire in the near future.
"START I strategic arms reduction treaty will expire in two years. START II treaty will die without even coming into force and the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty will expire in six years," Rogov said. "Eventually, for the first time in 40 years Russia and the United States will have no treaties limiting offensive and defensive weapons. This would mean a game without rules."

Putin pledges to continue Yeltsin's dream for decent life - 1 (click on)

MOSCOW, April 25 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's first post-Soviet leader Boris Yeltsin dreamed of making life in Russia decent, and the country's leadership will continue working to achieve this goal, President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday.
"Boris Nikolayevich, however difficult it was for him and whatever difficulties the country was going through, always believed in Russia's revival and transformation, respected the talent and power of the Russian nation," Putin said at a mourning reception in St. George's Hall, the biggest and most solemn hall of the Kremlin palace.
"He sincerely tried to do everything possible to make the life of millions of Russians worthy of such a proud title," the Russian leader said, adding that this was Yeltsin's dream. "We will walk toward this goal."
Yeltsin was buried at a central Moscow cemetery Wednesday following a memorial ceremony attended by Russian and foreign dignitaries and earlier by thousands of ordinary Russians.

This is more proof of EXACTLY how much George Bush and Dick Cheney don't care about any issue unless it fits their politics

Wall Street: Stocks close higher with focus on earnings

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

By Joe Bel Bruno, The Associated Press
NEW YORK -- Wall Street was mixed yesterday, recovering from an early loss as investors shrugged off disappointing housing and consumer confidence data to focus on stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. The Dow Jones industrials set a new trading high, and resumed their trek toward 13,000.

I don't care if this was released in 2003. The lack of equity of improvement for the American citizen is disgusting compared to the vast profits of the financial markets. This article belly aches about CEO salaries. Funny, I wasn't paying close attention to CEOs actually.

Press Release from United for a Fair Economy

For immediate release - April 14, 2004

Contact: Betsy Leondar-Wright, (617) 423-2148 x113

Ratio of CEO Pay to Average Worker Pay Reaches 301 in 2003
Average Worker Takes Home $517 a Week; Average CEO $155,769 a Week

BOSTON — After declining for the last two years, the gap in pay between average workers and large company CEOs surpassed 300-to-1 in 2003. In 2002, the ratio stood at 282-to-1. In 1982, it was just 42-to-1.
According to Business Week’s 54th Annual Executive Compensation Survey, published this week, the average large company CEO received compensation totaling $8.1 million in 2003, up 9.1% from the previous year. Business Week’s survey covers the 365 largest companies that have reported their executive pay to date.

America needs to rebuild it's infrastructure. One based in an economy with a strong manufacturing sector producing the goods WE NEED to bring the USA to an the status of "Carbon Free Society." No other country has the needs the USA has. It's time we address our needs in the way we need them addressed.

This report regarding OSHA does not only reflect just that of quality of work environments of workers, but, also reflects issues of people/customers of that environment as well.

Example: Hospitals. A complaint in 2002 to OSHA regarding 'air quality' that was causing issues of 'hospital acquired infections' was referred out from the federal authority to the local board of heatlh which stated 'when the fans on the building were running properly the dirty air was circulated quickly enough' so no one was affected.

The complaint to OSHA resulted when during a severe storm, the entire back up electrical system went out and the building fans stopped the frequent air exchanges. It was only then that the hospital personnel realized the sewage system leaked air back up into the five story building.

Within twenty minutes a large hospital in Greensboro, North Carolina filled with sewer gases and OSHA did nothing with the complaint. When the maintainence workers were asked about it, they stated they knew they had to keep the fans running well all the time.

It's a wild Party for the Planet at the NEW Zoo

Connor Haynes, 2, of Merrill gives a cracker Sunday to Hodari, a male giraffe, during the Earth Day Party for the Planet at the NEW Zoo in Suamico. Evan Siegle/Press-Gazette

Zoo animal baby shower invitation

Morning Papers - continued ...

Zoos

If You Want to Know if Spot Loves You So, It’s in His Tail
By SANDRA BLAKESLEE
Every dog lover knows how a pooch expresses its feelings.
Ears close to the head, tense posture, and tail straight out from the body means “don’t mess with me.” Ears perked up, wriggly body and vigorously wagging tail means “I am sooo happy to see you!”
But there is another, newly discovered, feature of dog body language that may surprise attentive pet owners and experts in canine behavior. When dogs feel fundamentally positive about something or someone, their tails wag more to the right side of their rumps. When they have negative feelings, their tail wagging is biased to the left.
A study describing the phenomenon, “Asymmetric tail-wagging responses by dogs to different emotive stimuli,” appeared in the March 20 issue of Current Biology. The authors are Giorgio Vallortigara, a neuroscientist at the University of Trieste in Italy, and two veterinarians, Angelo Quaranta and Marcello Siniscalchi, at the University of Bari, also in Italy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/04/24/science/24wag.html?ex=1178078400&en=0de4195af5317509&ei=5070&emc=eta1



In a Lonely Place, Saved by Puppies
The wily and resourceful young screenwriter Mike White writes movies that seem as if they were cooked up by the skinny, self-consciously awkward guy who always ends up alone in a corner at the office holiday party. As it happens, Mr. White, who sometimes acts in the films he and others write, is a skinny, seemingly self-aware guy, though given his résumé — “Chuck & Buck,” “The Good Girl,” “School of Rock” and “Nacho Libre” — it’s a safe bet he doesn’t often play the wallflower, at least in Hollywood.

http://movies2.nytimes.com/2007/04/13/movies/13dog.html


Hogs Fed Bad Pet Food Are Quarantined
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 5:06 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Salvaged pet food contaminated with an industrial chemical was fed to hogs in as many as six states, federal health officials said Tuesday. It was not immediately clear if any of the hogs entered the food supply for humans.
Food safety officials have quarantined hogs at farms in California, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah and possibly Ohio. The urine of hogs in some states has tested positive for the chemical, melamine, the Food and Drug Administration said.
''At this point, I don't have a definitive answer other than to say that the issue is being addressed,'' Stephen Sundlof, the FDA's chief veterinarian, told reporters when asked if any of the hogs had entered the food supply. A poultry farm also may be involved, he added.
The FDA also said it planned to begin testing a wide variety of vegetable proteins at firms that imported the ingredients to make everything from pizza dough to infant formula, and protein shakes to energy bars. The ingredient list includes wheat gluten, corn gluten, corn meal, soy protein and rice bran.

http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Pet-Food-Recall.html?ex=1176868800&en=eb084fb3bcdde6d4&ei=5070&emc=eta1



Bridge over zoo, creek being replaced
Associated Press
CLEVELAND - A crumbling 75-year-old bridge must come down next weekend to make room for a new one, but the demolition must be delicate since it straddles a zoo, creek and railroad tracks.
A five-second series of blasts will topple the historic Fulton Road Bridge over Big Creek Valley and part of the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The bridge, in disrepair for years, closed to traffic in October.
Its six concrete arches up to 110 feet high still cross a valley and pieces of its deck have been removed to prepare for the implosion on Saturday. A new, similarly designed bridge is expected to take its place late in 2009.
The demolition crew must take care in bringing down the 50 million-pound concrete and steel structure so not to harm the homes, zoo animals, creek and railroad tracks underneath.
"They don't want the grenade effect" of debris scattering in all directions, Cuyahoga County Engineer Robert Klaiber said.

http://www.ohio.com/mld/ohio/news/17119527.htm



National Zoo Welcomes Unusual Sight for Earth Day
April 22, 2007 - 12:57pm
Nathan Hager, WTOP Radio
WASHINGTON -- National Zoo visitors on Earth Day might notice something a little different. No, it's not a new animal exhibit.
They're impossible to miss along Rock Creek Parkway near the National Zoo. The hundreds of thin, blue tubes jutting from the banks are not a weird, new art project.
"We're planting a thousand native trees down along Rock Creek right here," says Frank Clements, the acting zoo park manager.
He says the new trees are part of an ongoing effort to reforest this part of the creek.
So, what's the deal with the blue tubes?
"That's there to protect these young seedlings from deer," says Bob Lamb with Friends of the National Zoo.
Friends of the National Zoo amassed enough volunteers to get 1,000 saplings planted in a half-hour.
The volunteers say putting in a few hundred trees was a great way to spend Earth Day.
"Yeah, it's fun!" one young girl says.
"Who knows what [else] I would've done?" says one man. "Probably nothing."
(Copyright 2007 by WTOP. All Rights Reserved.)
Nathan Hager, WTOP Radio
WASHINGTON -- National Zoo visitors on Earth Day might notice something a little different. No, it's not a new animal exhibit.
They're impossible to miss along Rock Creek Parkway near the National Zoo. The hundreds of thin, blue tubes jutting from the banks are not a weird, new art project.
"We're planting a thousand native trees down along Rock Creek right here," says Frank Clements, the acting zoo park manager.
He says the new trees are part of an ongoing effort to reforest this part of the creek.
So, what's the deal with the blue tubes?
"That's there to protect these young seedlings from deer," says Bob Lamb with Friends of the National Zoo.
Friends of the National Zoo amassed enough volunteers to get 1,000 saplings planted in a half-hour.
The volunteers say putting in a few hundred trees was a great way to spend Earth Day.
"Yeah, it's fun!" one young girl says.
"Who knows what [else] I would've done?" says one man. "Probably nothing."

http://www.wtopnews.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=1122037



Gladys Porter Zoo Director saves turtles
April 22, 2007 03:41 PM EDT
Dr. Patrick Burchfield has been recognized by a national organization for his drive to save endangered species. Dr. Patrick Burchfield, director of the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville says he feels very humbled these days.
Each year, the U.S. fish and wildlife service honors 16 people nationwide for the national recovery champion award. Thousands of nominations were submitted, but only 16 among them, Dr. Burchfield, received the honor.
For decades, Burchfield has been dedicated to the endangered Kemps Ridley sea turtle recovery effort. 99 % of the turtles nest in an 80 mile stretch of beaches in Mexico. But in 1978 Burchfield says the turtles were declared the most endangered species in the world. Burchfield was so worried; he spent countless hours working to save the turtles.

http://www.team4news.com/Global/story.asp?S=6409252&nav=0w0v



Zoo promotion snarls traffic
A promotion at the Louisville Zoo has drawn so many customers that police have temporarily closed down a couple of roads in the area to alleviate gridlock.An official with MetroSafe Dispatch said the eastbound exit ramp from Interstate 264 to Newburg Road was closed as of about 2 p.m. due to traffic problems. Portions of Trevilian Way also were closed at Newburg and Poplar Level roads. The zoo was offering $1 admission today as part of an Earth Day celebration.
Bindi orders furry merchandise off zoo shelves
Bindi Irwin has joined the anti-fur campaign, instructing Australia Zoo to take a drink holder covered in fake fur off its shop shelves because it sent out the wrong message.
The eight-year-old daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, believes it is important to carry on her father's conservation message, her mother Terri Irwin said.
"Last night she came to me with a drink holder from the shop here at the zoo," Mrs Irwin told The Mail on Sunday's You magazine.
"It was covered in fake fur.
"She said she didn't think we should sell it because it gave the message that fur was OK, even if it was fake. And it's not OK.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/bindi-orders-furry-merchandise-off-zoo-shelves/2007/04/23/1177180524312.html



Animals in party mood as Palm Beach Zoo celebrates Earth Day
By Paola Iuspa-Abbott South Florida Sun-Sentinel Posted April 23 2007
West Palm Beach -- It was as if the black bears, the tigers, the monkeys and even the butterflies at the Palm Beach Zoo knew it was Earth Day on Sunday. Or so visitors and zoo volunteers thought. They had rarely seen the bears hugging and fighting playfully; the tigers chasing each other and plunging into a pond; and the monkeys climbing and poking each other restlessly."Did anybody give them an Earth Day pill to make them active?" Diane Gant of Royal Palm Beach, asked. "The monkeys are running a rampage."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/palmbeach/sfl-pzoo23apr23,0,2643578.story?coll=sfla-news-palm


A case of mistaken sex for zoo
Taipei - A Taiwan zoo has become the laughing stock for having mistaken a female elephant for a male for 28 years, a newspaper said on Sunday.The Shoushan Zoo in Kaohsiung, south Taiwan, received two baby African elephants from a US zoo in 1979, believing they were a male and a female, the Taipei Times reported.Since then, the Shoushan Zoo raised the two elephants, Ali and Annie, as a couple and even held a much-publicized wedding for them in 2002. Annie died in 2003.Although Annie never gave birth, zookeepers apparently never suspected both animals were females because Ali, now 33 and weighing five tons, was larger, stronger and more violent than Annie.The truth about Ali's sexual identity came out after a crocodile at the Shoushan Zoo bit off the arm of a vet who was giving the animal anaesthesia shots in order to treat its illness.

http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=29&art_id=nw20070423014639352C366671



Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Warns Of Threat To Endangered Orangutans
Reported by Laura Forbes
lforbes@fox21news.com
Aired (04-22-07)
At the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, the orangutans are thriving. But in the wild, they are endangered. Zoo keepers said they are losing their habitat as companies harvest palm oil. It is an ingredient found in many everyday products.
There are an estimated 45,000 Bornean orangutans left in the wild. There are 15 times more deer than that in the state of Colorado alone. And there are even fewer Sumatran orangutans- less than 8,000. If something is not done soon, they could be extinct in the wild in ten years.

http://fox21news.com/Global/story.asp?S=6409737


Shah Faisal Town gets mini zoo
Staff Report KARACHI: The Hasrat Mohani Model Park and a mini-zoo, located in Rifah-e-Aam Society, Shah Faisal Town, was inaugurated by City Nazim Mustafa Kamal late Saturday night.This is the first model park in all 18 towns where a mini zoo has been built. What is also noteworthy is that it was established by the town’s own funds. The inaugural ceremony was converted into a meeting in which a large number of area residents, MNAs, MPAs, nazims of the Shah Faisal and Malir towns and town officials participated…
…Meanwhile, an awareness walk to mark World Earth Day was organised by the Jamshed Town administration. The walk began at Quaid’s Mausoleum and was attended by Provincial Minister for Environment and Alternative Energy Dr Saghir Ahmed, City Naib Nazim Nasreen Jalil, Acting Town Nazim Ziauddin Jamal and a large number of school children and people from different segments of life.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007%5C04%5C23%5Cstory_23-4-2007_pg12_1


Transfer of zoo saves city jobs
Continued subsidy would have added to Lansing deficit
Tom Lambert Lansing State Journal
The regionalization of Potter Park Zoo comes at an ideal time for Lansing as the city faces a $6.6 million deficit, a top financial official said.
Without turning the zoo over to Ingham County, the budget shortfall would have forced city officials to make deeper cuts, likely eliminating more jobs, said Jerry Ambrose, the city's finance director.
The city already proposes eliminating 32 vacant positions in next year's budget, which starts July 1.

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070423/NEWS01/704230346/1001/opinion


Students Spending Entire Week at Local Zoo
It's going to be a wild, wild week for a group of local students. Nearly 60 third graders from Cornell Elementary School in Okemos are spending the whole week at the Potter Park Zoo for a special learning experience called the "big zoo lesson."
Each student will "adopt" an animal that they'll research and observe every day. They'll hold class right at the zoo and use the information they gather to put together a project about the animal.
Jennifer Eddy, Cornell Elementary Teacher: "Each day they become more comfortable and more knowledgeable about the zoo, how it works and the wonderful opportunities that are out there."
This is the seventh year students have taken part in the big zoo lesson.



At zoo, love is in the air
Spring is a popular season -- for visitors and for mating animals
By Chris Emery
sun reporter
Originally published April 23, 2007
Romance is abloom at the zoo.The sea otters, Elvis and Mary, are sharing Gatorade and carrot popsicles. The okapis, Hiari and Karen, are getting acquainted over a leafy snack. And the zebras - well, everyone knows that zebras have no shame.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.journal23apr23,0,6439855.story?coll=bal-local-headlines


National Zoo's panda won't be deported
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - The capital city’s most photogenic resident will be staying in town a while longer. Facing deportation after his upcoming second birthday, giant panda cub Tai Shan will instead continue to call the National Zoo home.
A crowd of panda lovers and dignitaries gathered for a Tuesday morning news conference at the Giant Panda Habitat erupted in cheers when China’s ambassador to the United States, Zhou Wenzhong, said his country has “agreed that the stay of Tai Shan will be extended two more years.”
“The giant panda is a gift of nature for not only China, but for the whole world,” Ambassador Zhou said.

http://www.examiner.com/a-691841~National_Zoo_s_Panda_won_t_be_deported.html



Dylan at the zoo: Will he or won’t he?
FROM BLADE STAFF AND WIRE SERVICES
Bob Dylan fans in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan: You can write “July 12 at the Toledo Zoo” on your calendar, but use a pencil.While the concert booking Web site Pollstar lists a Dylan show at the zoo on that date, it hasn’t been 100 percent confirmed, said Dan Kemer, vice president of marketing and booking at Live Nation.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/ART10/70424019



Food, music herald Staten Island Zoo's Festa Italiana
Fund-raising event is scheduled June 2-3 at the West Brighton animal park
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
By KIAWANA RICH
ADVANCE STAFF WRITER
STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Who needs Perillo and the $800 airfare to Italy?
All things Italian will be on offer right here at home, at the second annual SI Bank & Trust Festa Italiana at the Staten Island Zoo, West Brighton, on June 2 from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and June 3 until 7 p.m.

http://www.silive.com/news/advance/index.ssf?/base/news/1177416924268100.xml&coll=1



W.Va. Army captain honored for zoo rescue
By CARA SPAZIANIThe Journal MARTINSBURG, W.Va. -- Crouching down to the ground, Capt. William Sumner wasnt petting just any ordinary cheetah.
As a captain in the U.S. Armys 354 Civil Affairs Brigade during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, Sumner, a Martinsburg resident, was responsible for the wartime rescue of the Baghdad Zoo.
That rescue, which took place after the fall of Baghdad, included caring for cheetahs once owned by the son of Iraqs former president, Saddam Hussein.
"They were Uday Husseins cheetahs," Sumner said. "He would take them out on the town with him, in the car. They were fairly tame animals, so we played with them on a regular basis."
Sumner was recognized in March for his efforts in helping to rescue the animals of the Baghdad Zoo by being presented with the first recognition award by The Earth Organization, an international conservation group.

http://www.herald-dispatch.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070424/NEWS01/704240380/1001/NEWS10



Tulsa Zoo Opens Elephant Demonstration Yard
By MIRANDA ENZOR
Editorial Assistant
After nine long months of construction, the Tulsa Zoo opened its Elephant Demonstration Yard April 13. The Demonstration Yard was dedicated to Larry Nunley for his 32 years of service with the Tulsa Zoo.
The Yard is located at the front of the Tulsa Zoo. Seating for the Demonstration Yard is designed to look like a stadium where visitors can watch the elephants as they interact with their keepers. Weather permitting, the Tulsa Zoo plans to host demonstrations daily at 11 a.m. through Oct. 31.
“It is truly an honor to be part of this elephant group,” Nunley said during the dedication ceremony.
The Tulsa Zoo is home to three Asian Elephants named Sneezy, Gunda and Sooky. There are two recognized species of elephants in the world: Asian and African. Elephants are the largest land mammal in the world and belong to the pachyderms class which means thick-skinned. They generally live 60-70 years, have the largest brains (up to 12 pounds) and can weigh tens-of-thousands of pounds. The most noticed versatile characteristic of elephants are their trunks, which contains more than 40,000 muscles and are used for defense, eating, drinking, smelling and covering their bodies with water or mud.

http://www.gtrnews.com/greater-tulsa-reporter/1825/tulsa-zoo-opens-elephant-demonstration-yard



Perth Zoo welcomes new African lions
Perth Zoo has taken delivery of two African lions weighing 180 kilograms each.
The four-year-old brothers, Nelson and Mandela, will be company to the 14-year-old lioness Manzi, who recently lost her mate Alastair, 21.
The young males have been shown off for the first time today after arriving from Queensland four days ago.
Zoo keeper Trueman Faulkner says the brothers are to be part of a future breeding program at the zoo.
"They're the most social of all the large cats so it's imperative we house them in a pride rather than house them on their own," he said.
The lions are expected to be part of a future breeding program to help the species.
Perth Zoo chief executive officer Susan Hunt says they will look at bringing in another female at some stage.
"It's still early days - we have to really look at the genetic mix and whether or not our exhibit is large enough but we'd love to bring cubs back to Perth Zoo," she said.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/items/200704/1905432.htm?perth



Umphrey's McGee and the Disco Biscuits Playin' at the Zoo for Mother Earth

http://www.livemusicblog.com/reviews/07/04/23/umphreys-mcgee-disco-biscuits-green-apple-music-festival.php




K2: Clouded Leopards
Posted at 9:00 am
April 23, 2007
by Maureen O. Duryee
K2 is the abbreviated spelling we use to represent our clouded leopard sisters, Kya and Kilat, when we list them on the show board for our Wild Ones show lineup. But don’t let the shortened spelling fool you, they are exceptionally important animals in our collection at the San Diego Zoo. A census taken in April 2003 states there are only 162 clouded leopards in 54 institutions worldwide. Needless to say, this species of cat is endangered. But even more impressive is the fact that just a handful of clouded leopards are known to be in shows and educational presentations worldwide.

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/wordpress/default/k2-clouded-leopards/



Cincinnati Zoo Preps For Birth Of Rare Baby Rhino
Posted By: Deb Haas
The Cincinnati Zoo is getting ready for the birth of its third Sumatran Rhino calf.
The zoo's female rhino, Emi, is on day 473 of pregnancy. Gestation for Sumatran rhinos is about 16 months.
Terri Roth works at zoo and explains why Emi's pregnancy is so significant. "The Cincinnati Zoo is the only place in the world successfully breeding Sumatra rhinos. Our breeding program is the spark of hope for the species. This is the calf number 3, so we're pretty excited about it."
Zoo volunteers are watching four monitors, following Emi's every move, watching for signs she's ready to deliver the calf.

http://www.wcpo.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=8ef5631b-753a-49a2-8eb0-78f6af6be2c7



Maryland Zoo Helps To Save Mountain Gorillas (video)
(WJZ) BALTIMORE The powerful mountain gorilla is an endangered species and the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore is directly connected to efforts to save them. The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project is headquartered at the Maryland Zoo. Chief veterinarian Mike Cranfield is in charge. He travels to Uganda, Rwanda, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo five or six times a year to treat the mountain gorilla. "We're one of the first groups to actually treat these animals in their own habitat," Cranfield said."Mike has achieved a miracle...with his understanding of the relationship between the people, livestock and the mountain gorillas. With limited resources, he has done a great job," said MGVP Chairman Roger Powell.There are only 720 of them left in the world.

http://wjz.com/topstories/local_story_113175116.html



Kumasi Zoo welcomes Accra ZooAwal Muhammed
Posted: Tuesday, April 24, 2007
The management of the Kumasi Zoo has organized an official welcoming ceremony for the animals transferred from Accra Zoo to Kumasi Zoo with a call on the general public to patronize the zoo.
The occasion which took place at the premises of the Kumasi Zoo witnessed a host of zoologists, wildlife groups from various second cycle institutions, businessmen and other animal lovers.
The Minister of Lands Forestry and Mines Prof. Dominik Fobin disclosed that the animals were transferred to Kumasi due to the work currently going on at the presidential residence in Accra .
He noted that land had been acquired at Achimota forest in Accra where an ultra modern zoo will be built for the national capital.
Prof. Fobin said, government has put in place measures to redevelop the Kumasi Zoo to meet the status that befits the Garden City. His ministry, he said, will continue to bring in more animals to beef up the present ones so that the zoo can attract more visitors.
He urged both management and workers to collaborate and adopt measures to finance the zoo for the proper up keep of the animals.
The KMA boss Madam Patricia Appiadjei announced that KMA had awarded contracts on the drainage system at the zoo and the Urban Roads Dept is taking steps to renovate all roads leading to the zoo.
Torgui Kporklu II chief of Alakplo in Accra , the chairman of the Accra Zoo Board, congratulated the staff of the Kumasi Zoo for the safe delivery of the animals from Accra.

http://www.accra-mail.com/mailnews.asp?id=937



Fmr. zoo train operator not surprised by weekend crash (video)
Ten people hurt when a train ride at the Memphis Zoo tipped over are recovering at home tonight.
The Memphis Zoo is still not releasing the identity of the train's operator or what his or her future is with the zoo.
Action News 5 reporter Blair Simmons talked to a former zoo train operator and he says he's not surprised by this weekend's crash.
Marleigh Patton's Girl Scout trip to the zoo turned into a train wreck Saturday when the train ride she was on with five of her friends crashed.
She says the train was taking a curve too fast, "me and Adriana was screaming stop, stop," says Patton.

http://www.wmcstations.com/Global/story.asp?S=6414742



Bindi orders furry merchandise off zoo shelves
Bindi Irwin has joined the anti-fur campaign, instructing Australia Zoo to take a drink holder covered in fake fur off its shop shelves because it sent out the wrong message.
The eight-year-old daughter of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, believes it is important to carry on her father's conservation message, her mother Terri Irwin said.
"Last night she came to me with a drink holder from the shop here at the zoo," Mrs Irwin told The Mail on Sunday's You magazine.
"It was covered in fake fur.
"She said she didn't think we should sell it because it gave the message that fur was OK, even if it was fake. And it's not OK.

http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/queensland/bindi-orders-furry-merchandise-off-zoo-shelves/2007/04/23/1177180524312.html



Wild Asia's annual Responsible Tourism Awards
Find out about this year's Responsible Tourism Award and how to apply.
http://www.wildasia.net/main.cfm?page=article&articleID=308



Wild Asia's Seed Grants
One of the most direct ways in which Wild Asia supports conservation is through our Seed Grant programme - small financial support to those that need a kick start to get an idea off the ground.
About our Seed Grants
Small – up to USD 1,000 financial grants – to anyone that has a good idea, innovation or initiative, that needs a helping hand. Projects can be anywhere in Asia, and managed by anyone from any nationality. What you have to demonstrate is how you will be able to have an impact on people, cultures, nature or our environment.

http://www.wildasia.net/main.cfm?page=article&articleID=319




Scientists uncover the long and short of being a dog
In a pioneering investigation of canine DNA scientists have discovered the genetic trick that has allowed small dogs to shrink in size from their wolf-like ancestors.
A major study of more than 3200 dogs from 143 different breeds has found the part of the canine genome that is responsible for producing diminutive stature in breeds such as bichon frise, chihuahua and pekinese.
The part of the canine genome responsible for small size is not a gene but a "regulatory sequence" that controls a separate gene responsible for a key growth factor.
Scientists found that all small dogs they examined had the same kind of regulatory sequence, which they believe can explain the huge variations in dog size - the largest of any mammal.
"The identification and characterisation of a key genetic variant that accounts for differences in dog size is particularly exciting because the underlying gene is present in all dogs and other diverse species, including humans," said Eric Green, of the US National Human Genome Research Institute.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10433195


Penguins prepare nests for mating
(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-04-13 09:13
Chicago - They're the rock stars of the bird world these days, the Rolling Stones of the feathered set. But the penguins at the Shedd Aquarium are showing it's not all film premieres -- think "Happy Feet" and "March of the Penguins" -- and sushi. It's rocks. Real rocks a bird can build a nest out of.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/world/2007-04/13/content_849784.htm#



Hundreds expected to adopt animals at zoo
Meet Your Best Friend largest event of its kind
By Christy Strawser
Daily Tribune Staff Writer
ROYAL OAK -- The Detroit Zoo and Michigan Humane Society are teaming up again for the biggest off-site animal adoption event in the country, and this spring's Meet Your Best Friend at the Zoo is shaping up to be the best ever, said Humane Society spokeswoman Stephanie Baron.

http://www.dailytribune.com/stories/042507/loc_zoo001.shtml


Last Chance to See Zoo's Asian Elephant
April 24, 2007 - Dulary, the Philadelphia Zoo's Asian elephant, is almost ready to leave for her new home.
This weekend will likely be her last at the Philadelphia Zoo.
43-year-old Dulary has enjoyed a long and healthy life at the Zoo. She's moving to The Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, where she'll join a herd of seven Asian elephants.
Asian and African elephants are very endangered in the wild, and the Zoo is working hard to save elephants in their native homes. The Zoo funds the Bornean Elephant Conservation Unit to save pygmy elephants on the island of Borneo.
If you wish to visit Dulary before she leaves the Zoo, you will find her outside in the elephant habitat from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. this Saturday and Sunday.
The Zoo staff will also blog about Dulary's travels.
You can read those blogs as well as get tickets or make a contribution at www.philadelphiazoo.org

http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=animals_oddities&id=5241851



Endangered Species Reproduce With Zoo's Help
CINCINNATI -- Two cheetah cubs born at the Toledo Zoo were bred in Clermont County, according to officials at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Gardens.
This marks the first time in the United States that a female cheetah has been sent to another zoo for breeding then returned to her home institution to give birth, officials said.
The cubs were born to the Toledo Zoo's 7-year-old female, Shaka, and the Cincinnati Zoo's male, Wild Boy. Shaka arrived at the breeding facility, which is managed by the Cincinnati Zoo, in August 2006 and returned pregnant in February to the Toledo Zoo.

http://www.wlwt.com/news/13013296/detail.html



Top Ten Zoo Animal Videos on YouTube
I have always enjoyed going to zoos. Zoos can provide great family outings. They are fun and educational, too. It is nice to see how zoos have changed over the years, developing more natural settings for the animals. I also love it when the animals are active and playing. So, when it is too cold and rainy to go to the zoo, you can enjoy browsing online for some good zoo animal videos. Here are my top ten zoo animal videos from YouTube.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/216419/top_ten_zoo_animal_videos_on_youtube.html



Zoos and Aquariums Make Major Impact on Conservation
SILVER SPRING, Md., April 19
PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) has released its annual Conservation Impact Report in advance of major Earth Day celebrations at accredited zoos and aquariums across the country."Accredited zoos and aquariums are much more than places to see animals -- they are leaders in wildlife conservation," said AZA President and CEO Jim Maddy. "From endangered species breeding to field conservation to educational programs, zoos and aquariums help maintain our planet's diverse wildlife and natural habitats while engaging the American public to appreciate and participate in conservation."

http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/news_press_release,92300.shtml


The Junta inspects Andalusian zoos Pilar R. Quirós
European law imposes zoo conditions
Twelve Malaga centres pass inspection
...The new law has two main aims: one is to ensure animal health and well-being standards as well as public safety. The second is for centres to promote conservation programmes for animals in danger of extinction and increase the fauna in these cases....

http://www.surinenglish.com/noticias.php?Noticia=10416



Baby-making tapirs coming to Nashville zoo
By LEE ANN O’NEALStaff Writer
The Nashville Zoo at Grassmere expects to receive two tapirs this summer from Central America, but visitors won’t be able to see them for at least two years.
The female and male tapirs, named Houston and Romeo, respectively, will eventually be part of the zoo’s new South American exhibit, set to open in 2009, said Nashville Zoo President Rick Schwartz.

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070420/NEWS01/70420056/1006



Toads on the Rebound
A Wyoming toad, photographed at the Central Park Zoo.
One of the most endangered amphibians in North America, the Wyoming toad has undergone an intensive captive breeding program, where toads are raised in zoos and released into Wyoming’s Laramie basin, where they were discovered in the 1940s.
During the 1970s and ‘80s, the toad disappeared from its already limited range, succumbing to threats such as toxic pesticides, habitat degradation, and disease. To reestablish the wild population, more than 50,000 toads, raised in captivity by ten zoos, have been successfully released.

http://www.livescience.com/animalworld/imageoftheweek/070423_wcs.html



Omega Parque to close doors
OMEGA PARQUE Jardim Zoológico will be closing this month due to difficulties the park has faced from local authorities.According to Phillippa Birchenough, founder of Omega Parque, “the park has experienced insurmountable problems with the road authorities and can no longer be a viable business commercially”.All the animals have already been re-homed and will go to member zoos of the European Associations of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA) to continue on breeding programmes. Some will remain in Portugal while others are being sent to further destinations, such as Spain, France and even Israel.

http://portugalresident.com/portugalresident/showstory.asp?ID=18407


Iowa passes bill prohibiting wild animals as pets
Animal Protection Groups Applaud Passage of Bill Prohibiting Wild Animals as Pets in Iowa April 18, 2007DES MOINES, Iowa – The Animal Rescue League of Iowa and The Humane Society of the United States today praised state lawmakers for passing a bill to prohibit the private possession of dangerous wild animals. It passed the Senate unanimously and passed the House of Representatives by a vote of 80 to 19 last night. The animal welfare groups thanked Sen. Joe Seng (D-43), who is a veterinarian, and Rep. Todd Taylor (D-34), for shepherding the bill through to passage. The legislation now goes to Governor Culver and the organizations urge him to sign it into law.

http://bigcatrules.blogspot.com/2007/04/iowa-passes-bill-prohibiting-wild.html


I’m not sure this is a good idea. Alcohol and wild animals in pens???????

Bill will give state zoos right to serve alcohol
By TOM HUMPHREY, tomhumphrey3@aol.com April 24, 2007
NASHVILLE - Zoos in Knoxville, Nashville and Chattanooga could serve alcoholic beverages on a regular basis under legislation scheduled for a Senate floor vote Thursday, though some senators have criticized the proposal.
"I can't believe that we want to serve alcohol at our zoos," said Sen. Charlotte Burks, D-Monterey, during brief debate earlier. She said the facilities should be "for families and children, and I think we're setting a bad precedent to start this."

http://www.knoxnews.com/kns/state/article/0,1406,KNS_348_5501051,00.html



Going Grrreen: Wildlife Conservation Society Partners With Eco-cell To Help Save The Environment

Media Contact:Amy Chilla 1-800-370-6580 X 2 Amy.Chilla@corecubed.com Louisville, KY – April 25, 2007 – ECO-CELL, a Louisville-based environmental cell phone recycling and green fund raising company, continues to answer the ‘call of the wild’ by announcing a national partnership with the New York based Wildlife Conservation Society (www.wcs.org). The partnership will enable the Wildlife Conservation Society to raise money through the collection of unused cell phones. Specifically, the new partnership will result in the installation of cell phone collection vaults at world-famous wildlife parks around New York City including The Central Park Zoo, Bronx Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo, and the New York Aquarium. The partnership kicks off at Bronx Zoo’s Earth Day Party taking place April 21 and 22, 2007. The event will celebrate all things “Earth” with a host of fun, family-oriented activities. To date, ECO-CELL has grown its zoo partnerships across North America and Canada to 82 zoos since it’s inception in 2001.

http://www.prlog.org/10014634-going-grrreen-wildlife-conservation-society-partners-with-eco-cell-to-help-save-the-environment.html



Grand jury report: Zoo needs promotion
Orange County grand jury says Irvine Regional Park facility needs more patrons to avoid using more county funds.
By AMY TAXIN
The Orange County Register
SANTA ANA– The Orange County Zoo should seek to boost attendance to avoid tapping into more county money to sustain its operations, the Orange County grand jury said today in a report.
In a seven-page report on the status of the county's two zoos – one run by the county and another by the city of Santa Ana – the grand jury recommended that the county promote its zoo more to lure more patrons.
In the past two years, annual attendance at the Orange County Zoo – which is run by the county's Harbors, Beaches and Parks division in Irvine Regional Park – fell 38 percent, to 102,296, the report said.
The grand jury found both zoos "are managed suitably well." It recommended that the Orange County Zoo provide public restrooms and drinking fountains to make the site more attractive and that the Santa Ana Zoo develop a formal, written training plan for zookeepers.
To read the report, go to http://www.ocgrandjury.org/pdfs/orangecountyzoos.pdf.

http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/orange_villapark/article_1667142.php



Animals get Legislature's attention
Pet neutering among most divisive of bills
By Michael Gardner
COPLEY NEWS SERVICE
April 23, 2007
SACRAMENTO – Every dog will have its day in the Capitol this year.
And so, too, will ordinary house cats, condors, circus elephants, bucking broncos, exotic kangaroos and pesky raccoons.
California lawmakers have introduced a pack of animal measures, ranging from mandatory spaying and neutering to providing farm animals more space in pens.

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/state/20070423-9999-1n23animals.html



Dated ::

Zoo Launches Campaign To Save Elephants
Written By 9 News
Created:6/20/2006 11:57:15 AM
Last Updated:6/22/2006 8:21:59 AM
The National Zoo has launched a new campaign to help save the endangered Asian elephant.The campaign has several elements, a new home for elephants at the Zoo's DC campus, conservation and science, an education outreach program, and a new research facility in Front Royal, Virginia.The Zoo hopes the work will ensure a future for Asian elephants both in zoos and in the wild.Construction on the new elephant house, called Elephant Trails, will begin next spring.The $60 million project is being paid for with federal funds and private donations.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=50264



Animal Rights Activists Blast LA Zoo Over Elephant Death
LOS ANGELES -- Animal rights activists on Tuesday blasted the Los Angeles Zoo's treatment of an elephant who died earlier this month and said they want federal officials to investigate the pachyderm's death.
Gita, the 48-year-old elephant who died June 10, stood constantly on her arthritic feet, even though most elephants lie down and sleep about four hours a night, according to Kristie Phelps with In Defense of Animals.
According to zoo officials, Gita was first spotted in a "downed position" at 5 a.m. the day of her death. But IDA activists said they believe zoo personnel may have spotted Gita's condition sometime before midnight the previous night -- leaving her suffering without care for at least five hours.

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/9399985/detail.html



Asian Elephants To Get New Habitat At National Zoo
POSTED: 4:24 pm EDT June 20, 2006
UPDATED: 7:26 pm EDT June 20, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The National Zoo kicked off a $60 million campaign to save the Asian elephant from extinction.
Only about 30,000 Asian elephants remain in the entire world, but the National Zoo's three Asian elephants are getting an impressive new habitat. The habitat will include four acres outdoors and a new indoor elephant house that's five times the size of the current elephant house.

http://www.nbc4.com/news/9400102/detail.html



Zoo board approves $225,000 for levy try
Officials hope donors will help fund effort
It could cost the Toledo Zoo nearly a quarter-million dollars to campaign for a 1-mill, 10-year capital improvement levy proposed for the November ballot.
A similar measure was defeated in May.
The zoo board approved spending $225,000 on the campaign yesterday. But zoo officials hope donors will pick up at least part of the tab, said Anne Baker, the zoo's executive director.
"What we don't bring in [in donations] will come out of the board's operating budget,'' she said.
The issue would bring the zoo a projected $8.6 million year. It will pay for pay for repairs to the aquarium's antiquated equipment, bigger elephant and hippo enclosures, a new "children's zone," and pay off $13 million in debt.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060620/NEWS38/606200383/-1/NEWS


Our endorsements
Repairing the buildings and other infrastructure of the Toledo Zoo is the basis for Issue 13, a 1-mill capital improvement levy that would run for 10 years. Preserving the zoo, one of Toledo’s most beloved institutions and most popular tourist attractions, is in the community’s best interest. Vote YES on Issue 13.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061106/OPINION02/61105009&SearchID=73279146380542



Preserve your Zoo...Thank you Lucas County Voters!
Your support for Issue 13 will allow for improvements necessary to preserve and maintain the Zoo that you know and love, as well as ensure the ability to continue the highest standards of animal care. This levy is about preserving the Zoo we have now - not for making the Zoo bigger.
Issue 13 is a 1.0 mill capital improvement initiative that it takes the place of a levy that expired in 2005.

http://www.toledozoo.org/supportzoo/support_levies.html


5 endangered marmosets stolen from zoo
Associated Press
London Five endangered monkeys were stolen from a zoo over the weekend, the latest in a recent string of thefts involving small primates across England, police said Monday.A family of silvery marmosets - male, female and 2-month-old baby - and a pair of Geoffrey marmosets were taken late Saturday from nesting boxes at Drusillas Park Zoo in East Sussex.Thieves also tried to break into a third enclosure holding small monkeys, zoo officials said.Zoos in Devon and Suffolk have also had small monkeys pilfered in recent weeks.

http://www.wilmingtonstar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060620/NEWS/606200332/-1/State



Elephants at National Zoo to get $60m home
By Karlyn Barker, Washington Post June 22, 2006
WASHINGTON -- The National Zoo has announced plans for a new $60 million ``Elephant Trails" exhibit that will dramatically expand and upgrade its current facility for Asian elephants and try to be a centerpiece for breeding and conservation efforts to stop the endangered species from becoming extinct.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/22/elephants_at_national_zoo_to_get_60m_home/



Animals of Russia's arctic heading to MN Zoo
The Minnesota Zoo presented plans Thursday for its new exhibit featuring the animals that live on Russia's Arctic coast, including the Russian grizzly bear. The $23 million exhibit is called "Russia's Grizzly Coast" and it will be the zoo's most expensive addition since 1996. The new exhibit will also include wild boars, Amur leopards, sea otters, and a woolly mammoth dig. Minnesota Zoo Director Lee Ehmke said the 3.5-acre exhibit will open in 2008 and will be near the zoo's Central Plaza, at the opening of the facility's outdoor area.

http://www.kare11.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=127694



More Animals and Security at Potter Park Zoo
Reporter: Natalie Johnson
Nearly a week after three Potter Park Zoo animals are killed, the zoo is getting ready for replacements.
Last Thursday night, two dogs slipped into the zoo and mauled four Patagonian Cavies. Three of them died.
The two dogs have been captured.
Potter Park Zoo is importing five Cavies from the Toronto Zoo in Canada.The zoo director doesn't exactly know how the dogs got in, but he says the zoo is taking extra precautions so it will not happen again.
The large South American rodent that survived the dog attack is expected to live, bringing the Potter Park Zoo Cavy count up to six once the others arrive.

http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/3204731.html



KIDS' KINGDOMOkinawa City park features zoo, museum, learning center
Cpl. Sarah M. Maynard
OKINAWA CITY, Okinawa (Jun 23, 2006) -- Got the blues during the long, hot, Okinawan summer days? Grab your hiking shoes and your thinking caps and head over to Kodomo no Kuni.
The park, also known as the Okinawa Kids' Discovery Kingdom, is a sprawling combination of a museum, zoo, and an interactive learning center. Each display has something for everyone.
The museum, aptly named the Wonder Museum, is a hands-on experience rivaling many leading museums. Adventurers, from young to old, can poke, probe and examine every exhibit in the building. The Recollections IV exhibit casts a rainbow shadow of every person who walks past. The Floating Words exhibit projects small words spoken by patrons onto a pool of water for ambitious explorers to catch. The Equilibrium Point exhibit uses sound to make liquid jump and dance. These are a few examples of the mind-boggling displays. The museum also features colorful and unique displays from local artists, focusing on the themes of world peace and harmony.

http://www.okinawa.usmc.mil/Public%20Affairs%20Info/Archive%20News%20Pages/2006/060623-kingdom.html



Harriet, the world's oldest tortoise, dies aged 176
SYDNEY: A 176-year-old giant tortoise believed to have been studied by famed English naturalist Charles Darwin, has died in Australia after a short illness.
The extremely elderly tortoise, Harriet, was hatched on the Galapagos Islands in 1830 but lived out her final years at Australia Zoo in southeast Queensland where she was the star attraction.
Senior veterinarian John Hangar said the 150-kilogram (330-pound) reptile died on Thursday night after a short illness.
"She had been sick yesterday with, in effect, heart failure," Hangar told ABC radio.
"She had a fairly acute heart attack and thankfully passed away quietly overnight."
Hangar said Harriet, who had made it into the Guinness Book of World Records as the world's oldest living animal, had been credited with helping Darwin pioneer his theory of evolution.
"It's thought she may have been taken off there (Galapagos) by Charles Darwin," he said.
"She's spent a period of time in Britain and found herself at the Botanic Gardens in Brisbane from about 1850 or 1860 onwards and eventually she found her way up to Australia Zoo."
Harriet was originally named Harry, as she was mistakenly identified as male, an error which was not rectified for more than a century.

http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1037268



Orphan Lion Being Raised By Humans At Zoo
Cub's Mother Died During Delivery
POSTED: 9:13 am PDT June 23, 2006
UPDATED: 9:18 am PDT June 23, 2006
EBERSWALDE, Germany -- A lion cub is being raised by humans at a German zoo because her mother died during her Caesarian delivery.
The little lioness is called "Kismet," which means "fate."
Sadly, Kismet's mother accidentally smothered her firstborn cub.
At only 5 weeks of age, Kismet is already a charmer, delighting visitors of all ages at the zoo.
The cub is being fed a specially mixed formula milk, but she is also getting small pieces of beef.

http://www.nbc4.tv/news/9416897/detail.html

continued ...

Every living creature is struggling for survival. This is denial/negligence of government.

One seal claws at the ice as it tries to escape

Ice still grips Canada seal hunt boats

Doomed to die: This seal pup will drown if it does not find solid ice soon in the southern region. The northern areas are frozen solid by the continuous presence of the Arctic Vortex. We don't know how the seals are in those regions by lack of reports. The people on boats really should be rescued. When the northern sea ice starts to break up many of those ships will sink with the damage they sustained. This is not a 'fit' way to make a living anymore from an environmental perspective or a human rights perspective. The Canadian government needs to remove the fisherman from their boats. It's not at all a good circumstance for them.

By CHARMAINE NORONHA, Associated Press Writer Fri Apr 20, 6:08 PM ET
TORONTO - Commercial seal hunters off the eastern coast of Canada faced food and fuel shortages Friday as their vessels remained stuck in dense ice.
The boats were trapped when strong northeast winds generated by a powerful low-pressure system pushed ice toward the coast of northeastern Newfoundland and southern Labrador earlier this week.
"Conditions are terrible up there with the ice and that," said Ward George, a search-and-rescue coordinator in St. John‘s, Newfoundland. "So we‘re just waiting for the wind to change, to ease off on the pressure, and we‘ll do our work."
The Newfoundland hunt is third and largest phase of Canada‘s annual seal harvest, an event that has drawn widespread criticism around the world, including from celebrities such as Paul McCartney and French actress Brigitte Bardot.

There is no 'humaneness' here. Earth and Human Induced Global Warming has preempted all the arguments Pro and Con. There is no more safe hunting of seals, we don't even know what the populations are now. People should not be allowed to take this level of risk for a living. This is an outrage from all perspectives.

Seals Need Protection from Hunting and Climate Change

Fisheries Minister Responds to Danish Politician's View on Seal Hunt's Humaneness

Not fun. This is getting to be a regular occurrence. Is anyone in the White House paying attention?

April 23, 2007

Southern Kansas

Photographer states :: A small "rope" tornado spins through a cornfield just west of Highway 283 in Southern Kansas. The twister lasted for less then a minute.

I don't consider any tornado to be minor. A minute touchdown is a minute of damage. As the person who owns the cornfield.

Tornado kills 7 in Texas near Mexican border, authorities say

The storm hit about 7 p.m. outside Eagle Pass unincorporated area of Maverick County, about 150 miles south of San Antonio. It was among several storms that ripped through Texas on Tuesday.

Cantu said several mobile homes were still missing, but he didn't know how many. Two schools were destroyed, but both were empty when the tornado hit.

Officials from Piedras Negras, Mexico, across the Rio Grande, have confirmed three dead there, Eagle Pass Fire Chief Rogelio de la Cruz said.

Officials said 76 people were taken to Fort Duncan Medical Center, Eagle Pass' only hospital. Four were admitted, four were transferred to hospitals in San Antonio and Del Rio in critical condition, 32 were treated and discharged, the rest were still being evaluated, he said.