Zoos
Pittsburgh Zoo Joins Fight Against Animal Extinction
POSTED: 3:55 pm EDT October 18, 2007
PITTSBURGH -- Most people have heard about the polar bears' food supply dwindling thanks to global warming, but there's another species that is reaching this critical stage: primates.
The gelada baboon is a dying breed.
"Within the eight months I just spent in Ethiopia with the geladas, I saw people destroying the grasslands where the geladas live," said conservation biologist Dr. Peter Fashing.
http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/14371127/detail.html
City zoo gets $10,000 Grant from U.S. Cellular
By Bobbi Mlynar (Contact)
Originally published 12:54 p.m., October 18, 2007
Updated 12:54 p.m., October 18, 2007
The David Traylor Zoo of Emporia received a $10,000 grant from U.S. Cellular during a city commission meeting Wednesday night in the municipal courtroom.
Zoo director Steve Trebilcock and Friends of the Zoo President Brenton Bennett accepted the check from Jill Donner of U.S. Cellular.
Donner told city officials that U.S. Cellular employees quickly noticed the value of the zoo to the community when the company moved to Emporia in 2006. That first year, the company donated $5,000 to the zoo, followed by a $1,000 gift earlier this year.
“I can’t begin to tell you how much we appreciate this very, very generous grant,” Bennett said. “... It’s going to significantly help us improve our graphics ... and our signage around the zoo.”
The commission voted 4-0 to deny a request from Pizza Hut for a license agreement to place a sign on public right-of-way at its new location, now under construction on Eaglecrest Drive. City Commissioner Jeff Longbine was absent for the meeting.
http://www.emporiagazette.com/news/2007/oct/18/city_zoo_gets_10000_grant_city_zoo_gets_10000_gran/
Weekend Options for Oct. 19-22: Zoo Boo and more
Last update: October 18, 2007 – 4:56 PM
ZOO BOO
If ghosts and goblins are not your thing, put on your costume and enjoy a frightless evening of fun at Como Zoo. In addition to activities and trick-or-treating, more than 200 costumed characters will entertain children . (4:30-7:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays through Oct. 28. $5-$6. 1225 Estabrook Drive, St. Paul. 651-487-8200.)
HARVEST BEES
Roll up your sleeves and join the Oliver Kelley Farm staff as they husk corn, work on quilts and do other fall-time chores. Learn how early settlers prepared for winter during "work parties." (10 a.m.-5 p.m. today-Sat.; noon-5 p.m. Sun. $4-$7. 15788 Kelley Farm Road, Elk River. 763-441-6896.)
http://www.startribune.com/diversions/story/1493263.html
A mall with animals
The gorilla sat on top of an upright tyre. She scratched herself here and there. She walked around a bit, but not much. It's difficult to tell from her dark mien or her gestures if she was bored or depressed, as some visitors have claimed. The huge orangutan on my left, a male apparently, sat idly, moving only to scratch his armpit vigorously from time to time, while his wife was busy looking after and entertaining the baby. That was educational.
Welcome to Pata Zoo, a private menagerie on the roof of an old-style department store that has come under fire in the past weeks for alleged failure to take good enough care of its animals. Animal welfare activists have also argued that the zoo's location on top of a shopping mall was not suitable for the animals' health and hygiene.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/19Oct2007_news22.php
Zoo welcomes Gus and Briggs: the new Guineau hogs
Oct 18, 2007 01:07 PM EDT
The Rosamond Gifford Zoo is pleased to announce two new addition to its domestic animal barn. Louie has been the Zoo's only Guinea hog since the early 90s, but was recently joined by two young males, Briggs (named for Pat Briggs, the designer of the Zoo's "Go Hog Wild!" motorcycle) and Gus. All three are currently on exhibit.
Chuck Doyle, director of the zoo, is thrilled to welcome Gus and Briggs. "Guinea hogs are fascinating animals," he says. "Those who have visited the zoo in the past likely recall watching Louie's demonstrations. His ability to 'play basketball' and 'recycle' reflects just how intelligent this breed is."
http://www.wstm.com/Global/story.asp?S=7232411&nav=2aKD
New Pond Turtles
A bird keeper discovered three newly hatched pond turtles (Clemmys marmorata) by the flamingo feeder last week. They were quickly scooped up and transported to the reptile house. Loyal readers may remember from the post "A Day in the Life… of a Reptile Keeper" that we collect pond turtle hatchlings on zoo grounds and give them a head start. This allows them to grow larger more quickly and thus be safer from predators like crows. The three turtles weighed in at 6.7 grams, 7.0 grams, and 6.7 grams. Their shells were marked temporarily so we can tell individuals apart. The turtles will be weighed and measured weekly to monitor growth. They are now on display in the reptile house next to the single hatchling found in October of 2006. Favorite foods so far are small mealworms and crickets. They should be ready for release in spring of 2009.
http://sacramentozoo.blogspot.com/2007/10/new-pond-turtles.html
Cheetahs changing spots at Hamilton Zoo
Friday, 19 October 2007, 2:52 pm
Press Release: Hamilton City Council
Cheetahs changing spots at Hamilton Zoo
It’s been farewells and welcomes at Hamilton Zoo’s cheetah enclosure with two recent departures and arrivals.
Long-time Hamilton Zoo residents and visitor favourites, Temba and Kaitoa, have departed for Orana Park while playful brothers Moyo Matusi and Jambo have travelled across the Tasman to make their new home in Hamilton.
The impetus behind the transfers has been the opportunity for Temba and Kaitoa to contribute more actively to the regional cheetah breeding programme while offering Western Plains Zoo, Australia, more capacity in their cheetah enclosure.
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/AK0710/S00234.htm
2007 Tentative Programme
"Promoting Change in Asia"
Wild Asia’s Responsible Tourism Seminar & Awards 2007
13-15th November, Evason Phuket and Six Senses Spa, Thailand
A seminar to inspire hoteliers and supporters of responsible tourism in Asia. This year's seminar br ings together international speakers and regional practitioners - from the International Union of Conservation Nation (IUCN) Chief Scientist, Jeff McNeely, to the General Manager of Alila Ubud, Amanda Pummer, one of the crusaders instrumental in greening the members of the Bali Hotel Association. The seminar will focus on three themes: best practices to inspire; and tourism in perspective and tourism for the future.
John Gray, founder of John Gray Sea Canoe and one of our key speakers is willing to share his experience of many years in the asian tourism industry. Paul Sochaczewski, chairman of IGOLF - International Golf and Life Foundation, will also be giving us the benefit of his lengthy and varied career in the region. This seminar is an excellent chance to learn about the issues surrounding tourism in the Asia-Pacific from those who are working closely with them.
http://docs.google.com/View?docid=dc6szsxv_44f7jkm9
Rare white rhino born at SA zoo
Posted Thu Oct 4, 2007 8:18pm AEST
A southern white rhinoceros has been born at South Australia's Monarto Zoo.
Weighing in at a hefty 40 kilograms, Watoto the baby white rhino is the second for Monarto Zoo's breeding program.
The male calf was born on Tuesday morning and is said to be wrinkly, with big feet and ears.
Poaching and civil wars all but wiped-out the southern white rhino in the 19th century, but conservation programs like the one at Monarto have helped restore the species to about 13,000 world wide.
It is hoped the model can eventually be used to improve the numbers of the black rhinoceros.
For now keepers are leaving Watoto to bond and feed with his mother and he is expected to put on several kilos a day as he feeds and grows to the full size of about 2.5 tonnes.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/10/04/2051335.htm
New sea lions to be roaring success at zoo
THE world's second-largest species of sea lion is set to make a splash at Edinburgh Zoo.
The animals - which can reach up to 2.6 metres long and weigh up to 300kg - are being brought to the zoo later this year to replace its two Californian sea lions.
They have been moved to join a breeding programme at Emmen Zoo in Holland, and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has decided to provide a home for the Patagonian sea lions, as they are more endangered and also more suited to the Scottish climate than their Californian cousins.
Work is being carried out to the sea lion enclosure to ensure it is fit for its new inhabitants, and a zoo spokeswoman said they hoped to have their new sea lions at the zoo by the end of the year.
This article: http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1586112007
Last updated: 04-Oct-07 12:01 BST
http://news.scotsman.com/scitech.cfm?id=1586112007
Pittsburgh Zoo to announce conservation center plans
10/4/2007, 6:57 a.m. EDT
The Associated Press
FAIRHOPE, Pa. (AP) — The Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium will announce its plans for an elephant conservation center in Somerset County later this month.
Details of the $1.5 million International Conservation Center will be announced at the Oct. 19 groundbreaking.
The 724-acre Glen Savage Ranch was once a private hunting preserve. The zoo bought it and is turning it into the first breeding ground for endangered African elephants in North America.
http://www.pennlive.com/newsflash/pa/index.ssf?/base/news-54/119149617892910.xml&storylist=penn
Thursday, October 4, 2007
HSBC gives Zoo hospital a boost
Business First of Buffalo
The Buffalo Zoo's plans to expand its veterinary hospital received a boost with a grant from HSBC Bank.
HSBC donated $90,000 to the zoo to support its campaign for the Frank A. McClelland Sr. Veterinary Hospital. The current facility, built in 1967, must meet new standards developed by the American Association of Zoo Veterinarians, including the addition of a dedicated surgical suite and enlargement of quarantine facilities to safely handle and transfer animals.
http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2007/10/01/daily40.html
Hotel applies for zoo licence
04 October 2007
The owner of a wedding venue and hotel is to apply for a zoo licence to keep a private collection of monkeys on the premises.
Taylor James, the new leaseholder of the recently-restored Lenwade Country House Hotel, is in talks with Broadland Council over the necessary permission to keep a pair of marmosets and a pair of lemurs in enclosures.
On Monday Mr James stressed he was not setting up a zoo, adding: “It's a private collection for myself of animals I've wanted for a long time. The hotel is also my residence.”
A spokesman for Broadland said: “We are in discussions with the applicant who has initiated the licensing process by putting a notice of intention to apply for a zoo licence in the newspaper.
“We have not yet formally confirmed with the applicant that a zoo licence is needed, and we are reviewing this case and taking legal advice as to what licence is required.”
The hotel, which wound up at the end of January with the loss of 18 people, reopened earlier this summer after Mr James and Christopher Buxton were given the lease for the business.
http://www.derehamtimes.co.uk/content/derehamtimes/news/story.aspx?brand=DFTOnline&category=News&tBrand=DFTonline&tCategory=news&itemid=NOED04%20Oct%202007%2015%3A35%3A08%3A593
Zoo Director and Friend
Gregg Dancho, director of Bridgeport’s Beardsley Zoo, was the featured speaker at today’s meeting of the Y’s Men of Westport Weston. Dancho brought two feathered friends to the podium to help illustrate his talk about “The Beardsley Zoo in the 21st Century. The zoo is Connecticut’s only zoo and has been in operation for the past 80 years. It features more than 300 animals, including several endangered species such as tigers and bears. (CLICK TO ENLARGE) Larry Untermeyer for WestportNow.com
http://www.westportnow.com/index.php?/v2/comments/18259/
5 baby crocs debut at zoo (video)
By Whitney Woodward Tribune staff reporter
October 4, 2007
The odds seemed stacked against the Lincoln Park Zoo's five baby African dwarf crocodiles being born.
Their father, the zoo's oldest reptile, a 67-year-old croc named R1, had yet to produce offspring even after living with females for several years.
Their aggressive mother, 41-year-old Maggie, had a penchant for crushing her own eggs.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/northwest/chi-croc04oct04,1,4199182.story
Wait for international zoo lingers on
Ashwin Aghor
Friday, October 05, 2007 04:16 IST
Despite appointment of a foreign consultant, the project may take a decade to complete
The ambitious state forest department project to create a zoo of international standard at the Gorewada forest reserve near Nagpur is likely to be delayed. Despite numerous announcements by politicians, the government machinery is not prepared for the project’s implementation.
A forest ministry source said that after much debate on the appointment of a foreign consultant for the project, the state government had reportedly finalised the appointment of Bernard Harrison and Friends Ltd.
http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1125568
Moo at the Zoo
"Pet me! Pet me!" is what this cute calf seems to be thinking at the Central Alabama Fair Petting Zoo. Farmers from Plantersville to Orrville brought animals for this favorite fair exhibit. In addition to this calf were rabbits, chickens, pigs, sheep, goats, a horse and a donkey. The event continues at Lions Fair Park in Selma through Saturday.
http://selmaala.blogspot.com/2007/10/moo-at-zoo.html
Cache In On Treasure Hunting Fun At Detroit Zoo
The Detroit Zoo has always been a great place to discover wildlife, but now it’s also a great place to discover hidden treasure. The Zoo has joined the growing craze of geocaching by creating six caches, or hiding places, throughout the 125-acre park.
Geocaching is a high-tech outdoor treasure hunting game in which players use a Global Positioning System (GPS) to hide and seek containers. The only thing a prospective treasure hunter needs besides a sense of adventure is his or her own handheld GPS unit or GPS-enabled mobile phone. Participants log on to one of several geocaching Web sites to download the GPS coordinates of cache locations and the search begins.
http://www.huliq.com/36877/cache-in-on-treasure-hunting-fun-at-detroit-zoo
Answers Sought to Save Asia's Orangutans
US: October 19, 2007
CHICAGO - The remaining 62,000 orangutans in the wild could be wiped out within decades as forests in their Asian island habitat are decimated by loggers and palm oil farmers, conservationists said on Thursday.
American zookeepers met this week at Chicago's Brookfield Zoo with conservationists working on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra to sort through problems faced by the red-haired Asian apes and find solutions.
http://naturealert.blogspot.com/2007/10/answers-sought-to-save-asias-orangutans.html
First jaguar born in a Hungarian zoo for twenty years
Maya, right, a young dotted jaguar, walks by the side of her mother in the Nyiregyhaza Animal Park in Nyiregyhaza, 245 kms east of Budapest, Hungary, Thursday, April 28, 2005. It is the first jaguar to be born in a Hungarian zoo for twenty years. Maya's parents have black fur, but her fur will remain dotted according to experts of the zoo. The cub is raised by her mother only, the father is kept separated. (AP Photo/MTI, Istvan Kiss)
http://www.thebigcats.com/news/2005_0428_jaguar.htm
Zoo vision faces fight for survival
JOANNA VALLELY ( jvallely@edinburghnews.com)
IT'S a warm spring day and families, school groups, parties of elderly and disabled people and foreign tourists wander around Edinburgh Zoo. Some marvel at the rhinos' brand new enclosure that mimics the endangered animal's natural habitat in India. Others gaze at more than 100 South American rainbow lorikeets in the specially-created exotic bird enclosure.
This is how Edinburgh Zoo could look if its 20-year masterplan costing £72 million is allowed to go ahead.
Click here to see the Zoo's plans >>
But the vision relies on selling greenbelt land on the edge of the Corstorphine site to developers to create 100 new homes. And protesters paint a very different picture of an increasingly built-up area where emergency vehicles struggle to enter traffic-clogged streets.
http://living.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1632452007
Denver Zoo treasures birth of rare mangabey monkey
By The Denver Post
Article Last Updated: 10/12/2007 02:56:23 AM MDT
A rare, red-capped mangabey monkey has been born at the Denver Zoo, one of only 27 living in North American zoos.
The birth of the monkey, named Kanzu, on Sept. 30, brings Denver's mangabey troop to six. Zookeepers haven't yet determined the monkey's gender.
They named it Kanzu, a Swahili word for treasure.
The monkey's mother, Galina, gave birth to a female, named Kipaji, last spring.
Kanzu is the fourth red-capped mangabey born at the zoo. Only eight North American zoos count the species among their collections.
Red-capped mangabeys are native to a very small region near the west coast of sub-Saharan Africa.
http://www.denverpost.com/news/ci_7153344
Zoo introduces baby siamangs to public
All three are orphans being raised by staff
By Sheldon S. Shafer
sshafer@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal
Much of the time they cling to their keepers, their little fuzzy black heads and dark eyes peeking out of the handlers' soft aprons that shroud them.
But someday they will be using their long arms to fly from rope to rope and limb to limb as they routinely soar around their glass-enclosed exhibit in the Islands area of the Louisville
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071012/NEWS01/710120454/1008/NEWS01
Zoo babies: From famous to forgotten
by Lisa Wathne
One of the zoo world's grandes dames, the Alaska Zoo's 27-year-old African elephant, Maggie, is being sent to a sanctuary in California to live out her days in peace. I could not be happier: Female elephants are highly social animals, but Maggie has been living alone since 1997, when her companion elephant Annabelle died.
News of Maggie's upcoming release got me thinking: I wonder how Knut is doing?
If you're saying, "Knut who?" you're not alone. Only recently, Knut-a polar bear cub born at the Berlin Zoo-appeared on more cover pages than Britney and Paris combined. He captured the hearts of people worldwide, but what have you heard about "the people's polar bear" lately?
http://newsblaze.com/story/20071012063807anim.nb/newsblaze/TOPSTORY/Top-Stories.html
continued...
Friday, October 19, 2007
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Isn't that the most gorgeous animal you've ever seen. So serene. Not returned to the wild yet.
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.
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....
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Michael Powell is polluting the newsprint in New York City again.
It is a clear indication that the former chair of the FCC seeks to find a controlling influence in the mass media. What the New York Times is engaged in is 'unprincipled.' They were strongly critical of the Powell leadership of the FCC and now we find his poor point of view on the very pages he once distained. What do you call that? It's hideous. Powell is trying to re-establish an influence. He's a horrible man and a member of a horrible administration and a horrible party. What's he doing writing for a newsprint that once held him as a contemptable American?
There was a report on a website citing how an FCC study was shelved due to it's stance in favor of local media (click here). The direct link to the paper is here (click here or link in previous article). If that report were to influence the 'trend' in media it could undermine 'control' of the Republican message. Since, Powell has been writing at The New York Times the paper has a tone that is oppressive in it's blogs and is made to proport how 'happy' people are with every aspect of journalism favoring Conservative views. The NYTimes is NORMALLY a place where one can feel safe reading the articles and putting forth an opinon, but, someone is pushing influence and in my opinoin is attempting to run a campaign to benefit Giuliani since penning his signature desires.
Look, Michael Powell believes in propaganda and controlling the media to influence elections. He was draconian in limiting freedom for years at the FCC and a lot of the garbage in television entertainment was influenced by his preference for Christian values while counting on pundits to write letters ad nauseum to the FCC as justification for his actions.
I find it odd that all of a sudden access to the New York Times is no longer 'Select' while they moderate comments that are only friendly to conservatives. There are minor comments insulting the 'pro-war' and 'exploitive economics of conservatives' on some of the blogs but that is only to balance a more substantial set of conservative entries otherwise. I don't agree with the change in tone of the paper and I find it insulting to the readers that have sought some degree of expertise in reporting within a framework of unbiased truth.
As a highly controversial chair of the FCC and one that made many unpopular decisions, I believe Michael Powell needs to take a back seat to promoting politics while focusing on being a better citizen. He continues to propagate an ideology of a president with a current 25% approval rating, the lowest in his presidency while the USA is trying to move on and find solutions to the incompetency Powell was a contributor. I believe he is hooked on being a powerbroker and considering the administration he was a part are such troublemakers he needs to remove himself from the craft of journalism and perhaps join the military, I hear they are taking people into their sixties now.
Two articles within 48 hours of each other. Here we go again.
When Giuliani Filled the Air, Pulling Punches With No One (click here)
By MICHAEL POWELL
Published: October 5, 2007
So what should a mayor do? Just let constituents call his weekly radio program on WABC -- the one called ''Live From City Hall ... With Rudy Giuliani'' -- and whine and complain and get in his face without answering back?
Puh-leeze.
When Joe from Manhattan called in 1998 to complain about the city government giving special parking privileges to a white-shoe law firm, Mayor Giuliani emitted an audible groan into the microphone.
''Well, let me give you another view of that rather than the sort of Marxist class concept that you're introducing,'' Mr. Giuliani said.
When a National Rifle Association member opposed a ban on assault rifles in 1994, Mr. Giuliani really got annoyed....
By MICHAEL POWELL
Published: October 5, 2007
So what should a mayor do? Just let constituents call his weekly radio program on WABC -- the one called ''Live From City Hall ... With Rudy Giuliani'' -- and whine and complain and get in his face without answering back?
Puh-leeze.
When Joe from Manhattan called in 1998 to complain about the city government giving special parking privileges to a white-shoe law firm, Mayor Giuliani emitted an audible groan into the microphone.
''Well, let me give you another view of that rather than the sort of Marxist class concept that you're introducing,'' Mr. Giuliani said.
When a National Rifle Association member opposed a ban on assault rifles in 1994, Mr. Giuliani really got annoyed....
Managing Up, Down and Sideways (click here)
By MICHAEL POWELL
Published: October 7, 2007
AH, the heartache of the presidential adviser.
In 1966, White House aides found themselves precariously perched between apprehension of looming disaster in Vietnam and the need for candor with their boss, President Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Disaster seemed a safer choice.
Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was a logical candidate to speak the truth to his boss. Mr. McNamara told the historian and Kennedy confidant Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. and the economist John Kenneth Galbraith in January over dinner and drinks that he regarded a military solution as impossible, according to Mr. Schlesinger's diaries, which have recently been published as ''Journals: 1952-2000.'' A sensible objective, Mr. McNamara told them, would be ''withdrawal with honor.'' Seven months later, the defense secretary was still publicly urging a widening of the war....
By MICHAEL POWELL
Published: October 7, 2007
AH, the heartache of the presidential adviser.
In 1966, White House aides found themselves precariously perched between apprehension of looming disaster in Vietnam and the need for candor with their boss, President Lyndon Baines Johnson.
Disaster seemed a safer choice.
Defense Secretary Robert McNamara was a logical candidate to speak the truth to his boss. Mr. McNamara told the historian and Kennedy confidant Arthur M. Schlesinger Jr. and the economist John Kenneth Galbraith in January over dinner and drinks that he regarded a military solution as impossible, according to Mr. Schlesinger's diaries, which have recently been published as ''Journals: 1952-2000.'' A sensible objective, Mr. McNamara told them, would be ''withdrawal with honor.'' Seven months later, the defense secretary was still publicly urging a widening of the war....
I've had enough.
I have watched my country fight an illegal war while private mercenaries assassinated innocent and unarmed people in Iraq, with Osama bin Laden still living within the safety nets of Pakistan with a current dictator who is so entrenched in his own political wars he no longer concentrates on the mass murderer of the victims of September 11, 2001, a record setting fiscal deficit that Paul Krugman showed yesterday is reflected by the Bush Tax Cuts (click here), a country not yet secure from terrorism, allies battered and bruised by terrorists for simply being allies, unending rhetoric from a president and vice that committed genocide in a sovereign country that was absolutely no threat to the USA and I could go on and on.
I want my country back.
Michael Powell doesn't belong at The New York Times, he is mind pollution. He and the administration and party he is a part makes me vomit ! They need to take their personal vendetta against the people of the USA that haven't yet capitulated to their influence and wealth priorities elsewhere.
The heat transfer vortexes are chronic and the overall 'chill' on the ice continent is reduced.(24 hour loop with 12A, 12P, 3P, 9P views missing)
October 17, 2007
0600 PM UTC
Antarctica Surface Wind Map (click here)
When considering the dynamics of the map of Antarctica and it's surface winds, the length of the arrows indicate the velocity of the winds. In this animation of the surface winds this week, it is noted the majority of arrows are consistently the same length. That is grossly unusual for Antarctica and it is in response to the fact the heating is chronic and being delivered at a consistent and CHRONIC rate.
October 17, 2007
0600 gmt
Antarctica Jet Stream (click here for animation, thank you)
The repeated arrival of heat transfer vortexes is noted in the week's time loop. They also are evident in this image as well, but, over time it is noted not to change in it's dynamics at the beginning of spring.
October 17, 2007
0600 PM UTC
Antarctica Temperature Map
The coldest temperature reporting stations of Antarctica
Vostok, Antarctica
Time :: 12:00 AM VOST
Elevation :: 11220 ft / 3420 m
Temperatures :: -69 °F / -56 °C
Conditions :: Low Drifting Snow
Humidity :: 44%
Dew Point :: -75 °F / -60 °C
Wind :: 7 mph / 11 km/h from the SSW
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: in / hPa (Rising)
Visibility :: 1.0 miles / 1.0 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16
Amundsen-Scott, AA
11:40 AM NZDT
Elevation :: 9285 ft / 2830 m
Temperature :: -56 °F / -49 °C
Conditions :: Ice Crystals Blowing Snow Mist
Wind :: 17 mph / 28 km/h / 7.7 m/s from the North
Pressure :: 28.72 in / 972 hPa (Steady)
Windchill :: -94 °F / -70 °C
Visibility :: 1.2 miles / 2.0 kilometers
UV :: 0 out of 16
Clouds:
Mostly Cloudy 1500 ft / 457 m
Mostly Cloudy 3000 ft / 914 m
(Above Ground Level)
The warmest temperature reporting stations of Antarctica:
Palmer Station, Antarctica
3:00 PM CLST
Elevation :: 26 ft / 8 m
Temperature :: 29 °F / -2 °C
Conditions :: Light Haze
Humidity :: 41%
Dew Point :: 15 °F / -10 °C
Wind :: 4 mph / 7 km/h from the ENE
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: 28.98 in / 981 hPa (Rising)
Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.0 kilometers
Vernadsky, Antarctica
Time :: 9:00 PM GMT
Elevation :: 36 ft / 11 m
Temperature :: 25 °F / -4 °C
Humidity :: 53%
Dew Point :: 15 °F / -10 °C
Wind :: Calm
Wind Gust :: -
Pressure :: 29.05 in / 984 hPa (Rising)
Visibility :: 31.0 miles / 50.0 kilometers
Flight Rule :: VFR ()
Wind Speed :: 0 mph / 0 km/h /
Wind Dir :: N/A
Ceiling:
100000 ft / 100000 m
October 17, 2007
1921 gmt
South Pole Satellite
October 16, 2007
1324 gmt
South Pole Satellite
Just a few words. They are alarming words, not alarmist words about the Arctic Ocean before moving to Antarctica.
While the Arctic Ocean is melting at record rates, so is the Greenland Ice Sheet (click here) and for the same reasons. There is absolutely no reason to 'study' further information regarding the melting as alluded to by NASA Scientists in the film clip, whom under Bush, never come out and say anything conclusive, except for perhaps Jim Hansen at Goddard Labs. The reason for the ice melt is exactly the winds. The winds I have noted on this blog for years, called vortexes, heat transfer vortexes.
The scientists at NASA should be stating what they believe along with their reporting and they are not. They are limited to reporting facts without conclusions. Discussion and conclusions are an accepted and long time demanded part of any scientific paper, the NASA scientists for years now limit their information to the public as facts and the public is left to draw conclusions. The papers coming out of NASA to the public are 'academically' incomplete.
Quite possibly internal documents at NASA and NOAA would reveal the conclusions that lack in the material availed to the public. Those documents might be attained through The Freedom of Information Act. It would be interesting to pursue and would open a new door for THE USA SCIENTISTS now trapped in never, never land along with the inhibition of 'correctly' released documents.
Arctic Ocean Circulation - It enters on the left and slowly, or at least it used to be slowly circulates to the right. In at the narrows between Alaska and Russia and out between Canada and Greenland and Europe and Iceland, past Greenland.
Three contour lines appear on this image. The red line is the 2007 minimum, as of September 15, about the same time the record low was reached, and it almost exactly fits the sea ice observed by AMSR-E. The green line indicates the 2005 minimum, the previous record low. The yellow line indicates the median minimum from 1979 to 2000.
Video (click here)
This is the graphic that accompanies the article by NASA Earth Observatory. I can only hope to relay the 'obvious' to those that may be thinking "At least there is still ice in the Arctic Ocean." There is always danger to making the public aware of some realities that haven't occurred to them as it also makes aware those that would like to see the demise of the Arctic Ocean for reasons of 'wealth' rather than 'life.' And I'll explain the idea of planet demise as I view it as well in a minute.
The map is oddly oriented and I don't believe there is anything sinister in that, it's just the way NASA placed the map. It was obviously a view of the current ocean opposed to the previous oceans. The Arctic Ocean is in the center, North America, Canada specifically on the left while Europe and Asia is to the right of the image.
It is sometimes strange to realize a huge ice ocean can have a circulation, but it does and it is easily discerned in the map above. Now, it's easy to come to understand that ice floats on water, especially ocean water, because ice even in the ocean is 'fresh water' with less density than salt water. Ice floats in most beverages in a glass because it has different molecular structure even though it is water, it is solid water and between atoms of H2O in the solid state there is space. That space has no density, hence ice is lighter per cubic centimeter than water.
So realize while looking at this image produced by NASA that the current 'ice mass' still called The Arctic Ocean is at the 'exit' side of the ocean. The ice mass is at the boundaries along the 'wider' exit side of Canada, Greenland, Europe and Iceland. That is a very somber reality. This year scientists reporting on this profound ice loss noted that sea ice was now making it's way out of the Arctic Ocean and into the Atlantic Ocean in large amounts. As a matter of fact the sea ice was floating out of the Arctic Circle in record amounts.
At this point I want to call attention to the fact there is a 'warming' current noted in the drawing of the Arctic Ocean circulation above. It is noted as an orange arrow in the right margin of the picture. It is headed toward the Arctic Circle. That arrow indicates the residual circulation into the Arctic Circle of the Gulf Current. The Gulf Current visits the North Atlantic and helps warm England. It also proceeds somewhat to the north and the Arctic Circle which is normal to some extent. So therefore, the Arctic Ocean is compromised by it's lack of frozen mass and the increased sea ice loss into the North Atlantic directly into the path of The Gulf Current.
Realizing there is 'sluffing' of ice into the North Atlantic brings to mind the fact the most dense water to the Atlantic Ocean Basin comes off the Arctic Ocean. This dense subaquatic waterfall into the North Atlantic is the source to the deep water currents known as "The Ocean Conveyor Belt" (click here).
In examing the 'placement' of the current ice mass at the exit to the Arctic Ocean circulation and realizing significant amounts of sea ice are floating PAST the coastlines of Greenland which is also melting as no surprise to warmer waters now circulating closer to the Greenland Ice Sheet, it is a logical conclusion to state, WHEN the Arctic Ocean Ice Mass finally losses enough of it's size, it will literally break up and within hours and certainly in less than a week, the entire ice mass will be floating 'very temporarily' in the Atlantic Ocean until it finally melts. I believe that event is as soon as two years. Perhaps. Less.
The reason that is such a very bad idea is because Earth will have lost it's thermostat. It will no longer have a benevolent environment created by it's much cooler oceans. The reason humans and any biotic life can live on Earth is because the polar regions wax and wane in ice formations to cool the troposphere. That ability will have been destroyed when the last of the 'large' ice masses are gone and the oceans only have the ability to continue to heat and while some would say the oceans will take a long time to heat. Not so. The surface waters of the ocean are a 'layer' all of itself and does not readily mix with the lower layers of ocean waters. The surface layer of ocean is currently what brings benevolent temperatures to any land mass. The ocean conveyer belt will lose it's contribution from the Arctic Ocean as well.
When I first noted there were vortexes in the troposphere over the North Atlantic and North Pacific on October 4, 2002, THE WINDS the NASA scientists refer to inconclusively, I calculated it would be about five years before humans would profoundly regret their denial of Human Induced Global Warming. I was right about the 'concept' of regret, I just don't know if nations actually do regret it yet.
At the time I made testimony to The New Source Review regarding Human Induced Global Warming in April and May of 2003, I noted the 'excuse' by some scientists to justify the continued emissions of carbon dioxide was an ancient Earth event called "Younger Dryas (click here)." I also noted at the time, humans were not among the species on Earth in number they are now AND the ability of Earth to continue to heat was limited by the natural mechanisms of Earth to emit CO2. Those natural mechanisms have been eliminated as the sole source of CO2 and replaced with continuous emissions by a nation fully capable of reversing it's pollution while other countries continue to struggle to do so.
I don't care anymore what some might say or think regarding my statements, I have been correct about my estimations and I refuse to be silent of what I believe as an American citizen in demand of action by this government rather than a government oppressed by pandering to economics that are destroying the future of Earth to be benevolent to generations to come. It's an outrage this is the condition of the Arctic Ocean and an even greater outrage so many have consented to it.
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