http://zoonewsdigest.com/
http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
Peter Dickinson
peterd482001@yahoo.co.uk
Dear Colleagues,
The first link has nothing to do with zoos at all but it is animal related and a huge number of papers covered the story, some positively and some negatively. I can actually see both points of view but side with the headmistress here. The sheep was raised for food and so food it should be. A valuable and important lesson for kids who believe that milk comes from bottles and meat from freezers. It is the mothers at fault here. Instead of indoctrinating their kids they should be educating. Nothing cruel. Humane slaughter. Nothing wrong.
Now Craig Busch....heard of him? I have never met the guy, only had a glimpse or two of his TV programmes. All I do is read, investigate, listen and learn. It does not surprise me that he gets the support he does because it all comes from the blinkered ignorant, the uninformed and those hypnotised by his 'charm'.
Now his fans are doing fundraising walks to raise funds for him to 'buy' back Zion Wildlife Gardens. If I had anything to do with it he would never work with wild animals (or any animals) ever again. Anyone who de-claws a big cat, let alone thirty or more of them should not be allowed with animals. Understand that de-clawing is a nasty, inhumane and totally totally totally unnecessary practice. De-clawing is not like cutting your finger nails, it is cutting the ends of your fingers OFF. It is cruelty in the first degree. The only reason it has been done is so that Craig Busch can prance around like Tarzan in front of TV cameras trying to look clever without being scratched. It is not clever...it is cruel! I am aware of other collections who carry out this barbaric and inhumane practice. It matters not because it is unnecessary and I have yet to be presented with an argument to convince me otherwise.
Staff who have worked with Craig Busch say the only time he ever goes in with a big cat is when there is a camera on him. Judging by the number of staff who have left working with him there a big number of stories yet to be told.
Is there a conservation side to the man? I think not. Definitely not with his blessed White Tigers and White Lions. Barbary Lions? That is another story and I am none too sure how his animals fit into the scheme of things. He has certainly killed umpteen cubs to produce the animals remaining in the Park. Not that I have anything against the humane destruction of surplus stock but that is how it should be...humane! And there is no humanity if the destruction is preventable...and it is not preventable if your plan is to produce more White Tiger cubs.
Yet if you read the supporting comments on the various sites on the internet it is enough to make you puke. Then we have statements like:
"His work for the conservation of the great cats and the continuation of the beautiful Barbary and white lions in particular is amazing," she said.
This woman has in an instant demonstrated her ignorance and no doubt she like all the others would say that the de-clawing was untrue but part of a smear campaign in spite of the evidence. There was video evidence on YouTube of Craig abusing Lion Cubs but this has been removed in recent months...by fair means or foul. Who knows? I have read enough first hand evidence of animal abuse by Craig Busch. Others have too but it is like water off a ducks back by the blinkered ignorant. They only read the fairy tales and not the facts.
Elephants throwing stones? I don't doubt it. I have personal experience of being singled out with great accuracy and over considerable distance.
I was away to Laos in order to extend my Thailand visa. It sounds a bit complicated, and it is. Eleven hours in a bus both ways is both bum and head numbing. I did however find time to squeeze in a visit to Vientiane Zoo which you can read about in HubPages.
Being away meant I had to face something like three hundred emails on my return. Happily not all required an answer. I missed reading the Bangkok Post and it would seem that I also missed a bit of news on the Khao Lai Crocodiles. I only know this because there is a cartoon in the paper (16th) which implies that someone has been trying to shoot them. Further to that I have now learned of the mysterious appearance of crocodiles in Thung Salaeng Luang National Park. There were none there before. It would seem that someone has plonked them there in a deliberate attempt to promote tourism in the area. It is very wrong.
Bob Barker may be legendary but before he jointed the ranks and rants of the blinkered I had never heard of the guy. Now I know him as a biased bag of wind who will not listen to the other side of the story. His past glory faded he has decided to ride the back of an elephant and try and regain some fame.
Please note that there is a comments section for your use at the end of this Zoo News Digest.
Thanks to the two people who sent donations to the Digest this last week. Much appreciated....and very very much needed. Thank you.
Is your meeting/conference/symposium listed here?http://zoosymposia.blogspot.com/
If not why not? ZooNews Digest is read by more zoo people than any other similar publication. I will advertise up till the event.
Visit my webpages at:
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Read how with my "Quick Guide to Hub Construction." http://ewerl.com/Ua92gJ
I truly believe it will be worth your while.
Please visit the Zoo Professionals Book Store for more if you are looking for books for yourself or as gifts.
On with the links:
Pupils 'traumatised' at school lamb slaughter
A school lamb that was hand-reared for meat by pupils in Kent has been slaughtered despite a campaign to save him. Marcus the sheep was sent to the abbatoir by Lydd Primary School as part of its lessons on farming life, despite pleas from animal lovers and even celebrities. Parent Tina Goodyer said it was wrong to send to slaughter
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8255509.stm
Supporters rally to reinstate Lion Man
Fans of Lion Man Craig Busch are staging fundraising walks around the world to help finance his bid to buy back the Zion Wildlife Gardens.Supporter Selena McMinn, a computer programmer from Beach Haven on Auckland's North Shore will lead a sponsored walk involving more than 20 people from Takapuna to Milford at midday on Saturday.Ms McMinn is a member of Mr Busch's Facebook fan club, and said fundraising drives, such as walks and car-boot sales, were being held internationally.She said the first walk held in Edinburgh
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10597754
US Expert Bill Marler Urges UK Adoption of US Petting Zoo Guidelines to PreventE. coli Outbreaks
News that a large and growing outbreak of highly toxic E. coli O157:H7 linked to the Gladstone Farm and Playbarn in Surrey, England has led E. coli expert Bill Marler to urge animal exhibitors on both sides of the Atlantic to implement existing safety guidelines. The Gladstone outbreak has sickened at least 36 people and sent 12 children tohospital. Four of those children are seriously ill, most likely with HemolyticUremic Syndrome (HUS), a complication of E. coli infection that can cause renalfailure and other serious problems. Marler addressed the Royal Institute of Public Health in both 2008 and 2009 onE. coli outbreaks and dangers. "Unfortunately, we keep seeing outbreaks of E.coli O157:H7 at petting zoos and animal exhibits," he said from his office inSeattle. "In the U.S there have more than two dozen outbreaks of E. coli tracedto such events in the last 20 years. As with this outbreak, the victims areprimarily children." The ongoing problem led the US Centers
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS183530+15-Sep-2009+BW20090915
Researchers find molecular support for Darwin’s theory
An international team of researchers has come by molecular evidence to support a key tenet of Darwin’s theory of evolution.Trevor Lithgow, Monash University’s professor, said the breakthrough provides a blueprint for a general understanding of the evolution of the “machinery” of our cells. The study has been funded by the Australian Research Council. “Our cells, and the cells of all organisms, are composed of molecular machines. These machines are built of component parts, each of which contributes a partial function or structural element to the machine.” How such sophisticated, multi-component machines could evolve has been somewhat
http://blog.taragana.com/n/researchers-find-molecular-support-for-darwins-theory-168556/
Scale of gorilla poaching exposed
An undercover investigation has found that up to two gorillas are killed and sold as bushmeat each week in Kouilou, a region of the Republic of Congo.The apes' body parts are then taken downriver and passed on to traders who sell them in big-city markets. Conducted by the conservation group Endangered Species International, the investigation helps expose the extent of gorilla poaching in the country. It fears hundreds more gorillas may be taken each year outside the region. The group began its investigation by going undercover, talking to sellers and traders at food markets in Pointe Noire, the second largest city in the Republic of Congo. Over the course of a year, investigators visited the markets twice a month, recording the amount of bushmeat for sale. "Gorilla meat is sold pre-cut and smoked for about $6 per 'hand-sized' piece. Actual
http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8256000/8256464.stm
Monkeys are Metallica fans. Dave Mustaine doesn't hate them anymore either
A new study published in the Royal Society journal Biology Letters found a group of cottontop tamarins are soothed by the music of Metallica. They were not similarly affected by classical music, according to The Guardian.Researchers apparently composed "monkey melodies" to investigate whether non-human primates respond to music with the same emotions as human ones. The "monkey music" was inspired by the soothing calls of contented monkeys and the agitated calls of upset monkeys. Researchers found that they were indeed appropriately affected by the tunes. That is to say, relaxed by the contented monkey music and agitated by the upset monkey music.They also found that the monkeys were "left cold" by a human music. But not ALL human music. The animals were played Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings and a soft piano piece from The Fragile by rock band Nine Inch Nails, followed by Metallica's Of Wolf and Man (off the 1991 album Metallica) and an excerpt from The Grudge by rock band Tool. The
http://blog.inmusic.ca/inmusic/2009/09/monkeys-are-metallica-fans.html
Zoos linked to protected animal sales
The government has been urged to audit and check the inventories of at least 10 zoo managements in Java and Sumatra, over fears they may have been involved in illegal trades of protected animals. The demand was expressed on Sunday in Malang, East Java, following the capture by Jakarta Police of a suspect named Wardi, a noted taxidermist who had reportedly worked in cooperation with almost all zoo managements in Indonesia. "We obtained copies of transfer documents for protected animal ownership, from the zoos to the suspect," ProFauna Indonesia chairman Rosek Nursahid said. According to police reports on the trade, animal conservation institutions including Indonesian Safari Park, Pematang Siantar Zoo and Bandung Zoo were involved, Rosek said. Surabaya Zoo, he said, was also included in the list, but his organization had yet to obtain a copy of the official documents regarding its alleged involvement. "The only evidence we have is a 2000 film showing an employee at Surabaya Zoo involved in the sale of stuffed skins of a Sumatran tiger *Panthera tigris sumatrae* and a leopard *Panthera pardus*," Rosek said. Among the traded protected animals were Sumatran tigers, orangutans, Malayan
http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2009/09/14/zoos-linked-protected-animal-sales.html-0
Storm forces Al Ain zoo closure
Heavy storms toppled at least 150 trees and damaged facilities at Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort, forcing the closure of the popular tourist attraction for five days. The storm struck Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort on Friday, September 10, causing “significant” damage to its facilities, the authorities said. Several park benches and rubbish bins at the zoo were swept away. Some shade structures built over the park walk ways
http://www.xpress4me.com/news/uae/abudhabi/20014910.html
Walruses congregate on Alaska shore as ice melts
Thousands of walruses are congregating on Alaska's northwest coast, a sign that their Arctic sea ice environment has been altered by climate change.Chad Jay, a U.S. Geological Survey walrus researcher, said Wednesday that about 3,500 walruses were near Icy Cape on the Chukchi Sea, some 140 miles southwest of Barrow.Animals the agency tagged with satellite transmitters also were detected on shore at Cape Lisburne about 150 miles farther down the coast.Walruses for years came ashore intermittently during their fall southward migration but not so early and not in such numbers."This is actually all new," Jay said. "They did this in 2007, and it's a result of the sea ice retreating off the continental shelf."Federal managers and researchers say walruses hauling out on shore could lead to deadly stampedes and too much pressure on prey within swimming range. Projections of continued sea ice loss means the phenomenon likely is not going away."It's more of the same," Jay said. "What we've been seeing over the past few years with reduced sea ice conditions, we might be seeing
http://www.kivitv.com/global/story.asp?s=11102756
Appeal for Vietnam's bears
Take action Strength in numbers We need your help to convince the Vietnam government to enforce the law and release these bears into our care. Join our campaign now and send us your letter for presentation to the government. You can use our sample letter below, and either:
http://www.animalsasia.org/index.php?UID=NKJHX3JMLWJ
PHOTOS: Giant Ocean-Trash Vortex Documented--A First
Tangled with plastic, rope, and various aquatic animals, a "ghost net" drifts in August 2009 in the Eastern Pacific Garbage Patch, a loose, free-floating "dump" twice the size of Texas. SEAPLEX (the Scripps Environmental Accumulation of Plastic Expedition) recently became the first dedicated research trip to study the science of the remote plastic vortex in the ocean between California and Hawaii. (See "Giant Ocean-Trash Vortex Attracts Explorers.") While large pieces are common, the garbage patch is not an island of plastic, the team found on their 19-day expedition
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/photogalleries/pacific-garbage-patch-pictures/index.html
ASIA: One of World’s Rarest Animals in Danger of Extinction
Conservationists are raising the alarm about the fate of an animal in South-east Asia’s growing list of endangered wildlife, even though the animal in need of saving was only discovered in a remote mountainous corner of Laos in 1992.
The Saola, which has been named on an international list of ‘critically endangered’ species, has long horns that slope backwards and belongs to the wild cattle family. This threat to "one of the world’s most enigmatic mammals" stems from traps set by hunters and poachers in the Annamite Mountains, according to the Geneva-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the world’s oldest environmental organisation. "The Saola’s increasing proximity to extinction is likely paralleled by only two or three other large mammal species in Southeast Asia, such as the Javan Rhinoceros," added IUCN, quoting conservationists who gathered at a recent meeting in Laos aimed at saving this quiet, gentle and rare animal from extinction. "The Saola has no value like the tiger or the elephant – high-value animals that are sought by hunters and poachers," says William Robichaud, coordinator of the Saola working group of the IUCN Asian Wild Cattle Specialist Group. "But they (saolas) are sometimes killed by the snares set by poachers trying to kill the high-value animals." "The Saola population is very small," revealed Robichaud during a telephone interview from Laos, a landlocked country that is South-east Asia’s poorest nation. "We don’t
http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=48417
Tigers in Cancun Abandoned by Mexican Officials
-- If cats have nine lives, then eight Tigers in Cancun are at the end of theirs! The Tigers' story began dismally and has gotten worse since Hurricane Wilma raced across the Yucatan four summers ago. Pepe's Restaurant in Cancun featured exotic animals like Tigers and Jaguars displayed in concrete and steel cages where diners could view them. Then Hurricane Wilma hit and Cancun - and Pepe's restaurant was decimated. Some of the animals perished, some escaped, and some were found just barely alive in rickety jail-like cells. After the storm, Pepe returned, but had no money to rebuild, nor care for the animals. He allowed them to sit in their decaying environment. Since 2005, the Tigers have barely survived, drinking stagnant water and eating the meager amount of food Pepe provides.Medical care? There is none! The declining health of the animals is compounded by obvious neglect. One Tiger moves by dragging her rear legs behind her, often sitting in her own feces and urine.For a year, The Wild Animal Sanctuary (a 30-year old nonprofit refuge for captive exotic large carnivores) northeast of Denver, CO, has worked with Last Chance for Animals (CA) and Gente Por La Defensa Animal (Mexico), to secure the Tigers' release.TWAS and its animal welfare partners worked with the Mexican government to rescue and relocate the Tigers to their 320-acre facility in Colorado, where they'll receive exceptional diets, loving rehabilitation, spacious living habitats, and the urgent medical care they need. Mexican officials recently revoked Pepe's permits and scheduled the rescue date in early September. TWAS and its partners put the logistics in motion
http://news.prnewswire.com/ViewContent.aspx?ACCT=109&STORY=/www/story/09-10-2009/0005092068&EDATE
Hatching The Grand Cayman Blue Iguanas
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/videos/?bcpid=4552241001&bclid=5172093001&bctid=39616857001
Are Tigers ‘Brainier’ Than Lions?
A wide-ranging study of big cat skulls, led by Oxford University scientists, has shown that tigers have bigger brains, relative to their body size, than lions, leopards or jaguars.The team investigated the relationship between the skull size – the longest length between the front and back parts of the skull – of a large sample of tigers, lions, leopards and jaguars and the volume inside the cats’ respective craniums. The researchers report their findings in this month’s Biological Journal of the Linnean Society.'What we had not expected is that the tiger has clearly much bigger relative brain size than do the other three species, which all have similar relative brain sizes,’ said
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/09/090911145030.htm
S Korean police to investigate zoo assault
South Korean police, in one of their more heavyweight cases, are investigating whether a zoo elephant threw a stone at a woman visitor.The woman surnamed Kim told police she was visiting the zoo at the Children?s Grand Park in southeast Seoul on Monday when she noticed an elephant picking up a stone with its trunk.After she turned away from 35-year-old Taesani, she was hit on the back of her head by a large stone, several newspapers reported.She reported the incident to police in Gwangjin district who began an investigation. They found that the scene of the alleged assault was out of range of security cameras."Though Ms Kim believes the elephant threw a
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5h3-T2TOMzWJBAiOH-gDIKjur1B2Q
What is zoo afraid of?
"Veterinarian urges elephant be moved out of city zoo; Animal activist says Lucy has health problems," The Journal, July 18.Every time someone new has voiced their concerns about Lucy's situation at the Valley Zoo, there is always an objection: animal welfare advocates are too emotional, they believe animals can feel love, or pain; celebrity Bob Barker is American and should focus on problems in his own country; renowned Canadian authors such as Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje are apparently unfamiliar with independent research and are too lacking in imagination to form their own opinions.Now, local vet Dr. Debi Zimmerman has entered the fray with a 65-page report examining Lucy's health and the zoo's reasons for not moving her to a sanctuary. Zimmerman is not on the zoo's payroll and based her analysis of Lucy's health on a 200-page
http://www.canada.com/travel/What+afraid/1831937/story.html
Vet advises against moving Lucy from Edmonton zoo
Moving Lucy the elephant from the Edmonton Valley Zoo could kill her, an American veterinarian told officials after he examined her last week.Dr. James Oosterhuis, a lead researcher with the Colyer Institute in San Diego, examined Lucy on Thursday along with zoo veterinarian Milton Ness."Her [Lucy's] current respiratory problems preclude any thought of moving her, and, in fact, it would [be] life threatening for her to be placed under that kind of stress," Oosterhuis said in a letter to the zoo."It is my opinion that it would
http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/story/2009/09/14/edmonton-lucy-health-report.html
Eagle Heights owner ready to act against thieves
A WILDLIFE park owner says he is ready to take the law into his own hands if thieves continue to target his property. Eagle Heights director Alan Ames claims intruders and attempted thefts are a weekly occurence at the park in Lullingstone Lane, Eynsford, which is one of the UK’s largest bird of prey centres. According to the former soldier, recent incidents include his 23-year-old son being attacked with a baseball bat, putting him in hospital with a severely
http://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/4591140.EYNSFORD__Eagle_Heights_owner_ready_to_act_against_thieves/
Researchers in Fiji capture images of rare sea bird
A group of researchers in Fiji has captured images of an endangered and elusive sea bird, the first confirmed sighting of the chocolate-colored creature at sea. Scientists photographed the Fiji Petrel soaring above the ocean about 40 kilometres south of Fiji's remote island of Gau in May, according to the U.K.-based conservation group BirdLife International, which helped fund the expedition. The researchers' findings were described in a paper published in this week's Bulletin of the British Ornithologists' Club. "Finding this bird and capturing such images was a fantastic and exhilarating experience," the paper's lead author, Hadoram Shirihai, said in a statement. The bird is listed as critically endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the producer of the
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20090911/rare_bird_090911/20090911?hub=SciTech
Dead lion raises heat on scandal-hit Bangladesh zoo
The death of a lion has brought to 20 the number of animals to have died in a Bangladesh zoo since the start of the year, leading to condemnation from wildlife experts on Friday.Bibekananda Chowdhury, acting chief zookeeper at Dhaka Zoo, confirmed to AFP that a lion had died Thursday after haemorrhaging, while a Bengal tiger was in a critical condition due to "old age".A giraffe died on Monday following the demise of a tiger, a zebra and a tapir earlier in the year, with the total death toll now at 20, said a government official, who did not want to be named.The giraffe death prompted government officials to suspend the zoo's chief and his deputy and to launch an enquiry, but wildlife experts said more action was needed.Wildlife Trust of Bangladesh chief Professor Anwarul
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gONJQTkWXx9DrNSCXs8o27r7qf6g
Zoo stages adoption event, seeks frog ‘mayor'
If you prefer salamanders and frogs to dogs and cats — and you're age 6-12 — you may have what it takes to become the Detroit Zoo's next “Mayor of Amphibiville.”The zoo hopes to fill a two-year term at its two-acre wetland, “Amphibiville,” the home of the National Amphibian Conservation Center.Interested candidates must write an essay of 100 words or less on why they should be the Mayor of Amphibiville.The winner will be sworn in and receive a plaque inscribed with his or her name displayed in the National Amphibian Conservation Center, a certificate, a plush frog, recognition on the
http://www.hometownlife.com/article/20090911/LIFE/909110307
13 cheetals, 1 swamp deer found dead in Kanpur zoo
Thirteen cheetal and a swamp deer were found dead in mysterious circumstances on Saturday morning. All of them were fed the fodder on Friday evening and deaths reportedly took place on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday. The month of September it seems goes down hard on the deer population of Kanpur zoo. Last year, the zoo had lost five of its black bucks in the first week of the month. After the deaths were reported on Saturday, chief wildlife warden BK Patnaik along with the veterinary expert of Lucknow zoo visited the Kanpur Zoo. The sources said that the dead animals were all in healthy condition
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/lucknow/13-cheetals-1-swamp-deer-found-dead-in-Kanpur-zoo/articleshow/5004410.cms
Three orphaned Sitka cubs may end up at zoo
The three orphan bear cubs at the Fortress of the Bear may eventually wind up at a zoo in another state.They will spend the rest of their lives in captivity and under observation, but the state Department of Fish and Game believes that their lives up to the time they were taken into custody is worth knowing about, too.To that end, Fish and Game wildlife biologist Phil Mooney is asking residents to help document the cubs' activities from the time they, their mother and a sibling first turned up in town early this summer until their capture on Aug. 16."We have all these pictures that
http://newsminer.com/news/2009/sep/12/three-orphaned-sitka-cubs-may-end-zoo/
FREE LIONS
OUR England heroes are the MANE men. So we've nicknamed the 14 lions we're trying to save from death in a Romanian hell-hole after the football stars who wear three lions on their shirt with pride!
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/499787/Free-dying-lions-in-Romanian-zoo.html
White tiger cub dies at Indore zoo
One of the three white tiger cubs In Indore zoo which fell ill when authorities allegedly released it prematurely for viewing in a bid to attract more tourists, died Thursday.Three white tiger cubs had fallen ill at the zoo during the last week of August allegedly due to the authorities’ decision to prematurely release them into an enclosure, wildlife experts said. “All the three cubs, born at the zoo in March, were suffering from diarrhoea and dehydration for the past few days. The problem has been caused due to the premature release of the cubs in the enclosure for the tourists,” a zoo employee told IANS on the condition of anonymity. However, zoo superintendent
http://blog.taragana.com/n/white-tiger-cub-dies-at-indore-zoo-171470/
Zoo Atlanta continues panda fundraising
Facing a December deadline to raise 500 thousand dollars to preserve its panda program, Zoo Atlanta continues its fundraising push this weekend.The tourist attraction holds its "pandemonium" event. Everything thing from activities for children to refreshments and music is designed to bring in families and Zoo Supporters.Zoo Atlanta marketing executive Marcus Margerum says the event is one of many ways to bring in much needed dollars. MARGERUM: "So, it's really a combination of a variety of programs
http://www.publicbroadcasting.net/wabe/news.newsmain/article/1/0/1555730/Atlanta/Zoo.Atlanta.continues.panda.fundraising
Bob Barker declares war on Edmonton Zoo over an elephant
Legendary American game show host Bob Barker has declared war on zoo in Edmonton, Canada after officials refused to agree to move its resident elephant. Barker, who these days is an animal rights activist, is trying to relocate Lucy the elephant to an animal sanctuary in California run by the Performing Animals Welfare Society or PAWS. Zoo officials though claim that she is not well enough to make the trip.Despite Veterinarian James Oosterhuis telling officials that a move would kill Lucy “after discovering her nose and trunk were so swollen it was forcing her
http://www.inquisitr.com/38104/bob-barker-declares-war-on-edmonton-zoo-over-an-elephant/
Zoo hails successful breeding of red river piglets
Rare baby hogs Sammi and Becca take their first steps in front of the public
KEEPERS at Edinburgh Zoo have welcomed the addition of two new animals with the birth of a pair of piglets.The young red river hogs, a boy named Sammi and a girl named Becca, are the result of the first time the zoo’s existing hogs have bred successfully.The hogs, which were born last month, currently have yellow and brown stripy coats, but will look very different when they mature.Their parents, Belle and Hamish, have shaggy red coats, with a tufted white stripe running the length of their backs.Red river hogs, which
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1401895?UserKey=
EGYPT PICTURES: Ancient Animal Graves From Private Zoo?
At the edge of a cemetery in Hierakonpolis, Egypt's first city, lies a baboon, buried 3,500 years ago in a tomb near others containing nine dogs and six cats. It was these animals' job to protect the elite necropolis. Hierakonpolis, south of Cairo, has more animal burials than any early Nile Valley urban center. But their purpose has long puzzled archaeologists. This summer, site director Renee Friedman found evidence the animals belonged
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/09/photogalleries/animal-tombs-ancient-egypt-missions/index.html
India to ask neighbours to help in tiger conservation
After China's lukewarm response to the issue of tiger poaching, India is pinning hopes on other neighbouring countries having population of the big cats to curb trade in parts and skins of the animal."We will take up tiger crime and poaching issue on a bilateral level with neighbouring nations particularly those touching the tiger reserves on the border areas of UP and West Bengal where a few tigers are left in the wild," National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) member secretary Rajesh Gopal said."Unless there is a collective action to
http://www.ptinews.com/news/288499_India-to-ask-neighbours-to-help-in-tiger-conservation
Gorilla King Titus Buried in Special Ceremony
Karisoke staff and researchers brought the body of silverback Titus down from the mountain on Sept. 16, many weeping at the loss of their old friend. Titus, who has been followed by Karisoke staff since his birth in 1974, died on Monday, Sept. 14.
http://gorillafund.org/conservation_science/fieldnews_item.php?recordID=158
Monkey pushes woman who wouldn't share off cliff
A MONKEY has pushed a woman off a cliff. The woman, 60-year-old Zhou Juchang, made the claim after winding up at the bottom of a seven-metre rockface, fracturing her hip and breaking three ribs.Now she’s suing her travel agent, who organised her trip into China’s Chengdu Wildlife Park.The monkey allegedly flew into a rage
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,26091133-23109,00.html
Taipei Zoo and U.S. center to conserve endangered tortoise
The Taipei Zoo signed a cooperation agreement Wednesday with the New York-based Behler Chelonian Center (BCC) to help conserve endangered turtles and tortoises. Under the accord, the two sides will first work together to reintroduce the critically endangered Burmese star tortoise to its natural habitat — mountain forests in southwest Myanmar, formerly called Burma — Taipei Zoo Director Jason Yeh said at the signing ceremony. Yeh added that they will also launch exchanges of chelonian species and breeding techniques
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/taipei/2009/09/17/224951/Taipei-Zoo.htm
Shedd Aquarium's cell-phone connection
For those who believe that someday the whole world will run through their cell phones, the Shedd Aquarium is supplying a new piece of evidence.In a TV ad campaign aired this summer on the four major broadcast networks, one of Chicago's leading tourist attractions tried an unusual experiment. The commercials, which offered free tickets to the premiere of a new aquatic show, were identical in all but one respect.Some asked viewers to enter the contest by clicking on a Web site, while others asked them to text. The so-called "SMS" plea worked better, resulting
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/burns-on-business/2009/09/shedd-aquariums-cellphone-connnection.html
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ZOO BIOLOGY
The Zoo Biology Group is concerned with all disciplines involved inthe running of a Zoological Garden. Captive breeding, husbandry,cage design and construction, diets, enrichment, man management,record keeping, etc etc
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/zoo-biology
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Wildlife Conservation Expo Day
Saturday, October 3rd
10am - 6pm
Mission Bay Conference Center, 1675 Owens St, San Francisco
Mission Bay Conference Center - Speaker Schedule Speaker schedule subject to change - please visit this page for future updates.
Robertson Auditorium
Fisher Banquet Room
10:00am - 10:30am
Dr. Iain Douglas-Hamilton Save the Elephants
John Hare Wild Camel Protection Foundation
10:45am - 11:15am
Rebecca Klein Cheetah Conservation Botswana
Belinda Low Grevy's Zebra Trust
11:30am - 12:00pm
Dr. Claudio Sillero Ethiopian Wolf Conservation Program
Elena Bykova Saiga Conservation Alliance
12:15pm - 1:00pm
Dr. Jane Goodall DBE Keynote SpeakerA book signing will follow the presentation
1:00pm - 2:00pm
Lunch Break (A $10 boxed lunch will be available for purchase)Plus, outdoor demonstration with Working Dogs for Conservation's Dr. Megan Parker and Pepin
2:00pm - 2:30pm
Dr. Greg Rasmussen and Peter Blinston Painted Dog Conservation
Dr. Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka Conservation Through Public Health
2:45pm - 3:15pm
Rosamira Guillen Proyecto Titi (Cotton-top tamarin)
John Lukas Okapi Conservation Project
3:30pm - 4:00pm
Keith Begg Niassa Lion Project
Dr. Mauro Lucherini Andean Cat Alliance
4:15pm - 4:45pm
Dr. Rodney Jackson Snow Leopard Conservancy
Dr. Isabelle Lackman Kinabatangan Orang-utan Conservation
5:00pm - 5:30pm
Jim and Jean Thomas Tenkile Conservation Alliance
Dr. James Sanderson Small Cat Conservation Alliance
Expo presentations are geared towards adults but should be suitable for children as young as 8 years.
For Further Details see: http://www.wildnet.org/events/expo2009sat.html
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Why Is the Federal Government Awarding Contracts to a Company That Was Involved in Smuggling Primates?Worldwide Primates Inc. was started by Mathew Block to import primates into the US for animal experimentation. In 1993, he went to prison for smuggling baby orangutans. Despite this, it looks like this has been no barrier to his company getting federal contracts. Here is a synopsis from a Brown University web site about his case:
Matthew Block, of Worldwide Primates, Miami, FL, was sentenced to 13 months in federal prison, three years of supervised probation, and a $30,000 fine at a 2-day sentence hearing on April 16, 1993.
Block pleaded guilty in February to felony conspiracy to violate the Lacey and Endangered Species Acts by conspiring to smuggle orangutans. This is the case in which six infant orangs were discovered on February 20, 1990, at the Bangkok airport in two small containers marked "Live Birds."
Three of the infants died of injuries and diseases, one has disappeared from a rehabilitation center in Borneo and is presumed dead, while the other two are still being rehabilitated.The International Primate Protection League was active in exposing and urging prosecution of this case.Now, Matthew Block is not listed as a principal of the Corporation according to the Florida Department of Corporations. The principals are Brooke Block (his wife) and Gertie Block (his mother). Is the Matthew Block listed as the contact on this job announcement from June of this year the same one that went to prison?
If so, what is his role in the company that he founded? According to this website, Worldwide Primates has received $2,411,795.00 from the Dept. of Defense since 2000. DOD contracts are not the only government contracts that they have been pursuing.They were denied contracts by HHS back in 2003 due to what the government said was an insufficient response for their RFP. But, according to City-Data.com, they have been successful in getting other government contracts"
WORLD WIDE PRIMATES INC
http://critternews.blogspot.com/2009/09/why-is-federal-government-awarding.html
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The International Marine Animal Trainers' Association (IMATA) is pleased to announce the following workshops and courses available in 2009:
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The Essentials of Animal Training
Sunday, November 1, 2009
IMATA has invited Ocean Embassy to conduct The Essentials of Animal Training class. The instructors will expose students to critical developments in behavioral research and current trends in animal training. A variety of multi-media presentations featuring computer graphics, video, and interactive demonstrations will be used.
Class Details:
-Proper behavior shaping and effective maintenance-Environmental influences on behavior
-Effective environmental enrichment-Reactive/Proactive animal care
-Animal acclimation safety-Interpersonal communication and teamwork
Certificates of course completion will be provided and presented to participants.
Class is from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and will be held at Georgia Aquarium. Due to space considerations, ONLY SEVERAL SPOTS REMAIN for these seminars.
ENROLL NOW at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?IMATA/3ee1fb890c/TEST/3a0774ce4e/63
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Advanced Behavior Management
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Ocean Embassy will also present the curriculum of this advanced class which will focus on advanced behavior modification for multi-species, and accelerated staff development to improve behavior programs.
Class Details:
-Behavior disorders and case studies (their causes, intervention, treatment and successful outcomes)
-Behavior medicine-Emergency intervention for handling large animals-Aggression management
Certificates of course completion will be provided and presented to participants.
Class is from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm and will be held at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency.
Note: Students may enroll in Advanced Behavior Management as a stand-alone class. There are NO prerequisites. Due to space considerations, ONLY SEVERAL SPOTS REMAIN for these seminars.ENROLL NOW at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?IMATA/3ee1fb890c/TEST/d0e7016bac/63
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Career Building Workshop
Monday, November 2, 2009
IMATA has invited ABC Dolphin Trainer Academy to host a workshop with emphasis on employability skills and career building. Instructors will provide tips and insights regarding career options, how to build your resume, and how to do a successful interview.
Note: This workshop is included with IMATA Conference registration, and open seating will be offered. Conference name badge credentials are required for admission.
This workshop is scheduled from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm* and will be held at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency. *workshop starting times are subject to change.
REGISTER NOW at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?IMATA/3ee1fb890c/TEST/8e4faef0f8/61
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Team Building Workshop:
"I've Got Your Six"
Monday, November 2, 2009
Randy Pazen will facilitate, "I've Got Your Six" - a team building workshop that is based on the story of a Navy SEAL who saved the day and taught his organization the true meaning of teamwork.
Pazen is a storyteller with a mission to improve the way people view their work and their workplace. This highly interactive workshop will focus on how to continue to grow the leadership team(s) and it will introduce a series of skills and tools designed to address common challenges faced by teams, and develop a strategic plan to align our efforts with goals and initiatives.
Note: This workshop is included with IMATA Conference registration, and open seating will be offered. Conference name badge credentials are required for admission.This workshop is scheduled from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm* and will be held at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency. *workshop starting times are subject to change.
REGISTER NOW at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?IMATA/3ee1fb890c/TEST/64e3b6d47b/61
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Panel Discussion:
Artificial Insemination & Reproductive Management
Monday, November 2, 2009
Holley Muraco will lead a "workshop-style" open panel discussion featuring experts chosen based on their experience in the training of behaviors that improve the reproductive management of marine mammals.
Behaviors useful for artificial insemination will be a priority, but behaviors beneficial for natural breeding efforts and research will also be covered.
Discussion topics may include: semen collection, urine, saliva, fecal and blood sampling for hormonal analysis, ultrasound layout, vaginal swabs, and vaginal endoscopy for cetaceans and pinnipeds.
Goals of the workshop will be to provide participants with current progress of reproductive management behaviors, provide suggestions on how to start a reproductive behavior training program, trouble shoot problems with reproductive behaviors currently being trained, brainstorm creative and novel approaches to training reproductive behaviors for difficult species, and discuss the importance of working towards genetically healthy, long-term captive populations of marine mammals.
Note: This workshop is included with IMATA Conference registration, and open seating will be offered. Conference name badge credentials are required for admission.This workshop is scheduled from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm* and will be held at the Atlanta Hyatt Regency. *workshop starting times are subject to change.
REGISTER NOW at http://cts.vresp.com/c/?IMATA/3ee1fb890c/TEST/aa47a03ef9/61
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Copyright 2009
International Marine Animal Trainers' Association
1200 South Lake Shore Drive
Chicago,
Illinois
60605-2490
U.S.A.Phone: (312) 692-3193Fax: (312) 939-2216
Email: info@imata.org
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Laboratory Primate Newsletter
15 September 2009
Dear Friends,
The e-mail edition of Volume 48, number 4, of the Laboratory Primate Newsletter will be sent this week to subscribers by list-server. The Web edition, at http://brown.edu/primate, should be ready at about the same time.The Web edition contains a PDF version, which can be printed out to resemble nearly exactly the old paper edition, which is no longer being printed regularly.
CONTENTS
Articles and Notes
A Case of a Spontaneous Lumbar Disc Prolapse in an African Green Monkey (Chlorocebus aethiops), by R. Plesker, J. Aretz, & D. Emri ......1
News, Information, and AnnouncementsInformation Requested or Available... ...4
NIH Funding Data, Research Results, and Products; More Interesting WebsitesMeeting Announcements. .....5
Grants Available: Fyssen Foundation Postdoctoral Research Grants...... 5
Resources Wanted and Available... ...6
Primate Sanctuary Computer Program; Genetics Selection Evolution Archive;
Cages Available;
CEE's South Asian Zoo Package;
Roots of Human BehaviorEducational Opportunities:
MSc in Primate Conservation ......6
Workshop Announcements. .....7
Annual APV Workshop;
Training and Enrichment for Zoo Animals;
Environmental Enrichment Workshop
Announcements from Publications. .....7
ASP "Featured Articles" Offered; More Journals on PubMed;
Madagascar Conservation & Development
News Briefs...... 8
Center for the Science of Animal Well-Being;
New Standards on Use of Animals in South Africa;
EU Committee Finds NHPs Essential for Science;
Are Wild Chimpanzees Dying from AIDS?
World Laboratory Animal Liberation Week;
Cooperation, Commitment in Chimpanzee Rescue
IPS Grants and Awards for 2009 ......9
Departments
Recent Books and Articles . . . 10
Judith E. Schrier,
Editor
Phone: 401-863-2511
Laboratory Primate Newsletter
FAX: 401-863-1300Box 1853,
Brown University e-mail: mailto:primate@brown.%20edu
Providence, RI 02912 brown.edu/primate
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Calling All Trainers & Zoo Professionals
Conservation Ambassadors and iReinforce.com
present: Training with ZOOmility
Join the crew of Conservation Ambassadors (www.zootoyou.org/ztyindex.html) and Dr. Grey Stafford, author of ZOOmility: Keeper Tales of Training with Positive Reinforcement, featured on NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, for a unique animal training workshop featuring dozens of species in beautiful Central California's wine country.
The seminar will present positive reinforcement-only training techniques and feature dozens of wild animals from Conservation Ambassadors’ vast educational outreach collection located at their Zoo to You facility in Paso Robles, CA on September 26th & 27th, 2009. An optional “Hawk Walk” has been added on Saturday.
Topics to be addressed include:
3R’s: Request, Response & Reinforce
Desensitization
Importance of Variable reinforcement (type, delivery, placement etc.)
Least reinforcing Scenario (LRS)
Alternate Response Training
Aggression, Stereotypy Prevention using +reinforcement
Training in group settings (multiple animals to trainer; multiple trainers on 1 animal)
Common behavior approximations (e.g., crating, shifting, behaviors submitted by attendees)
Others TBD?
Registration Information
Session Dates: September 26th & 27th, 2009.
Cost is $159.00 US and includes light lunch on Saturday.
For more information or to register online visit http://www.ireinforce.com/
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Starving Elephants for Propaganda
The slaughter of animals in wartime Tokyo’s Ueno Zoo
Frederick S. LITTEN
(Munich/Germany; September 2009)
e-mail: f@litten.de, http://litten.de/engl.htm
http://litten.de/fulltext/uenozoo.pdf
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EAZA NEWS
AUTUMN 2009
EAZA NEWS 67 – in full colour!
The new issue of EAZA NEWS magazine, the quarterly publication of the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, is available to download from the EAZA website.
Highlights in this issue include photographs from a wonderful new aviary in France, updates from the world of amphibian conservation, the politics of chimps in zoos, and visitor studies in aquariums. There’s also an opinion piece from out-going EAZA chairman Bert de Boer. What’s particularly significant about EAZA NEWS 67, however, is that it’s the first ever issue of the magazine to appear in full colour throughout. We hope you enjoy this bright, colourful new look!
Download EAZA NEWS 67: http://www.eaza.net/
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ABWAK - Association of British and Irish Wild Animal KeepersThe ABWAK Regional Workshop is a one day event on Saturday 3/10/09 designed to provide a range of useful skills that can benefit Keepers in their everyday work.
A choice of workshops that are designed to introduce you to a particular skills base. You will be actively involved and provided with support material as well.
There will be time to network with fellow keepers and sharing of ideas over lunch and breaks.
The workshops include: Browse selection and database – the opportunity to look at the selection of browse you might use for a range of species, and how to develop knowledge further, alongside setting up a browse database
Artificial rock construction – you will learn the basics and help construct an artificial termite mound or range of rocks for enclosures, find out about the materials required and techniques used.
Animal Record Keeping (ARKS) introduction – this is ideal for those not yet using ARKS or at the early stages and it is designed to get you started , understand the basics and provide answers to your many questions.
Rope splicing – this activity will help you learn how to splice rope effectively, get the best out of your rope. You will be contributing to existing primate enclosures and so your work will also have additional benefits and not just a stand alone workshop.
Reaseheath Animal Centre is a BIAZA memebr and has a wide range of zoo, exotic and domestic animals and their will be an opprtunity to have a tour
ABWAK members £10 Non-Members £25 Includes tea/coffee and Lunch
Contact richardc@reaseheath.ac.uk or go to http://www.abwak.co.uk/
Workshop is at Reaseheath College Animal Centre, Nantwich Cheshire, UK
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Macropod Husbandry Workshop
October 22nd-23rd 2009
9am to 5pm
Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch
Pilot Point
TX 76258
Registration Fee:
(A) Both Days + lunches + T-shirt: $150
(B) One Day + lunch + T-shirt: $75
(Lunches will be all you can eat & catered, email me with any questions orconcerns about food allergies, etc)
Optional: $20Thursday Night Dinner & Drinks w/ Lynda!
Includes: All you can eat gourmet meal, margaritas & possibly a little karaokeand dancin'! Begins at 7pm
Thursday, October 22nd from 5pm to 7pm:Behind the scenes tour of Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch
Registration, info on hotels, etc can be found at: http://www.sharkarosa.com/macropod.htm
Email me with any questions!
Sara
Sharkarosa Wildlife Ranch
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ZOO ADVERTS OF NOTE:
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For Zoo Jobs and Related Vacancies please visit: http://zoowork.blogspot.com/
For notification of Zoo related Meetings, Conferences, Courses and Symposia go to: http://zoosymposia.blogspot.com/
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ZooNews Digest is an independent publication, not allied or attached to any zoological collection. Many thanks.
Kind Regards,
Wishing you a wonderful week,
Peter Dickinson
Zoo News Digest Blog
http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
ZooNews Digest Webpage
http://www.zoonewsdigest.com/
Zoo Vacancies Blog
http://zoowork.blogspot.com/
Hub Pages
http://u.nu/2kx
Follow me on Twitter at:
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PeterZoo
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