It may as well have been a puppy !
Look. Everyone involved with Abu Ghraib got a slap on the wrist and the top brass got away with murder. No one is going to care about the mutilation and death of a puppy !
Viewer Discretion Advised: US Soldier throws puppy off a cliff in Iraq
Last Updated : March 6, 2008
http://www.7days.ae/showvideo.php?id=127
Animals have emotions too
5:00AM Saturday March 08, 2008
Crocodile mothers show their tender side by caring for their offspring.
When we talk about crocodile tears, dogged determination or laughing like a hyena we might not be that far off the mark, according to a visiting US biologist who says animals have emotions just like us.
Marc Bekoff, professor of biology at the University of Colorado, Boulder, is in Australia to give a series of public talks on the emotional lives of animals.
Dr Bekoff says scientists have moved on from the presumption that the way animals act is the result of programmed behaviour.
"It's not a question of if they have emotions but why they have evolved," he says.
Animals also have personalities, he says.
Dr Bekoff says research has shown that elephants can experience grief, mice feel empathy, rats get excited about playing with a friend, sharks get mad and koalas have likes and dislikes.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10496820
CZA okays Byculla zoo makeover, says not a single tree can be cut
Mumbai, March 4 The Central Zoo Authority (CZA), while approving the Rs 434-crore Byculla zoo makeover plan on Tuesday, stipulated that no tree be felled and no heritage structure be disturbed in the process.
“We have studied the masterplan and have decided to approve it now. But in the interest of concerned citizens, we’ve maintained that not one tree be brought down during the modernisation of the zoo,” said B R Sharma, member secretary of the CZA.
Incidentally, the BMC had recently mentioned that only diseased trees would be uprooted. While the CZA had earlier shown reservation to this condition, Sharma now stated that they would allow the BMC to make internal decision as long as their main conditions are adhered to.
http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/CZA-okays-Byculla-zoo-makeover-says-not-a-single-tree-can-be-cut/280457/
Elephant foot disease widespread in Riau province in Indonesia
2008-03-03 15:38:22
JAKARTA, March 3 (Xinhua) -- A mosquito-borne disease locally known as kaki gajah or elephant foot is ballooning out of control in Riau province in Indonesia recently, according to local media on Monday.
The disease gets its name for causing enlargement of the entire leg or arm of the sufferers.
The spacious peat land, rain forests and palm oil plantations in the province are safe havens for mosquitoes which transmit the tropical foot abscess disease filariasis, in addition to dengue and malaria.
According to a recent survey, of the province's all eleven regencies, only Kampar and Rokan Hulu remain free of filariasis, the major newspaper The Jakarta Post said.
"Riau has become an endemic area for the disease. Thousands of people have been infected," Burhanuddin Agung, head of the provincial health office, told the English daily.
Early symptoms include a high fever which recurs for about three days each month, red lines on swollen legs and feet and abscess on the feet.
"This disease can attack anyone, no matter their age or health condition," said Burhanuddin.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-03/03/content_7709063.htm
Group upset zoo took out 139 trees to build Teton Trek
By Cindy Wolff (Contact)
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
A group of citizens has an answer for the graffiti scrawled on a construction screen in Overton Park.
Mark Andrews passes by the area of Overton Park that is being cleared by the zoo for a new exhibit. Various groups, angry over the destruction of the Old Forest, say the work should not have begun without public input. But zoo officials say the project was no secret -- it has been on their master plan since 1988.
Who will speak for the trees?
They will.
They are upset that the Memphis Zoo uprooted 139 trees to build the $13.5 million Teton Trek. They are mad that no one asked for their input or whether they wanted to trade a natural, local habitat for a manmade one that showcases an ecosystem that exists 1,500 miles away in Wyoming.
They wonder why public input wasn't invited like it is for development of Shelby Farms.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/mar/05/old-forest-04/
On the Zoo and the Trees
Interesting story in today's Commercial Appeal about work being done on a Memphis Zoo exhibit under construction. Even though the plan is twenty years old, people were surprised anyway....
...This is a very common thing. Governments go through lengthy, but low profile, processes to arrive at plans, then the plans are slowly implemented over time. People tend to forget about the plans until the next phase impacts their lives directly.
In the case of the Zoo, though, it's not like you have to go digging. You can find the Zoo's Master Plan online.
It's a place where the media can help, if the reporters and editors and producers also know what plans are out there and where they are kept on file. For that matter, do any newsrooms keep copies of the future growth plans for major attractions and institutions? Places like Shelby Farms and Forest, the University of Memphis, Beale Street Landing, Overton Park, the County's Master Growth Plan, etc. should -- it seems to me -- be kept in the newsroom as a resource for new and busy reporters. Does that happen?
http://mediaverse-memphis.blogspot.com/2008/03/on-zoo-and-trees.html
Author tells how tricks of Shamu's trainers work at home
By Ben Steelman
Staff Writer
ben.steelman@starnewsonline.com
Amy Sutherland was working on a book, Kicked, Scratched and Beaten, about exotic animal trainers who work with bears, orangutans and llamas for Hollywood or with orcas at Sea World. All at once, it dawned on her: The positive reinforcement techniques the trainers used could also work on "the human animal I married, Scott."
Sutherland dashed off a short piece, "What Shamu Taught Me About a Happy Marriage," that became the most viewed and the most e-mailed article from The New York Times' online edition for 2006. She expanded that into a new book, What Shamu Taught Me About Life, Love and Marriage.
In it (among other things), she outlined how she gently taught Scott not to leave his dirty clothes in a pile on the bathroom floor, not through nagging but through thanks, praise and the occasional "jackpot" reward.
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20080306/NEWS/803060333/1051
Baby Watch Underway At The Pittsburgh Zoo (Video)
LIVE ZOO CAM
Watch the polar bears by day (until 4:30pm) and the tigers by night (after 4:30pm)!
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ― The cub watch is on at the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, where officials are hoping a mating will enlarge one species family.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says zookeepers are keeping a close eye on rare Amur Tigers Globus and Toma.
They're hoping Toma is pregnant.
http://kdka.com/local/Amur.tigers.zoo.2.668951.html
Pittsburgh zoo hoping tigers' mating resulted in pregnancy
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH - Toma and Globus mated in late January.
Now, Pittsburgh zookeepers want to know if the Amur tigers' loving session was productive.
Tiger pregnancy is determined by testing hormone levels in stool samples, which takes several weeks.
But there are always the unofficial signs.
The zoo's lead carnivore keeper, Kathy Suthard, says Toma is cranky and hungrier than usual, just as she was during her first pregnancy.
The zoo is encouraged because Toma already has 18-month-old cubs. Her mate, Globus, sired four cubs at the Riverbanks Zoo in Columbia, S.C.
http://www.philly.com/philly/wires/ap/news/state/pennsylvania/20080304_ap_pittsburghzoohopingtigersmatingresultedinpregnancy.html
Zoo boss wants permission for new boundary fencing
Published on 04/03/2008
APPLICATION: David Gill, owner of the South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton, has applied to Barrow council for permission for a new perimeter fence SHEENAH ALCOCK
ZOO boss David Gill is seeking planning permission for a new boundary fence to stop his animals escaping.
Inspectors slammed the perimeter fencing at South Lakes Wild Animal Park when they visited the Dalton tourist attraction in October.
They concluded it would not “deter unauthorised entry” or help keep the creatures in.
Barrow Borough Council has since received a planning application from Mr Gill for a new security fence at his zoo.
The council’s planning committee – a panel of councillors – could decide whether to grant Mr Gill’s application on March 18 or April 8.
Council planning officials said a three-week consultation on the proposal was under way but they had not received any responses.
Michelle Grafton, administration officer at the zoo, said: “In the 2007 Defra zoo inspection and the 2006 inspection, it was concluded that the perimeter needed to be updated to reflect the change in species held at the park and to increase the protection level against escapes.
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=801899
Oregon Zoo to release 3 California Condors into Wild
Submitted by Sal Peralta on Tue, 03/04/2008 - 06:54.
The Oregon Zoo will soon release 3 captive-born California Condors into the wild, the Oregonian reports.
The Californian Condor is one of the most endangered birds in the world. In the 1980's, only 23 condors remained in the world. Breeding in zoos has helped increase the population to nearly 300, with 144 birds remaining in the wild.
The birds will be released near the Grand Canyon at the border of Arizona and Utah.
A total of 4 birds have been released by the program established at the Oregon zoo.
http://www.oregonindependent.com/node/180
Zoo visitor accused of tossing acorns at rhino
Jaxon Van Derbeken, Chronicle Staff Writer
Saturday, March 1, 2008
(02-29) 16:57 PST SAN FRANCISCO -- A man has been cited for misdemeanor animal taunting for allegedly tossing acorns at a rhinoceros at the San Francisco Zoo, police said Friday.
Juan Zuluaga, 26, was arrested, cited and released after the incident Thursday, authorities said.
The zoo has stepped up its warnings against harassment of animals after the Christmas Day tiger attack that left one young man dead and two others injured. Among other steps, it has posted signs telling patrons not to annoy the animals.
Police said they were summoned to the zoo at 3:30 p.m. Thursday after a patron reported to officials that Zuluaga was picking acorns off a branch and tossing them at the black rhino, a male named Mashaki. Zuluaga was with another man, who was not cited.
The animal appeared unfazed, police Sgt. Steve Mannina said.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/03/01/BA73VBNM1.DTL&tsp=1
Australia Zoo director denies rift
12:00a.m. 5 March 2008
By Carolyn Tucker
Australia Zoo director Wes Mannion yesterday denied suggestions of a rift between Bob Irwin and his daughter-in-law Terri.
This is the full transcript of his interview.
What do you feel about the statement Bob Irwin released over the weekend?
Answer: The most important thing is that we’re all in this for the same reason – we’re all into conservation.
Bob’s been a fantastic guy; he always will be. He’s moved on to a new job which is another conservation property which the zoo has funded, so really it’s exciting. I think it’s great for him to have a change.
As far as the politics involved and whatever else that people may or may not say, I never talk personally about family, but I will say that Bob would do great whatever he does and the great thing is that it’s another conservation property that will be focused on … it’s a property the zoo has helped him get so I think it’s a win-win for everybody.
http://www.thedaily.com.au/news/2008/mar/05/australia-zoo-director-denies-rift/
Two teens shoot bear, tiger at N.J. zoo
By Sam Wood
INQUIRER STAFF WRITER
Two South Jersey boys charged with shooting exotic animals with pellet guns at a zoo in Cumberland County were released to their parents Monday after being held overnight at a juvenile detention center, authorities said.
A 17-year-old from Vineland and a 14-year-old from Bridgeton were arrested Sunday afternoon at the tiny Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton after witnesses saw and heard them shoot at a rare white tiger and a black bear, zoo officials said.
The boys, whose names were not released, were charged on multiple weapons counts, said Kenneth Pagliughi, first assistant prosecutor for Cumberland County.
In addition, the SPCA signed charges against both boys for tormenting an animal, Pagliughi said.
http://www.philly.com/philly/news/20080304_Two_teens_shoot_bear__tiger_at_NJ_zoo.html
Zoo's wolf game has thousands on prowl
The Minnesota Zoo's WolfQuest game has taken off -- and taught its users a few things along the way.
By TOM MORAN, Star Tribune
Last update: March 5, 2008 - 12:09 AM
Since the Minnesota Zoo's free educational video game, WolfQuest, launched late last year, it has attracted attention and gamers from across the globe.
More than 100,000 people have downloaded WolfQuest and it averages more than 1,000 new users every day, according to figures provided by the zoo.
Michelle Housenga, the WolfQuest project coordinator at the zoo, said downloads come in waves as new countries learn about the game. She said its popularity stems from extensive news coverage, including from National Public Radio's All Things Considered and Iran's Tehran Times newspaper.
http://www.startribune.com/local/south/16147192.html
Debt collectors sue Irwin widow
Posted Wed Mar 5, 2008 1:25pm AEDT
Sued: Terri Irwin with daughter Bindi (Getty Images : Bradley Kanaris)
A Victorian Court has ruled that a multi-million dollar lawsuit against the late Steve Irwin's Australia Zoo will be heard in Melbourne.
Debt collection agency Alyssa Treasury Services is suing the Queensland zoo for $2.5 million of debts which it acquired from several different firms, including offshore banks.
The agency demanded payment of the debt in May last year and is also suing zoo manager Terri Irwin, wife of the late Steve Irwin, for $600,000.
Despite lawyers for Australia Zoo arguing crucial witnesses in the case are based in Queensland, Judge Maree Kennedy has ruled the case should be heard in Victoria.
The trial is expected to be held in October.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/03/05/2180684.htm
L.A. Zoo to celebrate Earth Day
Wednesday, 03.05.2008, 02:04am (GMT-7)
LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Zoo is holding its annual Earth Day Expo to support ongoing conservation efforts and to continue educating the public about the importance of recycling and reusing material for the betterment of the earth.
The Los Angeles Zoo and K-EARTH 101 will hold Earth Day Expo 2008 with activities for the entire family.
The Zoo will offer information about recycling and conservation and will be celebrating California Wildlife. Species highlighted will be the brown pelican, harbor seal, desert tortoise, desert bighorn sheep, Channel Island fox and California condor*. *not exhibited This is the nation’s 38th Earth Day, themed "protecting our children’s health and future." The Earth Day Expo 2008 will be held on Saturday and Sunday, April 19 & 20 between 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The Zoo is in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State(5) Freeways.
http://indiapost.com/article/usnews/2230/
Cincinnati Zoo gets new 5-year levy worth $36.3 million
Associated Press - March 5, 2008 8:45 AM ET
CINCINNATI (AP) - The animals at the Cincinnati Zoo have scored a victory at the polls.
Hamilton County voters on Tuesday approved a tax levy that will raise a little over $36 million for the zoo over the next five years.
The issue that passed 59% to 41% will cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $1.78 per year.
The money will pay for care of the animals and plants and for maintenance.
Information from: The Cincinnati Enquirer, http://www.enquirer.com
http://www.wdtn.com/Global/story.asp?S=7968066
Visitors flock to Chester Zoo
By Staff reporter
CHESTER Zoo is fast becoming one of the most popular leisure attractions in the country, with visitor figures to prove it.
New figures released by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) show that the award-winning zoo is the second most-visited tourist attraction in the UK where an entry charge applies.
Chester Zoo is already the most-visited wildlife attraction with more than 1.3 million visitors last year alone, and now the ALVA figures also reveal that the zoo is also the 15th most-visited of all UK attractions, including those where entry is free.
http://www.chesterstandard.co.uk/chesternews/Visitors-flock-to-Chester-Zoo.3841672.jp
CPS Levy Close, Zoo Wins Residents’ Votes
Last Update: 3/05 8:02 am
Reported by: Jessica Noll
Reported by: Bob White
Web produced by: Jessica Noll
Voters said yes to two hot Cincinnati issues on Tuesday, approving both a levy for Cincinnati schools and the zoo.
The Cincinnati Public Schools levy, Issue 10 passed narrowly with just over 50 percent in favor to 49 percent against.
The school levy was a five-year, 7.89-mill emergency levy to generate $51.5 million annually starting in 2009. School officials said the money would be used for salaries, textbooks and classroom needs and other learning services for students and their families and teachers.
It will cost the owner of a $100,000 home about $233 in annual property taxes.
http://www.kypost.com/news/local/story.aspx?content_id=5724cd8c-2559-4836-ad90-3ae0e65ab72e
Taronga Zoo celebrates baby female chimp
March 4, 2008 - 2:59PM
Advertisement
The birth of a chimpanzee at Taronga Zoo has added a much-needed female touch to the Sydney zoo's breeding program.
The chimp, who is yet to be named, was born in the chimpanzees' open enclosure last Wednesday after a 45-minute labour.
She is an important addition to the zoo's chimpanzee population of 19, Taronga Zoo spokesman Mark Williams says.
"We let it all happen naturally. We had a run of boys, that's fine but having another female opens up another genetic line," Mr Williams told AAP.
"That helps us manage the genetics ... so that in the long term we have a genetically sustainable group, one that is not inbred and is healthy and has the widest number of inputs from different chimpanzees."
Mother Shiba was very protective of her baby, tucking her safely under one arm as she feasted on nuts, yoghurt and dried fruit in front of photographers.
Shiba is the mother of three male chimps and this is her first girl.
The other chimpanzees had welcomed the new baby and she was settling in well, Mr Williams said.
"Shiba did everything right and the little baby started suckling pretty soon and doing everything right from a baby point of view," he said.
"So (they are) very, very happy and the group is very calm and very welcoming".
© 2008 AAP
http://news.smh.com.au/taronga-zoo-celebrates-baby-female-chimp/20080304-1wsk.html
World's smartest immigrant unearthed
5:00AM Friday March 07, 2008
An artist's impression of what the Teilhardina magnoliana may have looked like. Photo / Reuters
He was the Albert Einstein of his time - a long-extinct critter that weighed about 28g, measured 7.5cm long and munched on bugs and berries.
A US scientist has unearthed the remains of the earliest-known primate to live in North America.
In doing so, he figured out the path these ancient representatives of the mammalian group, which includes lemurs, monkeys, apes and people, may have taken to reach that part of the world.
Based on a group of teeth from a tiny primate unearthed in Mississippi dating to 55.8 million years ago, palaeontologist Christopher Beard, of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, said the species likely scampered over a now-vanished land bridge connecting Siberia to Alaska.
The tiny immigrant was called Teilhardina magnoliana, Dr Beard said in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/category/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10496576
Breaking the ice
5:00AM Saturday March 01, 2008
By Geoff Cumming
Sadie Mills and Niki Davey with giant starfish.
On the bridge of the Tangaroa, Stu Hanchet is surveying a pancake ice panorama. The Niwa research vessel is a curiosity for the penguins and seals watching it glide gingerly by. Black and white Antarctic petrels and the occasional giant petrel come and go, the ship's resident skua hovers.
Penguins, seals, even whales, have ceased to be a curiosity to the 26 scientists and 18 crew on the Tangaroa, which is undertaking the biggest ever biological survey of the Ross Sea - the perilous stretch of Antarctic water administered by New Zealand.
It's freezing, says Hanchet, who leads the science project. Ice and snow showers have been constant companions since the Tangaroa reached the Ross Sea, six days due south of Wellington. On deck, scientists and crew work in temperatures of - 12C or - 13C, deploying and retrieving unwieldy sampling equipment which, like the samples collected, can quickly freeze.
The scientists left New Zealand's once-in-a-blue-moon summer on January 31 with hopes of finding the Ross Sea largely free of ice. They had planned to venture further south than ever before, deep into the sea's southeastern corner, and to sample marine life on the continental shelf of Antarctica.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10495365&pnum=0
Scientists call for big cash injection for `blue-skies' research
6:00AM Tuesday March 04, 2008
Professor Jeff Tallon. Photo / Mark Mitchell.
A begging letter from nearly 500 senior scientists, seeking greater taxpayer funding of "blue skies" research, has been portrayed by the Government as a routine precursor to the coming budget round.
The 460 scientists want funding at least trebled for the Government's Marsden Fund which provides grants to researchers doing science not specifically tied to an economic application.
They have presented an open letter to Science Minister Pete Hodgson calling for the big boost for science for the sake of knowledge.
The letter was written by Professor Jeff Tallon, of Victoria University, who Mr Hodgson presented with the nation's top science award, the Rutherford Medal, in 2002.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10496094
Chris Barton: Clearing the storm clouds from NZ's `blue skies'
5:00AM Saturday March 08, 2008
By Chris Barton
To study a field of knowledge no holds barred, to explore freely without an end goal in sight, is a coveted privilege enjoyed by a select few in New Zealand.
But while most agree "blue skies" research is an essential component of scientific endeavour _ the path from which new knowledge comes _ it's a practice increasingly under threat.
So say 460 of the country's top brains in an open letter to the Minister of Science pleading for a trebling of the Marsden Fund dedicated to basic research.
The scientists are exercised by the large number of promising new researchers turned down year after year. The fund has a disheartening 90-93 per cent failure rate. In 2007 just 93 out of 910 proposals received a share of the $44 million dished out. A trebling to around $120 million would fund 20-25 per cent of applicants, and would attract back the disillusioned.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/466/story.cfm?c_id=466&objectid=10496899
Sluggish tuatara fastest in DNA evolution
5:00AM Tuesday March 04, 2008
By Angela Gregory
Tuatara evolved significantly faster than animals such as the cave bear, lion, ox and horse. Photo / Greg Bowker
They are slow to grow, slow to reproduce and have a sluggish metabolism.
But tuatara have broken records for DNA evolution, a discovery that has astonished New Zealand scientists.
Tuatara, often referred to as living dinosaurs, have largely not changed physically over very long periods of evolution going back millions of years.
But analysis of their old bones in New Zealand has shown that their DNA has evolved faster than any other animal species yet studied.
Evolutionary biologist Professor David Lambert, of Massey University, and a team from the Massey-based Allan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution established through study of tuatara DNA that the reptiles evolved very quickly.
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=82&objectid=10495940
It really is time for zoo animals to get new home
Last Updated : Wednesday 05 Mar, 2008 - 1 comments
Al Ain did it. Abu Dhabi are planning it. So, in the spirit of healthy competition between the Emirates, why doesn’t Dubai do it? I’m talking about the upgrades to the zoos in these Emirates. With all the mega projects on the go here in Dubai (Dubai world etc), it would seem as if the Dubai Zoo on Jumeirah Road looks seriously dated.But looks aside - let’s face it, keeping large animals confined in tiny spaces within a zoo is old school (not to mention cruel).
http://www.7days.ae/showstory.php?id=68275
Joburg Zoo fills its calendar
Written by Lesego Madumo
Wednesday, 05 March 2008
From the Zoo Trot to Moonlight Tours, a Myth Busters Tour and a Paddy's Day frog hunt, there are plenty of things to do at the Johannesburg Zoo.
Runners will be able to watch 200 species of animals at the zoo, instead of the usual morning jog dodging cars
TAKE a trot round the zoo, checking out its 200 species of animals, instead of the usual morning jog dodging cars.
With its regular Zoo Trots, the Johannesburg Zoo is helping people get fit, while enjoying the sights and sounds of nature. And it is all in the heart of bustling Joburg. The fun run or walk takes place around the zoo every second Sunday of the month throughout the year; it is open to everyone over the age of three.
It can be seen as complementary to the vision of Executive Mayor Amos Masondo to use sports as a way of forging relationships and bringing together a divided people. Over and above its ability to unite people, Masondo believes that sport encourages healthy lifestyles and keeps youngsters away from delinquency.
Keeping fit
"The Joburg Zoo supports a healthy lifestyle," confirms Sandra Hlungwani, the zoo's public relations and marketing officer. "If one of your new year's resolutions was to keep fit, this is an ideal opportunity for you."
It has partnered in the venture with the Rocky Road Runners Club, one of the most established running clubs in South Africa, which offers support for runners.
http://www.joburg.org.za/content/view/2253/168/
PETA to protest at Springfield zoo Thursday
A PETA member dressed as a kangaroo will be among a group planning to picket Dickerson Park Zoo Thursday.
The protesters will hold a banner declaring, �Dickerson Park Zoo: Rescue Dumped Animals Now� in response to the alleged transfer of animals from the zoo to dealers who provide animals to hunting ranches, according to a news release from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
PETA has urged the Association of Zoos and Aquariums to revoke the zoo�s accreditation over the alleged donations of kangaroos and giraffes to animal dealers and a hunting ranch.
http://www.news-leader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/BREAKING01/80305040
Animal Rights Extremists To Protest At Zoo
5 03 2008
According to our friends at KSPR, the animal rights extremist group PETA is planning to launch a protest over very questionable allegations against the Dickerson Park Zoo. PETA is claiming they have documents that prove the zoo donated a kangaroo and a greater kudu to a man that has been accused of selling animals to hunting ranches. However, the PETA website does not have these documents available for public viewing so there is no way to see if the documents actually exist or the source of this information. All of the PETA accusations thus far have not been backed with any credible evidence yet they’re going to rush out to draw attention to themselves on Thursday.
http://lifeofjason.com/2008/03/05/animal-rights-extremists-to-protest-at-zoo/
Hop To It – Binder Park Zoo’s Special Easter Adopt
Binder Park Zoo
Reader Submitted
Post Comment
Arriving just in time for Easter Binder Park Zoo welcomes a new member to its animal family. This long eared, fluffy new addition hops around and can weigh up to 30lbs! It’s not your typical rabbit but rather a Flemish giant rabbit and he will be part of the Zoo’s education programs. Help welcome this new arrival and give a unique Easter gift by adopting this adorable bunny. Proceeds will go to help feed and care for Binder Park Zoo’s animals.
The special Easter bunny adopt package includes an official ADOPT certificate, a color picture of your adopted animal, an animal fact sheet, one free admission pass to visit Binder Park Zoo next season and the name of recipient displayed on the Zoo’s Adopt Honor Roll board for one year, all for just $30 per adoption!
Adoption is a special way to help Binder Park Zoo ensure the health and well-being of our animals. Adoptions are just one of the many ways you can become involved with Binder Park Zoo!
For more information or to purchase your Easter Bunny Adopt, please visit www.binderparkzoo.org, call Binder Park Zoo at (269) 979-1351, or stop by the Zoo office between 9:00 and 5:00 Monday through Friday.
http://www.battlecreekenquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080305/NEIGHBORHOODS01/803050335
New Zoo Review: Going Strong After 20 Years
Tribune photo by Lenora Lake
Docent Linda Delaphena brought Angie, a llama born last March at the Lowry Park Zoo, to a ceremony celebrating the zoo's 20th anniversary as an independent nonprofit organization.
By Neil Johnson and Lenora Lake, The Tampa Tribune
Published: March 5, 2008
TAMPA - In the 1980s, Lowry Park Zoo was one of the worst in the nation, ready to be bulldozed, one of its attractions a three-legged bear.
Cages were cramped, exhibits few and a children's fairyland with a small train ride was more popular than the animals.
"The main problem was that is was a bad zoo," said former Florida Gov. Bob Martinez, Tampa's mayor at the time.
The city decided to close the place and knock it down, pledging $10 million toward a new zoo, Martinez said.
Today, the Lowry Park Zoological Society, the nonprofit organization that runs the zoo, marked 20 years since the new version of the zoo opened.
Between September 2006 and 2007, more than 1.1 million people came to the zoo.
http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/mar/05/new-zoo-review-going-strong-after-20-years/
Steady decline of animals at Bondla zoo
by Roque Dias
Ponda, March 5 The Bondla zoo that once boasted of having many species of animals is steadily losing its charm, with eyebrows being raised over the steady decrease of animals at the zoo.
Six animals, including a fox, a peahen, a jackal, and a leopard, have died in the last few months, according to zoo sources.
Visitors and sources alleged that most of the animals were not properly fed; though the range forest officer, Mr Pradeep Vernekar disputed this.
To make matters worse for the animals, there is only a lone visiting doctor who examines the animals, once a week.
http://www.navhindtimes.com/articles.php?Story_ID=030612
Kyoto zoo visitors to view chimp research up close
The Yomiuri Shimbun
KYOTO--Visitors to the Kyoto City Zoo in Sakyo Ward, Kyoto, will be able to observe researchers studying chimpanzees from fiscal 2008 as part of a collaborative program of the Kyoto municipal government and Kyoto University, which is known for its primate research.
The project is the first of its kind in the nation. Research on other animals, including elephants and giraffes, is also expected to be showcased in the same way, as the municipal government hopes to attract more visitors, and the university hopes to promote its research.
According to the plan, the municipal government will purchase four chimpanzees and build a 10-meter-tall tower in the animals' zoo environment. A laboratory with reinforced-glass walls will also be built so that visitors can closely observe the primates. The municipal government has set aside 125 million yen for the project in its draft fiscal 2008 budget.
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/20080306TDY16001.htm
Oakland Zoo's renovation grows, draws opposition
East Bay Business Times - by Mavis Scanlon
The last big component of the Oakland Zoo's plan to expand into a major East Bay attraction has grown more elaborate - and more costly - than envisioned in a master plan completed more than a decade ago, and has as a result generated new opposition.
The zoo is embarking on the final, $42 million element of its expansion, which will transform an undeveloped piece of the city's Knowland Park into a California animal exhibit and support facilities for the zoo.
http://eastbay.bizjournals.com/eastbay/stories/2008/03/10/story1.html?b=1205121600%5E1602343
continued...
