This is some of the Antarctic air seen moving off the Ice Continent a day or so ago.

June 21, 2007
2132 gmt
Pacific Global Satellite
New Zealand can be noted in the 7:30 o'clock position at the margin of the globe.


June 21, 2007
2316 gmt
New Zealand
The country hasn't yet been hit by the larger vortex winds. Perhaps it won't, but, only the air pushing off Antarctica. The view above shows the divergence of air and water over north Australia. Perhaps Australia will continue to protect New Zealand. It's just that last year that was a huge frigid air mass that moved over Australia as well. I would air on the side of extreme caution.


June 22, 2007
New Zealand Satellite
The small country has troubles.

Queenstown isolated, more snow moving north (click title above)

Do you have pictures of the storm?Email us
Queenstown is all but cut off from the rest of the country today after snow and ice left most roads impassable and the situation looks set to get worse as a second storm is now moving onto the country.
Transit Otago and Southland regional manager Murray Clarke said Lindis Pass and the Haast Pass are both closed and only one road to Invercargill is open at the Kingston end of town....

Michael Moore has grown into an international phenomena

Michael Moore

Tribeca Film Festival, 5/11/2003

Photo: Kevin Mazur, Wireimage.com

It isn't unusual for me to write Mike at least once a month regarding all kinds of issues. Today when I sent an e-mail off it came back. That has never happened before.

I thought I better get my ducks in order for Traverse Film Festival starting July 29, 2007. So, per usual I called the Bayshore Resort for reservations. They were sold out. Well before a month ahead of the opening of the film festival my favorite hotel was sold out. That has never happened before.

Every place I turn, Mike is appearing on television. He is rescuing nurses from the clutches of failure in patient advocacy. That has never happened before.

Michael Moore has become bigger than life with the release of "Sicko." I am happy for you Michael. It is about time America finally recognizes a wonderful 'boy next door' story that stands for 'truth, justice and the American way.' I hope he is enjoying every minute of the attention he is getting and bringing to the subject of American healthcare; I know I am enjoying watching every minute of it more than I can say.

We love you, Mike !

Those that seek to 'find fault' with Michael Moore are simply 'nit-picking' over a very serious subject. Recently on 'The View' there was a statement made about how government 'health care' fails the poorest of the people of the USA. It isn't the 'health care' of Medicaid in years gone by that failed the poor. Not in my case. When my sons and I were abandoned by a spouse estranged by methamphetamines I had no place to turn but the social service department of my county. The social workers explained the Medicaid program to me and in all honesty it took excellant care of my sons and me including dental care. The failure of the system was to provide housing in a timely fashion that would allow me my children and I dignity. Medicaid never failed us. Ever.

When I finally did get into housing, I returned to an education that gave me a career whereby I educated by sons. That career is still providing a way of life for me that will take we into my retirement years. When given the opportunity to 'have a life' most Americans take it. Having a life in the USA includes finding healthcare that works to keep one working and providing for their futures. Mike is right. He usually is. A healthy America is a great America.

Someone needs to do something with the death of this young woman.

Above, Jack Hanna in 1983 with a Columbus Zoo elephant.

Animal expert: Mountain lion attack rare (click on)

Jack Hanna is never hestiant to speak his mind about these issues. It has been a more than tragic year for animal handlers, including Steve Irwin, perhaps we need to take a step back from the enthusiastic track we are on once again and realize these are innately wild animals with instincts that go beyond the ability to bond with their environment. Perhaps we need to examine the dangers more closely and find answers to handler safety in better enclosures that insure safe approaches to all the people involved.


I feel as though there was something more to the death of this young zookeeper. What if the walkway to the public side of the enclosure was left open as well. Where would we all be?


Zoos have become important to people. They are important to preserve species with breeding programs that reintroduce animals back to their habitat. We need to look at how zoos are coping with budgets that are too small and the corners they are cutting to maintain client interest. At this point, we need to be less concerned about the aestetics of the public side of the exhibits so much as the enclosures and their security including the safety of the zookeepers and handlers. In keeping the public informed of changes occurring behind the scenes to insure the safety of all involved which will provide a better encounter with the public in the long term, supporters and visitors will continue to come to the zoo.


I can't help but believe there needs to be standardized measures in safety for accreditation beyond what is currently regarded as sufficient. This is a tragedy that must be avoided in the future. Being a zookeeper can be a dream come true for someone like Ashlee Pfaff. These folks are irreplaceable in many ways. Years of love and study aren't to be ignored in this loss. We need to do better.

Denver Zoo Keeper Death Discussed

Morning Papers - continued...

Zoos

Awareness: Enforcement of Hygiene Inconsistent at Petting Zoos
By NICHOLAS BAKALAR
Published: June 19, 2007
Along with lambs, ducks and rabbits, petting zoos may also feature E. coli, salmonella and other disease-causing microorganisms. But according to a new study, few zoos consistently enforce hygienic practices that would keep these germs from spreading to humans.
Researchers made unannounced inspections of 36 Canadian petting zoos, most of them part of temporary exhibits. Their report appears in the July 1 issue of Clinical Infectious Diseases.
While all but two of the zoos had hand-washing facilities, only about a quarter of visitors used them. At more than 80 percent of the zoos, people carried food or beverages into the animal areas. About a third permitted children under 6 to have unsupervised contact with the animals, and 65 percent allowed feeding animals by hand.
At almost one-third of the exhibits, the animals had clear signs of illness, but all of them were available for petting. Observers saw people carrying baby bottles, pacifiers and toys in more than half of the animal areas.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention publishes guidelines for petting zoos that include providing hand-washing stations; never allowing children to kiss animals or put their hands in their mouths while they are interacting with them; and banning food, drinks, toys and even pacifiers in animal areas.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/19/health/19awar.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1182421583-VSwHlzPyjvTBjHqGRGDKdQ




What a 4-H Petting Zoo!
By: Payton Palmer
Topics:
Posted by editor Mon Jun 18, 2007 11:03:37 PDT
The 4-H Club held a petting zoo on June 9 from 8 to 11 a.m. We had lots of fun petting and seeing animals. At the petting zoo they had three goats, one sheep, four rabbits, one llama and four chickens.
Shout out—thank you to Bob Newberry for letting us use the back parking lot of Kmart.
Shout out—thank you to Hemme Hay and Feed for letting us use their hay.
Shout out—thank you to Kmart manager for checking the back grass area for trash we might have left behind.
Shout out—thank you to Bear Valley for helping out at the petting zoo.

http://www.tehachapinews.com/home/ViewPost/23873



Aquarium a lifeline for marine species
By MARK HAY, TERRY SNELL
Published on: 06/19/07
The African environmentalist Baba Dioum said, "In the end, we will only conserve what we love. We will only love what we understand. We will only understand what we are taught."
The Georgia Aquarium has taught, promoted understanding, and provided a personal connection with wildlife to more than 5 million visitors, including more than 100,000 schoolchildren and teachers. A recent survey funded by the National Science Foundation found that visits to aquariums and zoos result in increased support for conservation of animals in the wild.
Without the exposure that aquariums, zoos, and museums can offer, sharks and other wildlife may be doomed. The Georgia Aquarium is providing this exposure, and as it matures we anticipate that its research, conservation, and education activities will grow. The aquarium plays an important role in bringing people into contact with marine life. We should all help strengthen these efforts instead of focusing solely on two tragic whale shark deaths while ignoring millions of other deaths in a polluted, over-harvested ocean that we are all doing too little to preserve because of our inadequate understanding, exposure, and personal connection with its animals.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2007/06/18/0619aquarium.html



A Livelihood Could Be on the Vine
As Competition Devours the State's Horse Industry, Maryland Breeding Farm Looks to Diversify
By John Scheinman
Special to The Washington Post
Thursday, June 21, 2007; Page E01
Three seasons removed from his last as an active stallion, Deputed Testamony lives a quiet life on Bonita Farm in Darlington, Md., at 27 the oldest living Preakness Stakes winner.
The dark brown horse's back curves from age, and he doesn't shed his winter coat as quickly as he used to, but Deputed Testamony stands in his twilight years as a fading reminder of the once-glorious Maryland thoroughbred breeding industry, an industry pummeled to the brink of ruin in recent years by economic dynamics beyond its control.
With Maryland's breeding business falling on hard times, places like the Bonita Farm are forced to find other ways to make money on its land.
Rags to Riches outduels Curlin to become the first filly to win the Belmont Stakes in more than a century and just the third in 139 runnings of the Belmont.
Notebook: Keyed Entry decides not to turn left in the Crade II $200,000 True North Handicap and drives Bordonaro out to the rail on the grandstand side.
Deputed Testamony earned $626,154 in a racing career capped by a victory in the 1983 Preakness Stakes, and the money allowed the family of Bill Boniface, who bred and trained the horse, to move operations from a 40-acre farm in nearby Bel Air to the sprawling beauty of the 235-acre Bonita Farm of today.
Behind the idyllic picture of sloping green pasture at the farm, however, there is trouble. Business has been drying up at Bonita as it has been at breeding farms around the state, and Boniface has had to turn to other sources of revenue, planting grapes for wine and fir trees to be sold at Christmas.
Across the border in

Pasted from <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/20/AR2007062002231.html?hpid=artslot



Small Farms Struggle in Mississippi Delta
African American farmers in the deep South struggle as major portions of federal crop subsidies are given to large industrialized farms. Agricultural towns like Shelby and Mound Bayou in Mississippi suffer from poverty, crime and high unemployment.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/photo/gallery/070619/GAL-07Jun19-78480/index.html?hpid=multimedia1&hpv=national



Pittsburgh Zoo touts bull elephant as most prolific
By Allison M. Heinrichs
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Fathering offspring he's never met in multiple states probably won't earn Jackson a "world's best dad" coffee mug anytime soon.
But he is getting recognition as one of the nation's biggest fathers. The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium's bull elephant holds the record for fathering the most calves at U.S. zoos.
Just in time for Father's Day, the Louisville Zoo announced that paternity tests revealed Jackson, 28, to be the father of Scotty, a male elephant born at the Kentucky zoo in March. Scotty's mother was impregnated through artificial insemination in 2005 and three elephants were possible fathers.
"He is extremely valuable," said Deborah Olson, director of conservation and science programs at the Indianapolis Zoo and studbook keeper for African elephants in North America. "He not only is a very competent, avid mate naturally, he's a really good semen donor."

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/news/cityregion/s_513023.html



Zoo, Lufkin residents celebrate 40 wild years
Festivities commemorate Ellen Trout Zoo's history and role in community
By NICK WADE
The Lufkin Daily News
Saturday, June 16, 2007
When Ellen Trout Zoo opened in 1967, it was a young Barbara Trout Corbett who cut the ribbon. She also did the honors at the re-dedication in 1987, and when the tiger-striped ribbon was cut on Saturday, again it was Corbett who wielded the scissors.
It was only fitting.

http://www.lufkindailynews.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/06/17/zoo_celebration.html



Cosmosphere, Zoo still recovering from floods
Associated Press - June 16, 2007 7:44 PM ET
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) - 2 of Hutchinson's main attractions are still trying to recover from flooding that hit the area a few weeks ago.
The Hall of Space Museum at the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center has been closed since June 7th and the Hutchinson Zoo closed May 24th because of flooding.
Dewatering wells were drilled near the museum on Friday, in an effort to lower the saturated groundwater table. Cosmosphere President Chris Orwoll says it's possible the areas still closed could open Monday, but mid-week of next week is more likely.
Most Cosmosphere areas are open, including the I-MAX Theater, the space camps, and gift shop.
The Hutchinson Zoo still has water outside the lagoon banks and won't reopen in June. Some animals animals are being boarded elsewhere, while other animals have been relocated at the zoo.

http://www.kbsd6.com/Global/story.asp?S=6668786




Evacuated animals to return to Gainesville zoo
© 2007 The Associated Press
GAINESVILLE, Texas — More than 100 animals that had to be evacuated from a Gainesville zoo during flooding -- will soon head home.
The water has receded at the Frank Buck Zoo.
Zoo officials say the displaced animals will be returned later this week.
The animals were removed as rainstorms rolled through North Texas on Monday.
Authorities say a levee was built between the zoo and a nearby creek after a 1981 flood. That levee helped zoo officials monitor the rising water and save the animals.
Frank Buck Zoo director Susan Kleven says the animals seemed to have an idea of what was going on and some walked right into crates, to be moved.
Assistance also came from a nearby ranch and a veterinary clinic -- plus the Dallas Zoo has volunteered to help.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/ap/tx/4906500.html



National Zoo Tigers Celebrate Belated Birthdays
Washington - Saturday June 16, 2007 9:15 pm
Three little one-year-olds received special treats of cow's blood and oxtail bones for their birthday celebration.
The birthday presents were for the National Zoo's Sumatran tiger cubs, who turned one at the end of May.
Guntur, Melati and Mahrami are part of the Sumatran Tiger Survival Plan. Only about 500 Sumatran tigers are left in the wild, and 200 more live in zoos.
When the cubs were born last year, they were frightened, helpless and weighed only three pounds each. Now they eat more than five pounds of meat a day and weigh over 100 pounds.

http://www.wjla.com/news/stories/0607/432043.html



Six lion tamarin monkeys allowed to roam zoo for study
WASHINGTON (Map, News) - Six small golden lion tamarin monkeys now are roaming the grounds of Smithsonian’s National Zoo.
The uncaged monkeys will wander the wooded area of the Beaver Valley Trail each day from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. as part of the annual golden lion tamarin watch, which has been conducted every summer for more than 20 years.
This summer, two adult tamarins, their 7-month-old twins and their 1-month-old twins will participate in the exhibit. Volunteers trained to record the monkeys’ behavior will be on hand each day now through mid-August.
“It has been one of the most popular exhibits at the National Zoo for the past 20 years,” said John Gibbons, spokesman for the National Zoo. “This is one of the rare opportunities for visitors to not simply observe, but be part of an exhibit.”

http://www.examiner.com/a-789670~Six_lion_tamarin_monkeys_allowed_to_roam_zoo_for_study.html?cid=rss-Washington_DC



Indianapolis Zoo's in-water program is a wet and mild encounter with dolphins
Sunday, June 17, 2007
INDIANAPOLIS — Shake hands with the dolphins at the Indianapolis Zoo.
While you're at it, give one a belly rub, signal one do a back dive and get a kiss from one on the cheek.
The Indianapolis Zoo's Dolphin In-Water Adventure program allows you to encounter friendly Atlantic bottlenose dolphins up close. You learn about them through hands-on interaction, and signal them to carry out trained behaviors such as a front flip or tail walk.
It's an incredible experience, especially here in the landlocked Midwest.
However, it's not to be confused with swimming with dolphins. "You don't get all the way into the water, but you can get into their environment," said Amanda Barnett, senior trainer of marine mammals at the Indianapolis Zoo.
The Dolphin In-Water Adventure started in 2006. The 90-minute program includes a classroom session in which you learn about the dolphins' physical characteristics, environment and training process.

http://www.daytondailynews.com/l/content/oh/story/living/travel/2007/06/16/ddn061707traveldolphins.html



Rare condor hatched at zoo
Wire report
Saturday, June 16, 2007
DENVER — A rare Andean condor has hatched at the Denver Zoo, becoming only the second such bird to hatch at a zoo anywhere in the world in the past year, zoo officials said Thursday.
The Denver condor, a male, hatched May 13, joining a condor born in Sydney, Denver Zoo spokeswoman Amy Sarno said. The chick, which does not yet have a name, and his parents, Evita and Andy, are the zoo's only condors, she said.
When the Denver chick matures, it will either be taken to another zoo for breeding - most likely in Europe or South America - or it may be considered for a program in Colombia that releases the birds into the wild, Sarno said.

http://www.abqtrib.com/news/2007/jun/16/rare-condor-hatched-zoo/



300 gather at Virginia Zoo to remember animal lover killed in crash
Nash Cooper Bangor, 2, left, of Virginia Beach and Hannah Burnham, 3, of Suffolk play around the bronze elephants at the Virginia Zoo on Saturday. The animal statues will be placed throughout the zoo grounds.
GENEVIEVE ROSS PHOTOS
THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
By HATTIE BROWN GARROW
The Virginian-Pilot
NORFOLK
The Virginia Zoo's latest additions - a Galapagos tortoise, a white rhinoceros and a mother elephant with her calf - rested under trees Saturday as children sat atop their backs and touched their rough bodies. Parents enjoyed the moment by snapping photographs of their smiling youngsters.
All the while, the animals were quiet and motionless. But most important, they were bronze.
The four animal statues will be placed throughout the zoo in honor of Jackson Fox. The Southampton County boy died last year in a car wreck that also killed two fellow Boy Scouts and an assistant scoutmaster. He was 13.
More than 300 people showed up for Saturday's statue dedication, held in a shaded area just inside the zoo's gates.

http://content.hamptonroads.com/story.cfm?story=126843&ran=10312



Editorial What to do about the Utica Zoo?
AT ISSUE: It needs help, but where does the public funding stop?
June 17, 2007
The Utica Zoo belongs to the people of Oneida County. That was the part of the deal made in 1995 when the county assumed Utica's financial responsibility for the zoo and Memorial Auditorium as part of the creation of a regional water authority.
For that reason, it's only right that county taxpayers have a say in whether the Board of Legislators should provide the zoo with another $141,000. Zoo officials say they need the money to make up a budget shortfall due to lost sources of revenue.
A plan to return the zoo to profitability sounds great on paper, but legislators -- and residents -- need to ask some hard questions before signing off on such a deal.

http://www.uticaod.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070617/NEWS05/706170304/1013



PALM BEACH COUNTY
Rare white gator at zoo draws colorful reaction
Palm Beach Post
WEST PALM BEACH --
As if just being a genetic mutation isn't humiliating enough.
Now Mardi the All-White Alligator from New Orleans has to spend his summer getting pointed at by kids who think he's lawn art.
Mardi made his debut Friday at the Palm Beach Zoo in Dreher Park, perfectly serene -- motionless, actually -- while a giggling gaggle of pre-teens pronounced themselves impressed, but unconvinced.
''It looks fake!'' more than one was heard to exclaim.
''Maybe someone painted him or something?'' said Collin Brown, 8, a second-grader at Morikami Park Elementary School in Delray Beach.
He's not only real, he's rare.
''Mardi is one of only 10 white alligators known to exist in the world,'' said Keith Lovett, the zoo's director of living exhibits, who drove Mardi to Dreher Park from his home at the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, home of the Mardi Gras, the inspiration for his name.
Don't call him an albino. Albinos lack melanin, which gives the skin its color. Mardi has a condition called leucism. He lacks the skin cells that make pigment. Albinos have pink eyes. Mardi has the most beautiful blue eyes you've ever seen -- on an alligator.

http://www.miamiherald.com/569/story/141583.html



Sunday Morning at the Beijing Zoo
We took the kids to visit the Beijing zoo this morning. As an animal lover, going to the zoo always presents a dilemma. On one hand, it's hard watching the poor animals locked in their little cages, far from their natural habitat, completely dependent on their human keepers. On the other hand, where else can you show your children real live animals? So we go, and feel sorry, and overcome it, and move on. Yes, there are other possibilities. The Serengeti National Park in Tanzania is incredible (so says my brother-in-law, I've never been), but it's way too far and way too expensive. The zoo in San Diego is spectacular. But in general, wherever animals are locked up in small spaces is not really a happy place.
We still had a good time. If you are in Beijing, I recommend visiting the zoo. It's an unusual opportunity to see Panda Bears, and many other animals, birds in particular, that I have seen nowhere else. I probably wouldn't have written about it, except there was a riddle at the zoo, and I couldn't solve it. Care to try? Here's the deal: look carefully at the picture below. If you can figure out where North really is, please let me know. All the right answers will take part in a lucky draw. Winner gets two tickets to the Beijing zoo (Panda display included). To make it a little less challenging, I marked the most significant clues in red circles.

http://blogs.sun.com/ChinaExperience/entry/sunday_morning_at_the_beijing



Camel Transferred From Minn. Zoo Dies
(AP) Anchorage, Alaska A necropsy shows that the death of the Alaska Zoo's new camel was likely due to head trauma, officials said.
Knobby, a year-old male, died in his pen May 10.
The zoo refused to publicly release a copy of the report on Knobby's death. Zoo spokeswoman Eileen Floyd said that "we'll never know" what caused the trauma.
The two-humped Bactrian camel arrived at the Anchorage zoo in March, traveling from Minnesota to be a companion and a potential mate for an older female named Tula.

http://wcco.com/topstories/local_story_168102725.html



Yerevan Zoo
Zoo, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia
Onnik Krikorian
Oneworld Multimedia 2007
It’s kind of funny to think that in the nearly nine years that I’ve been living in Armenia I hadn’t ever visited the Yerevan Zoo until today. In part that has been because I’ve nearly been one for viewing animals in captivity, but also because few people are able to talk highly about the zoo which has been at the center of quite a few significant news stories since I’ve been here.
In February 2005, for example, animal rights activists successfully campaigned and protested to prevent an Indian elephant from being sent to join Yerevan zoo’s solitary male, Hrantik and the story even made the BBC.

http://oneworld.blogsome.com/2007/06/17/yerevan-zoo-2/



Outcry over jumbo diplomatic gift
By Habib Beary
BBC News, Bangalore
Fears that Veda may not be able to adjust
A plan to gift an Indian elephant to Armenia has led to an outcry by animal rights activists.
They say six-year-old Veda will find it difficult to adjust to the colder climate in the former Soviet republic.
She is currently lodged at the Bannerghatta national park on the outskirts of the southern Indian city of Bangalore.
Indian animal rights groups have roped in the London-based Born Free Foundation (BFF) in their campaign, as they believe it could jeopardise the life of the young pachyderm.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4243401.stm



Precedent of zoo plot shift
Save-wetlands move
JAYANTA BASU
The state government will have to repeat what it did 13 years ago to save the East Calcutta Wetlands, if the environmentalists have their way.
The green brigade is up in arms over the Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee government’s decision to shift large animals from Alipore zoo to a new facility at Bhagwanpur mouza, off the EM Bypass. The proposed site is within the wetlands, protected under the Ramsar convention. There’s also a high court order barring development in the area.
In 1994, Maneka Gandhi, as head of NGO People For Animals (PFA), had approached then chief minister Jyoti Basu for land to set up an animal shelter-cum-hospital in the city.
“The government agreed and, initially, gave us land near Bantala. The plot was within the protected wetlands. Our chief requested Basu to provide an alternative plot elsewhere,” said Debasis Chakrabarti, managing trustee of PFA, Calcutta.
According to sources, the district magistrate of the area wrote to the organisation asking it to stop construction on the wetlands and reminding it of the high court order in this regard. Justice Umesh Chandra Banerjee had delivered a judgment a couple of years before that, prohibiting construction on the wetlands.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1070618/asp/calcutta/story_7924428.asp



Four-Eyed Turtle Hatches at Tennessee Aquarium
The Tennessee Aquarium, renowned for its work with turtle conservation, has successfully hatched a very rare Beal’s four-eyed turtle, a native of China, reports The Chattanoogan. The Beal’s four-eyed turtle is considered an endangered species, largely because of slow reproduction rates and over-harvesting for the Chinese food and medicine trades. This new addition brings the number of Beal’s turtles available for public viewing to 18, counting public zoos and aquariums in both the United States and Europe. The tally includes 7 males, 5 females, and 6 of unknown gender.
This particular Beal’s four-eyed turtle was born from a clutch of three eggs, laid in mid-April. It was the only egg of the three which turned out to be fertile. When hatched, the diminutive turtle weighed a grand total of 6 grams and measured 38 millimeters from beak to tail, according to an article by Thom Benson in The Chattanoogan.
The four-eyed turtle doesn’t actually have four eyes, but rather ocelli, eye-like markings, on the back of its head, much like a butterfly might have on its wings. Other than the Tennessee Aquarium, the only places to catch a glimpse of one of these unusual critters in America is at the Dallas Zoo and Atascadero’s Charles Paddock Zoo in California.

http://www.tothecenter.com/news.php?readmore=2232



Siberian tiger cubs born in China zoo
Posted Mon Jun 18, 2007 10:12am AEST
Eighty-four Siberian tiger cubs have been born in captivity in north-east China since March this year in a boost to the survival chances of the endangered species, state media reports.
All the cubs were doing well, Liu Dan, an official with the Hengdaohezi Feline Breeding Centre in Heilongjiang province, told Xinhua news agency,
Mr Liu said 13 other pregnant Siberian tigers would give birth to between 20 and 30 new cubs before October.
The centre, established in 1986, holds 750 Siberian tigers and plans to release 620 of them into the wild in the future, he says.
The Siberian tiger, also known as Amur, Manchurian or Ussuri tiger, is among the 10 most endangered species in the world.
Only 400 survive in the wild, about 20 in northern China and the rest in the Russian Far East, the report says.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/18/1953967.htm



Government asks zoo to explain animal deaths
Jeremy Scott
Cheri the elephant died at Western Plains Zoo last week.
The State Government has called on Western Plains Zoo to explain the recent spate of animal deaths.
Western Plains and its sister zoo Taronga have been rocked by a number of allegations in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald, including that environment minister Phil Koperberg has demanded an explanation by the end of this week over the deaths of 16 animals in 24 months.
Western Plains Zoo was left shattered this month after African elephant Cheri and greater one-horned rhinoceros Kua died within a week of each other from obstructive gastrointestinal problems - an explanation that has been given for many of the 16 deaths.

http://wimmera.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=national%20news&subclass=general&story_id=597486&category=general



Zoo denies lions are going hungry
The head of Western Plains Zoo has denied commercial interests are being placed ahead of animal welfare.
Reports today say lions and tigers in Dubbo are missing out on weekly carcass feeds so the zoo can charge tourists to hand-feed them.
The chief executive of the Zoological Parks Board, Guy Cooper, says the hand-feeding experience is available to only six people a day.
He says the animals still receive carcasses and are given carefully-managed diets to ensure they do not get obese.
"If there was any danger that would exist for feeding animals in zoos the risk would be more at overfeeding that underfeeding," he said.
"Certainly underfeeding is just not something that occurs at all."

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/06/18/1954367.htm?site=westernplains



Day at zoo helps soldiers’ kids cope
Children of Guard members heading overseas get in free at Riverbanks on Father’s Day
By DEVON COPELAND - dcopeland@thestate.com
It’s been about a month since soldiers of the S.C. National Guard’s 132nd Military Police Company shared tearful goodbyes with their families before heading to training and then Iraq.
Sunday their children spent the day at Riverbanks Zoo celebrating Father’s Day, offering the children a fun distraction as a number of them still cope with their parents’ absence.
“I’ve found it’s gotten harder,” said Christy Schaefer, of her son Christian’s adjustment to his father, Thomas, being away.
“It’s gone from ‘I miss my daddy’ to ‘I want my daddy now.’”
But as Schaefer and other soldiers’ wives in the West Columbia-based unit learned, sometimes a day of animal-gazing can help.
Operation Military Kids, a national organization that offers programming and support for families and children of military personnel, partnered with Riverbanks Zoo to offer children of deployed military personnel free admission to the zoo for Father’s Day.

http://www.thestate.com/154/story/94975.html


Something new at the zoo
Photo by David Brewster , Star Tribune
A lynx at the Minnesota Trail pondered his new locale. Renovations were intended to make the trail feel more like Minnesota’s North Woods.
After a yearlong renovation, the Minnesota Trail will reopen July 7 with added features that will make visitors feel as though they are walking through the North Woods.
By Jeannine Aquino, Star Tribune
Last update: June 17, 2007 – 11:38 PM
It was like watching schoolchildren racing out the doors for recess. The five wolverines at the Minnesota Zoo rushed into their new-and-improved exhibit, eager to explore. One of them clumsily dragged a log into the stream to create a dam. Another climbed a tree like a cat, while the rest zoomed across their enclosure.

http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1251685.html



Abilene Zoo director leaving
Bullock moving to South Carolina, but last day could be far away
By Brian Bethel
Monday, June 18, 2007
Abilene's zoo director, Jeff Bullock will head off to be assistant zoo director at the Greenville Zoo in South Carolina - eventually. But not before pressing projects at Abilene's zoo are completed or well on their way, he said.
Bullock, 45, will move with his family to Greenville to be nearer to his parents, who live in Tennessee, he said.
''We'll be about two hours from my parents instead of two days,'' he said.
Both the city and his new employers have been flexible about his departure date, Bullock said, since as far as he's concerned he has ''commitments to follow through on.''

http://reporternews.com/news/2007/jun/18/abilene-zoo-director-leaving/



The zoo isn't just for kids
By Jonathan Abbott
Special to The Courier-Journal
As an amateur photographer, I'm sometimes hard pressed to find interesting material for my portfolio. After several hikes on the trails at Tioga Falls (a spectacular place to spend a Saturday afternoon), I took up an interest in wildlife photography, especially "Macro" photography. This style focuses on taking large, close-up pictures of subject matter, and having just acquired a new Macro lens for my camera, I jumped at a recent opportunity to go to the Louisville Zoo with my family.
Now many regard the zoo as a place mostly reserved for kids of the younger variety, but our city's zoo has something for almost everyone, including an amateur photographer. It isn't just a chance to see the animals, as vibrant as they are, however. The flora is as amazing as the fauna. Around every corner can be found exotic plant life.

http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/OPINION04/706180344



Rare daylillies planted at Budapest Zoo
By: All Hungary News
2007-06-18 11:54:00
Daylilies (Hemerocallis) have been planted at the Budapest Animal and Plant Garden on Saturday, reports hirado.hu. These rare flowers native to China bloom for only one day, but new buds grow continuously, thus the plant blooms for weeks.

http://www.caboodle.hu/nc/news/news_archive/single_page/article/11/rare_daylill/?cHash=407e3331b3



Wings and glittery things at the zoo
Social butterflies morphed into party animals Friday night for the Toledo Zoo's Great Lakes Chevy Dealers Zoo To Do presented by National City. Meanwhile, the zoo residents, including the baby polar bears and the butterflies, were tucked in for the night.
The place sizzled with excitement as the 1,800 chic adults of all ages roamed about at the annual black-tie affair.
Of course, to match the theme like the other 19 years, many folks added butterflies to their cocktail wear. And those in the know wore shoes made for walking because that's just what they did, all night long. It was also a chance for the men to show off their gams in shorts with their jackets and ties.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070618/COLUMNIST10/706180365/-1/NEWS17



Zoo cracks eagle egg
06/18/2007 15:32:12
Officials at Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington have literally cracked the case of the unhatched eagle egg. Zoo Director John Tobias says federal Fish and Wildlife Service advised he could burn it, bury it, or crack the egg that was laid more than 50 days ago. He decided to place the egg in a plastic bag and took a good wack at it.
Tobias says its a disappointing ending to a saga that became known as "Eagle Watch." But he says it was the way nature intended it.
For their part, eagles Beauty and Matada had already lost interest in the egg and stopped sitting on it for the last three days or so.

http://www.wjbc.com/wire2/news/03913_Egg-Crack-3WEB_153212.htm


Bald Eagle Soon No Longer Endangered
San Francisco Zoo Ends Eagle Recovery Program
By Lyanne Melendez
Jun. 18 - KGO - Mission accomplished -- that's what San Francisco Zoo officials are saying about the California Bald Eagle Recovery Program. The once endangered bird may soon be taken off the list of threatened species, and today the zoo is shipping out the last nine adult bald eagles ending their effort to breed and release birds into the wild.
These California bald eagles are Tennessee bound. There, they will help increase the population of bald eagles in the south.
Ken Sanchez, U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service: "They are going to Tennessee to the American Eagle Foundation. It's a foundation associated with Dollywood and Dolly Parton, she's a great supporter of the eagles and that group out there has done a great job in the eastern part of the world."
It would have been impossible without the California Bald Eagle Recovery Program and the San Francisco Zoo.

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=local&id=5399729



Orangutan at Zoo Atlanta euthanized because of kidney failure
The Associated Press - ATLANTA
A 29-year-old Sumatran orangutan at Zoo Atlanta was euthanized Monday after veterinarians determined she would not recover from kidney problems.
Hati, which is Indonesian for "heart," was diagnosed in January with chronic renal failure, zoo spokeswoman Susan Elliott said.
Sumatran orangutans are native to Indonesia, where their numbers are imperiled by encroachment and poaching.
Fewer than 60,000 live in the wild, said Rob Shumaker, director of orangutan research at the Great Ape Trust of Iowa.
Zoo Atlanta still has 10 orangutans, which can live 40 to 50 years in captivity, on display. An estimated 200 are on display at accredited zoos and other facilities around the country.
Hati's death is the second of a primate at the zoo this year. On April 2, Banga, a 42-year-old female gorilla, died while under diagnosis for declining health.

http://www.accessnorthga.com/news/ap_newfullstory.asp?ID=93891



Zoo Atlanta prepares for baby orangutan
By MARK DAVIS
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 06/19/07
The nursery lacks only the kid. It's clean, filled with toys, and has plenty of ropes.
Yes, ropes. When the youngster is designed to swing from trees, no nursery is complete without them.
Dumadi, whose birth mother died shortly after he was born, will be raised by Madu at Zoo Atlanta.
Zoo Atlanta is ready to welcome Dumadi, an 8-month-old Sumatran orangutan. He was scheduled to arrive in Atlanta Wednesday morning from the Fort Wayne Children's Zoo in Indiana, where he was born last year. He's bringing his favorite toys — a plastic bucket, a pillow that looks like a monkey, some little plush creatures he clutches in his sleep.
The youngster, whose mother died when he was an hour old, will be raised by Madu, a 25-year-old female at Zoo Atlanta who's done this sort of thing before. After about a week of quarantine, Dumadi will be introduced to his long-armed new mama.

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2007/06/19/0620lvorangutan.html



New Giraffe at Reid park Zoo
Tucson, Arizona Published: 06.19.2007
Watoto is getting accustomed to his new surroundings — a quarantine pen at the Reid Park Zoo, where the young male will soon join the two females in the giraffe exhibit. Scott Barton, zoo and Reid Park operations general curator, says, "The big thing is that we'll start breeding giraffes again," although it could be another two years before he'll be able to breed. Watoto, which means "children" in Swahili, was born Aug. 11, 2005, in the San Diego Wild Animal Park and was recently moved to Tucson. Watoto is expected to be introduced to the other Reid Park giraffes on Thursday.

http://www.azstarnet.com/metro/188105



ENVIRONMENT: ENMAX Conservatory showcases energy-efficiency, environment education at Calgary Zoo
(AlbertaIndex, June 19, Tuesday) --- ENMAX Energy Corporation and the Calgary Zoo will jointly develop the new ENMAX Conservatory, a showcase for innovative and environmentally-friendly energy technology. The new facility will show visitors the benefits of lifestyle and energy provision choices that will reduce their personal ecological footprint.
The exhibit will also feature interactive displays that illustrate alternative and emerging sources of sustainable energy and promote development practices for the city of Calgary that exemplify responsible environment management.

http://www.albertaindex.com/content/view/140/1/



The right and wrong ways to zoo it
David Hancocks
June 20, 2007
First, a confession: I don't like zoos. For more than 30 years I've been directing and planning them; thinking, researching and writing about them; pleading for them to try to meet their potential. It has often been like pushing water up a rope.
Nonetheless, I believe we need zoos. Just not the typical zoos we have today. As modern life is increasingly separated from contact with the natural world, our need for good zoos becomes more urgent. We need zoos that can create a greater sense of compassion in the community, a stronger commitment to care, a fuller understanding of our place in nature.
A handful of the world's zoos are committed to these goals. Most, however, lack intellectual or scientific leadership, have no useful philosophy, refuse fundamental change and focus principally on attendance figures.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/opinion/the-right-and-wrong-ways-to-zoo-it/2007/06/19/1182019112162.html



Feeling down then head down to the zoo and shoot.
By coree coppinger
19 June 2007
As this whole world starts getting me down I pack up my bags and I go to our county zoo. At the zoo I learn how to shoot through screaming hands and dancing feet, through bobbing heads adorned by animal tails and feet. I learn to shoot through glass, finger painted with rocky road, cosmic cherry, chocolate, and Tasmanian berries. Yes at the zoo I learn to shoot through finger nail tracks etched into Plexiglas, along with reflective lights and bouncing flashes. At the zoo I learn to shoot through chain linked fencing, black mist nets and unusual lighting. One moment I am in broad daylight the next I am in total blackness with inferred light. One room can be florescent lights the next can be tungsten or some strange lighting which colors everything a gummy bear green. I play with my white values and have fun with my stops. Some times I aim the camera at the subject intended and some times I aim at the strangest things, but this is all the game when shooting at the zoo. Inspired by earthy fragrances, and peacock cries, I take aim at anyone or anything. I am on safari, I aim, I shoot, I capture anything and everything but these shots mostly turn into nothing, and still I shoot and shoot. What a lovely way to learn how to shoot, what a grand way to forget the day by becoming part of the zoo. So next time this world starts getting you down, don't wait for the next late breaking news. Pack your bags and get yourself down to the zoo. You can forget about life and just learn to shoot and shoot.

http://www.jpgmag.com/stories/951/



Denver Zoo blames fatal jaguar attack on human error
By STEVEN K. PAULSON
Associated Press Writer
Glenwood Springs, CO Colorado
June 19, 2007
DENVER (AP) — A Denver Zoo keeper who was attacked and killed by a jaguar had violated the rules by opening the door to the animal’s cage, zoo officials said Tuesday.
Zoo Vice President Craig Piper said the February death of Ashlee Pfaff was caused by “human error.”
“Our investigation shows Ashlee did not follow established safety protocols on the day of the accident,” Piper said.
He called her death a “true tragedy.”
Pfaff, 27, was killed in February when a 140-pound jaguar named Jorge got into an employee access hallway through the open cage door and pounced on her. An autopsy found she died of a broken neck and had extensive internal injuries.
Piper said Pfaff had broken at least two zoo rules by failing to keep two locked doors between herself and the jaguar, and by failing to verify the location of the jaguar before opening an access door.

http://www.postindependent.com/article/20070619/FRONTPAGE/70619006



Denver Zoo: Employee breached at least 2 safety protocols in jaguar mauling
2007-06-19 21:51:03 -
DENVER (AP) - A Denver Zoo keeper who was attacked and killed by a jaguar had violated the rules by opening the door to the animal's cage, setting in motion the events that led to her death, zoo officials said Tuesday.
Ashlee Pfaff breached at least two safety protocols on the day of the attack in
February, and that the jaguar attack that killed her was the result of «human error,» Zoo Vice President Craig Piper said, announcing the results of a thorough investigation into the fatal attack.
Our investigation shows Ashlee did not follow established safety protocols on the day of the accident,» Piper said.
The violations included a failure to verify the location of the jaguar before opening the zookeeper access door, and failure to maintain two locked doors between the keeper and the animal., he said.
Pfaff died when the 140-pound (63.5-kilogram) jaguar Jorge got into an employee access hallway through an open cage door and pounced on her.
An autopsy found that Pfaff died of a broken neck, and that she had extensive internal injuries.

http://www.pr-inside.com/denver-zoo-employee-breached-at-least-r158261.htm



Denver Zoo: Mauled keeper at fault
By Manny Gonzales
Denver Post Staff Writer
Article Last Updated: 06/19/2007 05:15:05 PM MDT
A zookeeper who was mauled to death by a jaguar failed to follow routine safety precautions in which she was fully trained, officials with the Denver Zoo said today.
Ashlee Pfaff, 27, was killed in February when a 140-pound jaguar named Jorge got into an employee access hallway through an open cage door and pounced on her. An autopsy found she died of a broken neck and had extensive internal injuries.
At a press conference this afternoon, zoo officials said that two key safety violations were made by Pfaff; including the failure to verify the location of the jaguar before opening the keeper access door to the exhibit, and failure to maintain two locked doors between the keeper and the animal.

http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_6178075



New River Zoo can reopen after biting incidents -- with conditions
June 19, 2007 09:09 EDT
JEFFERSON, N.C. (AP) -- Ashe County officials say the New River Zoo can reopen after two animal biting incidents in a year, although only after the owner doubles his insurance and seeks accreditation.
County commissioners voted to allow the zoo to reopen once Keith Stroud Junior increases his insurance to two million dollars and is accredited by the Zoological Association of America. The zoo must also pass inspections.
Stroud says the zoo could likely meet the accreditation standards within six months.
The zoo in Fleetwood closed May 31st after a coatimundi escaped and bit a five-year-old boy. The animal had tunneled under its enclosure. It was euthanized and tested negative for rabies.
The zoo was closed in October when a leopard bit a woman on the arm when she tried to pet the animal.

http://www.wlos.com/template/inews_wire/wires.regional.nc/37636921-www.wlos.com.shtml



Elephants properly housed, say zoo staff
Jeremy Scott
Western Plains Zoo has again been forced to defend its record of animal welfare following allegations from a former keeper that neglect of the zoo's elephants is rife.
Jason Kauntze-Cockburn, an American "elephant-care specialist" who resigned from Western Plains after only one year's service, yesterday alleged the elephant accommodation had been "neglected for years" and was cold and dirty.
In a report published in The Sydney Morning Herald yesterday, Mr Kauntze-Cockburn said keepers were forced to patch up holes in the barn with hay because management had refused to spend money insulating the barn.
In his resignation letter Mr Kauntze-Cockburn wrote: "We are supposed to be raising the standards of keeping elephants in captivity, but (Western Plains) doesn't even meet basic husbandry needs."
However, the claims were refuted by zoo director Guy Cooper, who said the zoo had invested significantly in refurbishing the elephant accommodation over the past two years and only placed hay in the barn because of the pleasure the elephants derived from it.

http://batemansbay.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=national%20news&subclass=general&story_id=598354&category=general



City coucil approves zoo expansion
By BRITTONY LUND
The Lufkin Daily News
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Lufkin City Council on Tuesday approved a contract with Timberline Constructors for the construction of an educational/administration building at Ellen Trout Zoo.
The council also approved the purchase of 16.51 acres on the other side of Ellen Trout Lake to provide for a possible expansion of the zoo.
The city has budgeted $1.7 million for the new zoo building, which will be funded from various sources, including the Friends of the Zoo organization and the zoo building fund.
The plans and costs for the building are expected to be presented to the city council in about three months.

Pasted from <http://www.lufkindailynews.com/news/content/news/stories/2007/06/20/city/city_council.html>


Reading Program Gives Kids Zoo Time
Reading programs for kids are popular during the summer break, and this summer there's one more added to the list.
The Roosevelt Park Zoo has a new summer reading program that gives kids the chance to listen to a story and interact with zoo animals.
The zoo's education coordinator says she and some area teachers came up with the idea...

http://www.kxmc.com/News/135922.asp



Roger Williams Zoo's new giraffe gets a name
Associated Press - June 20, 2007 5:44 AM ET
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - The new baby giraffe at the Roger Williams Park Zoo finally has a name.
He is now known as Mtembei (muh-TEM'-bay), a Swahili word that means "one who roams."
The name was suggested by the Wojtyszyn family of North Kingstown -- parents Lori and Bill and 4-year-old son, Riley.
The male giraffe was born in early May and the zoo held a naming contest that drew more then 5,000 entries. The contest began on Mother's Day and ended on Father's Day.
Meanwhile, another bundle of joy is on the way.
Zoo spokesman Laura Dunn says another newborn giraffe is expected any day now.

http://www.eyewitnessnewstv.com/Global/story.asp?S=6683489&nav=F2DO



4 endangered Mexican gray wolves born at Mexico City zoo venture out of lair
2007-06-20 12:56:31 -
MEXICO CITY (AP) - Four endangered Mexican gray wolves born at the City zoo in early May ventured out of their lair Tuesday, charming photographers and passers-by.
The pups scampered, tussled and got a couple of stern, teeth-baring reprimands from their 10-year-old mother, Joy.
The pups' represent the latest success in a program to breed the wolves in captivity _ another seven wolves were born at a zoo in the western city of Guadalajara in April _ and boost their numbers. There are currently at about 300 in Mexico and the United States, where they are being reintroduced to habitats where they were once roamed.

This is a species in serious danger of extinction, it is a species that has been stereotyped, victimized and persecuted,» said Javier Riojas, director of Mexico City's Chapultepec zoo.
Still, the life that likely awaits the pups is hardly a free-ranging, predatory existence. Most Mexican gray wolves live in captivity, and once they reach two years of age, the pups could be sent to other zoos in the breeding program.

http://www.pr-inside.com/endangered-mexican-gray-wolves-born-r158662.htm



Following Barrage of Federal Charges Against Zoo Nebraska, PETA Offers to Help Place Animals
For Immediate Release:
June 20, 2007
Contact:
Lisa Wathne 757-622-7382
Royal, Neb. -- This morning, PETA sent an urgent letter to Ken Schlueter, director of Zoo Nebraska in Royal, urging him to close the troubled establishment permanently and accept PETA's offer to help move all the remaining animals to accredited sanctuaries. PETA's offer follows a litany of serious charges filed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) against Zoo Nebraska for violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act. Zoo Nebraska has a long history of problems with animal care, which have resulted in numerous USDA citations—more than 130 between May 2000 and November 2006—and thousands of dollars in fines. Many of the citations were based on complaints submitted by PETA.

http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=9944



Zoo Euthanizes Famous Elephant
(AP) ESCONDIDO, Calif. An Asian elephant famed for its appearance on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson has been euthanized at the San Diego Zoo's Wild Animal Park.
The 40-year-old elephant named Carol had been suffering for several years from a joint disease in her legs and inflammation in her feet.
Keepers monitoring the animal's condition say her quality of life had started to deteriorate.
Jeff Andrews, the park's animal care manager, says "we did everything we could for Carol and it was a very difficult decision we made."

http://cbs2.com/topstories/local_story_171124337.html



Rare wombat at Brookfield Zoo (Video)
Rare baby is still in mother's pouch
By John Biemer
Tribune staff reporter
Published June 21, 2007
Brookfield Zoo is welcoming a bouncing baby wombat.
The southern hairy-nosed wombat, a stout-bodied marsupial native to Australia, is the first such birth at the zoo since 1993 -- and the first in any North American zoo in seven years.
Just like kangaroos, baby wombats are called "joeys." Keepers at the zoo have not had a chance to determine the baby's sex or do a hands-on exam because the baby, born about Oct. 29, is still in its mother's pouch most of the time. But they've named it Goldie.
"As far as we can tell, it's healthy," said Jason Photiades, a senior keeper. "It's been growing and appears to be doing well."
When the baby was born, it weighed just 1/1000th of a pound and measured about 4/5th of an inch. Wombats have a short gestation period -- about three weeks -- before they pass through the birth canal and make a 20- to 30-minute journey 5 inches across the mother's fur and into her pouch, where the baby nurses, sleeps and grows. Keepers suspected the mother wombat, Kambora, had given birth when the pouch began to bulge, but they did not know for sure until January.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-web_wombatjun21,1,713038.story?coll=chi-news-hed



Manila willing to demolish zoo for PBA venue
MANILA, Philippines -- The age-old Manila Zoo is in danger of being extinct like some of the animals it houses if the Philippine Basketball Association and the city government will have their way.
The City of Manila has joined the mix of places wanting to be the foundation of the first PBA Dome, according to board chair Ricky Vargas, who said that he gained some positive response from two Manila local government officials in a talk recently.
"It's a good location, the PBA Dome at the heart of the city," Vargas told a select group of scribes Wednesday before the Talk 'N Text vs Red Bull game at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
The PBA chair said he had spoken to vice-mayor elect Isko Moreno and District 5 Rep. Amado Bagatsing, whom he said will support the idea of the PBA Dome being erected at the corner of Quirino Avenue and M. Adriatico Street.
Two other areas -- one in Quezon City and the other in the reclaimed area along the Diosdado Macapagal Boulevard in Pasay City -- are being eyed by the board as possible sites.

http://www.asianjournal.com/?c=194&a=21068



Zoo raises hatchlings, with the aid of a stuffed vulture head and rat puree
By Jonathan Lis
Yehudit Nesher, whose surname means vulture in Hebrew, visits the griffon vulture chicks at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo every four hours. With a stuffed vulture head in one hand and tweezers in the other, she places her arms through holes in the one-way glass of their cage. The two newborn chicks cannot see her. She strokes the chicks with the stuffed vulture head and feeds them pureed rat with the tweezers. Between meals, Yehudit places the stuffed head inside the cage and plays with the chicks.
'Vultures are very devoted parents. I believe emotional nurturing is at least as important as feeding. So we keep the stuffed vulture around after feeding time in order to caress the chicks,' Yehudit explains.
The use of stuffed animals is a perennial zookeeper technique to prevent chicks raised in captivity from imprinting their human caretakers. This way, they later can be released to nature.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=873636&contrassID=2&subContrassID=1&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y



Lion Dies Of Cancer At Jax Zoo
POSTED: 4:48 am EDT June 21, 2007
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JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Officials at the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens have announced the death of Wakati, one of the zoo’s two male lions.
Zoo keepers found the lion Sunday morning. He had been diagnosed with cancer the week before. Wakati had been examined and treated by the zoo’s animal health staff after keepers observed lethargy and loss of appetite . Diagnosis came from a biopsy of a skin tumor that had been removed that was associated with an enlarged lymph node.
Friday, he underwent a re-assessment with an ultrasound exam, and surgery followed immediately to remove the lymph node. Blood work indicated he was in liver and kidney failure. A post-mortem examination was performed Monday, June 18, revealing a widely disseminated disease process that had compromised multiple organs. Further testing is being done to confirm the findings.

http://www.news4jax.com/news/13542157/detail.html



Rare monkey born at Wildlife World Zoo
08:31 PM Mountain Standard Time on Wednesday, June 20, 2007
By Brian Webb / 3TV reporter
The Wildlife World Zoo is showing off a brand new baby boy! It’s actually a rare spot-nosed monkey.
Born one month ago at the Wildlife World Zoo, the first offspring from a group of 34 spot-nosed monkeys were saved from almost certain death.
He’s now under the watchful eye of mom and zoo director Grey Stafford.
"Mom and dad monkey were found on the Bushman’s meat market with two options: sold as pets or put on a dinner table," Stafford said.
The baby's name is Jaberi. It means "fearless," and apparently the name fits.
But Jaberi's success is important on a bigger scale. He’s helping save the species from possible extinction.
And he’s pretty fun to look at too.

http://www.azfamily.com/news/local/stories/KTVKLNews20070620_spot-nosed_wildlife-world-zoo.22d77e2e.html


Sea World and Belugas
By: Marshall Manson on June 20, 2007 - 7:47 pm
I’ve been enjoying a few days off, visiting family in San Antonio, Texas. Yesterday, I had the chance to visit Sea World San Antonio and, thanks to the hard work of one relative (she knows who she is) to take advantage of a special Sea World offering.
I’d been to Sea World before. A few years ago, my wife and I visited Sea World San Diego. We did the usual things — checked out the penguins, laughed at the walruses, and saw the dolphin, killer whale and sea lion shows. I remember leaving a little underwhelmed, but at the time, I couldn’t really put my finger on the reason.
Nevertheless, I was looking forward to yesterday’s Sea World visit, because I was going to experience something very cool — I was going to don a wet suit and get into a pool with several Beluga whales.
Beluga whales are native to the arctic, which explains their white coloring. According to the folks at Sea World, they cruise around widely, but have never been sited south of the South Lawrence River. Interestingly, Belugas are one of the few whales species that are essentially non-migratory. They like the cold water of the arctic, and so there they stay. Your basic Beluga is a little larger than a dolphin. At Sea World, the Belugas perform in a thrice daily show called Viva, which also incorporates acrobatic platform divers and some excitable dolphins.

http://ontapblog.com/2007/06/20/on-sea-world-and-beluga-whales/



Networking for zoos: 3 degrees of separation
Development ( ‘posh’ for fundraising’) is, in some ways, as simple as identifying those people in a position to make a major difference to your organisation, project or cause, and placing yourself in their path ( …again… and again…. and again)
One straightforward way of doing this is to obsess on list making and advice taking. Draw up an initial list of individuals who, in one way or another, might be of interest. Now contact that single well connected someone, who is most likely to give you a little of their time. Very importantly, all you will ask for is their advice. They will comment on your list and your project, tell you who is likely to be interested, add to the list, indicate which of these people they know personally, and ideally allow you to use their name to effect an introduction. Now you have the end of the ball of string. Each time you secure a meeting with a new individual, your network will ramify. You have begun to create a consituency, interested in and informed on your project.
The 3 degrees of separation theory will show itself especially true, when you come across just a few ‘nodal’ individuals who seem to have access to everyone.

http://zoofunding.wordpress.com/2007/06/19/networking-for-zoos-3-degrees-of-separation/



On the brink: the case for zoos
Paul Andrew and Jonathon Wilcken
In 1973 the most extraordinary of frogs, the gastric-brooding frog, was discovered in Queensland's rainforests. It was last seen, since presumed extinct, in 1983. If ever anything could make us wonder at the magic of Australia's fauna it must be a mother that stops eating while she raises her young in her stomach. Yet within a decade of its discovery this frog slipped from the planet with barely a whisper from the Australian public. And this is not an isolated case.
A group of corroboree frogs is now living in a climate-controlled facility at Taronga Zoo. This tiny little frog is as toxic as a poison-arrow frog, winters beneath the snow in the high alps of Kosciuszko, and will probably be extinct in the wild through a deadly fungus by this year or next. Its last hope is a zoo breeding program, which plans to have frogs to release back into the home range in coming years. You can't get much more public than the ski fields, yet again we could lose another remarkable Australian without comment.
Humankind is at a crossroads. We are responsible for the worst spate of extinctions since the dinosaurs. We are undermining the environment for animals and plants by polluting it, deforesting it and introducing "alien" species to it ... and then there's global warming.

http://canberra.yourguide.com.au/detail.asp?class=lifestyle%20news&subclass=habitat&story_id=598458&category=environment



Mountain Gorillas
I am writing todays' blog on behalf of one of my favourite animal species, the Mountain Gorilla. I fell in love with them during my 2 year "long walk" into Rwanda, Uganda and the Congo 10 years ago.
I would just like to give you all a litte background information on these majestic, placid and social creatures, who are almost extinct because of MAN and his encroachment into their environment.

http://blog.360.yahoo.com/blog-eyBuhQw7dL_JSwnI82c-?cq=1&p=341



Orangutans Flee Illegal Loggers in Indonesian Parks
JAKARTA, Indonesia, June 19, 2007 (ENS) - Indonesia’s efforts to crack down on illegal logging are holding out some hope for endangered oranguntans, the red-haired apes that inhabit the Indonesian rainforest, the UN Environment Programme says. But hundreds of orangutans have fled their homes and ended up in “refugee” camps as illegal logging rapidly destroys the last remaining rainforests of Southeast Asia.
UNEP Executive Director Achim Steiner says, “Indonesia cannot and should not have to deal with this issue alone.”
International support and regional cooperation, especially from timber importing countries, is essential to preserve the remaining orangutans, the rainforests of Southeast Asia, and the people whose livelihoods rely on these ecosystems, he says.

http://www.savetheorangutan.co.uk/?p=439


Chicks fascinate crowds at Akron Zoo
Friday, June 15, 2007
Laura Johnston
Plain Dealer Reporter
Akron - As a fuzzy brown head peeks from a burrow at the Akron Zoo's Penguin Point, children in the crowd squeal in approval.
"Ohhh, it's really cute!" says 8-year-old Alexandra Shannon.
The chick - one of four newly hatched Humboldt penguins at the Akron Zoo - has charmed the crowds since venturing outside a few weeks ago.
The births, to four sets of parents in late April and early May, are worth the fuss.
Akron is one of a dozen zoos in North America breeding Humboldt penguins, an endangered species that makes its home on the coasts of Peru and Chile. The zoo hadn't had a Humboldt hatch since 2004, said wild-animal keeper Vicky Croisant.

http://www.cleveland.com/news/plaindealer/index.ssf?/base/summit/1181896777245060.xml&coll=2



Zoos aiming for global standards with tie-ups
New Delhi, June 17: Flaunt "global standards" seems to be the new mantra for zoo authorities in India. Aiming to refurbish their "dull" look and attract as many tourists, several zoo authorities across the country are partnering with foreign experts in a big way, even if it means loosening their pockets a little more.
While Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) has signed a pact with a Thailand-based HKS Designer and Consultant for the Jijabai Bhosle Udyan Park, UP has joined hands with a Singapore-based firm for its proposed night safari at Greater Noida on the outskirts of the national capital.
A masterplan for the Rs 440 crore world class zoo spread over 53 hectares has been prepared by the HKS Designers for BMC which has submitted it to the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) for its approval.

http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=377477&ssid=204&sid=LIF



'Animals living longer'
Sunday, June 17, 2007
Platinum donations and a gold-star accreditation have enabled the Palm Beach Zoo at Dreher Park to break ground on a unique "green" building focused on conservation.
The 2008 opening of the Melvin J. & Claire Levine Animal Care Complex not only will include a hospital named for Salvatore M. Zeitlin, the zoo's long-time veterinarian. The project, which needs a $2 million endowment, stands to make the West Palm Beach zoo "a real player in conservation medicine and wildlife management," Executive Director Terry Maple said, "not only in Florida but in the Caribbean and South America and elsewhere."

http://www.palmbeachpost.com/opinion/content/opinion/epaper/2007/06/17/a2e_zoo_edit_0617.html



Cuts to lions' diet and $50 charge to feed them
LIONS and tigers at Western Plains Zoo are being denied their weekly feed of carcasses as management tries to increase revenue by charging tourists to hand-feed them.
This has angered zoo employees and has been criticised by an international zoo expert, who has accused management of resorting to regressive 19th century practices in the name of commercialism.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/national/anger-at-cuts-to-lions-diet-and-50-charge-to-feed-them/2007/06/18/1182018949345.html



Karelian Bear Dogs Manage Grizzly Bears in Montana

http://dogblog.dogster.com/2007/06/17/karelian-bear-dogs-manage-grizzly-bears-in-montana/



Celebrity fish struggle at Ga. Aquarium
Published on: 06/18/07
A celebrity is big stuff; a celebrity has a name that draws crowds and publicity. And when a celebrity dies under mysterious conditions, well, people do get curious.
Ten years after the death of Princess Diana, for example, the British government is about to launch yet another inquest into the automobile accident that took her life.
Now, you have to be careful about comparing the beloved Princess Di to a couple of big fish. But in the world of zoos and aquariums, Ralph and Norton, the two young whale sharks that died recently at the Georgia Aquarium, were certainly being groomed for royal status. More than 20 feet long, with the potential to grow to 40 feet or longer, the fish were prime examples of what wildlife specialists call "charismatic megafauna," the stars of the animal world.
At the Georgia Aquarium, Ralph and Norton were to serve the same function that the gorilla Willie B. once filled at Zoo Atlanta. Along with two female whale sharks, Alice and Trixie, Ralph and Norton were to play the role of beloved symbols, not just of the aquarium but of the city.

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/content/opinion/stories/2007/06/17/0618bookman.html



Reptile zoo staff saved snakebite victim
Date: 2007-06-14
Author: Lindsay Cole
"This happens a lot. To my knowledge there is about 15 exotic venomous snakebites a year in Ontario."
A snakebite can take only seconds to release its toxins, and if not treated in time, can kill with deadly potency.
This was the reality a man had to face who was bit by a South American viper Monday.
However, thanks to workers at the Indian River Reptile Zoo his life was saved, but at a grave cost.
Bry Loyst, the curator for the zoo, said he as soon as he found out about the incident he and an employee of the zoo immediately drove down to Toronto, grabbing all of their available antivenin.
"He would have died if he didn't get the antivenin," he said.
Mr. Loyst remained closed lipped about specific details of the case, respecting the man's wishes of remaining anonymous.
However, he added the man was treated at a Toronto hospital and required 10 vials of his antivenin and 15 antivenin vials from the Toronto Zoo, who also came to his aid.

http://www.mykawartha.com/article/10604



NEW HEARST GRIZZLY GULCH NOW OPEN!
Journey to the rugged regions of North America and come nose-to-nose with the Zoo’s beloved female grizzly bears, Kachina and Kiona, in a new expansive habitat called Hearst Grizzly Gulch. With a sunny meadow, 20,000-gallon pool, herb garden, mountain stream waterfall and heated rocks, Hearst Grizzly Gulch enables the 4-year-old bears to do what they do best - explore, romp, swim, fish, forage, dig and nap. At 1 acre, Hearst Grizzly Gulch is one of the largest naturalistic environments dedicated to grizzly bears in any zoo.
The new exhibit celebrates a milestone in the lives of the orphaned, Montana-born sisters who warmed the hearts of Bay Area residents with the bittersweet story of getting a second chance at life. The orphaned bears were originally slated to be euthanized after they were considered “problem” animals for getting too close to developed areas and into a rancher’s grain storage. In the fall of 2004, San Francisco Zoo Board Member Fred Carroll notified the Zoo of the bears’ dire situation. With the cooperation of the Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks Department, the Zoo agreed to provide a home for the two grizzly bears, Kachina and Kiona, whose names in Native American dialect mean “sacred dancer” and “brown hills” respectively. At Hearst Grizzly Gulch, you’ll also learn the tale of Monarch, the grizzly bear that was the inspiration for the San Francisco Zoo and whose image appears on the California state flag.

http://www.sfzoo.org/new/



When people behave without a conscience, aka 'Two wrongs do not make a right':

Texas crowd beats man to death
June 21, 2007 - 6:19AM
AdvertisementAdvertisement
A Texas crowd beat a man to death after his friend hit a small girl with his car, police said today.
The incident came just days after six people were killed after an out-of-control drag car ploughed into a crowd of spectators at a children's charity event in Tennessee.
Police in Texas have still not determined how many people ganged up on David Morales, 40, who was killed after he tried to help the friend who was driving the car.

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/06/21/1182019228989.html


Dated:

Remember this:

Petting Zoo was on now defunct terror list
By Carolyn Acree
The Daily Sentinel
Published July 14, 2006
Woodville’s Old MacDonald’s Petting Zoo found fame this week, and fortune may follow – all due to a now defunct Homeland Security document.
The six-acre, pine-covered farm off Hwy. 72 in Woodville, visited just last Friday by the Scottsboro Rec*Com’s summer daycare kids, showed up on a national list of terrorist targets that was leaked to a reporter this week.

http://www.thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=bc87fd5cd50e86e8



Zoo Finishes Accreditation Inspection
Officials at the Little Rock Zoo are cautiously optimistic after a visit by an accreditation team. The accreditation team assessed whether the zoo still meets guidelines set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Zoo director Mike Blakely says the park will not hear anything more from the AZA on accreditation until Sept. 24. But, Blakely says but he didn't see anything of overwhelming concern in this week's report.
The zoo won accreditation in 2001 after losing it three years earlier because of animal deaths, escapes and old exhibits.

http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=31258



Topeka Zoo newbie roars into the spotlight
Story by Natasha Trelfa (Contact)
9:37 p.m. Saturday, July 15, 2006
Topeka — Animal lovers got the chance to catch a glimpse of one of the Topeka Zoo’s newest family members today.
People tried to beat the heat as they checked out the Lion’s Pride exhibit where Avus, an African lion, is now on display for Topeka to enjoy.
Avus spent the past few weeks slowly getting used to the exhibit, but zoo staff said he is already very comfortable with his new home

http://www.49abcnews.com/news/2006/jul/15/new_member_topeka_zoo_roars_spotlight/



Zoo will be among region’s best in 5 yrs
Published: Friday, 14 July, 2006, 12:56 PM Doha Time
"IN five years, Doha Zoo will hopefully be one of the best not only in the Gulf but the entire Middle East," said Hamad Saleh al-Yazeedi, head of the facility.
"We have a number of plans to develop the zoo and we will be upgrading and improving the facility one by one," he said.
The zoo has received "high marks" from a number of quarters, according to Dr Abubacker Hamoda, veterinarian at the facility.
In their efforts, the officials have the support of Dr Qassim al-Thani, head of animal resources and administration; and Dr Sheikh Faleh bin Nasser al-Thani, director of agricultural research, at the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Agriculture. "They are keen on modernising the zoo and give all their support", Yazeedi said.

http://www.gulf-times.com/site/topics/article.asp?cu_no=2&item_no=97329&version=1&template_id=36&parent_id=16



Zoo Millage?
Reporter: Beth Shayne
The Potter Park Zoo is unquestionably a city asset, but it's also been a thorn in the city's side for several budget cycles now.
It costs the city approximately $1.5 million dollars to operate, but it is used by people from all over mid-Michigan.
An Ingham County task force's recommendation to share the cost through a millage is a victory for a city that's hoped to regionalize for many years.
This proposal on the table would likely ask for a quarter to a half percent mill increase to fund Potter Park. It must be approved by the Ingham County Board of Commissioners, then the Lansing City Council, and then, of course, the voters.
City Council president Harold Leeman, Jr. is not sure it is the best possible option. The millage would lease the zoo to the county. The city would own it, but the county would manage it. Leeman, who served on the task force, would prefer a 50/50 management scenario.
He says he and his colleagues are concerned about turning over a city asset.

http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/3354631.html



Zoo promises nicer visits for extra dollar
TESS MARTINEZ
Tucson Citizen
Michelle Curcio hadn't taken her daughters, Mikayla, 7, and Nicolette, 4, to the Reid Park Zoo in about a year.
"Our favorite was the otters," said Nicolette, who carried a clipboard to write down the names of all the animals.
"And the deers," Mikayla said.
The City Council last week unanimously approved a $1 increase in adult admission to the zoo. The increase will start in August, bringing admission up to $6 for people ages 15 to 61.
"It's a lot nicer now than it was last time," Curcio said. "There's a lot more grassy areas now, and it looks really nice. The extra dollar won't detract for us. I was even thinking about getting a membership again."
Other admission fees will stay the same: $4 for seniors ages 62 and older and $2 for kids 2 to 14. Children younger than 2 may enter free.

http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/19211.php



Something Fishy: An interview with film director Alan De Herrera
Posted by Sarah van Schagen at 9:30 AM on 17 Aug 2006
Avast, mateys! 'Tis been too long since me last post. The good ship Something Fishy, she been a'travelin' far and wide to find ye the juiciest sea-worthy stories yet untold. This week, I introduce you to Alan De Herrera, a documentary filmmaker whose latest work, Sea Lions: An Unforgettable Encounter, delves deep into the lives of California sea lions.
Circus veterans for more than a century, California sea lions are entertaining animals, and as a result, are one of the most widely recognized marine mammals in the world. But De Herrera's more worried about their reputation as pests -- venturing into marinas and climbing aboard boats; following commercial vessels to all the best fishing holes and then pilfering the catch; even maneuvering onto fish ladders to trap salmon on their way upstream.

http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/8/16/19756/9082


Elephants quarantined on Cocos Islands
August 1, 2006 - 9:19AM
Eight Asian elephants have completed the first leg of their controversial journey from Thailand to Australian zoos and are settling into life on the Cocos Islands.
A last-minute bungle on Sunday meant the group was split up because the Russian airfreighter flying them to the Indian Ocean territory was smaller than ordered.
Four of the elephants flying out of Utapao airport near Bangkok arrived on the Cocos Island on Monday morning.
The remaining four touched down about 11am (AEST) on Tuesday.
All eight elephants will be kept in quarantine on the Cocos Islands for three months before going to Melbourne Zoo and Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/National/Aussiebound-elephants-to-be-quarantined/2006/08/01/1154198108000.html


Zoo claims Hazina the hippo was not mistreated
Lawyer says zoo staff 'heartbroken' by accusations; he wants charges dropped
Jeff Lee, Vancouver Sun
Published: Tuesday, August 01, 2006
The Greater Vancouver Zoo is trying to convince the SPCA to drop its animal cruelty charge, saying there is no evidence that Hazina the hippo was mistreated or subjected to distress.
The zoo's lawyer Glen Orris, speaking outside Surrey Provincial Court Monday, said staff are "heartbroken" over being accused of mistreating the two-year-old hippo.
"These charges reflect on every person associated with and who works with the zoo," said Orris. "Every person there takes these charges personally. It is an inference that these people are not doing their jobs."

http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/westcoastnews/story.html?id=128b7bb3-01bb-421c-8a97-d4d852a17fff&k=84598

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