Zoos
Art of the Storm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/artsandliving/interactives/lestweforget/index.html?hpid=artslot
Hoosiers cautioned to wash hands after contact with animals
Comet staff report
The summer months offer Hoosiers a great opportunity to be outdoors and interact with domestic and farm animals at zoos, fairs, farms, and other animal exhibits. State health officials are reminding people of the importance of washing their hands thoroughly after petting or feeding animals, or being in animal areas.
"People should know that animals may carry germs that can make them sick, and they should never eat, drink, or put things in their mouths in animal areas," said State Health Commissioner Judy Monroe, M.D. "Older adults, pregnant women, and young children should be especially careful around animals."
http://www.carrollcountycomet.com/news/2007/0822/local_News/013.html
Rare birth of panda baby at Vienna zoo
23 August 2007
VIENNA - A baby panda was born today at Vienna’s Schoenbrunn Zoo, the first in Europe to be conceived naturally while in captivity, the zoo said.
Most pandas conceived in captivity are the product of artificial insemination but Schoenbrunn Zoo’s director Dagmar Schratter said today that her team had wanted "to let nature run its course."
The cub, which measures about 10 centimetres and weighs just 100 grams, is the product of the zoo’s two giant pandas in residence, Yang Yang and Long Hui.
The couple, now aged seven, came to Vienna in 2003 as a loan from China and became an item a year later.
"The two lived in perfect harmony," conceiving their first cub on April 27, Schratter told a press conference.
http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=546639
Zoos have become philosophical battlegrounds
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By Linda Wilson Fuoco,
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Two Alaskan Dall sheep climbed mountains made of huge rocks. Five zebras grazed in a very large pasture while a sixth stood guard, keeping his eye on the people watching from behind a high, sturdy metal fence. Two hyenas in a separate enclosure trotted up to the fence to greet their keepers.
In another part of this animal enclave, baby goats, piglets, miniature donkeys and an amazingly friendly African spur thigh tortoise greeted visitors, competing for attention. We had no food, and the petting zoo animals were very happy to be petted and to have their ears scratched.
In all there were 134 animals spread across a 3,000-acre resort in Fayette County. Some of the animals -- including native species such as black bears -- were in wildlife habitats and the educational Wildlife Academy. The petting zoo had mostly farm animals and the tortoise, which enjoys people and loves to follow them around.
http://www.envirolink.org/external.html?itemid=200708230737540.461325
Great Canadian zoos
Article By: Jennifer Gruden
Zoos aren't just for kids! Here are some of Canada's finest.
Zoos aren't just kid stuff! Going to accredited zoos and aquariums in North America has a measurable impact on the conservation attitudes and understanding of adult visitors, according to a three-year research project released in September by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Key results of the study found that:
• Visits to accredited zoos and aquariums prompt individuals to reconsider their role in environmental problems and conservation action, and to see themselves as part of the solution.
• Visitors believe zoos and aquariums play an important role in conservation education and animal care.
• Visitors experience a stronger connection to nature as a result of their visit.
• Visitors bring with them a higher-than-expected knowledge about basic ecological
concepts. Zoos and aquariums support and reinforce the values and attitudes of the visitor.
Twelve institutions and 1,400 visitors participated in the studies over a three-year period.
http://www.50plus.com/display.cfm?libraryID=112&cabinetID=369&documentID=14480
Featured Amazon Item: Museums, Zoos, and Botanical Gardens of Wisconsin
Museums, Zoos, and Botanical Gardens of Wisconsin: A Comprehensive Guidebook to Cultural, Artistic, Historic, and Natural History Collections in the Badger State
Museums, Zoos, and Botanical Gardens of Wisconsin: A Comprehensive Guidebook to Cultural, Artistic, Historic, and Natural History Collections in the Badger State
http://blog.thebubbler.com/2007/08/23/featured-amazon-item-museums-zoos-and-botanical-gardens-of-wisconsin/
Why the delay in addressing zoo issues?
VOICE OF THE PEOPLE
What is the future of South Bend's Potawatomi Zoo? Per the Aug. 2 and Aug. 3 Tribune articles it appears as if the zoo does not and is not prepared to meet the Association of Zoos and Aquariums accreditation standards. Not meeting these standards will lead to demise of the zoo. Terry DeRosa, the director, says meeting minimum standards will require $1.3 million. Jones and Jones Architects says $3 million to $10 million is necessary to exceed the minimum standards, thereby, providing for the future of our zoo.A master plan developed seven years ago apparently did not address these standards.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070822/News01/708220422/1063/Opinion
No need to change horse meat in midstream
We're all for the humane treatment of animals of any kind, but it's hard to get too worked up over the latest activist overreaction to whether carnivores at zoos should be fed horse meat.
The Seattle Times reported last week that after Texas shut down two horse-slaughter plants in January, the last plant in the country is fighting off closure in Illinois courts. Now Congress is entering the picture with consideration of a federal horse-slaughter ban.
It's an issue of great concern to Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo and Tacoma's Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, both of which have long fed horse meat to their meat-eating animals and birds of prey. They think it's as close as they can come to the lean meat their captives dine on in the wild.
http://www.yakima-herald.com/page/dis/289639162662894
The Bear Necessities: Helping Picky Pandas
Posted by Mark Strassmann
Mark Strassmann is a CBS News correspondent based in Atlanta.
Sure, they’re the cutest things on the planet. Next to my kids, of course. But my kids are better eaters. I’m talking about pandas. They’re considered an endangered animal. Fewer than 1800 of them live in the wild in southwestern China. While every zoo in America would like to have a pair in its menagerie, only four of them actually do. (Zoos in Atlanta, San Diego, Washington, D.C. and Memphis) And these zoos each pay the Chinese government around a million dollars a year for the privilege of borrowing pandas to put on exhibit. But come mealtime, the pandas make these zoos pay, too. They are among the pickiest eaters anywhere. Keeping them fed can become maddening for zookeepers.
http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/08/22/couricandco/entry3194540.shtml
Zoos have become philosophical battlegrounds
Thursday, August 23, 2007
By Linda Wilson Fuoco, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Two Alaskan Dall sheep climbed mountains made of huge rocks. Five zebras grazed in a very large pasture while a sixth stood guard, keeping his eye on the people watching from behind a high, sturdy metal fence. Two hyenas in a separate enclosure trotted up to the fence to greet their keepers.
In another part of this animal enclave, baby goats, piglets, miniature donkeys and an amazingly friendly African spur thigh tortoise greeted visitors, competing for attention. We had no food, and the petting zoo animals were very happy to be petted and to have their ears scratched.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07235/811353-62.stm
IDA eNews: 8/22/07
IDA ACTION ALERTS
1. IDA Urges Closure of Elephant Exhibit Following Tanzy's Death "Take Action" to help send surviving elephant to a sanctuary, not another zoo Animal advocates are mourning the recent passing of yet another elephant who died from the effects of long-term confinement to a tiny zoo enclosure. Tanzy, a 49-year-old African elephant who lived for almost two decades at the Abilene Zoo in Texas, is the latest victim of the zoo industry's calculated denial and deception, and will undoubtedly not be its last. That is why IDA has sent an urgent plea to Abilene's Mayor urging him to send Tanzy's surviving enclosure-mate Tanya to a sanctuary instead of another zoo, and to permanently close the zoo's elephant exhibit so that no more pachyderms have to die before their time. Tanzy spent nearly 20 years of her life in Abilene Zoo's woefully inadequate elephant exhibit, which provides an outdoor yard of less than a half-acre in size and indoor concrete-floored pens measuring just 24'x15'. By contrast, wild elephants walk 10 or more miles a day over varied terrain, which is necessary for maintaining foot and joint health. In the last years of her life, Tanzy was maintained on a steady diet of painkillers for degenerative arthritis.
http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2007/08/22/18442480.php
Zoo to keep its accreditation
By Diane Toroian Keaggy
ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
08/23/2007
The St. Louis Zoo will keep its accreditation from the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, despite findings by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that it violated the Animal Welfare Act. The AZA inspects and accredits the nation's top 200 zoos and is scheduled to review the St. Louis Zoo in 2008."As part of our accreditation process, we look carefully at USDA investigative reports," said AZA spokesman Steve Feldman. "Our standards are more comprehensive than USDA requirements, and we would look at anything in their reports that has a bearing on our standards."Earlier this month, the USDA fined the St. Louis Zoo $7,500 for the 2005 deaths of two polar bears: Churchill, who had bits of plastic bags and cloth in his digestive tract, and Penny, who died after her uterus ruptured with two dead fetuses inside. The Zoo disagreed with the findings but paid the fine to avoid further legal fees if it had appealed.
http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/illinoisnews/story/467BC3AEE111FAF9862573400018407C?OpenDocument
Taronga Zoo gives orphan babies a chance
By Saffron Howden
August 24, 2007 12:00am
NADIA Wattle has been through a lot since she was born just 143 days ago.
The orphaned Nadia was brought to Taronga Zoo 2½ weeks ago to be mothered by keepers until she could survive on her own.
A few days later she was joined by Leena, a fellow orphaned brushtail possum.
By day the pair, snuggled in knitted pouches, are fed a diet of milk, native flowers and leaves.
In the evening their respective surrogate mothers - zoo keeper Natasha Ford and veterinary nurse Amy Twentyman - take them home to continue their care.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22296783-5007132,00.html
Rare birth of panda baby at Vienna zoo
23 August 2007
VIENNA - A baby panda was born today at Vienna’s Schoenbrunn Zoo, the first in Europe to be conceived naturally while in captivity, the zoo said.
Most pandas conceived in captivity are the product of artificial insemination but Schoenbrunn Zoo’s director Dagmar Schratter said today that her team had wanted "to let nature run its course."
The cub, which measures about 10 centimetres and weighs just 100 grams, is the product of the zoo’s two giant pandas in residence, Yang Yang and Long Hui.
http://www.sowetan.co.za/News/Article.aspx?id=546639
Great Canadian zoos
Article By: Jennifer Gruden
Zoos aren't just for kids! Here are some of Canada's finest.
Zoos aren't just kid stuff! Going to accredited zoos and aquariums in North America has a measurable impact on the conservation attitudes and understanding of adult visitors, according to a three-year research project released in September by the American Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
Key results of the study found that:
• Visits to accredited zoos and aquariums prompt individuals to reconsider their role in environmental problems and conservation action, and to see themselves as part of the solution.
• Visitors believe zoos and aquariums play an important role in conservation education and animal care.
• Visitors experience a stronger connection to nature as a result of their visit.
• Visitors bring with them a higher-than-expected knowledge about basic ecological
concepts. Zoos and aquariums support and reinforce the values and attitudes of the visitor.
Twelve institutions and 1,400 visitors participated in the studies over a three-year period.
http://www.50plus.com/display.cfm?libraryID=112&cabinetID=369&documentID=14480
Terrified, sick and starved in the zoo - the final days of a rare, pregnant rhino...
She was the young rhino who loathed life in a zoo, trembling whenever she was forced to face the world from behind a fence. But there was nowhere for a 2-tonne animal to hide at Taronga Zoo in Sydney and in June Kua, a rare greater one-horned rhino, died at the age of 4, an ulcerated and emaciated mess. In rhino terms, she was barely out of her childhood.
The zoo claimed that Kua, imported from San Diego Zoo, died from a gastrointestinal illness. And there the matter might have stayed had not the Sydney Morning Herald newspaper used Australia’s freedom of information laws to force the zoo and the RSPCA to make public the results of an autopsy. The details have scandalised Australians and prompted renewed debate about the ethics of keeping large animals in zoos.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/article2317162.ece
Large demand fuels distance learning program at zoo
Published 8/23/2007
A ninth-grader in Ryan Schaffer's class wanted to know whether the screech owl he was holding wouldSchaffer, the distance learning coordinator at Lee Richardson Zoo, was confident it wouldn't.
"The only time an animal will bite you is if you hurt it or look like its food," he said Wednesday from the Finnup Center for Conservation Education at the zoo.
He then continued with his lesson about animals that can fly, as the class, sitting about 1,300 miles away at Pathways Educational Program in Moultrie, Ga., followed along.
bite him.
http://www.gctelegram.com/News/139708
continued...
Thursday, August 23, 2007
There are issues at Wikipedia that in my opinion can seriously undermine their credibility
The Public relies on Wikipedia to deliver reasonably reliable content to their definitions and information. What is being attempted by Ted Frank (a.k.a. THF) is disinformation. The "SiCKO" site in Wikipedia isn't that dynamic an issue that access to it has to be continuous and volatile.
Everyone knows any of Michael Moore's films evoke controversy. They challenge the 'status quo' and in the case of "SiCKO" the 'status quo' has become a fine line between life and death of human beings vs. corporate profits. When someone, anyone; like Ted Frank tries to alter the 'reality' that is perfectly obvious in "SiCKO" they are committing human rights violations.
The understanding of health care in the USA is so rattled by Michael's documentary, it has nearly every household looking for guarantees to their healthcare issues while the Neocon Conservatives, such as Ted Frank, are seeking every way possible to undermine the 'authenticity' of the film. It cannot be undermined. The film is not about Michael Moore. It is about people that make dramatic testimony to 'the truth' regarding their treatment by the American 'privatized' health care system which in all to many cases leads to death. THAT is serious business.
FOR ANYONE CONTEMPLATING TAMPERING WITH THE TRUTH OF "SiCKO;" THEY NEED TO REALIZE THEY ARE OPENING THEMSELVES TO SCRUTINY OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES.
Michael Moore has archived in redundancy 'the truth' of his films. There are no mistakes in his film. The MISTAKE people like Ted Frank make, that criticize a DOCUMENTARY, is they so frequently tamper with the truth, they can no longer discern it when they see it.
Wikipedia has to realize the content of 'SiCKO' has finite changes to be entered. The film is 'fixed' and Mr. Moore can provide redundant proof to that end. The Wikipedia site for "SiCKO" should be closed and sealed as the authenticity to any of the facts has already been validated and there is NO discussion to Michael's documentary.
I value Wikipedia, but, unless there comes an understanding that some entries at some point in time when all the facts are known, become closed to changes then how is there any legacy guaranteed to any site Wikipedia provides in truthfulness. There needs to be a more scientific process that provides a standard to an entry to close it's editing content; ie: "I was born on The Fourth of July." That should be editable? No. Either I was born on the 4th of July or I wasn't. By the way, I wasn't.
There isn't anything more to say about "SiCKO." Close the site to edits and that is verifiable by the Moore archives.
The reason the 'heat-transfer' from the Western Pacific into Antarctica is occuring is due to the drought in Australia.
August 23, 2007
1707 gmt
Australian Satellite
Two major storms, one Cat 3 and one Cat 5. There was still humidity over Australia.
There were five major storms of either Cat 4 or Cat 5 with plenty of humidity. This was the year when it snowed during Australia's summer, with a major heat crisis over Antarctica simultaneously.
There were more storms this season, with one Cat 3, one Cat 4 and one Cat 5. The frequency increased with humidity becoming more sparse and the Aussie drought becoming more of a reality.
Now fast forward to 2007 with drought profoundly affecting Australia and what kind of hurricanes does Australia experience?
Nine storms but only two significant storms with ONLY a Cat one rating. The humidity in the troposphere is unavailable to give Australia relief from the heat and as a consequence there are heat transfers into Antarctica.
Antarctica is receiving heat in the face of significant storms in the Atlantic and Pacific.
August 23, 2007
1525 gmt
African-Europe Satellite
This continent is still hot over it's equatorial region, I wouldn't discount another hurricane in the Atlantic before too much longer.
August 23, 2007
1533 gmt
Pacific Global Satellite
August 23, 2007
1707 gmt
West Pacific Satellite
August 23, 2007
1324 gmt
South Pole Satellite
Noted vortex arriving from the West Pacific with heat transfer. Also noted, decreased vortexes arriving from Atlantic and Eastern Pacific due to 'heat transfer hurricanes (click here) and here.
However, the West Pacific has seen one Cat 4 Typhoon, two Cat 4 Super Typhoons and one Cat 5 Typhoon with a storm surge greater than feet, but continues to disaffect the southern hemisphere as Sol's radiation starts to reach below the equator.
However, the West Pacific has seen one Cat 4 Typhoon, two Cat 4 Super Typhoons and one Cat 5 Typhoon with a storm surge greater than feet, but continues to disaffect the southern hemisphere as Sol's radiation starts to reach below the equator.
August 23, 2007
12:00 PM
Antarctica Wind Satellite (24 hour loop - click here)
The winds are interesting from a 'temporal' point of view. In the 24 hour loop, beginning with August 22, 2007 there are primarily calm winds, however, as the loop progresses into August 23, 2007 the surface winds pick up speed with some nearing 40 mph/18 m/s. The transending turbulence from upper disturbance/higher elevations of vortices; happens over time as opposed to varying wind changes with offshore wind differences.
August 22, 2007
0600 gmt
Antarctica Jet Stream satellite (click for animation)
Although this view of the Jet Stream is relatively calm, in animation there are many high elevation vortices that have paid Antarctica a visit. In all the reporting stations other than Vostok the pressure is falling. In other words low pressure systems prevail in those areas with weather conditions of percipitation of one form of ice/snow. I didn't note any rain. The visibility at these reporting stations are low compared to Vostok which reports a visibility of 12 miles. The conditions at Vostok are more than likely clear, without any percipitation. Therefore the vortexes arriving as heat transfer on to Antarctica are at altitudes lower than Vostok. Hence, Vostok continues to enjoy the coldest conditions on Earth.
It's getting warm again in Antarctica. The satellite is only missing 12 A and 3P from it's 24 hour loop
August 23, 2007
12:00 PM
Antarctica Temperature Satellite
The Coldest Areas in Antarctica:
Vostok, Antarctica
6:00 PM VOST
Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m
Temperature :: -93 F / -69 C
Humidity :: 55%
Dew Point :: -97 F / -71 C
Wind :: 5mph / 7 km/h from the West Southwest
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: only listed as (Rising)
Visibility :: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers
Amundsen-Scott
12:00 AM NZST
Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2930 m
Temperature :: -77 F / -60 C
Conditions :: Snow
Wind :: 13 mph / 20 km/h from the East
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: listed only as (Falling)
Visibility :: 7.0 miles / 11.0 kilometers
Clean Air
Time 11:50 PM NZST
Temperature :: -76 F / -60 C
Conditions :: Ice Crystals
Humidity :: not reported
Pressure :: 28.55 in / 967 hPa
Winds :: 13 mph / 20 km/h / 5.7 m/s from the East
Mawson 68.65S 61.12E, Antarctica
Elevation :: 6014 ft / 1833 m
Temperature :: -35 F / -37 C
Wind :: Reported as Calm
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: none reported
Davis Reporting Station 76.05S, 65.02E
Time :: 11:00 PM DAVT
Elevation :: 7687 ft / 2343 m
Temperature :: -50 F / -45 C
Winds :: Reported as Calm
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: Not reported
August 22, 2007
9:00 PM
Antarctica Temperature Map
The warmest areas in Antarctica:
Base Jubany, Antarctica
3:00 PM GMT
Elevation :: 13 feet / 4 meters
Temperature :: 32 F / 0 C
Conditions :: Light Snow
Humidity :: 91%
Dew Point :: 30 F / -1C
Wind :: Calm
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: 28.85 inches / 977 hPa (Falling)
Visibility :: 2.0 miles / 4.0 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16 (tough to have a UV rating is the sun is just peeking over the horizon)
Clouds :: Overcast 197 ft / 60 meters
(Above ground level)
Great Wall, Antarctica
Time :: 12:00 PM GMT
Elevation :: 33 ft / 10 meters
Temperature :: 31 F / 0 C
Dew Point :: 30 F / -1 C
Wind :: 7 mph / 11 km/h from the Northwest
Wind Gust :: -
Pressuer :: 28.87 in / 977 hPa (Falling)
Visibility :: 4.0 miles / 6.0 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16
...continued...
There is some daylight in Antarctica
To demonstrate what a completely incompetent administration Bush runs, due to his complete disinterest in science, this is the USA NOAA site which is down for the winter.
Last recorded 'live' transmission was April 12, 2007 @ 15:05:07. Something the 'webcam' at Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station calls "Real Time." (click on).
Every other country is involved with inventory of Antarctica under the stresses of Human Induced Global Warming and the USA can't even get their webcams up and running right. Amazing.
I guess in order to have a viable science program; which 'dictates' the USA 'do something' about their incredibly bad habits of dumping CO2 into the troposphere in hopes of melting the North Polar Cap for oil exploitation; one has to FIRST and FOREMOST believe in science. The USA has not only been gutted of it's dignity and treasury; it's be completely demoralized of it's braintrust.
August 23, 2007
10:16 PM
Mawson Station, Australia, Antarctica
August 23, 2007
16:21:28
Aboard the RRS Ernest Shackleton Research Ship (click here)
August 24, 2007
04:12
Scott Base (click here)
August 23, 2007
15:59 gmt
Neumayer online (click here)
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