This is a Okapi. The picture of this little darling just struck me as so beautiful. Alive. Content. Healthy. I just wish it were in the wild. Beautiful animal.
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Morning Papers - continued...
Zoos
Terri Irwin lashes out at club over serving croc pie
By Tuck Thompson
October 19, 2007 12:00am
AUSTRALIA Zoo has put the bite on the Caloundra Bowls Club for serving crocodile for dinner.
A special chicken and crocodile mornay pie served up Friday night offended some customers, who complained to the zoo.
Club head chef Donna Forrest said she received a tough-lashing from Terri Irwin's personal assistant early this week.
"She said the crocodile was Steve's favorite animal and she was disappointed in us," Ms Forrest said.
Two kilos of farm-raised crocodile was cooked by TAFE apprentices who needed experience preparing a game item.
The item was a one-off item, and not normally on the menu, according to the club.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22611815-5005941,00.html
Wild Elephants Converge on Indian Island
By WASBIR HUSSAIN
9:08 AM CDT, October 13, 2007
GAUHATI, India - About 100 wild elephants have converged on a river island in northeast India, demolishing homes, feasting on sugarcane and panicking residents, officials said Saturday.
Thousands of villagers were using firecrackers and bonfires to scare away the rampaging animals.
"Dozens of houses have been destroyed in the past three days by adult elephants entering human settlements to look for their wandering calves," said the local magistrate, L.S. Changsan.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-india-elephants,1,7870582.story
Wild elephants invade island in India's north-east
October 14, 2007
About 100 wild elephants have gone on a rampage on river island in north-east India, demolishing homes, feasting on sugarcane and panicking residents, officials say.
Thousands of villagers were using firecrackers and bonfires to try scaring away the rampaging animals.
"Dozens of houses have been destroyed in the past three days by adult elephants entering human settlements to look for their wandering calves," said the local magistrate, LS Changsan.
Up to 50 families have moved to a local school being used as a refugee camp, Changsan said.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/13/1191696244372.html
The game has a free trial download. I wasn't impressed, but, I also didn't master it either. I only spent about 30 minutes or so to try it out.
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals Demo
Want to meet the dodo, the American mastodon, and a pair of dinosaurs? Sure you do, and you can with the new Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals demo. In the demo you will search for fossils, puzzle out the pieces as you assemble your finds, and then head to the Extinct Research Lab to bring your extinct animals to life.Take the lead to research and cure diseases, and face down danger as you wrangle rampaging dinosaurs. The sample campaign will give you an idea of what to expect in the the biggest Zoo expansion pack ever. Don’t wait for the next Ice Age—download the Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals demo now!
http://news.filefront.com/zoo-tycoon-2-extinct-animals-demo/
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 3:25 PM CDT
Houston Zoo lets the dogs in
Houston Business Journal - by Greg Barr Reporter
The Houston Zoo is set to unleash its three newest residents: A trio of African wild dogs named Blaze, Aries and Mikita.
The zoo on Wednesday opened its wild dog exhibit, which includes a pool and a 12-by-12-foot cabana area to shade the animals.
Wild dogs are noted for their oversized, rounded ears and dappled coat of black, brown and white. They never have white on their faces and their tails are typically tri-colored. Adults weigh between 55 pounds and 80 pounds. The animals prefer tightly bonded social groups or packs.
Their top running speed is 40 miles per hour, to keep up with their preferred prey -- antelopes.
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/10/15/daily39.html
Fun and frog-marching at the zoo
5:00AM Thursday October 18, 2007
Photo / Kenny Rodger
There's a 1.8m tall frog hanging out at the Auckland Zoo with Stella Fish, 5, and brother Ethan, 9 - but there's no need for alarm.
Cadbury's Freddo Frog has been invited to the zoo to help celebrate National Frog Week, which started on Monday. The week is a Department of Conservation initiative designed to raise public awareness of New Zealand's four remaining frog species - the Archey's frog, Hamilton's frog, Hochstetter's frog and the Maud Island frog - all of which are endangered.
Visitors will get the chance to discover more about the amphibians as part of the chocolate-makers' Freddo Frog roadshow. Freddo's Lily Pad has been set up inside the front entry. It will include activities such as listening to frog sounds and touching a post to experience what a frog's skin feels like.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10470554
Zoo Boo 2007
Scheduled for October 26-31 at Kamper Park in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
There's been a flourish of activity at Kamper Park and Zoo lately. All along the railroad tracks-affectionately referred to as the Zoo Boo Choo this time of year-costumed inflatable balloons such as Tigger in his vampire cape and Winnie-the-Pooh in a robber's mask have cropped up. Their appearance suggests that Hattiesburg's 2007 Zoo Boo must be just about ready to start.
I first heard about Zoo Boo during my short stint as a member of the Delta Zeta sorority at the University of Southern Mississippi. At the time, our chapter's philanthropy project for the year was Zoo Boo, and we were required to volunteer at the park for the event. In my last days as a Delta Zeta, I was signing up to paint faces and work at various booths handing out prizes to participants.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/417836/zoo_boo_2007_scheduled_for_october.html
Unaccredited Menagerie Has Long History of Animal Welfare Violations, Public Endangerment
For Immediate Release:
October 17, 2007
Contact:
Lisa Wathne 757-622-7382
Natural Bridge, Va. - PETA has learned that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will suspend the Natural Bridge Zoo's exhibitor license and has ordered the unaccredited roadside menagerie to pay a $10,000 fine to settle charges that it violated the federal Animal Welfare Act. Filed on June 15, the charges include failure to clean excrement from animals' filthy enclosures; failure to keep food in a manner that prevented spoilage, contamination, and infestation; failure to keep fencing in good repair; and failure to enclose outdoor housing with a perimeter fence. Since two bears escaped from the zoo in 2003, it has been repeatedly cited for failing to enclose outdoor housing facilities with a perimeter fence. The zoo's license will be suspended from January 1 to January 30, 2008.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=10360
Zoo elephants carve pumpkins their own way
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/17/2007 01:08:17 PM MDT
Halloween came early today at the Denver Zoo.
Elephants Mimi and Dolly got their pumpkins this morning. The pachyderms stomped on the giant gourds — one 660 pounds and the other 425 pounds — to get at the flesh inside.
The elephants are only two of the 3,500 animals to be showcased at the annual Boo at the Zoo event, held this year on Oct. 27 and Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
The trick-or-treat event is free with regular zoo admission.
For more information, call (303) 376-4800 or visit www.denverzoo.org
http://origin.denverpost.com/news/ci_7204152
K.C. Zoo unveils pups
BY: Kurt Kloeblen, Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 12:27 PM CDT
A litter of five African wild dog puppies are romping at the Kansas City Zoo.
Their mother, Jinx, 2, gave birth in August to four females, Aspen, Cora, Aurora and Dillon, and one male, Pax.
African wild dogs are an endangered species with just over 7,000 in the world, and the litter is one of a small number born in captivity in the United States.
While the youngsters look cute and cuddly, zookeepers must keep their distance from the adult African wild dogs, which eat large animals in the wild, including zebras and antelope.
Animal Curator Joni Hartman said zookeepers did not get a glimpse of the pups until they were about a month old. Zookeepers had built a den box for Jinx to give birth in.
http://www.kccommunitynews.com/articles/2007/10/17/wednesday_sun/news/b-ws-news-zoo.pups.txt
At Feast With the Beasts, zoo is crawling with partying bipeds
By SHELBY HODGE
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
The Houston Zoo was crawling with party animals Friday night as more than 2,300 people passed through the gates for the second annual Feast with the Beasts.
Three bands, 33 restaurants and a zoo full of creatures large and small provided entertainment for guests who paid $80 for this unusual night out. Yvonne Washington and the Mix, Urbana and Nobody's Fool kept the crowd swaying while they grazed through such dining opportunities as catfish enchiladas from Joyce's Ocean Grill, lobster and mascarpone mashed potatoes from the Chef's Table and sweet-potato soup from Brennan's.
Getting up close and personal with guests were zoo residents including blue-tongued skinks, a chinchilla, a baby alligator, an anteater and a 5-foot-long Sonoran gopher snake.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/society/5223137.html
Summary:
The Detroit Zoo's merry-not-scary Halloween celebration features a festively decorated half-mile trick or treat trail through the front of the park.
More Information:
Costumed characters hand out treats, there are ghostly games, a "Zoo Boo Revue," and the Wild Adventure Ride's "Haunted Mine Ride." Timed tickets are for 6, 6:30, 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m.
Price: $6/person, ages 2 and older. $2 additional for Wild Adventure Ride
Phone: (248) 541-5717 or Ticketmaster (248) 645-6666
Web Page: http://www.detroitzoo.org
Age Suitability: Kids and up
Creator: Detroit News
http://events.detnews.com/royal-oak-mi/events/show/80481446-zoo-boo
Trick-or-treat among the creatures at Riverbanks Zoo
By TONY BAUGHMAN
Staff writer
That thing that goes bump in the night probably isn't a ghost or ghoul but something with four legs, a tail and fur.
Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia has been transformed into a Halloween wonderland for its fifth annual "Boo at the Zoo," running every Friday through Sunday now through Oct. 28 from 6-9 p.m. The nighttime fun also will be open Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 29-30.
"This year's Boo at the Zoo is filled with even more fun things to see and do," said Dusty Broadway, events manager at Riverbanks, in a release. "The event has become a family tradition, so our staff strives to keep the Boo attractions that draw kids back year after year as well as to introduce new activities that provide fresh experiences each year."
http://www.aikenstandard.com/2007redesign/news/296787743616023.php
A(nother) day at the zoo
October 18th, 2007 · No Comments
We went to the zoo with Aunty Fiona and mothers group.
Since Aunty Fiona lives in New Zealand, we decided a close encounter of the reptile kind was in order.. so we trotted over to the reptile keeper talk, and found this little friend:
That friend of ours was called a ‘black headed python’.
He’s a local in the NT, and enjoys eating other lizards (among other things). He wasn’t slimy, and definitely not cold. I could have happily taken it home.. and I can see why people have them as pets.
We also got to pat an American Corn snake, a blue tongue lizard and one of its rough desert cousins. The python was the highlight though - we spent about 20 minutes with the keeper learning all kinds of things, and getting a wonderful encounter with the snake itself. I know what kind of pet I will be asking for when the kids leave home….
http://lisamaree.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/another-day-at-the-zoo/
Zoo has 2 new Guinea hogs
Posted by Pedro Ramirez III October 18, 2007 11:40AM
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo has two new Guinea hogs, bringing the population to three, officials announced today.
The two additions, young males named Briggs and Gus, join Louie, which has been the zoo's only Guinea hog since the early 1990s. Louie has displayed his talents to zoo visitors in the past by 'playing basketball.'
Experts believe Guinea hogs originated from Guinea in western Africa. They were later introduced to North America, England, France and Spain. At one time they were common all over the southern United States. Today, they are on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's Critical List, officials say.
http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2007/10/zoo_has_2_new_guinea_hogs.html
Hattiesburg Zoo decorations stolen
Special to the American
More than $1,800 of Halloween decorations were stolen from the Hattiesburg Zoo this weekend.
The decorations, mostly inflatable plastic Halloween scenes, were taken Friday after midnight from around the train tracks in front of the zoo.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071018/NEWS01/71018007/1002
Koala dad dies at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Posted by Donna J. Miller October 18, 2007 11:04AM
Categories: FYI
A 10-year-old male koala died at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this week following an extended illness.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/10/koala_dad_dies_at_cleveland_me.html
Barbie - Island Princess launch at the Zoo
The new Island Princess Barbie was launched at a fantastic event last weekend and several celebrity mums attended.
Johannesburg Zoo was the venue for the event on Saturday 13th October 2007 – and there was tons of excitement and wide-eyed girls waiting in anticipation for a glimpse of the special guest – Island Princess Barbie!
With all the proceeds going to the zoo, there was a buzz of excitement; while Barbie fans waited in line for autographs from Island Princess Barbie herself, others sat back and enjoyed a preview of the new Island Princess DVD.
Young girls got the chance to have their make up done, or have their faces painted.
Entertainment was unlimited – there were treasure hunts and special performances by the winners of the Barbie “You're a Star” competitions!
Amongst the crowds – more than 6,000 people attended - celebrity moms, Christina Storm and Amy Kleinhans were seen supporting the event with their daughters in tow.
Miss Teen SA, Zizo Beda also gave her time to this worthwhile cause and attended as a special guest.
Click on an image to enlarge
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Gallery/196/11/386.html
Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife photography
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune
Last update: October 04, 2007 – 10:35 AM
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
Popular Photography magazine has named the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley as one of the top zoos in the country to snap shots of wildlife.
The zoo was touted by the magazine for its collection of Siberian tigers and Mexican gray wolves.
Next year, wildlife photographers will be able to capture shots of Russian grizzly bears, sea otters, wild boars and Amur leopards when the zoo's new $23 million "Russia's Grizzly Coast" exhibit opens.
Others zoos on the magazine's list to shoot great photos include the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. for pandas, the Oregon Zoo in Portland for wolves, the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash. for sea otters, the San Diego Wild Animal Park for lions, lion cubs, lowland gorillas, condors; the St. Louis Zoo for wolves, and Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle for African wild dogs, lions, gorillas, wetland life.
Tim Harlow • harlow@startribune.com
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1464385.html
Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife photography
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune
Last update: October 04, 2007 – 10:35 AM
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
Popular Photography magazine has named the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley as one of the top zoos in the country to snap shots of wildlife.
The zoo was touted by the magazine for its collection of Siberian tigers and Mexican gray wolves.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1464385.html
Denver Zookeepers Raise Unusual Critters
(CBS4) DENVER A pair of rather unusual siblings has just gone display at the Denver Zoo; they are black-and-rufous giant elephant shrews.
The Denver Zoos is one of only seven zoos in North America with this species and now zookeepers have successfully had raised a pair of pups named Potter and Weasley.
The brothers were born on Aug. 28 and have been behind the scenes until this week.
They are now in the Emerald Forest building sharing a habitat with a pair of titi monkeys. The addition of these two at the Denver Zoo brings the number of such shrews in North American zoos to 29.
http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/local_story_277175624.html
COALITION FOR ANIMAL FREEDOM
04 oct 2007
This work is in the public domain
petition on line
To: International Environmental Institutions
We, the undersigned, members of an international coalition of many NGOs, biologists and activists concerned for the welfare of wild animals, are writing to express our grave concerns on behalf of Venezuelan decision in Margarita Island (Nueva Esparta State) to authorize and support the operation of a zoo and aquarium inside the facilities of the amusement complex made up by the Dolphinarium Waterland Mundo Submarino – Marino and Diverland Park. For the last 15 years, Water Land 's show has generated controversy around the world. In Argentina they took Cheryl (a Russian dolphin) away from Mr. Ric O’Barry, against the decision of a court order that gave him the permit to transport and release that dolphin. The company ran away with Cheryl and then in 1997 the dolphin died because of stress in Margarita Island, inside their facilities.
http://estrecho.indymedia.org/newswire/display/70767/index.php
A very live debate
Belfast City Council’s decision to ban a visiting circus from pitching its big top on Council land because of objections to the circus’s live animal acts will be greeted with delight by some, with dismay by others. The debate about whether or not it is humane for circuses – or zoos, for that matter – to keep animals for the delectation of the public has been raging for as long as travelling circuses and zoos have existed. The simple truth is that both sides of the argument have validity.
http://www.irelandclick.com/index.tvt?%5Fticket=9NTHLXD4YGSGX4UIHONDL1Q39LLDPJSG1SRGROQCGNZDALOLYR4FURUSIOMAAP6FCKLAEUVVTRRHV2Z9ANVRMTKACJ5T5QRFLZHSNMTEDYPHBHSJ5LE1HONDNMTEGMKACOWFURXTHONDLAMVOWV3526&%5Fscope=atown%2FContent%2FOpinion%2FEditorial&id=4599&%5Fpage=&psv=20
RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2007
Prolific Male Koala Dies at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
A 10-year old male koala died at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this week following an extended illness. "Ouraka," who had been receiving intensive care at the Zoo's Center for Zoological Medicine, died Wednesday from complications of an infection, according to preliminary necropsy results. Veterinarians expect pathology tests will provide more details.
Ouraka came to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in late 1999 from the San Diego Zoo, where he was born. Ouraka was among the first koalas at the Zoo's GumLeaf Hideout when the Australian Adventure exhibit opened in 2000.
During his time at the Zoo, Ouraka became one of the most prolific koalas in North America, fathering 11 joeys in less than 8 years - more than any other koala in the country outside of San Diego, which heads U.S. koala breeding efforts.
Ouraka's longtime female companions Colliet and Midgee remain on exhibit daily at the Zoo’s Australian Adventure, along with Omaroo, the last koala joey fathered by Ouraka in August 2006. Koalas are native to the eucalyptus forests of Australia, but they could become endangered due to deforestation.
http://www.clemetzoo.com/pressroom/index.asp?action=details&pressrelease_id=1274
Boo at the Zoo - By the Numbers
Posted at 12:38 am on October 18, 2007
by Blog Keeper Tom
In General Information Comments: 0
Finally! Tonight's the first night of Boo at the Zoo 2007 at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! We hope you can join us for all the Halloween fun. (Reminder: Boo runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. tonight through Sunday, October 21 and again from Thursday, October 25 through Sunday, October 28. Tickets are just $7 at the Zoo Box Office.)
Meanwhile, have you ever wondered just how many pumpkins, cornstalks and pieces of candy it takes for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to throw the city's premier Halloween event for families? Well The Roar Report has your answers!
As Cleveland's biggest Halloween event for kids and families, Boo at the Zoo takes a LOT to pull together each year. Here's a look at just how much...
220,000 pieces of candy will be given out during Boo at the Zoo
1,500 bales of hay will be used to build this year's Hay Maze
225 pumpkins will decorate the Zoo
18 years of Boo at the Zoo in Cleveland
20,000 bags of potato chips will be given to kids as treats
36,000 people attended last year's Boo at the Zoo
8 nights of not-too-scary fun make up Boo
20,000 treat bags will be given out to Boo visitors
300 cornstalks will decorate the Zoo
$7 per ticket ... while they last. Visit clemetzoo.com to order yours today!
http://www.clemetzoo.com/zblog/default.asp?Display=60
Circuses Are No Fun for Animals
October 15th, 2007
As a circus specialist with the animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), RaeLeann Smith works to educate people about the cruelty involved in circuses and other animal acts and meets with legislators to develop ordinances that protect animals used for entertainment. She is currently working to promote legislation in Chicago that would be the strongest elephant protection law in the United States. As a guest writer for Advocacy for Animals this week, Smith discusses the abusive treatment of elephants and other animals in circuses.
http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2007/10/circuses-are-no-fun-for-animals-2/
what is canned hunting?
Canned Hunting is the hunting of an animal that has been unfairly prevented from escaping the hunter, either due to physical or mental constraints (such as fencing or habituation to humans). Most hunting in South Africa is ‘canned’ as defined here.
http://www.cannedlion.co.za/index.html
Zoo Visitors Go Ape Over Gorillas
Updated: 08:27, Monday October 15, 2007
A new gorilla compound has led to record visitor numbers at one of the UK's top zoos.
Big names among the visitors
Thanks to the gorillas and their new rainforest exhibit, London Zoo is preparing to welcome its one millionth visitor of the year.
This is the first time the zoo - which was founded in 1826 - has reached the one million mark in eight years.
Now the management is hoping to attract more visitors than in any year since 1991, when 1.1 million came through the turnstiles.
Last year, the attendance figure was 883,000.
The lucky one millionth visitor - who is expected in a few days' time - will be given a special tour behind the scenes and a free lunch.
Zoo marketing manager James Bailey said: "Our rising visitor numbers are proof that we are doing things right.
"We are very excited about welcoming the millionth visitor this year.
"It's a real milestone for us and someone is certainly going to have an extra special day out."
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1288345,00.html?f=rss
Native species
October 14, 2007 12:00am
Many scientists consider frogs the "canaries in the coalmine" of global warming - and frog species have started to disappear.
Frogs are at risk of extinction – not all of them, but enough to catastrophically change ecosystems.
The devastating chytrid fungus, climate change, habitat loss, chemical pollution, over-harvesting, parasites and predatory introduced species — like trout that eat tadpoles — are all contributing to alarming frog loss.
Over the past 30 years, says Dr Graeme Gillespie, director of wildlife, conservation and science at Zoos Victoria, there has been a major decline in frog populations around the world. A number of species have vanished. Australia has 219 species of frog and since the 1970s, close to a dozen species have disappeared. Further, a large proportion — 28 per cent — of frog species are now threatened with extinction — some critically.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22584395-5011680,00.html
funding: zoos; aquaria; nature sites
October 15th, 2007
Funding for sustainability: presentation at EAZA Conference, Warsaw September 2007
This attachment is the presentation given at 2007 EAZA Conference. Elements are similar to that put together for BIAZA in May, but there is more information on LIFE+, AIDCO, etc. I shall also put more on this site gradually as to these individual funding opportunties.
http://zoofunding.wordpress.com/
London: A new gorilla exhibit has led to record visitor numbers at one of the UK's top zoos.
Together with a new rainforest exhibit, the gorilla compound has proved so popular that London Zoo is preparing to welcome its one millionth visitor of 2007.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1646622007
Homework - Grade 5 Week of Oct 15th
Monday, October 15th, 2007 in Grade 5
Due for all groups Monday Oct 22
Walks on the Wild Side
Emily Sohn
There are people who love zoos, and there are people who hate them. Apparently, the same goes for animals.
After a 3-year review of studies of animal behavior at 40 zoos, two researchers from England have concluded that animals needing lots of space in the wild often do horribly in zoos. Their babies tend to die at higher rates. And they are more likely to pace back and forth, a behavior that signals boredom or distress.
http://rlong.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/homework-grade-5-week-of-oct-15th/
A pheasant visitor in North
BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:05 AM EDT
This photo, taken by Chuck Beale of North Attleboro, shows the silver pheasant that has been wandering around Beale's yard for the past month. The exotic-looking bird is native to Asia. (Submitted)
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Anybody missing a silver pheasant?
You know the kind. It has a blue-black body, a big spread of silvery feathers, blue-and-red head and face and is about 18 inches long.
It seems to be lost, said Chuck Beale of Cushman Road, who added that the colorful animal arrived in his yard about a month ago and has been pecking around the place ever since.
Beale thinks the bird might have escaped from a zoo or breeder.
The sudden appearance of the exotic-looking avian is puzzling, Beale said, because the silver pheasant - a relative of the peacock - is not native to North America.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2007/10/16/news/news4.txt
Horse Slaughter in the US Revisited
By Daniel Beatty, DVM
Well do not shoot the messenger on this one, but I am going to return to the discussion of Horse Slaughter in the United States. Why? Because a few days ago the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) weighed in on the topic on their website by answering some FAQs. If you did not know already, the AVMA is against banning horse slaughter and they believe that it will increase the number of unwanted horses.
Here is the information they put out on October 12th on this hot topic –
Frequently asked questions about unwanted horses and the AVMA’s policy on horse slaughter
Highlights of this FAQ page include -
On Unwanted Horses -
Unfortunately, there are not enough homes for all of these horses. If there were, there would be no market for slaughter horses. Although there are numerous equine rescue facilities throughout the United States, these facilities simply do not have enough room or resources to accommodate the additional 90,000 to 100,000 horses every year that will no longer be able to be slaughtered in US plants.
http://www.horsekinetics.com/horse-slaughter-in-the-us-revisited
The Discarded Zoo Tigers: Campaign Against Canned Hunting
Posted by Ethicsand
Animals at 10/16/2007 10:09 PM and is filed under wildlife
What exactly is canned hunting?
Shooting Preserves or "game ranches" are what are referred to as canned hunting operations. They are private trophy hunting facilities that provide their customers with the opportunity to kill exotic and native animals trapped within enclosures. There are also facilities that enable their clients to do their killing remotely, off the internet.
Canned hunting is big business and an expanding industry around the world. Overbreeding of captive exotic animals and providing hunters with a quick and easy kill for a price makes this cowardly and cruel practice a lucrative affair for the immoral. The animals come from private breeders, animal dealers, or even zoos. They are often tame as they have been hand-raised and have lost their fear of people. The animals will come to a specific place for their regular feeding and this time a hunter will be waiting.
http://ethicsandanimals.com/2007/10/16/the-discarded-zoo-tigers-campaign-against-canned-hunting.aspx
Live Nude Animals
by Zoe Blunt
Derrick Jensen’s Captive Audience
I loved animals as a child, but I didn’t like zoos. I found them disturbing and depressing. They smelled like shit and death. But then, adults considered me far too sensitive and sentimental toward animals. When I was five years old, I had what you might call an emotional breakdown after watching my father beat the family cat almost to death in our living room. That was the home life the cat and I shared, back then.
Nowadays, there are laws against abusing animals (and children, for that matter). Zoos are no longer squalid prisons where animals languish and die in solitary concrete cells. Bright, clean cages — complete with natural-looking foliage and ventilation — invite you to peer in at the inhabitants. But still, I am not comfortable visiting them.
Derrick Jensen knows why. He tells us: “Zoos are about power.” And he quotes an admirer of zoos: “You show power by keeping an animal captive; how much more powerful are you if you kill it?”
http://onlymagazine.ca/News/1506/live-nude-animals
Pig Races - Endearing Story Reveals Disturbing Find
October 17th, 2007 under Offbeat News
What began as an endearing story in my search quickly transformed to one that was slightly troubling but possibly thought provoking, then became deeply disturbing. Read on …
http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/pig-races-endearing-story-reveals-disturbing-find/offbeat-news
DEC Confirms First Case of Deer Disease in New York
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease is Detected in Deer Samples From Albany County
ALBANY, NY (10/16/2007; 1807)(readMedia)-- Recent tests for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in several Albany County deer have come back positive, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. This is the first confirmed detection of EHD in New York State. EHD does not present a threat to human health.
"DEC's wildlife managers have been monitoring EHD as it has worked its way north through neighboring states," DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said. "While other states' experiences indicate that it is not anticipated to have a long-term effect on the health of our deer herd, we will continue to monitor the spread of this disease and its potential impact."
http://readme.readmedia.com/news/show/DEC-Confirms-First-Case-of-Deer-Disease-in-New-York/11977
Back from Philly
by Mary Healy, Zoo Director/AZA Chair
I just recently returned from our annual conference of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) in Philadelphia. This was a very significant meeting for me for several reasons. On a personal note, it was meaningful because, the last time the Association held a conference in Philadelphia, I attended as a college student trying to find out about zoo careers. It proved to be very informative and productive because I was offered a job as a keeper at a zoo in Columbia, SC. On a professional note, I was returning as the Chair of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Board of Directors. In that role, I was essentially host to the opening session and many special lunches and meetings throughout the week. Our guest speakers included actor Sigourney Weaver and former Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt.
Returning to Sacramento, I was energized by the commitment and passion of my fellow members of the Association. During our week in Philadelphia over 2,000 delegates shared a common goal of working together to save wild animals and wild places. How fortunate we are to make our living in this very rewarding profession.
http://sacramentozoo.blogspot.com/2007/10/back-from-philly.html
Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife Zoos in washington.
Oktober 18, 2007 · Filed under Zoos in washington
Do You Make These Mistakes with Video?
Bill would outlaw hooks used on elephants.
He said anyone who abuses animals already violates the Animal Welfare Act. The professionals in accredited zoos love and care for their elephants. Walks in her outdoor enclosure at the National Zoo in Washington. Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife photography. Blogroll.
http://blog.kilasan.com/tvclubshop/2007/10/18/minnesota-zoo-named-a-top-spot-for-wildlife-zoos-in-washington/
Not much sound, fury in 5th District Duluth City Council race
Patrick Garmoe Duluth News Tribune
Published Thursday, October 18, 2007
The City Council race in Duluth’s 5th District, which encompasses residents west of 40th Avenue West, might qualify as the quietest of this fall’s campaigns.
Though incumbent and candidate Russell Stover and challenger Jay Fosle both have been reaching out to constituents — Fosle said he has visited residents along just about every street in the district — there hasn’t been one debate in the 5th District.
“I’m quite disappointed there hasn’t been a forum in the 5th District,” said Stover, 53…
… He's hoping the Legislature will help the zoo financially, as it does other zoos in the state. "The zoos just don't make money," Stover said. ...
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=52463§ion=None&freebie_check&CFID=59982503&CFTOKEN=50914702&jsessionid=8830c1fa91c3125f3d54
Disney VP's 'green' role gets bigger
Beth Stevens will lead the company's worldwide environmental efforts.
Scott Powers Sentinel Staff Writer
October 18, 2007
When Beth Stevens left her rising career within traditional American zoos, she did so for the chance to become the executive leader and conscience of Walt Disney World's animal programs and conservation efforts. Now she's getting a chance to take on that role for Disney worldwide.
Stevens, 48, who as vice president of Animal Kingdom oversaw all of Disney World's animal-science programs, has been promoted to senior vice president for environmental affairs for Disney Worldwide Services. That gives her oversight of environmental and conservation programs throughout Walt Disney Co., from international endangered-species preservation and wildlife-habitat management to the use of biodiesel fuels and the creation of environmentally friendly "green" hotels.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/printedition/orl-disney1807oct18,0,2704537.story
Bill to give animal cruelty the hook
By LaToya M. Smith, Eagle Boston Bureau
Article Last Updated: 10/18/2007 09:17:55 AM EDT
Thursday, October 18
BOSTON — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's elephant superstar, King Tusk, may have to give up his gilded robe and custom-built tractor-trailer the next time he treks to the Bay State if lawmakers pass a bill that stalled last year.
The bill would prohibit the use of chains and bull hooks on elephants and impose a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to a year in jail for each violation.
The bull hook is a club made of wood or metal with a sharp steel hook and metal poker at one end.
Similar regulations have been passed in Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Provincetown and Revere, according to Scott Giacoppo, deputy director of advocacy for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"This is a weapon," state Sen. Robert L. Hedlund, R-Weymouth, told the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development yesterday.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/headlines/ci_7210473
continued...
Terri Irwin lashes out at club over serving croc pie
By Tuck Thompson
October 19, 2007 12:00am
AUSTRALIA Zoo has put the bite on the Caloundra Bowls Club for serving crocodile for dinner.
A special chicken and crocodile mornay pie served up Friday night offended some customers, who complained to the zoo.
Club head chef Donna Forrest said she received a tough-lashing from Terri Irwin's personal assistant early this week.
"She said the crocodile was Steve's favorite animal and she was disappointed in us," Ms Forrest said.
Two kilos of farm-raised crocodile was cooked by TAFE apprentices who needed experience preparing a game item.
The item was a one-off item, and not normally on the menu, according to the club.
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,22611815-5005941,00.html
Wild Elephants Converge on Indian Island
By WASBIR HUSSAIN
9:08 AM CDT, October 13, 2007
GAUHATI, India - About 100 wild elephants have converged on a river island in northeast India, demolishing homes, feasting on sugarcane and panicking residents, officials said Saturday.
Thousands of villagers were using firecrackers and bonfires to scare away the rampaging animals.
"Dozens of houses have been destroyed in the past three days by adult elephants entering human settlements to look for their wandering calves," said the local magistrate, L.S. Changsan.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-india-elephants,1,7870582.story
Wild elephants invade island in India's north-east
October 14, 2007
About 100 wild elephants have gone on a rampage on river island in north-east India, demolishing homes, feasting on sugarcane and panicking residents, officials say.
Thousands of villagers were using firecrackers and bonfires to try scaring away the rampaging animals.
"Dozens of houses have been destroyed in the past three days by adult elephants entering human settlements to look for their wandering calves," said the local magistrate, LS Changsan.
Up to 50 families have moved to a local school being used as a refugee camp, Changsan said.
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2007/10/13/1191696244372.html
The game has a free trial download. I wasn't impressed, but, I also didn't master it either. I only spent about 30 minutes or so to try it out.
Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals Demo
Want to meet the dodo, the American mastodon, and a pair of dinosaurs? Sure you do, and you can with the new Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals demo. In the demo you will search for fossils, puzzle out the pieces as you assemble your finds, and then head to the Extinct Research Lab to bring your extinct animals to life.Take the lead to research and cure diseases, and face down danger as you wrangle rampaging dinosaurs. The sample campaign will give you an idea of what to expect in the the biggest Zoo expansion pack ever. Don’t wait for the next Ice Age—download the Zoo Tycoon 2: Extinct Animals demo now!
http://news.filefront.com/zoo-tycoon-2-extinct-animals-demo/
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 3:25 PM CDT
Houston Zoo lets the dogs in
Houston Business Journal - by Greg Barr Reporter
The Houston Zoo is set to unleash its three newest residents: A trio of African wild dogs named Blaze, Aries and Mikita.
The zoo on Wednesday opened its wild dog exhibit, which includes a pool and a 12-by-12-foot cabana area to shade the animals.
Wild dogs are noted for their oversized, rounded ears and dappled coat of black, brown and white. They never have white on their faces and their tails are typically tri-colored. Adults weigh between 55 pounds and 80 pounds. The animals prefer tightly bonded social groups or packs.
Their top running speed is 40 miles per hour, to keep up with their preferred prey -- antelopes.
http://www.bizjournals.com/houston/stories/2007/10/15/daily39.html
Fun and frog-marching at the zoo
5:00AM Thursday October 18, 2007
Photo / Kenny Rodger
There's a 1.8m tall frog hanging out at the Auckland Zoo with Stella Fish, 5, and brother Ethan, 9 - but there's no need for alarm.
Cadbury's Freddo Frog has been invited to the zoo to help celebrate National Frog Week, which started on Monday. The week is a Department of Conservation initiative designed to raise public awareness of New Zealand's four remaining frog species - the Archey's frog, Hamilton's frog, Hochstetter's frog and the Maud Island frog - all of which are endangered.
Visitors will get the chance to discover more about the amphibians as part of the chocolate-makers' Freddo Frog roadshow. Freddo's Lily Pad has been set up inside the front entry. It will include activities such as listening to frog sounds and touching a post to experience what a frog's skin feels like.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10470554
Zoo Boo 2007
Scheduled for October 26-31 at Kamper Park in Hattiesburg, Mississippi
There's been a flourish of activity at Kamper Park and Zoo lately. All along the railroad tracks-affectionately referred to as the Zoo Boo Choo this time of year-costumed inflatable balloons such as Tigger in his vampire cape and Winnie-the-Pooh in a robber's mask have cropped up. Their appearance suggests that Hattiesburg's 2007 Zoo Boo must be just about ready to start.
I first heard about Zoo Boo during my short stint as a member of the Delta Zeta sorority at the University of Southern Mississippi. At the time, our chapter's philanthropy project for the year was Zoo Boo, and we were required to volunteer at the park for the event. In my last days as a Delta Zeta, I was signing up to paint faces and work at various booths handing out prizes to participants.
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/417836/zoo_boo_2007_scheduled_for_october.html
Unaccredited Menagerie Has Long History of Animal Welfare Violations, Public Endangerment
For Immediate Release:
October 17, 2007
Contact:
Lisa Wathne 757-622-7382
Natural Bridge, Va. - PETA has learned that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) will suspend the Natural Bridge Zoo's exhibitor license and has ordered the unaccredited roadside menagerie to pay a $10,000 fine to settle charges that it violated the federal Animal Welfare Act. Filed on June 15, the charges include failure to clean excrement from animals' filthy enclosures; failure to keep food in a manner that prevented spoilage, contamination, and infestation; failure to keep fencing in good repair; and failure to enclose outdoor housing with a perimeter fence. Since two bears escaped from the zoo in 2003, it has been repeatedly cited for failing to enclose outdoor housing facilities with a perimeter fence. The zoo's license will be suspended from January 1 to January 30, 2008.
http://www.peta.org/mc/NewsItem.asp?id=10360
Zoo elephants carve pumpkins their own way
The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/17/2007 01:08:17 PM MDT
Halloween came early today at the Denver Zoo.
Elephants Mimi and Dolly got their pumpkins this morning. The pachyderms stomped on the giant gourds — one 660 pounds and the other 425 pounds — to get at the flesh inside.
The elephants are only two of the 3,500 animals to be showcased at the annual Boo at the Zoo event, held this year on Oct. 27 and Oct. 2, from 10 a.m. — 5 p.m.
The trick-or-treat event is free with regular zoo admission.
For more information, call (303) 376-4800 or visit www.denverzoo.org
http://origin.denverpost.com/news/ci_7204152
K.C. Zoo unveils pups
BY: Kurt Kloeblen, Staff Writer
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 12:27 PM CDT
A litter of five African wild dog puppies are romping at the Kansas City Zoo.
Their mother, Jinx, 2, gave birth in August to four females, Aspen, Cora, Aurora and Dillon, and one male, Pax.
African wild dogs are an endangered species with just over 7,000 in the world, and the litter is one of a small number born in captivity in the United States.
While the youngsters look cute and cuddly, zookeepers must keep their distance from the adult African wild dogs, which eat large animals in the wild, including zebras and antelope.
Animal Curator Joni Hartman said zookeepers did not get a glimpse of the pups until they were about a month old. Zookeepers had built a den box for Jinx to give birth in.
http://www.kccommunitynews.com/articles/2007/10/17/wednesday_sun/news/b-ws-news-zoo.pups.txt
At Feast With the Beasts, zoo is crawling with partying bipeds
By SHELBY HODGE
Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle
The Houston Zoo was crawling with party animals Friday night as more than 2,300 people passed through the gates for the second annual Feast with the Beasts.
Three bands, 33 restaurants and a zoo full of creatures large and small provided entertainment for guests who paid $80 for this unusual night out. Yvonne Washington and the Mix, Urbana and Nobody's Fool kept the crowd swaying while they grazed through such dining opportunities as catfish enchiladas from Joyce's Ocean Grill, lobster and mascarpone mashed potatoes from the Chef's Table and sweet-potato soup from Brennan's.
Getting up close and personal with guests were zoo residents including blue-tongued skinks, a chinchilla, a baby alligator, an anteater and a 5-foot-long Sonoran gopher snake.
http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/life/society/5223137.html
Summary:
The Detroit Zoo's merry-not-scary Halloween celebration features a festively decorated half-mile trick or treat trail through the front of the park.
More Information:
Costumed characters hand out treats, there are ghostly games, a "Zoo Boo Revue," and the Wild Adventure Ride's "Haunted Mine Ride." Timed tickets are for 6, 6:30, 7, 7:30 and 8 p.m.
Price: $6/person, ages 2 and older. $2 additional for Wild Adventure Ride
Phone: (248) 541-5717 or Ticketmaster (248) 645-6666
Web Page: http://www.detroitzoo.org
Age Suitability: Kids and up
Creator: Detroit News
http://events.detnews.com/royal-oak-mi/events/show/80481446-zoo-boo
Trick-or-treat among the creatures at Riverbanks Zoo
By TONY BAUGHMAN
Staff writer
That thing that goes bump in the night probably isn't a ghost or ghoul but something with four legs, a tail and fur.
Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia has been transformed into a Halloween wonderland for its fifth annual "Boo at the Zoo," running every Friday through Sunday now through Oct. 28 from 6-9 p.m. The nighttime fun also will be open Monday and Tuesday, Oct. 29-30.
"This year's Boo at the Zoo is filled with even more fun things to see and do," said Dusty Broadway, events manager at Riverbanks, in a release. "The event has become a family tradition, so our staff strives to keep the Boo attractions that draw kids back year after year as well as to introduce new activities that provide fresh experiences each year."
http://www.aikenstandard.com/2007redesign/news/296787743616023.php
A(nother) day at the zoo
October 18th, 2007 · No Comments
We went to the zoo with Aunty Fiona and mothers group.
Since Aunty Fiona lives in New Zealand, we decided a close encounter of the reptile kind was in order.. so we trotted over to the reptile keeper talk, and found this little friend:
That friend of ours was called a ‘black headed python’.
He’s a local in the NT, and enjoys eating other lizards (among other things). He wasn’t slimy, and definitely not cold. I could have happily taken it home.. and I can see why people have them as pets.
We also got to pat an American Corn snake, a blue tongue lizard and one of its rough desert cousins. The python was the highlight though - we spent about 20 minutes with the keeper learning all kinds of things, and getting a wonderful encounter with the snake itself. I know what kind of pet I will be asking for when the kids leave home….
http://lisamaree.wordpress.com/2007/10/18/another-day-at-the-zoo/
Zoo has 2 new Guinea hogs
Posted by Pedro Ramirez III October 18, 2007 11:40AM
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo has two new Guinea hogs, bringing the population to three, officials announced today.
The two additions, young males named Briggs and Gus, join Louie, which has been the zoo's only Guinea hog since the early 1990s. Louie has displayed his talents to zoo visitors in the past by 'playing basketball.'
Experts believe Guinea hogs originated from Guinea in western Africa. They were later introduced to North America, England, France and Spain. At one time they were common all over the southern United States. Today, they are on the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy's Critical List, officials say.
http://blog.syracuse.com/news/2007/10/zoo_has_2_new_guinea_hogs.html
Hattiesburg Zoo decorations stolen
Special to the American
More than $1,800 of Halloween decorations were stolen from the Hattiesburg Zoo this weekend.
The decorations, mostly inflatable plastic Halloween scenes, were taken Friday after midnight from around the train tracks in front of the zoo.
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071018/NEWS01/71018007/1002
Koala dad dies at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
Posted by Donna J. Miller October 18, 2007 11:04AM
Categories: FYI
A 10-year-old male koala died at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this week following an extended illness.
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2007/10/koala_dad_dies_at_cleveland_me.html
Barbie - Island Princess launch at the Zoo
The new Island Princess Barbie was launched at a fantastic event last weekend and several celebrity mums attended.
Johannesburg Zoo was the venue for the event on Saturday 13th October 2007 – and there was tons of excitement and wide-eyed girls waiting in anticipation for a glimpse of the special guest – Island Princess Barbie!
With all the proceeds going to the zoo, there was a buzz of excitement; while Barbie fans waited in line for autographs from Island Princess Barbie herself, others sat back and enjoyed a preview of the new Island Princess DVD.
Young girls got the chance to have their make up done, or have their faces painted.
Entertainment was unlimited – there were treasure hunts and special performances by the winners of the Barbie “You're a Star” competitions!
Amongst the crowds – more than 6,000 people attended - celebrity moms, Christina Storm and Amy Kleinhans were seen supporting the event with their daughters in tow.
Miss Teen SA, Zizo Beda also gave her time to this worthwhile cause and attended as a special guest.
Click on an image to enlarge
http://www.bizcommunity.com/Gallery/196/11/386.html
Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife photography
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune
Last update: October 04, 2007 – 10:35 AM
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
Popular Photography magazine has named the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley as one of the top zoos in the country to snap shots of wildlife.
The zoo was touted by the magazine for its collection of Siberian tigers and Mexican gray wolves.
Next year, wildlife photographers will be able to capture shots of Russian grizzly bears, sea otters, wild boars and Amur leopards when the zoo's new $23 million "Russia's Grizzly Coast" exhibit opens.
Others zoos on the magazine's list to shoot great photos include the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. for pandas, the Oregon Zoo in Portland for wolves, the Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium in Tacoma, Wash. for sea otters, the San Diego Wild Animal Park for lions, lion cubs, lowland gorillas, condors; the St. Louis Zoo for wolves, and Woodland Park Zoo in Seattle for African wild dogs, lions, gorillas, wetland life.
Tim Harlow • harlow@startribune.com
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1464385.html
Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife photography
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune
Last update: October 04, 2007 – 10:35 AM
Shutterbugs who like to take pictures of wildlife have a perfect place to do their work right here in the Twin Cities.
Popular Photography magazine has named the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley as one of the top zoos in the country to snap shots of wildlife.
The zoo was touted by the magazine for its collection of Siberian tigers and Mexican gray wolves.
http://www.startribune.com/462/story/1464385.html
Denver Zookeepers Raise Unusual Critters
(CBS4) DENVER A pair of rather unusual siblings has just gone display at the Denver Zoo; they are black-and-rufous giant elephant shrews.
The Denver Zoos is one of only seven zoos in North America with this species and now zookeepers have successfully had raised a pair of pups named Potter and Weasley.
The brothers were born on Aug. 28 and have been behind the scenes until this week.
They are now in the Emerald Forest building sharing a habitat with a pair of titi monkeys. The addition of these two at the Denver Zoo brings the number of such shrews in North American zoos to 29.
http://cbs4denver.com/seenon/local_story_277175624.html
COALITION FOR ANIMAL FREEDOM
04 oct 2007
This work is in the public domain
petition on line
To: International Environmental Institutions
We, the undersigned, members of an international coalition of many NGOs, biologists and activists concerned for the welfare of wild animals, are writing to express our grave concerns on behalf of Venezuelan decision in Margarita Island (Nueva Esparta State) to authorize and support the operation of a zoo and aquarium inside the facilities of the amusement complex made up by the Dolphinarium Waterland Mundo Submarino – Marino and Diverland Park. For the last 15 years, Water Land 's show has generated controversy around the world. In Argentina they took Cheryl (a Russian dolphin) away from Mr. Ric O’Barry, against the decision of a court order that gave him the permit to transport and release that dolphin. The company ran away with Cheryl and then in 1997 the dolphin died because of stress in Margarita Island, inside their facilities.
http://estrecho.indymedia.org/newswire/display/70767/index.php
A very live debate
Belfast City Council’s decision to ban a visiting circus from pitching its big top on Council land because of objections to the circus’s live animal acts will be greeted with delight by some, with dismay by others. The debate about whether or not it is humane for circuses – or zoos, for that matter – to keep animals for the delectation of the public has been raging for as long as travelling circuses and zoos have existed. The simple truth is that both sides of the argument have validity.
http://www.irelandclick.com/index.tvt?%5Fticket=9NTHLXD4YGSGX4UIHONDL1Q39LLDPJSG1SRGROQCGNZDALOLYR4FURUSIOMAAP6FCKLAEUVVTRRHV2Z9ANVRMTKACJ5T5QRFLZHSNMTEDYPHBHSJ5LE1HONDNMTEGMKACOWFURXTHONDLAMVOWV3526&%5Fscope=atown%2FContent%2FOpinion%2FEditorial&id=4599&%5Fpage=&psv=20
RELEASE DATE: October 18, 2007
Prolific Male Koala Dies at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo
A 10-year old male koala died at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo this week following an extended illness. "Ouraka," who had been receiving intensive care at the Zoo's Center for Zoological Medicine, died Wednesday from complications of an infection, according to preliminary necropsy results. Veterinarians expect pathology tests will provide more details.
Ouraka came to Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in late 1999 from the San Diego Zoo, where he was born. Ouraka was among the first koalas at the Zoo's GumLeaf Hideout when the Australian Adventure exhibit opened in 2000.
During his time at the Zoo, Ouraka became one of the most prolific koalas in North America, fathering 11 joeys in less than 8 years - more than any other koala in the country outside of San Diego, which heads U.S. koala breeding efforts.
Ouraka's longtime female companions Colliet and Midgee remain on exhibit daily at the Zoo’s Australian Adventure, along with Omaroo, the last koala joey fathered by Ouraka in August 2006. Koalas are native to the eucalyptus forests of Australia, but they could become endangered due to deforestation.
http://www.clemetzoo.com/pressroom/index.asp?action=details&pressrelease_id=1274
Boo at the Zoo - By the Numbers
Posted at 12:38 am on October 18, 2007
by Blog Keeper Tom
In General Information Comments: 0
Finally! Tonight's the first night of Boo at the Zoo 2007 at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo! We hope you can join us for all the Halloween fun. (Reminder: Boo runs from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. tonight through Sunday, October 21 and again from Thursday, October 25 through Sunday, October 28. Tickets are just $7 at the Zoo Box Office.)
Meanwhile, have you ever wondered just how many pumpkins, cornstalks and pieces of candy it takes for Cleveland Metroparks Zoo to throw the city's premier Halloween event for families? Well The Roar Report has your answers!
As Cleveland's biggest Halloween event for kids and families, Boo at the Zoo takes a LOT to pull together each year. Here's a look at just how much...
220,000 pieces of candy will be given out during Boo at the Zoo
1,500 bales of hay will be used to build this year's Hay Maze
225 pumpkins will decorate the Zoo
18 years of Boo at the Zoo in Cleveland
20,000 bags of potato chips will be given to kids as treats
36,000 people attended last year's Boo at the Zoo
8 nights of not-too-scary fun make up Boo
20,000 treat bags will be given out to Boo visitors
300 cornstalks will decorate the Zoo
$7 per ticket ... while they last. Visit clemetzoo.com to order yours today!
http://www.clemetzoo.com/zblog/default.asp?Display=60
Circuses Are No Fun for Animals
October 15th, 2007
As a circus specialist with the animal rights organization PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), RaeLeann Smith works to educate people about the cruelty involved in circuses and other animal acts and meets with legislators to develop ordinances that protect animals used for entertainment. She is currently working to promote legislation in Chicago that would be the strongest elephant protection law in the United States. As a guest writer for Advocacy for Animals this week, Smith discusses the abusive treatment of elephants and other animals in circuses.
http://advocacy.britannica.com/blog/advocacy/2007/10/circuses-are-no-fun-for-animals-2/
what is canned hunting?
Canned Hunting is the hunting of an animal that has been unfairly prevented from escaping the hunter, either due to physical or mental constraints (such as fencing or habituation to humans). Most hunting in South Africa is ‘canned’ as defined here.
http://www.cannedlion.co.za/index.html
Zoo Visitors Go Ape Over Gorillas
Updated: 08:27, Monday October 15, 2007
A new gorilla compound has led to record visitor numbers at one of the UK's top zoos.
Big names among the visitors
Thanks to the gorillas and their new rainforest exhibit, London Zoo is preparing to welcome its one millionth visitor of the year.
This is the first time the zoo - which was founded in 1826 - has reached the one million mark in eight years.
Now the management is hoping to attract more visitors than in any year since 1991, when 1.1 million came through the turnstiles.
Last year, the attendance figure was 883,000.
The lucky one millionth visitor - who is expected in a few days' time - will be given a special tour behind the scenes and a free lunch.
Zoo marketing manager James Bailey said: "Our rising visitor numbers are proof that we are doing things right.
"We are very excited about welcoming the millionth visitor this year.
"It's a real milestone for us and someone is certainly going to have an extra special day out."
http://news.sky.com/skynews/article/0,,30100-1288345,00.html?f=rss
Native species
October 14, 2007 12:00am
Many scientists consider frogs the "canaries in the coalmine" of global warming - and frog species have started to disappear.
Frogs are at risk of extinction – not all of them, but enough to catastrophically change ecosystems.
The devastating chytrid fungus, climate change, habitat loss, chemical pollution, over-harvesting, parasites and predatory introduced species — like trout that eat tadpoles — are all contributing to alarming frog loss.
Over the past 30 years, says Dr Graeme Gillespie, director of wildlife, conservation and science at Zoos Victoria, there has been a major decline in frog populations around the world. A number of species have vanished. Australia has 219 species of frog and since the 1970s, close to a dozen species have disappeared. Further, a large proportion — 28 per cent — of frog species are now threatened with extinction — some critically.
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22584395-5011680,00.html
funding: zoos; aquaria; nature sites
October 15th, 2007
Funding for sustainability: presentation at EAZA Conference, Warsaw September 2007
This attachment is the presentation given at 2007 EAZA Conference. Elements are similar to that put together for BIAZA in May, but there is more information on LIFE+, AIDCO, etc. I shall also put more on this site gradually as to these individual funding opportunties.
http://zoofunding.wordpress.com/
London: A new gorilla exhibit has led to record visitor numbers at one of the UK's top zoos.
Together with a new rainforest exhibit, the gorilla compound has proved so popular that London Zoo is preparing to welcome its one millionth visitor of 2007.
http://news.scotsman.com/uk.cfm?id=1646622007
Homework - Grade 5 Week of Oct 15th
Monday, October 15th, 2007 in Grade 5
Due for all groups Monday Oct 22
Walks on the Wild Side
Emily Sohn
There are people who love zoos, and there are people who hate them. Apparently, the same goes for animals.
After a 3-year review of studies of animal behavior at 40 zoos, two researchers from England have concluded that animals needing lots of space in the wild often do horribly in zoos. Their babies tend to die at higher rates. And they are more likely to pace back and forth, a behavior that signals boredom or distress.
http://rlong.wordpress.com/2007/10/15/homework-grade-5-week-of-oct-15th/
A pheasant visitor in North
BY RICK FOSTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF
Tuesday, October 16, 2007 12:05 AM EDT
This photo, taken by Chuck Beale of North Attleboro, shows the silver pheasant that has been wandering around Beale's yard for the past month. The exotic-looking bird is native to Asia. (Submitted)
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Anybody missing a silver pheasant?
You know the kind. It has a blue-black body, a big spread of silvery feathers, blue-and-red head and face and is about 18 inches long.
It seems to be lost, said Chuck Beale of Cushman Road, who added that the colorful animal arrived in his yard about a month ago and has been pecking around the place ever since.
Beale thinks the bird might have escaped from a zoo or breeder.
The sudden appearance of the exotic-looking avian is puzzling, Beale said, because the silver pheasant - a relative of the peacock - is not native to North America.
http://www.thesunchronicle.com/articles/2007/10/16/news/news4.txt
Horse Slaughter in the US Revisited
By Daniel Beatty, DVM
Well do not shoot the messenger on this one, but I am going to return to the discussion of Horse Slaughter in the United States. Why? Because a few days ago the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) weighed in on the topic on their website by answering some FAQs. If you did not know already, the AVMA is against banning horse slaughter and they believe that it will increase the number of unwanted horses.
Here is the information they put out on October 12th on this hot topic –
Frequently asked questions about unwanted horses and the AVMA’s policy on horse slaughter
Highlights of this FAQ page include -
On Unwanted Horses -
Unfortunately, there are not enough homes for all of these horses. If there were, there would be no market for slaughter horses. Although there are numerous equine rescue facilities throughout the United States, these facilities simply do not have enough room or resources to accommodate the additional 90,000 to 100,000 horses every year that will no longer be able to be slaughtered in US plants.
http://www.horsekinetics.com/horse-slaughter-in-the-us-revisited
The Discarded Zoo Tigers: Campaign Against Canned Hunting
Posted by Ethicsand
Animals at 10/16/2007 10:09 PM and is filed under wildlife
What exactly is canned hunting?
Shooting Preserves or "game ranches" are what are referred to as canned hunting operations. They are private trophy hunting facilities that provide their customers with the opportunity to kill exotic and native animals trapped within enclosures. There are also facilities that enable their clients to do their killing remotely, off the internet.
Canned hunting is big business and an expanding industry around the world. Overbreeding of captive exotic animals and providing hunters with a quick and easy kill for a price makes this cowardly and cruel practice a lucrative affair for the immoral. The animals come from private breeders, animal dealers, or even zoos. They are often tame as they have been hand-raised and have lost their fear of people. The animals will come to a specific place for their regular feeding and this time a hunter will be waiting.
http://ethicsandanimals.com/2007/10/16/the-discarded-zoo-tigers-campaign-against-canned-hunting.aspx
Live Nude Animals
by Zoe Blunt
Derrick Jensen’s Captive Audience
I loved animals as a child, but I didn’t like zoos. I found them disturbing and depressing. They smelled like shit and death. But then, adults considered me far too sensitive and sentimental toward animals. When I was five years old, I had what you might call an emotional breakdown after watching my father beat the family cat almost to death in our living room. That was the home life the cat and I shared, back then.
Nowadays, there are laws against abusing animals (and children, for that matter). Zoos are no longer squalid prisons where animals languish and die in solitary concrete cells. Bright, clean cages — complete with natural-looking foliage and ventilation — invite you to peer in at the inhabitants. But still, I am not comfortable visiting them.
Derrick Jensen knows why. He tells us: “Zoos are about power.” And he quotes an admirer of zoos: “You show power by keeping an animal captive; how much more powerful are you if you kill it?”
http://onlymagazine.ca/News/1506/live-nude-animals
Pig Races - Endearing Story Reveals Disturbing Find
October 17th, 2007 under Offbeat News
What began as an endearing story in my search quickly transformed to one that was slightly troubling but possibly thought provoking, then became deeply disturbing. Read on …
http://www.lifeinthefastlane.ca/pig-races-endearing-story-reveals-disturbing-find/offbeat-news
DEC Confirms First Case of Deer Disease in New York
Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease is Detected in Deer Samples From Albany County
ALBANY, NY (10/16/2007; 1807)(readMedia)-- Recent tests for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease (EHD) in several Albany County deer have come back positive, the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) announced today. This is the first confirmed detection of EHD in New York State. EHD does not present a threat to human health.
"DEC's wildlife managers have been monitoring EHD as it has worked its way north through neighboring states," DEC Commissioner Pete Grannis said. "While other states' experiences indicate that it is not anticipated to have a long-term effect on the health of our deer herd, we will continue to monitor the spread of this disease and its potential impact."
http://readme.readmedia.com/news/show/DEC-Confirms-First-Case-of-Deer-Disease-in-New-York/11977
Back from Philly
by Mary Healy, Zoo Director/AZA Chair
I just recently returned from our annual conference of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) in Philadelphia. This was a very significant meeting for me for several reasons. On a personal note, it was meaningful because, the last time the Association held a conference in Philadelphia, I attended as a college student trying to find out about zoo careers. It proved to be very informative and productive because I was offered a job as a keeper at a zoo in Columbia, SC. On a professional note, I was returning as the Chair of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums Board of Directors. In that role, I was essentially host to the opening session and many special lunches and meetings throughout the week. Our guest speakers included actor Sigourney Weaver and former Secretary of the Interior, Bruce Babbitt.
Returning to Sacramento, I was energized by the commitment and passion of my fellow members of the Association. During our week in Philadelphia over 2,000 delegates shared a common goal of working together to save wild animals and wild places. How fortunate we are to make our living in this very rewarding profession.
http://sacramentozoo.blogspot.com/2007/10/back-from-philly.html
Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife Zoos in washington.
Oktober 18, 2007 · Filed under Zoos in washington
Do You Make These Mistakes with Video?
Bill would outlaw hooks used on elephants.
He said anyone who abuses animals already violates the Animal Welfare Act. The professionals in accredited zoos love and care for their elephants. Walks in her outdoor enclosure at the National Zoo in Washington. Minnesota Zoo named a top spot for wildlife photography. Blogroll.
http://blog.kilasan.com/tvclubshop/2007/10/18/minnesota-zoo-named-a-top-spot-for-wildlife-zoos-in-washington/
Not much sound, fury in 5th District Duluth City Council race
Patrick Garmoe Duluth News Tribune
Published Thursday, October 18, 2007
The City Council race in Duluth’s 5th District, which encompasses residents west of 40th Avenue West, might qualify as the quietest of this fall’s campaigns.
Though incumbent and candidate Russell Stover and challenger Jay Fosle both have been reaching out to constituents — Fosle said he has visited residents along just about every street in the district — there hasn’t been one debate in the 5th District.
“I’m quite disappointed there hasn’t been a forum in the 5th District,” said Stover, 53…
… He's hoping the Legislature will help the zoo financially, as it does other zoos in the state. "The zoos just don't make money," Stover said. ...
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/articles/index.cfm?id=52463§ion=None&freebie_check&CFID=59982503&CFTOKEN=50914702&jsessionid=8830c1fa91c3125f3d54
Disney VP's 'green' role gets bigger
Beth Stevens will lead the company's worldwide environmental efforts.
Scott Powers Sentinel Staff Writer
October 18, 2007
When Beth Stevens left her rising career within traditional American zoos, she did so for the chance to become the executive leader and conscience of Walt Disney World's animal programs and conservation efforts. Now she's getting a chance to take on that role for Disney worldwide.
Stevens, 48, who as vice president of Animal Kingdom oversaw all of Disney World's animal-science programs, has been promoted to senior vice president for environmental affairs for Disney Worldwide Services. That gives her oversight of environmental and conservation programs throughout Walt Disney Co., from international endangered-species preservation and wildlife-habitat management to the use of biodiesel fuels and the creation of environmentally friendly "green" hotels.
http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/printedition/orl-disney1807oct18,0,2704537.story
Bill to give animal cruelty the hook
By LaToya M. Smith, Eagle Boston Bureau
Article Last Updated: 10/18/2007 09:17:55 AM EDT
Thursday, October 18
BOSTON — Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey's elephant superstar, King Tusk, may have to give up his gilded robe and custom-built tractor-trailer the next time he treks to the Bay State if lawmakers pass a bill that stalled last year.
The bill would prohibit the use of chains and bull hooks on elephants and impose a maximum fine of $5,000 and up to a year in jail for each violation.
The bull hook is a club made of wood or metal with a sharp steel hook and metal poker at one end.
Similar regulations have been passed in Quincy, Braintree, Weymouth, Provincetown and Revere, according to Scott Giacoppo, deputy director of advocacy for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
"This is a weapon," state Sen. Robert L. Hedlund, R-Weymouth, told the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development yesterday.
http://www.berkshireeagle.com/headlines/ci_7210473
continued...
Boo(m)! Lightning strike puts scare into NEW Zoo staff
A lightning strike during Tuesday night's storm felled a 60-foot pine tree at the NEWZoo in Suamico. Zoo worker Don Killinger cleans up debris near the fallen tree. Though no people or animals were hurt, splinters from the tree were strewn about the park. . Mike Hoeft/Press-Gazette
This is pure stupidity. Why would a person subscribe to two media services with the same information and point of view?
The Powell influence at the FCC sought to dismantle Freedom of Speech. Colen Powell took the USA into an illegal and immoral war while his son sought to mute any media freedom that would oppose it. The Powell influence continues at the FCC and needs to be reversed; it will only end up in an Anti-Trust suit. Still another assault by the Neocon propagandists.
...May 23, 2003 By all accounts Federal Communications Commission chairman Michael Powell knew his crusade to eliminate decades' worth of media ownership limits was going to be a bruising fight, both inside and outside the commission. The prospect of a rush toward more media consolidation raises all sorts of hot-button issues about the future of American media and the role news plays in a democratic society....
The FCC wants public opinion? Here it is ! Bad decisions are simply that. This is creating Anti-Trust. It just is. Why begin a process that will only be a matter of a lawsuit to dismantle it? The Bush White House are full of morons intent on manipulating the public rather than actually governing. The entire circumstances are contemptual. It victimizes the public, creates narrowing information bases of information, attacks directly the First Amendment and creates an American Culture that turns away from traditional media sources while expanding it's interaction of information on the net.
The FCC is corrupt, caters to one party and seeks to control the Freedom of Speech guaranteed to Americans. It caters to the wealthy and tries to control the economics of the market while limiting choice. This administration in DC are bunch of jerks and are destroying American freedom, it's dignity in the International Venues of the world including the basis of the Free Market Place. Control the advertising dollar of Americans and control the method of survival for business especially the independant entrepreneur. The Bush Administration isn't interested in freedom or free trade; they are interested in what brings them personal and political wealth.
The Public needs to take a strong stand against this monopolizing trend and write their legislators to stop this idiocy. Below is the link to comment directly to the FCC. Send that comment to all your legislators as well.
You know, it's difficult enough being involved with independant media, this will only oppress it all the more ! The American people will not have our democracy intact, while the Middle Class finds itself struggling all the more with this ? decision ? by the FCC.
Enter comments to the FCC. You have to know if there is equity in alerting the public the majority will be opposing the change. The ONLY people interested in monopolies are the wealthy and they are only 2% of the nation.
http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/ecfs/
Electronic Comment File Submission (link immediately below). Prepare an electonic document as you will and submit it via attachment at this site. Fight for your democracy, the time is now. This is being done in time for the 2008 elections. Be aware of the power to destroy the USA Constitution. Petitions to eliminate the decision can be filed here as well. The more opposing comment to the decision the stronger and stronger the Anti-Trust lawsuit will be. Thank you.
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/upload_v2.cgi
This needs to be a platform issue for the DNC. This is a direct assault on Freedom of Speech.
FCC Chairman Offers Ownership Plan (click here)
By JOHN DUNBAR – 7 hours ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the Federal Communications Commission is proposing a plan that would wrap up by the end of the year the long-running debate over how many media properties a company should be allowed to own in a single market.
FCC Chairman Kevin Martin's proposal would allow for public comment on the proposed rules in mid-November and a commission vote on Dec. 18.
Among the rules that are potentially on the chopping block is a ban on one company owning a newspaper and broadcast station in the same market. The rule is of particular interest to Tribune Co., which is the subject of a pending buyout led by real estate magnate Sam Zell.
Tribune has waivers that allow the company to own both newspaper and broadcast properties in New York, Los Angles, Chicago, Hartford/New Haven and Miami/Fort Lauderdale. The waivers will not transfer to the new owners.
But if the FCC agrees to Martin's schedule, and then votes to eliminate the cross-ownership ban, it becomes a moot point, and allows the company to close on the transaction by year's end, as it had hoped.
Martin confirmed the details of his plan in an interview with The Associated Press Wednesday. The plan the chairman is considering is far more open and involves far more public input than the process followed by then-Chairman Michael Powell in 2003, Martin said....
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