Morning Papers - continued...

Zoos

Protecting species
It is hardly surprising that Iain Stephen of London Zoo believes zoos have an important part to play in stopping the extinction of amphibians (your report, 22 April).
What is perhaps more illuminating is our 2007 report that showed that 13 of the most prestigious and "progressive" UK zoos with charity status, including London and Edinburgh, were keeping only 11 threatened species of amphibian between them, with a collected population of less than 1,000 individuals. A case of all talk and no tadpoles perhaps?
CHRIS DRAPER
Born Free Foundation
Foundry Lane
Horsham, West Sussex

http://news.scotsman.com/opinion/Protecting-species.4019773.jp



Plans Wilt at National Arboretum
Proposed Funding Cut Exacerbates Deterioration
By Adrian Higgins
Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, April 26, 2008; Page A01
It began last weekend and will continue for five more, Washington's other springtime blossom festival. At the U.S. National Arboretum in Northeast Washington, 130,000 people will show up to luxuriate in the rhododendrons, crab apples and early roses before Memorial Day.
The highlight is the peak flowering of 12,000 mature azaleas that paint a wooded hill named Mount Hamilton in pinks, reds and magentas. But the arboretum's prospects are far less rosy.
Next year's proposed budget for the federally funded institution has been cut by $2 million, targeted at the arboretum's public face. The amount is small in the scheme of things, but it would reduce funding by 60 percent for the arboretum's public programming and the care of its rich garden displays and pioneering plant collections.
This comes after almost a decade of funding erosion: The operating budget has shrunk 20 percent in five years. A master plan to fix crumbling infrastructure and forge a future has remained essentially unfunded for eight years. Even if next year's money is restored, the arboretum will continue to suffer from years of chronic underfunding and the absence of capital investment.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/25/AR2008042503693.html?referrer=emailarticle



Oregon Zoo offers lecture about bugs
April 22, 2008
A lecture about the importance of bugs in the environment, one in a monthly series of lectures at the Oregon Zoo, will be at 7 p.m. April 29 in the Banquet Center at the zoo, 10 minutes west of downtown Portland, just off Highway 26, at 4001 SW Canyon Rd. Tickets are $10, or $8 for zoo members. Parking is $1.
"What Good Are Bugs? The Case for Invertebrate Conservation," by Scott Black, an entomologist with the Xerces Society, is part of the Wildlife Conservation Lecture Series.
The motivation for the series is to build community knowledge in the areas of wildlife conservation, environmental problems and ecological systems. For information go to www.oregonzoo.org or call (503) 226-1561.
—Roy Gault

http://www.statesmanjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/OUTDOORS/804220340/1034/SPORTS



No more salmon for pesky sea lions
SUSAN GORDON
susan.gordon@thenewstribune.com
Published: April 26th, 2008 01:00 AM Updated: April 26th, 2008 06:09 AM
Salmon isn’t on the menu at Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium, but for the next couple of weeks Tacoma’s zoo will host a bunch of sea lions with expensive tastes.
The first of what could be many guests arrived Thursday night from the Columbia River below Bonneville Dam, where they and dozens of other male California sea lions have dined on returning runs of spring chinook salmon for the past several years.
The behavior has earned the hungry marine mammals a nuisance reputation among Washington and Oregon fish and wildlife managers, who blame them for eating more than 4 percent of the fish heading upriver.
On Thursday, wildlife officials removed six sea lions from the waters below the dam, about 40 miles east of Portland.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/news/local/story/345000.html



Article published Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Toledo Zoo to expand children's area to year-round
By TOM HENRY
BLADE STAFF WRITER
Fencing went up yesterday in the heart of the Toledo Zoo for a $7.5 million project that could revolutionize the way visitors think of its long-standing Children's Zoo.
Nature's Neighborhood will be an indoor-outdoor facility that will be a greatly expanded version of the traditional petting zoo. It will offer far more for hands-on learning.
Children will be able to scale a climbing wall, go into a handicapped-accessible tree house, build a dam while splashing around in a manmade stream, play with guinea pigs, attend presentations in a 50-seat amphitheater, climb into make-believe beehives, learn about forests, make crafts in a workshop, listen to the squawking of birds, dress up as animals, do play acting, and find out how to care for dogs and cats in a model home.
If enough funds become available, a turtle pond and a raptor exhibit might be included.

http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080422/NEWS38/804220380/-1/NEWS



First baby camel born at Helsinki Zoo in 37 years
Seeing the baby camel at the Helsinki Zoo is a bewildering experience. Its eyes are beautiful, as if designed by Disney, but other than that it is all legs. The four-day-old camel foal is hairy, long-limbed, and clumsy.
When it squeaks, its mother, Selma, rises on her legs and walks over to the youngster. Staggering and occasionally falling, the foal seeks its way to its mother’s teats.

The father, 13-year-old Voodoo, looks at his family from behind a fence. “When the baby was born, the father stamped its feet. It was nervous”, explains the Helsinki Zoo veterinarian Eeva Rudbäck.
The family will be reunited in a couple of weeks’ time. The young has to learn to be quick to be able to flee in case its father loses his temper.
The foal is a minor miracle. The zoo staff only learned about the gestation when Selma went into labour.

http://www.hs.fi/english/article/First+baby+camel+born+at+Helsinki+Zoo+in+37+years/1135235792663



Fee hikes asked for zoo, rec center, parks
Alamogordo city commission
The Daily News
By Kandra Wells, News Editor
Article Launched: 04/22/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT
Increases in golf, zoo, youth and civic center fees, and a joint dispatch agreement with Otero County are among agenda items set for consideration Tuesday at the Alamogordo City Commission's regular meeting.
The session, open to the public, is set to begin at 7:30 p.m. at city hall, 1376 E. Ninth St.
A plan to raise fees by 3 to 5 percent for "leisure services" and zoo, civic center and golf course fees is up for approval by the commission to offset increased operational costs for water, gas, electricity and equipment, according to a report on the proposed resolution.
Assistant City Manager Matt McNeile reported the increases, recommended by the city's Community Services Advisory Board and the Parks and Recreation Board, would raise about $53,500 in additional revenue.

http://www.alamogordonews.com/news/ci_9007538



Cast your vote for Oregon Zoo's 'Mother of the Year'
This is a press release courtesy of the Oregon Zoo
The Oregon Zoo is celebrating Mother's Day by naming its 2008 Zoo Mother of the Year, and the public is invited to help choose the winner. This year's finalists are a Norway rat named Marge, an Oregon silverspot butterfly named Lyta and a colobus monkey named Mali. An online ballot featuring photos and short biographies of the zoo moms is posted on the zoo's Web site.
"These three moms are responsible for bringing 420 babies into the world," said Tony Vecchio, zoo director. "That's a first in the five years we've been voting at the Oregon Zoo."
The finalists were selected by zoo employees from an initial list of 10 zoo moms.
"Zoo employees enjoy the chance to choose the finalists," said Vecchio. "They've been known to campaign for their favorite mom, and this year was no different."
On-line votes will be accepted through Thursday, May 8, at 5 p.m. The zoo will announce its 2008 Mother of the Year on Friday, May 9.

http://www.katu.com/news/local/17996234.html



New zoo director to give talk
Buttonwood Park Zoo invites the public to meet the zoo's new director, Dr. William Langbauer, during a wine and cheese reception on Tuesday.
As the first presenter in the zoo's "Creatures Great and Small" spring lecture series, Dr. Langbauer will entertain with stories from Africa as he recounts his research among elephants — captive and wild, sober and drunken.
Dr. Langbauer is one of three researchers who discovered that elephants make sounds that humans can't hear (infrasound), which has made for some interesting research challenges.
The wine and cheese reception begins at 7, and the talk at 8. The reception and lecture are free of charge, but interested individuals are asked to RSVP at (508) 991-6178 ext. 31.

http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080426/LIFE/804260357/-1/ENTERTAIN



Tip leads police to rare monkey stolen from N.B. zoo
Updated Fri. Apr. 25 2008 8:39 PM ET
CTV.ca News Staff
A tiny, black monkey named April, stolen earlier this week from Cherry Brook Zoo in Saint John, N.B., has been recovered safe and sound by police following an anonymous phone tip.
"Relieved doesn't describe (the feeling)," Lynda Collrin, director of zoo development, told CTV Newsnet Friday.
April, a rare callimico, a species also known as Goeldi's monkeys, is from the Amazon region of South America. April is part of a vital breeding program trying to keep the primate species from extinction.

http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080425/rare_monkey_080425/20080425?hub=CTVNewsAt11


One man's wild world at Blackpool Zoo
Published Date: 28 April 2008
By Nick Hyde
DARREN Webster is the man who speaks to the animals. Or more appropriately, he is the man who knows what his array of wild and wonderful creatures want.
And he should know, for the 38-year-old has had more than 20 years of experience in zoos across the country.
But his great challenge lies beyond the confines of Gorilla Mountain at Blackpool Zoo, which attracts thousands of people year.

http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpoolnews/One-man39s-wild-world-at.4022891.jp



Animals beat the heat by cold drinks in Lucknow zoo
By Kamna Mathur
Lucknow, Apr 26 (ANI): Fruit juices and cucumbers helped a chimpanzee to beat the summer heat in a Lucknow zoo.
The most striking incident happened when the chimpanzee drank fruit juice off its caretaker’s hands and did not leave the glass till the content was over.
Alarmed by the soaring mercury, the zoo authorities are serving the cold drinks to the animals.
Several measures have been taken to provide every possible comfort to the animals. The zoo has deployed a team of veterinarians and vitamins and electrolytes are being added to the food and drinking water to prevent dehydration, said an official.
“See, the temperatures are rising and it isn’t only humans who are feeling the heat. Even the animals are a troubled lot. So, not only the drink but other arrangements have also been made in our zoo to make the animals feel comfortable,” said Renu Singh, Lucknow zoo Director.
She added, sprinklers have been installed in all the enclosures and the animals have been put on a nutritious diet comprising seasonal fruits like watermelon and mangoes along with cucumbers. (ANI)

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/animals-beat-the-heat-by-cold-drinks-in-lucknow-zoo_10042226.html



Minot Zoo Opens
Many have been waiting all winter. Tomorrow the Roosevelt Zoo opens for the season.
Zoo staff is gearing up for the big day by cleaning up and tidying up around the cages.
While they are willing to let the cat out of the bag on one surprise animal from the far east, the staff at the zoo remains tight lipped about bigger secrets coming up this summer.
"We`re very lucky to have gotten them. We`re one of the first zoos in the more Northern Eastern side to have gotten the Japanese Sarose," says Barb Werner of the Roosevelt Zoo.
The zoo opens at 10:00 a.m. Price of admission is $3.00 for ages 4 to 12, everyone older is $6.00. Memberships will be available as well.

http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_Stories.asp?news=17952

Video

http://www.kfyrtv.com/News_video.asp?news=17952



'Disneyland' comes to Baghdad with multi-million pound entertainment park
The $1 million skateboard park will open in July. 200,000 skateboards will be shipped from the US and given away free to Iraqi children
Sonia Verma in Dubai
Llewellyn Werner admits he is facing obstacles most amusement park developers never have to deal with – insurgent attacks and looting.
When you are building an amusement park in downtown Baghdad, those risks come with the territory.
Mr Werner, chairman of C3, a Los Angeles-based holding company for private equity firms, is pouring millions of dollars into developing the Baghdad Zoo and Entertainment Experience, a massive American-style amusement park that will feature a skateboard park, rides, a concert theatre and a museum. It is being designed by the firm that developed Disneyland. “The people need this kind of positive influence. It’s going to have a huge psychological impact,” Mr Werner said.
The 50-acre (20 hectare) swath of land sits adjacent to the Green Zone and encompasses Baghdad’s existing zoo, which was looted, left without power and abandoned after the American-led invasion in 2003. Only 35 of 700 animals survived – some starved, some were stolen and some were killed by Iraqis fearing food shortages.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article3802051.ece



Crowds flock to Baghdad zoo for Eid
Oct 13, 2007
BAGHDAD (AFP) — War-weary Baghdadis determined to forget daily violence and economic hardships on the Eid al-Fitr holiday flocked Saturday for a day of picnicking and recreation at the zoo, despite its dearth of animals.
With entrance free for Eid, long queues formed outside Al-Zawraa zoo in central Baghdad for much of the day as people waited to pass through gates strictly secured by police in a road patrolled by US and Iraqi troops.
Inside the sprawling park, a sea of relaxed-looking Iraqis strolled between the animal compound and the funfair, winding along pathways that skirted open fields, bold water fountains and flower gardens.
Children, some holding balloons, others toting toy guns, were dressed in spanking new clothes bought for Eid, while teenagers in pressed shirts and neat trousers milled about in groups outside the Al-Baghdadi Restaurant and Casino, a few noisily beating drums and tambourines as others danced and clapped.

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hQmTjlLcYUS8PMN8qWi4ebiL-qbw


Palestinian kids and the zoo
Fadi Abu Sa’ada – For over four years now – which is my child's age - I have not succeeded in taking him to the zoo. I want to begin teaching him about simple things, such as the animals.
The reason for the inability to do so is not simply that I am out of money. I do not I have permission to enter occupied Jerusalem to accompany him to the zoo, as it is the closest zoo to my town of Bethlehem, which is also occupied in the West Bank.
Last Thursday a group of friends decided to take their kids on an adventure, the destination was the zoo in occupied Jerusalem, I asked them to take my child with them, as I can not leave my work to join them. After a long discussion whether my child, Majd, will be able to cross the military checkpoint at the northern entrance of Bethlehem alone, without parents, without a birth certificate, my friends decided to take him and give it a try.
After nearly half an hour I received the first phone call. They succeeded crossing the checkpoint. I was deeply happy that my child finally will go to the zoo for the first time in his life. And not this only, but he was able to go on a journey that I was not able to take him on for the many reasons created by occupation.

http://english.pnn.ps/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2694&Itemid=28



Primate residence
Published Date: 26 April 2008
By Claire Black
Edinburgh Zoo's chimps are right at home in their new world-class compound
Ricky is stretched out in the sun. Head tipped back, one arm outstretched, hand lazily gripping the rope hanging beside him, he's enjoying a good scratch and the odd yawn. He looks as if he might have 40 winks. At 44, he's only recently moved into one of Edinburgh's newest and costliest homes. It's a proper des-res, built to a detailed specification, filled with custom-built fixtures and fittings and surrounded by a beautifully landscaped garden – including a moat. The price tag was a cool £5.6 million but if you ask Ricky, it's money well spent.

http://thescotsman.scotsman.com/features/Primate-residence.4007045.jp



Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens Travel Reviews
Nov 17, 2007
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located within Griffith Park, a 4200 acre park in the Los Feliz neighborhood of Los Angeles. The zoo may be one the most affordable attractions in Los Angeles...adults (13 & up) are $10, seniors are $7, children (2-12) are $5, and children under 2 are FREE. Zoo parking is FREE to boot!
The zoo grounds are decorated with lush floral specimens. The animal habitats are constantly being renovated to look more and more realistic to the animal's natural habitats. For instance, in 2000, Red Ape Rain Forest was opened to highlight the orangutan. In 2007, the Campo Gorilla Reserve was unveiled to house 6 western lowland gorillas. Currently being renovated is the Asian Elephant habitat. The zoo is also an integral part of the California Condor Recovery Program with over 100 condor hatchings at the zoo.

http://www.travbuddy.com/Los-Angeles-Zoo-and-Botanical-Gardens-v192774




Friday, April 25, 2008 - 2:45 PM CDT
Zoo unveils name for $2.8M restaurant
Wichita Business Journal - by Josh Heck
Sedgwick County Zoo'S new sit-down restaurant now has a name. A sign bearing the name Plaza Beastro was unveiled during a ceremony Friday, marking the restaurant's grand opening.
The name was chosen out of more than 3,0000 entries from a naming contest put on by local radio station B98 FM. Jinger Titus was credited with picking the winning name.
"I think it's great," she says of seeing her name selection adorn the restaurant. "It's a big honor."
Plaza Beastro replaces the old concession stand that was perched in the zoo's central plaza area and gives patrons a chance to take a break from the summer's heat inside the air-conditioned building. The restaurant has a seating capacity of 125 people.
"It's a much welcomed addition to our already first-class, world-class zoo," says Allan Allford, president of the Sedgwick County Zoological Society.
The restaurant's soft opening was in March. Zoo executive director Mark Reed says the $2.8 million facility is larger and more modern than the concession area that was once perched in the zoo's plaza. That structure was recently razed and the site converted into a man-made pond.
"The official opening of our new restaurant is a very exciting time for us," Reed says.
WDM Architects designed the building and Sauerwein Construction Co. was the general contractor.

http://www.bizjournals.com/wichita/stories/2008/04/21/daily53.html



Zoo Welcomes Rare Newborn Somali Wild Ass
Posted on: Friday, 25 April 2008, 15:00 CDT
The first Somali wild ass to be born at the St. Louis Zoo arrived earlier this month.
The animal, a wild horse, is very rare, with only 1,000 believed to be surviving in the wild, The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. They are threatened by political unrest and hunting in North Africa and must compete with domestic animals for grazing.
The St. Louis Zoo has seven wild asses with another 20 living in other zoos in North America. The new foal's dam Fataki and sire Abai are both in St. Louis.
The foal, a female, has a gray body, black stripes on the legs and a white belly. When she is full-grown, she will stand about 4 feet high and weigh 600 pounds.
Source: United Press International

http://www.redorbit.com/news/entertainment/1358717/zoo_welcomes_rare_newborn_somali_wild_ass/



Birds, bats and bugs to be featured at Air Zoo
Birds, bats and bugs—oh my! On Saturday, April 26, the Air Zoo will be offering its second annual “Birds, Bats and Bugs—the Natural Flyers” program that will include presentations, exhibits, crafts, live animal demonstrations and a chance to meet area mascots.
Beginning at 9 a.m. and continuing throughout the day, guests will be able to visit displays on birds, bats and insects, make crafts and rubbings and visit birds that will be available for adoption. Local mascots such as Old Country Buffet’s “O.C. Bee,” Red Robin’s “Red” and the K-Wings’ “Slappy” will also make an appearance.

http://www.airzoo.org/news/birds-bats-bugs-april-26/



Dublin Zoo names its newest elephant
Thursday, 24 April 2008
Dublin Zoo has officially named its new elephant calf Budi following a competition that attracted over 1,000 entries.
11-year-old Tallaght student Cian Cooke picked the Indonesian name, which means 'wise one', to reflect the elephant's Asian heritage.
Budi was born in February, just the second elephant born in Ireland.

http://www.rte.ie/news/2008/0424/elephant.html



Stolen monkey back to Canada zoo
www.chinaview.cn
2008-04-26 03:10:59
OTTAWA, April 25 (Xinhua) -- A little callimico monkey stolen earlier this week from a zoo in Canada's eastern New Brunswick province was safely back home Friday, police and zoo officials said.
Acting on a phone tip, police in the city of Saint John said they found the black monkey named April in a box on a street corner near a city gas station.
A male called from a pay phone telling police to find the monkey behind a building near a gas station. "We went to the area where we found a type of box with holes cut through the top of it and the noise inside indicated it was our missing monkey," policeSgt. Pat Bonner told Canadian Television.
The little animal turned out to be in good health after being checked by ecstatic zoo officials.
April was stolen Wednesday morning when someone jumped a fence, kicked in a door, and took her from the enclosure she shared with her mother, father and brother.
Police are now reviewing the tipster's call to determine if the voice provides any clues to the theft.
The rare primates, also known as a Goeldi's monkies, are from the Amazon region of South America and considered an endangered species in the wild. They are tiny creatures, at nine months, April weighs only about half a kilogram.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/26/content_8052454.htm



Zoo worker set to take leap of faith for frogs
AN Edinburgh Zoo worker is set to abseil from the Forth Bridge dressed as a frog as part of a fundraising drive.
Polly Phillpot, the zoo's senior education officer, will descend 165 feet to raise cash for the EAZA (European Association of Zoos and Aquaria) 2008 Year of the Frog Campaign.
The main goal of this year's campaign is to raise awareness of the serious plight facing frogs and amphibians.
The funds raised will help support Amphibian Ark, a programme co-ordinated by the World Conservation Union, and finance regional initiatives such as rescues, training workshops and cooperatively managed centres.
Ms Phillpot, who will be taking the plunge tomorrow, said: "Amphibians play an important role in ecosystems and are essential environmental indicators for climate change, therefore holding great importance in scientific research.
"It would be catastrophic and tragic to lose such a key group of animals.
"I hope my leap will be a hopping success to raise funds in support of the EAZA campaign."

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Zoo-worker-set-to-take.4024009.jp



London Zoo celebrates its 180th birthday
By Richard Gray, Science Correspondent
Last Updated: 1:01pm BST 26/04/2008
It is now one of the world's leading conservation organisations, helping to protect endangered wildlife with breeding programmes, carrying out vital research and educating the public. But when London Zoo opened its doors 180 years ago, experts were more interested in turning its exotic creatures into beasts of burden and farmyard animals.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/04/26/eazoo126.xml



Exhibition held for zoo founder
Ms Badham received an MBE for her work in 2002
A special exhibition is on show at Twycross Zoo this weekend in memory of 93-year-old co-founder Molly Badham, who died last year.
Ms Badham helped build the largest collection of primates in the world at the zoo, located on the Leicestershire-Warwickshire border.
The display tells the story of how she set up the zoo with rival pet shop owner Nathalie Evans.
It also shows her work as a chimpanzee trainer on television adverts.
Exotic animals
A marquee has been set up to house the exhibition and a book of condolence will also be available for visitors to sign.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/leicestershire/7368534.stm



Bird Fest 2008 at the National Zoo

http://nationalzoo.si.edu/BirdFest/activities.cfm


Hoaxer gets callers to overwhelm Dublin Zoo for weeks
April 25th, 2008
Text messages from a “G Raffe” has caused a lot of stress at the Dublin Zoo
A hoaxer has been sending text messages to mess with the Dublin Zoo in Ireland. The texts told the recipients to call the Dublin Zoo for an “urgent message,” and about 100,000 people did call in the past two weeks. The texts are a hoax, sent out by a witty “joker” signing his (or her) name “G Raffe, C Lion, Rory Lyons, and Anna Conda,” all quite “clever” adaptations of the names of animals. The zoo’s phone system has been choked with “13 calls a minute” and the zoo’s marketing manager admitted that they had lost their “sense of humor” about the calls. The real question this raises is who would call a zoo for an “urgent message” sent by a mystery texter? Apparently 100,000 people from Ireland will.

http://www.itstrulyrandom.com/2008/04/25/hoaxer-gets-callers-to-overwhelm-dublin-zoo-for-weeks/



Its cool at Nandankanan Zoo in Orissa
April 25th, 2008 - 7:44 pm ICT by admin -
Nandankanan Zoological Park (Orissa), April 25 (ANI): Authorities at the famous Nandakanan Zoological Park in Orissa are taking various measures to prevent inmates from suffering from scorching heat that has set in advance this summer.
Desert coolers have been installed outside the enclosures of felines, bears and other caged inmates, sprinklers are being used to give showers to all animals and aviaries are covered with palm reeds and leaves to shield the birds from heat.
Sufficient water supply, along with other facilities and proper management has made a big difference comparing to the earlier years.
Animals are given bath twice or thrice in a day. The enclosures are sprinkled to maintain cool.

http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/entertainment/its-cool-at-nandankanan-zoo-in-orissa_10041996.html



Petting Zoo Update
Published by Creation Museum
April 24th, 2008 in Museum Updates
Today at the Creation Museum was momentous! The first 3 members of the new petting zoo just arrived today – three miniature donkeys.
Numerous staff were there to welcome the latest additions to the CM family. The Petting Zoo will be open to visitors and guests on May 23rd. Mark your calendars and make sure when you visit this summer to take in the new zoo.

http://blogs.answersingenesis.org/museum/2008/04/24/petting-zoo-update/


AWOL Marine charged in petting zoo fire
SHARIF DURHAMS
sdurhams@charlotteobserver.com
A tip to investigators has led to the arrest of a Marine charged in a 2006 Salisbury-area petting-zoo fire that killed more than 40 animals.
Jerry Lane Harwood, 18, of Rockwell, was arrested Saturday and charged with 41 counts of animal cruelty and with burning a public or government building. Harwood had his first court appearance Monday.
He's being held in the Rowan County Detention Center under a $250,000 secured bond.
Goats, sheep, rabbits and other animals were killed in the fire at the T.M. Stanback Petting Barn in Dan Nicholas Park, southeast of Salisbury.
Rowan County Sheriff's Office investigators and State Bureau of Investigation arson experts said they didn't home in on Harwood as a suspect until they received a tip this month.
Investigators say they discovered Harwood joined the Marines shortly after the petting zoo fire. He's now listed as AWOL, Rowan investigators said.
Investigators said that in searching Harwood's apartment after Saturday's arrest, they found evidence connecting him to recent car break-ins and two business break-ins in the Rockwell area.
Sheriff's deputies said they also found three marijuana plants in the apartment, drug paraphernalia and burglary tools. No charges have been filed.
Harwood has another court appearance scheduled April 30.
Sheriff's deputies said they're still investigating.
Anyone with information can contact Detective Sam Henline or Sgt. Chad Moose of the Rowan County Sheriff's Office at 704-216-8668 or call Rowan Crime Stoppers at 866-639-5245.

http://www.charlotte.com/local/story/592586.html

continued...

Morning Paper - continued

All the pictures anyone could want about Flocke (click here)

Donor Give $201,000 to Zoo for Giraffe Feeding Station
The world's tallest animals will soon be eating from North Carolina Zoo visitors' hands thanks to a gift this week to the Zoo Society from loyal donors who asked to remain unnamed.
The $201,000 gift will build a feeding station where visitors will offer healthy treats to giraffes from a raised deck near the Zoo's Forest Edge overlook.
Giraffes, 14-feet-tall on average, will raise their heads over a safety railing to take food held out for them by visitors.
"This generous gift will not only create a fun experience, it will enable one of nature's most fascinating creatures to literally eat out of the hands of visitors of all ages," said Russ Williams, N.C. Zoo Society Executive Director. "These personal encounters will serve as physical reminders that each of us ultimately holds the future of the natural world in our hands."

http://www.thepilot.com/stories/20080423/news/local/20080423giraffe.html


The 6th Annual Bug Zoo at the Sawtooth Botanical Garden
By Sawtooth Botanical Garden
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
The Sawtooth Botanical Gardens Bug Zoo is a fun, hands on celebration of our many legged friends and provides a chance for children and adults to learn about local and exotic insects. This year’s Bug Zoo kicks off on April 27th with the Annual Bug Zoo Festival from 1 – 5 pm. Come and join in the fun with games, crafts, snacks, a butterfly house, and the Bug Zoo exhibit featuring 35 native and exotic insects from around the world. Admission for children is $5 for members and $7 for non-members, and free for adults accompanied by a child.

http://www.sunvalleyonline.com/news/article.asp?ID_Article=5013


Zoo given credit to pay bills, avoid layoffs -- for now
Abell co-signs loan of $1.2 million
By Doug Donovan Sun reporter
April 24, 2008
With help from the Abell Foundation, the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore has received a $1.2 million bank credit it needs to get through the next two months without firing employees and stiffing vendors, officials said.
Zoo officials do not expect to spend the entire line of credit from PNC Bank because revenues have improved since the March birth of an elephant -- whose name will be unveiled at his public debut Saturday. And officials are optimistic that a baby camel's visit in May will continue to boost attendance.
"[The credit] will allow us to meet our cash flow needs during this time when our expenses are getting ahead of our revenues," said Nancy S. Noppenberger, the zoo's chief financial officer.

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bal-md.zoo24apr24,0,3162969.story


Austin zoo started with pigs
Sanctuary now home to several species of rescued exotic animals
By Katy Justice
Media Credit: Nancy Rosenthal
3-year-old Miles Rosenberg watches a tortoise, his favorite zoo animal, eat at the Austin zoo on Tuesday. Miles' mother, Monica, said they have been to the zoo at least five times.
Children from Winn Elementary pet goats in the zoo's petting coral.
Monica Rosenberg and her 3-year-old son Miles have visited zoos in Costa Rica and across the United States, but they keep coming back to the Austin Zoo.
"He loves it. We have been here five or six times," Rosenberg said. "He is almost four, so it is the perfect situation, just the right size."
The Austin Zoo and Animal Sanctuary, located about 15 miles west of campus, is an Austin-based nonprofit organization that receives funds strictly from admission fees and private donations. The zoo rescues animals from individuals who illegally own exotic animals as pets as well as municipal zoos that want to replace older animals with younger counterparts that have more energy.
Rosenberg said Miles' favorite animals in the zoo are the tortoises, which are enclosed by fencing that allows visitors to approach the animals.

http://media.www.dailytexanonline.com/media/storage/paper410/news/2008/04/24/TopStories/Austin.Zoo.Started.With.Pigs-3346750.shtml



Rare monkey stolen from zoo in eastern Canada
www.chinaview.cn
2008-04-24 06:45:07
OTTAWA, April 23 (Xinhua) -- A rare callimico monkey was stolen from a zoo Wednesday in the city of Saint John in Canada's eastern New Brunswick province, reports reaching here said.
Police said someone jumped a fence at the Cherry Brook Zoo, kicked in a door at the monkey house and made off with a young callimico monkey named April. The monkey is 12-inches tall and weighs less than a pound.
Zoo Director Len Collrin said it appears the thieves knew well of their target as they walked by a Golden Lion tamarind and went into the third enclosure, let the monkeys out and actually locked two back in.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-04/24/content_8038094.htm



Buffalo Zoo goes before cameras
Business First of Buffalo - by David Bertola Business First
A nationally syndicated TV nature show Monday filmed a piece for an upcoming episode at the Buffalo Zoo and the producer said there are plans to return to the area.
The AquaKids program is hosted by Molly McKinney, a 22-year old senior communication major at Fredonia State College. She has worked on the show since she was 13. Back then, she became a licensed diver. She has since swam with Caribbean reef sharks, whale sharks and other wild aquatic animals.
The segment she filmed while holding a baby alligator, she said, has been her most nerve-wracking experience.
"Baby gators tend to shriek, and the mother's instinct is to come to the baby when they hear it," McKinney said.

http://www.bizjournals.com/buffalo/stories/2008/04/21/daily10.html



Zoo wants elephant moved out
22 Apr 2008, 0425 hrs IST
PUNE: The Rajiv Gandhi zoological park at Katraj on Monday moved an application before judicial magistrate first class SJ Ansari urging her to direct the forest department, Pune, to take custody of an elephant on the grounds that the park is unable to maintain the animal due to paucity of funds.
The forest department had impounded 'Poornima' after it was found begging on June 7, 2007 and prosecuted the mahout, Dineshkumar Satyanarayan Tiwari, after he failed to produce evidence that he owned the animal.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Pune/Zoo_wants_elephant_moved_out/articleshow/2969744.cms



Health Concerns Over Zoo's Oldest Giraffe
Richard Sher
BALTIMORE (WJZ) ―
There are concerns about the health and well-being of Gretchen, the oldest of five giraffes living at the Maryland Zoo in Baltimore.
Gretchen is 22 and having serious problem with arthritis.
"Some days she hurts so bad, she doesn't want to come outside," giraffe area supervisor Tammy Chaney tells Richard Sher. "Gretchen's a very gentle, sweet animal. We give her all the care we can and then just watch to see how she does."
"Gretchen's got a list of medications including glucosamine, which a lot of people take for aching joints," zoo veterinarian Allison Wack said.
The average life expectancy for a giraffe is the mid-20s. Until that time comes, all those who love and care for Gretchen are dedicated to keeping her as comfortable and happy as possible.

http://wjz.com/local/giraffe.gretchen.zoo.2.706037.html


Columbian Park Zoo reopens for season with Conservation Action Day
By BOB SCOTT
bscott@journalandcourier.com
April 24, 2008
Columbian Park Zoo opens Saturday with a special theme -- Conservation Action Day.
Conservation-minded organizations will be available from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. to answer questions and give tips about protecting the environment.
Zoo visitors are invited to bring new or gently used household items, including baby toys, basketballs, towels, raisins and peanut butter.
"Through this event, we hope that our visitors will become inspired to make a difference in their own households with their consumer choices and the reuse of many regular household items," said zoo director Claudine Laufman.
Another example of recycling at the zoo is the butterfly exhibit being constructed. Lawn & Shrub Inc. is donating labor and materials, including the frame from a former greenhouse.

http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080424/NEWS/804240313



Zoo gets ready for lion’s share
- Authorities pin hope on Asiatic jungle cat pair for population increase
JAYESH THAKER
White tigers relax in Nandan Kanan (AP)
Jamshedpur, April 22: Step away bulls and bears, when it comes to zoos, jungle cats are the preferred choice.
The Tata Steel Zoological Society (TSZS) will soon be home to robust Asiatic lions. Sources said housing lions has now become a necessity for zoo authorities as they are only left with one pair of the breed — an aged lioness (13) and a young male (4), who was procured from a rescue centre in Bengal.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1080423/jsp/jharkhand/story_9175699.jsp



Safari Park Plan Raises Concerns About Possible Conflict With Zoo
Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER
Lex Salisbury, co-owner of Safari Wild, talks about the 12 patas monkeys that escaped from their island habitat in Lakeland.
By BAIRD HELGESON
The Tampa Tribune
Published: April 24, 2008
TAMPA - Lex Salisbury's little-known side business gained nationwide attention this week as he spent the last few days chasing a dozen patas monkeys that escaped from his exotic animal park in Polk County.
Salisbury is mostly known for his job as president and CEO of the nonprofit Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, a position that pays more than $271,000 a year, according to the zoo's most recent tax filings.
But about a year ago he and St. Petersburg veterinarian Stephen Wehrmann bought about 260 acres of land north of Lakeland to create Safari Wild. The for-profit venture will feature safari tours on which visitors will see roughly 400 exotic and endangered animals, including animals from the zoo that needed a break from life on display.

http://www2.tbo.com/content/2008/apr/24/na-safari-park-plan-raises-concerns-about-possible/



Minnesota Zoo babies come in twos
The zoo announced the birth of its newest arrival, a baby takin, on the same day it introduced its new week-old baby Bactrian camel.
By PAUL WALSH, Star Tribune
Last update: April 23, 2008 - 11:33 PM
The Chinese rank the takin -- a relative of the musk ox and mountain goat -- as a national treasure. And now there's one more of 'em.
Wednesday, the Minnesota Zoo announced the arrival of a baby takin. The birth occurred at 10:30 a.m., though it's still too early to determine the baby's gender.

http://www.startribune.com/local/south/18041049.html



Increasing number of leopards gives Sakkarbaug Zoo officials a tough time
Rajkot, April 24 Sakkarbuag Zoo in Junagadh is one of the country’s oldest and is the leading breeding centre for the Asiatic Lion. But the population of leopards here is on the rise and, in fact, has even outnumbered these lions.
Increasing man-animal conflict in last couple of years has been landing the big cats into cages in such a large number that it is now becoming difficult for the zoo authorities to handle the situation. At present, nearly 30 leopards are inmates of the Sakkarbaug (SKB) Zoo, while the number of Asiatic lions stands at 21.

http://www.expressindia.com/latest-news/Increasing-number-of-leopards-gives-Sakkarbaug-Zoo-officials-a-tough-time/301368/



Marwell Zoo, Conservation Fun
An African-themed Hotel Complements a Hampshire Zoological Park
Ja Woolf
Apr 24, 2008
It’s always best when animals, reptiles and birds can survive and thrive in the wild. But if their natural habitats are endangered, then captive breeding is often the best option.
Marwell Zoo, in England’s Hampshire, combines its role as a family attraction with the even more important task of breeding endangered animals. Occupying over a hundred acres in Colden Common, near Winchester, the zoo cares for about two hundred different species, ranging from tropical frogs to kookaburras, or big cats to red pandas. It's open from 10 a.m. daily, and costs £14.50 for adults, £10.50 for kids.
Vital Conservation Work
Income from the zoo’s visitors helps fund its worldwide conservation schemes, such as work with wild rhinos in Zimbabwe. Details of its captive breeding programmes, and information about the animals and their natural habitats are explained on helpful signs throughout the park. There are always trained volunteers to hand, too, to answer visitors’ questions and encourage them to get more involved with the zoo's work.

http://england-travel.suite101.com/article.cfm/marwell_zoo_conservation_fun



Drawing Animals in London Zoo
16 Jul 2008
Inspired by the Tennant Room's J.F. Lewis RA exhibition, Jeanette Barnes leads this practical workshop in drawing animals.
Supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
London Zoo; 10.30am–12.30pm OR 2.30–4.30pm; £12/£6* (includes zoo entry)
For information or to book:
Telephone 020 7300 5839
Fax booking form to 020 7300 8013
Post booking form to:
Events and Lectures, Royal Academy of Arts
Burlington House, Piccadilly
London W1J 0BD

http://www.royalacademy.org.uk/events/workshops/drawing-animals-in-london-zoo,479,EV.html



Panda breeding a challenge for zoo, Yang Yang
By LEON STAFFORD
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 04/23/08
The time was right, and they were both sending signals that love was in the air.
But when Zoo Atlanta's giant panda Yang Yang approached the object of his affection late Sunday, fellow panda Lun Lun rebuffed his attempts.
Actually, she wasn't quite that nice about it, and made it clear that while cuddly-looking, she is indeed a bear.
"She wasn't even letting him get near her," said Dr. Rebecca Snyder, the zoo's curator of carnivores. "She was very aggressive."
Such was the challenge zoo officials faced over the weekend and early this week in getting the pair to mate naturally while Lun Lun was ovulating. In the end, the zoo went with a no-so natural process, artificially inseminating Lun Lun twice with Yang Yang's semen.

http://www.ajc.com/living/content/living/stories/2008/04/23/pandas_0424.html



Fish outswim extinction at Moody Gardens
By Rhiannon Meyers
The Daily News
Published April 26, 2008
GALVESTON — A species of African fish thought to be extinct in the wild is alive and breeding at Moody Gardens.
The two-stripe white-lip cichlids have been wiped out from their African home in Lake Victoria, the world’s second largest freshwater lake, and now exist only in captivity at Moody Gardens.
Last week, baby cichlids emerged from their eggs at the aquarium. Their hatching creates a whole new generation of harpagochromis, or two-stripe white-lip cichlids, at the island aquarium.
Cichlid hatchings are vital to the aquarium where most of the cichlid population has exceeded breeding age, said animal husbandry manager Greg Whittaker. Many are now dying from old age, he said.
The 20 baby cichlids, or fry, have been placed in their own tank alongside their parents. All are tucked away from public view in small aquarium tanks in the basement of the Rainforest Pyramid.

http://galvestondailynews.com/story.lasso?ewcd=2fa1b50f8cc5f3c8&-session=TheDailyNews:42F946750a67000B7BWxP188E049



Zoo seeks plan ideas
Posted By FIONA ISAACSON
Posted 3 days ago
The Riverview Park and Zoo wants public input for its long-term plan.
Curator Jack Sisson said the plan is reviewed about every five years, but the last survey was conducted in the mid-1990s.
"We felt it was time to put a survey out there and just get a better feeling for what the public thinks of our current operations and where they think we should be going in the future," Sisson said.
The online survey includes questions about conservation programs for species-at-risk and what could be done with the Peterborough Utilities Commission (PUC) lands on the east side of the Otonabee River.
The zoo could be involved in species-at-risk conservation locally or globally, Sisson said.
An advisory committee will make recommendations to the PUC, which funds the zoo, he said.
About seven per cent of water revenue pays for the zoo and park's operations, he said.
Under a provincial bylaw a maximum of nine per cent can be used for zoo operations, he said.
The survey is available for the next month at www.peterboroughutilities.ca/park_and_zoo/survey.htm
Notices about the survey are also included with PUC bills, Sisson said.
fisaacson@peterboroughexaminer.com

http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=997603



Edinburgh Zoo To Open World's Largest Chimpanzee Enclosure
23 April 2008 - 10:05am — edg
Edinburgh Zoo will be opening the largest chimpanzee enclosure in the world on Friday 2 May. The £5.65m Budongo Trail is the first part of a major £77.8m master plan at Edinburgh Zoo to create enclosures that simulate the animals' natural environment.
The building has three living ‘pods' of varying humidity, light and temperature as well as the world's largest climbing frame for apes. Closely linked to a research programme in the Budongo Forest in Uganda, the Budongo Trail has been designed to give visitors the integrated story of the chimpanzees' natural habitat and behaviour to science and conservation through interactive exhibits and close-up views of the chimpanzees.

http://www.edinburghguide.com/visitingedinburgh/story/1562


Berenstain bears at LA Zoo
Wednesday, 04.23.2008, 12:02am (GMT-7)
LOS ANGELES: The Los Angeles Zoo will host the Berenstain Bears, stars of television and children's books on Saturday and Sunday, May 17 & 18 from 10 am to 4 pm. The author and illustrator Mike Berenstain will draw for you these animated characters and make sure you get your favorite book signed.
Toyota is hosting the Berenestain Bears at the LA Zoo as part of its Nature Zoo Tour 2008 to celebrate wildlife and encourage its preservation. Partnered with PBS' award-winning Nature series, for which it is a corporate sponsor, Toyota will fund public events at US zoos across the country this spring to support endangered species and increase awareness of their need for protection.
The Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens is located in Griffith Park at the junction of the Ventura (134) and Golden State (5) freeways. This event is free with the Zoo admission. The Zoo is open from 10 am to 5 pm daily.

http://indiapost.com/article/travel/2633/


Zoo teaches 10,500 visitors about the planet
BY BECCY TANNER
The Wichita Eagle
Mike Hutmacher/The Wichita Eagle
Crowds stroll thr grounds during Earth Day activities at the Sedgwick County Zoo.
Consider what Earth Day at the Sedgwick County Zoo is like: At least 10,500 area students and visitors poured into the zoo's entrance Tuesday -- a crowd of humans, there to see the animals.
"I like the animals -- the lions, tigers, pigs and horses," said Madison Hall, 4, who came with her mother, Wendi Hall, on Tuesday morning to the free-admission day.
Sponsored by Boeing Wichita, the day is all about teaching Wichita-area schoolchildren how to become "Good Earth Citizens" by reusing, reducing and recycling, said Chrissie Nixon, community investor for Boeing.
The zoo celebration was one of several events in Wichita for the 38th anniversary of Earth Day, a day traditionally set aside to learn about the planet and what we can do to take better care of it.

http://www.kansas.com/news/local/story/381417.html



Franciscana Dolphins Tracking Day #53
The four dolphins are inside the bay. Early this morning it appeared that all four were in the same general area of the bay, but it is unclear if this continued as they moved farther into the bay.

http://czsdolphins.blogspot.com/



National Zoo of Nicaragua
I recently spent an enjoyable day at the National Zoo of Nicaragua, the Parqueo Zoologica Nicaragua.
There is a very impressive butterfly enclosure there. I don't know a lot about butterflies, but I like the names they've been given. Hairstreaks and brushfoots, monarchs and glasswings. The longer I walked among their serene beauty, the more I wanted to learn about them.
Some butterflies actually migrate. Monarch butterflies are capable of making transatlantic crossing. The Glasswing butterfly has see-through wings.
I also learnt that butterflies display lekking behaviour. I know, I had to look that one up myself. Lekking is where a group of males, usually the same ones, get together, usually in the same place, to show off for the purpose of attracting a beautiful mate. Kind of like your local trendy coffee shops. Man imitating nature. I might leave the classical lek and exploding lek behaviour for another post. I'm still trying to stop laughing from this one.

http://mybootsnme.blogspot.com/2008/04/national-zoo-of-nicaragua.html



San Diego Zoo Podcast

http://www.sandiegozoo.org/podcast/chat/zoochat_080417_kmurphy.mp3



24/04/2008
Moscow News
№16 2008
In Brief - Moscow Zoo Puts Butterflies on Display
Moscow Zoo Puts Butterflies on Display
MOSCOW (MN, RIA Novosti) - The Moscow Zoo offers its visitors the chance to see how chrysalises transform into butterflies, the zoo's press service has announced.
"We receive a shipment of butterfly chrysalises every month,"the press service told RIA Novosti. "Then we place them in a special stand. The butterflies, which appear later, fly around and appeal to lot's of our guests. It does not last long. These insects live for just two to three weeks."
The butterfly exhibition is open until 5 p.m. every day except for Mondays and Tuesdays.

http://mnweekly.ru/local/20080424/55325956.html



Polar bears 'at risk' in Canada
By Lee Carter
BBC News, Toronto
Polar bears in Canada are at risk from climate change but not threatened with extinction, a panel of experts has advised the Canadian government.
The government should develop a plan to protect the country's estimated 15,000 polar bears, the panel said.
The plight of the polar bear has long concerned environmentalists.
The animals face loss of habitat on two fronts, the panel said - hunting, and melting ice in the Arctic, which is widely blamed on climate change.
While recognising both problems, the panel found that Canada's polar bear population was not declining enough to place it in the most serious category as an endangered species.
Instead, it has been classified as a species of special concern.
'At risk'
"Based on the best available information at hand, there was insufficient reason to think that the polar bear was at imminent risk of extinction," said Jeff Hutchings, the panel's chairman.
"That's not to say that it's not in trouble. A special concern species is a species at risk in Canada and requires legislative action."
Canada's environment minister, John Baird, is obliged to accept the government-commissioned report's findings and address threats to the animal's survival, including climate change.
But a management plan for Canada's polar bears will not be required until 2014 - by which time some scientists believe the summer sea ice in the Arctic may have completely disappeared.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7368484.stm

continued...

St. Petersburg Polar Bear teaches fishing technique - In captivity behaviors survive

Polar bear Uslada teaches her two four month old cubs Petr and Krasin how to fish in their enclosure during their first appearance at the St Petersburg Zoo, Russia. Uslada can be seen catching a carp as the other her two cubs follow her with her catch.
6 more pics of the polar bear Uslada teaching her two cubs how to fish at the St Petersburg Zoo after the jump.


Polar Bears are marine mammals. In this photo it is easy to see why. The physical composition of a polar bear lends itself to a sleek appearance whereby in the Arctic waters they swim as if a dolphin. The paws of the Polar Bear have the same physical skeletal structure of that of dolphins and whales.

It is fascinating to realize while so many aspects of nature is acclaimed to be instinctual, they are actually techniques passed down from generation to generation.

While cubs easily mimic their parents, that is a clear indication that a break in the bonding of species generations, no different than that of human parents would lead to a severe disruption in the ability of a species to survive.

A greater question is that while zoos act as a place where species survive, what are the adverse effects to 'survival' of a species after decades of extinction in the wild?

While the female Polar Bear in this series of pictures is obviously teaching a technique for feeding to her cubs, would she be able to survive in the wild and do the very same thing? The answer most assuredly would be no and she would succumb to elements and challenges to 'find the fish' long before she would ever store enough body fat (Polar Bears have adipose tissue and not blubber) to sustain attempts at survival.

Female Polar Bears teaching cubs in zoos to 'capture and eat fish' is just one degree away from a circus act.

Extreme Ocean Storms On the Rise, Tremors Show

Antarctica Ice Chime

Severe weather pounds parts of Texas with hail, 70 mph winds

April 24, 2008
0415z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite (12 hour loop)

The central longitude of North American is experiencing an heat transfer from the Equator, beginning to infuse with added moisture from the Gulf.


April 23, 2008
Kansas City, Kansas
Photographer states :: A nice blend of neon and the grandeur of a storm front!


April 24, 2008
0415z
UNISYS Water Vapor Satellite of USA (12 hour loop)

April 23, 2008

Colby, Kansas

Photographer states :: Looking at Colby with light rain, dust and 51 mph winds

Passenger plane crash-lands in Bucharest

April 19, 2008
Timisora, Romania

http://www.chinaview.cn/
2008-04-23 04:01:25
BUCHAREST, April 22 (Xinhua) -- A passenger plane of Romanian airliner Carpatair on Tuesday evening ran off the landing strip on the Henri Coanda International Airport in Bucharest, because of the unfavorable weather conditions.
According to Catalin Radu, director of Civil Aviation Department with Transport Ministry, the BAE-146 plane coming from western city of Timisoara had some 60 passengers on board, and no passenger was injured.
"While attempting to land, because of the strong wind and the wet runway, the plane overrun the track, but the none of the passengers was hurt," Catalin Radu said, adding that all passengers left the plane safely.
Editor: Yan Liang

April 19, 2008

Timisora, Romania

Photographer states :: A view from my window.

That cloud formation is extremely similar to the edge of a hurricane, not a thunder storm.

The weather in Antarctica is (Crystal Ice Chime) cold and dark again.

SCOTT BASE WEBCAMS
These images are sent from video cameras situated at Scott Base. The first camera is located in the Hillary Field Centre briefing room, looking towards the vehicle hitching rail and the Pressure Ridges on the Ross Ice Shelf, with White Island in the distance, while the second is at the Arrival Heights Research Laboratory.


Updated Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:16pm AEST
A New Zealand energy company plans to transport three wind turbines to Antarctica.
Meridian Energy is sending the turbines to help provide power for its research bases.
Company spokeswoman, Claire Shaw, told the ABC the turbines will help reduce the use of diesel fuel.But she says setting them up will be a challenge.
"There's a lot of major challenges and often it's the logistics and the environment that get us," she said.
"We're quite happy with the technology, [but] obviously it's an isolated continent so we're going to have some real expert project managers there."
Australia established wind turbines at its Mawson base in 2005.

April 24, 2008
0107 gmt
South Pole Satellite
Exhibits chronic issue with heat transfers of the Southern Hemisphere. Noted a huge heat transfer at 4 o'clock.


April 22, 2008
1200 AM
Wind Satellite of Antarctica (24 hour loop)
Exhibits same wind patterns as noted previously. Onshore winds at lower altitudes on the seacoast with higher velocities and lower wind speeds at the higher altitudes primarily generated by heavier air masses falling off the Antarctica plateau.

April 22, 2008

0600

The Jet Stream Satellite of Antarctica (animation shows six day loop)

Still exhibits arrivals of heat transfers regularly.

The Coldest Reporting Stations
Vostok, Antarctica
Elevation: 11220 ft / 3420 m
Local Time: 11:09 AM VOST
Lat/Lon: 78.4° S 106.9° E
Temperature :: -86 °F / -66 °C
Conditions :: Clear
Humidity: 32%
Dew Point: -93 °F / -70 °C
Wind: 7 mph / 11 km/h from the WNW
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: in / hPa (Rising)
Visibility: 12.0 miles / 20.0 kilometers

Siple Dome, Antarctica
Local Time: 5:12 AM GMT
Lat/Lon: 89.7° S 148.8° W
Temperature: -36 °F / -38 °C Wind: Calm
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: 28.53 in / 966 hPa

The Warmest Reporting Stations
Base Arturo Prat, Antarctica
Local Time: 5:15 AM GMT
Lat/Lon: 62.5° S 59.7° W
Temperature :: 34 °F / 1 °C
Conditions :: Partly Cloudy
Humidity: 81%
Dew Point: 30 °F / -1 °C
Wind: 21 mph / 33 km/h / from the SSW
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: 28.71 in / 972 hPa (Rising)
Visibility: 6.0 miles / 10.0 kilometers
Clouds: Mostly Cloudy 6890 ft / 2100 m Elevation: 16 ft / 5 m

King Sejong, Antarctica
Local Time: 5:17 AM GMT
Temperature :: 33 °F / 0 °C
Conditions :: Overcast
Humidity: 94%
Dew Point: 32 °F / 0 °C
Wind: 15 mph / 24 km/h / from the SW
Wind Gust: -
Pressure: 28.68 in / 971 hPa (Rising)
Visibility: 6.0 miles / 10.0 kilometers
UV: 0 out of 16
Elevation: 33 ft / 10 m

NW (Australia) on cyclone watch - 22nd April 2008, 7:45 WST

A cyclone watch has been issued for Christmas Island as a tropical low heads towards the Indian Ocean outcrop.
At 5.45am today the Bureau of Meteorology said a developing tropical low was 160km north west of Christmas Island and 850km east of Cocos Islands, moving east southeast at 25kmh.
The tropical low may develop into a tropical cyclone during the day with periods of heavy rain possible.
Gales with gusts to 100kmh may develop at Christmas Island during the day, the Bureau said.
Tides will be higher than expected with large swell likely to develop later today or tomorrow.
The Christmas Island Emergency Management Committee advises that Christmas Island is on Blue Alert and residents should be taking precautions.
PERTH AGENCIES

Drought hits millions in Thai rice region: government

1 day ago - April 21, 2008
BANGKOK (AFP) — More than 10 million people in parts of Thailand's rice bowl region have been hit by drought, the government said Monday, causing further concerns as prices of the staple grain soar.
Thailand's Disaster Prevention and Mitigation department reported that 55 of the kingdom's 76 provinces were struggling with drought, mostly in the central, north and northeastern regions.
More than 151,000 rai (60,000 acres) of farmland has been affected, they said in a statement, including half of the key central rice growing provinces.
Vichien Phantodee, a member of the Thai Farmers Association, said rice farmers have been trying to exploit soaring prices and an increased global demand for the grain.
"Farmers want to plant more rice because the price is so good," Vichien told AFP. "But the drought does affect rice production, particularly for farmland outside the irrigation areas."...

Drought-hit Cyprus signs deal to ferry water from Greece

A boat tows large empty water transport balloons to the open sea at Bozyazi in 2004. Turkey has been using the large floating balloons to transport water in the coming days to drought-plague northern Cyprus. Drought-hit Cyprus has signed an agreement with a Cypriot shipping firm to ferry eight million cubic metres of water from Greece to help ease the island's water crisis. (AFP/EPA/File)

04-21-2008

15h43
NICOSIA (AFP)

Drought-hit Cyprus on Monday signed an agreement with a Cypriot shipping firm to ferry eight million cubic metres of water from Greece to help ease the island's water crisis.
Most households on the Mediterranean island, a major tourist destination, have water only four days a week after the government last month reduced supplies to local authorities by a third to try to tackle the shortage.
The aim is for the additional water to start arriving from June to help the island endure a long hot summer.
"The shortage is in the order of 16 million cubic metres until the end of the year," said Agriculture Minister Michalis Polynikis after signing the deal with Ocean Tankers....

Survey continues on storm damage, tornadoes

Nature's main threat isn't an earthquake

April 22, 2008

New Bladen, Illinois

Photographer states :: Strong 40kt gust front blew stuff everywhere (large cloud on right of picture) with a lot of turbulence directly behind. Precip from storm also brought split pea sized hail.

It's been an interesting Earth Day, but, before the day is over let's recap Earth's symptoms of Human Induced Global Warming

USA GOVERNMENT AGENCIES PREDICT DEVASTATING EFFECTS OF HUMAN INDUCED GLOBAL WARMING.

DO NEOCONS LISTEN TO ANYONE BESIDES THEIR WAR GENERALS ???

FROM Los Alamos (click here)
Abstract: Los Alamos computer models of ocean and sea ice circulation are enabling forecasts of Arctic sea ice melting and its possible impact on global climate change. Those forecasts project that, unless steps are taken now to reduce greenhouse gases, the Arctic Ocean will, by 2040, be ice-free for part of each year, bringing devastation to Arctic wildlife and altering ocean circulation and regional climate patterns.

The weather at Glacier Bay National Park is (Crystal Wind Chime) balmy !

Time :: 6:15 PM AKDT

Date :: April 22, 2008

Elevation :: 33 feet / 10 meters

Lat/Lon: 58.8° N 137.0° W

Temperature :: 57 °F / 14 °C

Conditions :: Clear

Humidity :: 36%

Dew Point :: 30 F / -1 C

Wind :: 8 mph / 13 km/h / 3.5 m/s from the WSW

Pressure :: 30.06 in / 1018 hPa (Falling)

Visibility :: 10.0 miles / 16.1. kilometers

UV :: 1 out of 16

Clouds :: Clear

Let's see. Canada states there is open water in many areas where there was once ice all year round.
But.
The USA EPA can't see to it that Polar Bears are protected. What was that Bush was stating about Global Warming? Huh?

Ice Is So Thin That Daylight Will Melt It In Most Places (click here)
Toronto (eCanadaNow) -- In times past the Arctic Ice Mass was a reality, even in the middle of summer, but that has changed in the last twenty years. Now, many places that formerly had ice year round are faced with open water for a significant part of the year.
Arctic Sea Ice is now so thin that in most areas a bright sunny day causes it to melt completely away. Research has shown that the Arctic Ice reduction is linked to warmer than average temperatures, temperatures that thought to be linked to human greenhouse gas emissions.
“We have not seen this strong an effect on sea ice until now,” said Jennifer Kay. Ms. Kay is a scientist on the U.S. led research team.
“Now that ice is tending to be thin, we often have a chain reaction of melting,” said Ms. Kay.
The current research has shown that the lack of summertime Arctic Ice and the warmer temperatures can both be traced to the overall rise in greenhouse gases made from human actions.
Readings taken annually by United States Military Submarines has shown a reduction in Arctic Sea ice by as much as 40 percent since 1960.

Bush/Cheney promote hatred, conflict and war !! It's good for business !!

Bush and Rice answer the call to end Human Induced Global Warming - Middle East Nuclear Fuel - No chance of any WMD here !

Let's just reflect a moment on the amount of SOLAR DAYS that exist in one year in the UAE.

Hello?

Peaceful Nuclear Technology in the Middle East is about Global Warming?

NOT !!!!


02/19/2007 12:45
UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
The first solar plant in Gulf region in Abu Dhabi (click here)
The plant should be completed by 2009 and provide electricity to 10,000 homes. The emirate, which holds 90 per cent of the country’s oil reserves, wants to set up a special economic zone for the alternative-energy industry....


Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Condoleezza Rice welcomed plans to establish a $100 (about Dh360) million agency to look into developing nuclear energy.


UAE and US sign agreement on peaceful uses of nuclear energy
AgenciesPublished: April 21, 2008, 12:33


Manama: Shaikh Abdullah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE Foreign Minister, and Condoleezza Rice, US Secretary of State, on Monday signed in Bahrain a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in peaceful uses of nuclear energy.


Commenting on the signing of the MoU, Shaikh Abdullah said: "The UAE-US MoU represents an excellent example of cooperation the UAE hopes to forge with responsible nuclear supplier states in the area of peaceful nuclear energy." There are potential mutual benefits to both parties from deepening cooperation in the development of the UAE's domestic nuclear energy sector."


Rice welcomed the arrangement and said: "We are very supportive of what you are trying to do. As you know we think access to nuclear energy is very important. The UAE is a responsible partner and a responsible power."

The UAE has said it plans to establish a $100 (about Dh360) million agency to look into developing nuclear energy to satisfy rising electricity demand.


The UAE has promised to draw up laws to govern the sector and establish a nuclear regulatory authority and an international advisory board of nuclear experts as well as to seek assistance from other governments.


Shaikh Abdullah has said the UAE will work closely with the UN atomic energy watchdog, the IAEA, for its planned nuclear programmes to assure the world it remains peaceful. It has already signed a nuclear cooperation deal with France.


Later Rice was set to meet ministers from the Gulf Cooperation Council - an alliance of six Gulf Arab states.


The GCC has said it is studying a joint nuclear energy programme.

What does a 'good day' in Iraq look like? It's up to them now. The USA needs to leave that country.

Under the supervision of American forces, workers began building a wall to partition the Sadr City area of Baghdad on Thursday. (click here)

The wall worked for a while with the Palestinians, maybe it will work in Baghdad long enough to call a truce ! Worth a try, right?

Oh. The military is supposed to know what to do with USA Tax Dollars and personnel. I see. No. That isn't what happened when the USA military is used as an instrument of American politics under Neocons that can't get a grip of their own abuse of power !

FACTBOX: Security developments in Iraq, April 19 (click here)
BAGHDAD - A U.S. helicopter gunship fired a missile, killing two gunmen in eastern Baghdad on Saturday, the U.S. military said.
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb killed one U.S. soldier when it struck his vehicle on Friday just north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said in statement.
SALAHUDDIN PROVINCE - A car bomb blast killed one U.S. soldier when he was conducting a patrol on Friday in Salahuddin province, north of Baghdad, the U.S. military said.
BAGHDAD - A roadside bomb wounded two people on Friday in the Karrada district of central Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - One Iraqi soldier was killed and four others wounded when a roadside bomb struck their patrol in Yarmouk district, in western Baghdad, police said.
BAGHDAD - Two bodies were found in different districts of Baghdad on Friday, police said.
BAGHDAD - A mortar bomb killed one person on Friday in al-Nidhal street, central Baghdad, police said.
MUSSAYAB - One body was found with gunshot wounds in Mussayab, 60 km (40 miles) south of Baghdad, police said.
(compiled by Aws Qusay; editing by Noah Barkin)

My one complaint about American Propaganda has FINALLY been examined. TALKING HEAD GENERALS. What will you believe about your country?

How are your Tax Dollars spent?


Telling 'the truth' or giving reason for Active Duty Generals to retire?

Cleric Suspends Battle in Basra by Shiite Militia (click here)
...The substance of Mr. Sadr’s statement, released Sunday afternoon, was hammered out in elaborate negotiations over the past few days with senior Iraqi officials, some of whom traveled to Iran to meet with Mr. Sadr, according to several officials involved in the discussions.....

Why do the newspapers in the USA lie?

The Iraqi military are patrolling in Basra. There was no confrontation, no bloodshed. The presence of the Iraqi military, if not met with resistance is simply a return to 'status quo' yet the American newsprint insists there was this dominating battle that has surmounted any resistance and the people of Basra are now dominated. Propaganda in the Western Media of the USA is the only result of the days in Basra, nothing else. Give them something to believe.

Basically, the Mahdi Army in Iraq just hasn't gotten around to picking up their weapons today. Maybe they won't bother. Ah. It must be the smell of napalm in the morning that did it.

...“One of the grossest of US errors in Iraq was to try to marginalise him (click here) and his movement,” writes Cockburn. “Had he been part of the political process from the beginning then the chances of creating a peaceful, prosperous Iraq would have been greater. In any real accommodation between Shia and Sunni, the Sadrists must play a central part.”...

Blood in Basra and beyond (click here)
Apr 17th 2008From The Economist print edition
Three accounts of the war in Iraq are defined by anger and wry humour
AT ITS worst, Iraq's rhythm of violence was so predictable that Oliver Poole, the Daily Telegraph's correspondent, reckoned he could tell the time in Baghdad by the nature of the explosions: mornings started with a “dull pop” as patrols were hit by roadside bombs planted overnight. Then came the suicide-bombers. Afternoons were the turn of the mortar teams who liked harassing the Americans in the protected Green Zone. Finally after sunset came the gunfire from military operations and extra-judicial killings.
Mr Poole's vivid “Red Zone” is one of several first-person British accounts that complement recent American books dissecting how the war went wrong. A fellow journalist, Jonathan Steele, has written a strong polemic against America's occupation of Iraq, while Britain's former man in the south, Sir Hilary Synnott, provides an insider's account of the hopelessness of trying to administer the country....


Five people killed, 18 wounded by bombings in northern Iraq today (click here)
23 hours ago
BAGHDAD — Iraqi officials say bombings have killed at least five people in northern Iraq.
A spokesman says a roadside bomb meant for a U.S. patrol in Mosul missed its target and killed two civilians and injured 12 other civilians.
Police also say one civilian was killed and four others were wounded in a parked car bombing in Kirkuk.
They say a roadside bomb elsewhere in the city killed one Iraqi policeman and wounded two.
Police in the Diyala province say another roadside bomb killed a schoolboy in Baqouba.
Today's attacks cap a violent week that has raised concerns that suspected Sunni insurgents are regrouping.