Sunday, July 31, 2011

Zoo News Digest 30th - 31st July 2011 (Zoo News 774)

Zoo News Digest 30th - 31st July 2011 (Zoo News 774)




Peter Dickinson


Dear Colleague,

I loved the statement (see links) "And some of the jellyfish will sting him without a second thought, or even a first one. (They don't have a brain.)"

Did you read my article 'Too Many Elephants'? Not so much a story but an accurate report on a current problem in Thailand. The link did get a tiny bit of flak on Facebook where readers wrote faster than their brains. Whilst researching a follow up article on the same subject I came across the following statement:

"On Monday I read one of the most misleading articles I’ve seen in a long time. According to the Zoo News Digest, the reason they export elephants from Thailand is to help with overpopulation" AND " "I cannot help but see the Zoo News Digest article as a poorly veiled call for more elephant exports to stock the world’s zoos. Unfortunately, because there is so much money to be made in elephant trade, this will increase the number of wild-caught elephants, usually babies ripped from their families so they never learn how to socialize or care for calves, which is partly why elephants kill their calves in zoos."

WHAT? Can you believe it? Sadly I can.... even although I never even hinted at such a possibility let alone suggested it. You can read what Windy Borman wrote here: http://www.eyesofthailand.com/2011/07/20/too-many-elephants-in-thailand/

Aren't some people daft? If this person had bothered to do just a tiny bit of research before putting finger to key they might have seen things differently (at least I like to think so). The trouble is there are people who will not bother to read my article but will read Windy's and believe what she said.

Anyway there is more on the subject here:


Whilst on the subject of belief. See the link an inch or four below about the Chimpanzee and the Tiger Cub. What utter Hogwash! And this being given serious airtime by the BBC too. I tried drawing attention to this on various Facebook Groups but was quickly censored out. Why? Because they prefer to live with the pixies and their fairy tales. Cutie cutie crap appeals and so often tells a lie.

Terrible news about the Carapax sanctuary. Previously I had heard such good things about this place. I believe that the RSPCA placed many of their rescues here.

I am delighted that Iain Valentine will return to work at Edinburgh Zoo tomorrow. He has asked me to send his thanks to all those who have been supportive during these past few months.



Many thanks for the three donations received. Never been more important than it is just now. Thanks again.

****
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On with links: 

Cambodia reports H5N1 death, zoo outbreak
Cambodia's health ministry today announced today that a 4-year-old girl died from an avian influenza infection, a day after the country's animal health officials reported that the virus struck a zoo in a different province.
The girl, from Banteay Meanchey province in the northwestern part of the country, died Jul 20, the ministry and the World Health Organization (WHO) said in a joint statement, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported. Her death is Cambodia's seventh this year and pushes its number of H5N1 cases to 17, including 15 deaths.
The report did not mention if the girl had been exposed to sick or dead birds, but Cambodia's health minister, Mam Bun Heng, warned parents and guardians to keep children away from them, according to the AFP report.
Yesterday Cambodia's agriculture ministry reported an H5N1 outbreak that killed 19 wild birds at a Phnom Tamao zoo in Takeo province, located in the southern part of the country, according to a report to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE).
The bird deaths started Jul 13 at the zoo's rescue center, where workers feed the wild birds fish distributed on the banks of a pond during the rainy season (June through December). Zoo workers originally suspected Newcastle disease or fowl cholera, and they buried the carcasses and disinfected the area.
The virus killed 19 birds, and 10 more sick ones were destroyed to
http://www.cidrap.umn.edu/cidrap/content/influenza/avianflu/news/jul2911avian.html



The ZOO HUBS




Happy Feet rated priceless publicity despite costs
At least $30,000 has been spent saving Happy Feet the penguin at a time when conservation budgets for safeguarding other wildlife are being slashed.
But the bird has provided priceless publicity for wildlife in general, says Forest and Bird.
Happy Feet, an emperor penguin from Antarctica, was found on a Kapiti Coast beach north of Wellington in June and, according to figures obtained through the Official Information Act, Wellington Zoo estimates it has cost in excess of $30,000 for numerous operations to remove sticks and sand from his stomach, as well as rehabilitating him for a return to the wild.
The Department of Conservation (DoC) has not released how much it spent on looking after the penguin while it was on the beach and then transported to Wellington.
The department is planning to return him to the sea in August from a boat off the Bluff coast.
Forest and Bird advocacy manager Kevin Hackwell said $30,0000 may seem like a lot of money when seen against the backdrop of DoC redundancies. The department announced in June it would be cutting 100 jobs across the organisation.
"The Department of Conservation has had its budget slashed by the government and it's laying off staff so having to spend significant sums of money looking after this one bird compared
http://www.stuff.co.nz/sunday-star-times/news/5365597/Happy-Feet-rated-priceless-publicity-despite-costs



Saving prions from NZ's worst wreck
Wellington Zoo is still busy trying to save 190 broad- billed prions involved in the largest prion "wreck" recorded in New Zealand. A wreck is when a great number of seabirds are driven inland and many die.
The first prion - the seabird pachyptila vittata, in Maori parara - was found dead on a Waikanae driveway during a devastating storm on July 11 and within three days more than 1000 live prions had been handed into wildlife centres in the Wellington region.
Although there is a long history of prion wrecks on New Zealand beaches, the scale of the latest one was unprecedented, Te Papa's terrestrial vertebrates curator Dr Colin Miskelly said.
"The two previous largest wrecks of broad-billed prions, in 1961 and 1994, were between 1100 and 14,000 birds. It will be difficult to estimate the full extent of the 2011 wreck but it is likely to be up to 250 times larger than either of the other
http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/news/5364573/Saving-prions-from-NZs-worst-wreck




Japan's oldest African elephant 'Mako' dies at Tama Zoological Park
"Mako," the oldest African elephant in Japan, died of respiratory failure at an estimated age of 46 at the Tama Zoological Park in the suburbs of Tokyo on July 29 after apparently crushing her lungs with her own body weight.
A zoo keeper found "Mako" lying down in a sleeping room at the zoo on the morning of July 29.
"Mako" was brought to the zoon from Tanzania in 1967 together with "Ako," a female African elephant from Kenya, whose estimated age is 46. Many visitors enjoyed watching "Mako" walking
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20110730p2a00m0na015000c.html




Privatize zoo, councillors urged
The elephants are lucky they’re leaving.
A review of the city’s core services suggests selling the Toronto Zoo.
It’s the latest city asset KPMG recommends the city wash its hands of.
Mayor Rob Ford dodged a question Wednesday about whether he’d sell it.
“This is about priorities and what we can afford,” Ford said when asked directly about the suggested zoo selloff.
At its meeting Thursday, the parks and environment committee will consider pulling the city out of the business of running the Riverdale Farm, the High Park zoo and the Far Enough Farm on Toronto Island.
Councillors on the executive committee will have to mull selling off the Toronto Zoo, too, at next Thursday’s
http://www.torontosun.com/2011/07/21/privatize-zoo-councillors-urged




Latest on Barbary Macaque Conservation in the Rif
http://www.barbarymacaque.org/





Oregon Zoo Public Open House

http://youtu.be/18d7v1d_Jik




Terrapin haven in Tuscany for UK rescued reptiles is ruined and overrun
Carapax sanctuary, which gave new home to UK's abandoned terrapins, in disarray after legal battle and neglect claims
It seemed the perfect solution to the problem of Leonardo, Raphael, Michelangelo and Donatello. Thousands of red-eared terrapins had been dumped in Britain's waterways in the early 1990s, after being bought as pets during the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle craze.
Rather than allow them to devour native animals including fish, newts, moorhens and ducklings, a terrapin charity paid for more than 800 to be flown abroad to start a new life in Italy.
The terrapins took up residence at an idyllic site, a sanctuary in Massa Marittima, 90 miles south of Pisa. However, after the eviction last year of the sanctuary's manager hundreds of the rescued reptiles are dead or dying, while scores more of the non-native animals have escaped into the Tuscan countryside, according to local people and terrapin experts.
The Italian sanctuary, known as Carapax, or the European Centre for Chelonian Conservation, and run by Donato Ballasina, the director, attracted funds from charities across Europe. It received £25 for every terrapin and other non-native chelonian sent to the centre.
"This was a shipping of animals to their death – to be put in lakes which were not fit for purpose," said Tom Langton, an independent ecologist who investigated the project. "Animals were underfed and dying with disease. The whole thing is bizarre and worrying."
In Britain, there are more than 2,000 terrapins still at large in waterways in the London area alone. Many are dinner plate-sized red-eared terrapins (Trachemys scripta elegans), also called sliders, which were discarded by their Ninja Turtle-loving owners. Red-eared terrapins are now banned from sale in Britain but many enthusiasts have switched to other similar non-native species.
In 2007, the City of London Authority captured rogue terrapins from park ponds in the capital and, along with other organisations and individuals, passed them to the British Chelonia Group.
The BCG funded the terrapins' expatriation to the Tuscan sanctuary, which was billed as a home for life, where the creatures could swim in lakes fed by streams warmed by volcanic rock. The sanctuary was also claimed to be "hermetically sealed" so that no red-eared terrapins could escape and start terrorising the native species.
Almost immediately, the BCG received evidence that terrapins were dying because the sanctuary's ponds were too small and because fencing was not secure. But the charity said it dispatched people to check on the animals' conditions and found no problems, so it continued to part-fund the project.
"It all sounded too good to be true, and it was," said Paul Eversfield, a former BCG member, referring to his visit to the sanctuary in the autumn of 2007.
Eversfield said that he found a muddy
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/jul/28/terrapin-haven-tuscany-derelict-carapax







Hello ZooLex Friend,
We have worked for your enjoyment!

~°v°~

NEW EXHIBIT PRESENTATION

The lemur exhibit at Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens [Mysore Zoo] in India was designed in an effort to improve the conditions for four lemurs with a small budget:

http://www.zoolex.org/zoolexcgi/view.py?id=1340

We would like to thank Lakshminarasimha R. for presenting this facility for lemurs that he designed while working at Mysore Zoo. It is the first exhibit from an Indian Zoo that is presented in ZooLex.

~°v°~

SPANISH TRANSLATION

Thanks to Eduardo Diaz Garcia we are able to offer a Spanish
translation of a previously presented chimpanzee exhibit:

Reserva de Chimpancés de la Selva de Kitera
http://www.zoolex.org/zoolexcgi/view.py?id=1004

~°v°~

We keep working on ZooLex ...


The ZooLex Zoo Design Organization is a non-profit organization
registered in Austria (ZVR-Zahl 933849053). ZooLex runs a professional
zoo design website and distributes this newsletter. More information and
contact: http://www.zoolex.org/about.html




Vietnam to have first international day for tigers
VietNamNet Bridge – The first international day for tigers will be held in Hanoi on July 31, to raise the awareness of protection of this endangered species
A workshop, games and exhibition with the topic “combating wildlife trading”, including tiger trading, will be held, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
In Asia, tigers are being hunted and traded illegally to meet man’s requirements. In Vietnam, tigers are mainly used to make products that are considered as medicines like tiger bone glue and tiger bone alcohol. Their skin and meat are used to make souvenirs or cuddly tigers.
According to statistics by the Education of Nature Vietnam (ENV) in 2010, there are less than 30 tigers in nature in entire Vietnam.
Nick Cox, an expert of the WWF Greater Mekong Sub-region, said that Vietnam is a hot spot in tiger trading from Southeast Asia to China and also for local demands.
As carnivorous animals, tigers help ensure the numbers of bait animal species in control to maintain the balance and stability of the ecological system, Cox explained the significance of protecting tigers.
Pauline Verheij, manager of the anti-tiger trading program of the TRAFFIC organization, confirmed that there are little evidences about the effect of tiger bones in curing diseases and in all cases, there are replacements that are much cheaper and legal than tiger bones.
According to Verheij, breeding tigers at farms are much costly than hunting them in the nature (around 250 times higher), tigers have become the targets of hunters.
The international day for tiger in Vietnam is jointly held by the WWF, the Biodiversity Preservation Agency and TRAFFIC.
In the brink of distinction of tigers in the nature, Russia held the Summit of countries that have tigers, with the presence of Russian President Vladimir Putin. The leaders of 13 tiger-having countries committed to take action to preserve this species. The goal of these countries is the number of tigers in the nature to double from 3,200 to 6,400 by 2022.
Attending countries in the Tiger Summit included: Russia, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and Vietnam.
Vietnam makes great efforts in tiger conservation
A children’s painting awards ceremony and an exhibition on combating the trafficking of wild animals were held in Hanoi on July 29 in response to International Tiger Day.
The celebration is held annually by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Vietnam, Biodiversity Conservation Agency, and the Wildlife Trade Monitoring Network, TRAFFIC.
Over the years, Vietnam has exerted significant efforts in tiger conservation by banning tiger hunting and putting the animal on the list of endangered species in need of protection.
However, hunting, illegal trade and illicit transport of this iconic animal are becoming prevalent due to the huge potential for economic profit.
According to the 2010 Report from Education for Nature-Vietnam, the country is on the verge of tiger extinction.
It is estimated that only 3,200 wild tigers survive worldwide, their population having decreased by about 95 percent and their range by 93 percent since 1900. This steep decline is mainly due to heavy poaching and the illegal trade in tiger paraphernalia to supply a thriving black market demand. As well as this, loss of habitat due to deforestation and an increase in the number of animals preying on tigers have also led to their decline.
Vietnam is a significant market for tiger products, as illegal medicines made from tiger bone and tiger wines have become popular, especially among the wealthy, because of their supposed remedial powers.
The demand for tiger parts in Vietnam has led to animals being smuggled in from elsewhere in the region. In March and June of last year, three tigers sourced from Laos were seized in Vietnam, believed to be intended for further domestic distribution. The country is also a transit point for a range of illegal wildlife products, including tiger products, being smuggled to China from other countries.
“Tigers are integral to maintaining healthy, balanced forest landscapes, yet they remain at high risk of becoming extinct in the wild. Vietnam has lost most of its wild tigers, so it's most important contribution at the moment is to play a part in halting the illegal international tiger trade and domestic consumption of tigers. It's as simple as that,” said Nick Cox, Regional Manager of WWF's species programme.
Vietnam’s Global Tiger Day activities will focus on reducing the demand for tiger products and promoting the conservation of wild tigers. Events include exhibitions, a tiger film, children’s activities, performances and a workshop with officials to discuss progress thus far and the next steps in tiger conservation.
“Tigers have long played an important role in our culture and in our ecosystems. Vietnam sees Global Tiger Day as an opportunity to increase public appreciation for this iconic species and to further discuss real solutions for its long term survival,” said Ms Hoang Thi Thanh Nhan, Deputy Director of Biodiversity Conservation Agency under the Vietnam Environment Administration.
Following the event, international experts from the 13 tiger range countries will attend a workshop in Hanoi from August 2-4 to discuss the implementation of the Global Tiger Recovery Programme (GTRP) which aims to double the number of wild tigers by 2022.
Seminar calls for urgent tiger conservation
“The future of tigers depends on our actions
http://english.vietnamnet.vn/en/environment/11290/vietnam-to-have-first-international-day-for-tigers.html




The claws are out
News that Zion Wildlife Park has been placed in receivership has revived hopes that the Lion Man could return to rescue the big cats. As Geoff Cumming reports, that may not be in the animals' best interests.
Watching Craig Busch playing with Shakira and other lions on old Lion Man episodes, you can't help but believe in the guy.
See the Lion Man cuddling and cavorting with giant cats; his rapport like a modern-day Mowgli. See him ride the lion; see a white tiger (extinct in the wild) being born ...
Busch's X-factor was as rare as his charges were said to be: he was an actor not upstaged by animals. The series has screened in 140 countries; its pulling power a mix of awe at Busch's fearlessness, empathy with co-stars as cute as they were lethal and sympathy with Zion Wildlife's stated conservation goals - a breeding programme to ensure the survival of "endangered species" including white lions, royal white bengal tigers and barbary lions.
Seeing is believing. Great Southern Television's Philip Smith, who discovered the khaki-costumed cat handler, says Busch was "Krusty the Clown meets Daktari". The show had universal themes about conservation and nurture and fitted the elusive formula of bonding television - parents could enjoy it with their kids.
What viewers didn't know was that Busch's mastery over 250kg killers was not just down to their hand-rearing and life of dependency. They had secretly been declawed, a practice decried
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10741793




Oklahoma City Zoo animals discover artistic side
Turtles can be painters, even if they don't much care for art.
Animal trainers at the Oklahoma City Zoo are coming up with creative ways to help animals put paint on canvas to support wildlife conservation efforts around the world.
The second annual Art Gone Wild art show kicks off next week in the Paseo Arts District.
Artwork has been created by elephants, flamingos, grizzly bears, snakes, a rhinoceros and other animals.
Zookeepers have devised clever plans for teaching the animals to paint, said Diana Jones, a spokeswoman for the zoo. For example, turtles trot through paint and over a canvas to reach sweet strawberries.
The paintings are part of what zookeepers call enrichment, Jones said.
“It creates problems for them to solve,” Jones said. “It creates challenges of them. ... It stimulates the animals mentally and breaks up their daily routines
http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-zoo-animals-discover-artistic-side/article/3590167?custom_click=lead_story_title




There's Something Fishy About His Job
Vince Levesque, who helps take care of the sea animals at Birch Aquarium at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, has plenty of friends at work.
The octopus likes to say hello. The groupers seem to recognize him by sight. Even the sharks are polite, since they're more interested in the food he brings than in his own potential as a convenient snack.
But not every ocean creature is so full of bonhomie. The mantis shrimp has the power to break through aquarium glass. The coral, a living animal, can be poisonous. And some of the jellyfish will sting him without a second thought, or even a first one. (They don't have a brain.)
Ten aquarists, including Levesque, feed the animals and maintain the tanks at the aquarium. He also goes into the ocean to gather fish, jellyfish and other critters.
I took a behind-the-scenes tour with Levesque and asked him about the joys of his job, the personalities of the aquarium's sea life and whether he ever surprises an unsuspecting kid or
http://www.voiceofsandiego.org/people/article_9a93bc20-ba26-11e0-8c0b-001cc4c03286.html






TRAINING AND ENRICHMENT WORKSHOP FOR ZOO ANIMALS
Originally scheduled for September 26-30, 2011 has moved.
New dates: December 5-9, 2011



Environment: The case against protection
So why not leave you with perhaps the biggest question in the environmental book - where is the natural world heading, if nothing much changes?
Simply protecting land and sea won't be enough to stem the loss of nature, according to a study just out in the Marine Ecology Progress series.
Read it one way, and it's one of the most depressing things you'll have seen, if you're concerned about the biosphere's future.
Currently, about 13% of the world's land surface is under some form of protection, about half of which is under what a recent study evaluated as "strict" protection.
At sea, it's a different story, with protection hovering around the 1% level - depending on how you define it.
So if land protection is in one sense a success story, being a rare example of an internationally agreed target that has been met and indeed exceeded, what impact is it having on biodiversity loss?
The various graphs in the paper, some of which I've copied in here, tell the story better than any
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-14344384




Councillors defend zoo decision
COUNCILLORS have explained their controversial decision to reject David Gill’s plans to expand his zoo.
Barrow Borough Council’s planning committee members chose to reject the proposed extension to South Lakes Wild Animal Park, Dalton, at their meeting on Tuesday.
Eight of the 11 councillors who were eligible to vote on the issue chose to issue a “minded to refuse” decision.
They said this was due to safety fears about the proposed entrance off the A590 and the size and character of the development in a rural area.
The Evening Mail spoke to those who made Tuesday’s decision.
The final decision will be made by the same committee on August 23.
Ann Thomson, chairwoman of the committee, Labour member for Hindpool (cannot vote)
“Nobody wants to stop Mr Gill from expanding but we have got to be clear that the scheme he puts forward is the best scheme possible.
“We have to act as a responsible planning committee and if we have concerns about a development and the safety of residents, then we cannot give
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/councillors-defend-zoo-decision-1.862815?referrerPath=news/





Business leaders plead for zoo expansion plans
BUSINESS leaders have called for a solution to be found to allow a zoo to expand.
Earlier this week, plans for an expansion to the South Lakes Wild Animal Park were initially rejected by Barrow Borough Council’s planning committee.
The committee chose to reject the plans as they had concerns about the size and character of the development, and about traffic problems which they believe would occur if traffic had to access the park from the U6097.
But park owner David Gill has hit out at the decision, and said the zoo has to expand in order to provide better facilities for its customers.
Harry Knowles, chief executive of Furness Enterprise, has called for both sides to negotiate a compromise.
Mr Knowles said: “Furness Enterprise’s position is that while we of course understand the concerns of the residents and the planning committee, the wild animal park has been one of the main tourist attractions in the area.
“We hope that a solution can be
http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/business-leaders-plead-for-zoo-expansion-plans-1.863372?referrerPath=news/




'Lion Man' has new plans for Zion Wildlife Gardens
'Lion Man' Craig Busch has revealed his plans for Zion Wildlife Gardens if he regains control, including turning the big cat reserve into an African-style safari park.
Most of Zion's 36 big cats – including lions, tigers, cheetahs and a sole leopard – would be released from their enclosures and allowed to roam around the Northland tourist attraction.
Tourists would be able to get close to the big cats, travelling around the park's secure boundaries in a specially-designed safari bus.
At night they would also have the chance to camp out under the stars, enjoy an African-style barbecue and listen to Busch, who won worldwide acclaim with The Lion Man TV series, talk about his wildlife travels and issues such as poaching and animal trafficking.
The ideas are included in a business plan prepared by those heading Busch's bid to return to the sprawling Zion Wildlife Gardens that is being tabled with potential investors.
Busch's support team includes Charles Cadwallader, a former national inspector of the SPCA and ex-MAF animal welfare investigations manager andSunday News can confirm major changes will be made to the park if Busch returns.
He opened Zion, on the outskirts of Whangarei, in 2002, but sole directorship of the park was handed to his mother, Patricia, in 2006 after she raised loans to help pay off growing debts.
Busch's employment ended in 2008, sparking a long-running legal battle between the pair.
Receivers PricewaterhouseCoopers were called into the park on Tuesday after action by Rabobank in relation to loans taken out by Patricia Busch.
After Patricia went public with her fears that some of the animals could be put down, the receivers said the welfare of Zion's big cats was a priority.
Talking via his official spokeswoman this week, Busch confirmed that he had the "financial resources" to resume control of Zion. "Verbal and written approaches have been made to the receivers," the spokeswoman said.
"A deal has been put on the table with various options as to how it may be implemented.
"Craig's offer has been noted by the receivers and he looks forward to working with them."
"He has the experienced personnel and financial resources to take back the park immediately from the receivers and re-establish the Lion Man and cat breeding programme in New Zealand."
Craig Busch is currently based in South Africa and is now planning to
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/5365049/Lion-Man-has-new-plans-for-Zion-Wildlife-Gardens





CLP Award Winners: Sustaining Wild Salmon Populations in Russia
For the last five years, our organization has fought to save wild Pacific salmon in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. After conducting research with leading Russian scientists, we have come to an unsettling conclusion: the Sakhalin taimen, whose habitat is limited to rivers in far eastern Russia and Japan, is rapidly approaching extinction.
The Sakhalin taimen is the largest salmon in the world — an ancient species that has been around since the age of the dinosaurs. Born in freshwater habitats, the adult fish make annual migrations to the sea for feeding, returning back to fresh waters for spawning.
On Sakhalin Island just north of Japan, wild salmon fishing is the second-largest industry, supplying 20 percent of global Pacific salmon catch and generating $500
http://blog.conservation.org/2011/07/clp-award-winners-sustaining-wild-salmon-populations-in-russia/



Truth About Rattlesnake RoundUps

http://youtu.be/NFUwAZWrPQs



Laos Shuts Down Bear Farm
Authorities in Laos have shut down a farm in the outskirts of the capital where bears had been held captive for extraction of bile, a hotly traded commodity.
An unknown number of bears have been seized from the farm but the owner, a Vietnamese, has bolted, officials said, adding that he would have to be prosecuted in court.
The authorities raided the farm in Kao Liao village north of the capital Vientiane on Thursday, a day after RFA reported that Lao officials had turned a blind eye to the facility, believed to be illegal.
Bear bile trade is thriving in Laos though the animal is protected under the law. The trafficking of bile-based traditional medicine is a key threat to Asia’s bears, partly because of poaching, environmental groups say.
"The farm owner right now has just vanished, we cannot find him," an official of the
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/laos/bear-07282011170540.html




Article:
Treating Sick and Injured Emperor Scorpions
http://blogs.thatpetplace.com/thatreptileblog/2011/07/29/treating-sick-and-injured-emperor-scorpions/




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The Elephant Problem in Thailand


There is a growing problem with wild elephants in Thailand. Quite simply there are too many elephants and too little space. There is nowhere for them to go.

There are estimated to be around three thousand elephants in the wild today (some say five thousand) and there may be upwards of three hundred in captivity in the various captive sanctuaries, zoos and trekking centres. The animals are breeding well wherever they are.

Recently the worlds attention was drawn to the animals living the Kang Ang Rue Nai national park  (see Too Many Elephants) where it was shown that there was as many as 272 elephants living in space that can only comfortably support between 160 and 190 animals. This is a dramatic increase in numbers as research in 2002 showed that there were then only 136 animals there.

Even this current environment is far from suitable. Research has shown that Asian elephants do best in a mix of 60% forest and 40% grassland. The Kang Ang Rue Nai national park only has less than 2% grassland!

So now, today, there is around 100 animals too many. There are around 20 births here each year. This vastly exceeds the death rate and with twenty births per year that means that there are around 40 cows pregnant right now. The numbers are going to rise.

Elephant versus Man conflicts are on the rise and they will continue. Some of these animals have been known to travel as far as 180 kilometres from home. Accidents and conflicts are inevitable. These are large wild animals and are sometimes desperate for food.

One of the measures taken was to dig a ditch three metres wide, 2.5 metres deep and 184 kilometres long in an attempt to divide people and elephants, but whereas people know that they should not cross over to the other side, the elephants do not and elephants do. Any zookeeper who has worked with elephants confined in moated enclosures can tell you tales of the climbing and clambering feats these huge creatures are capable of.

The elephant problem is not confined to Kang Ang Rue Nai. Confrontations have recently taken place on the outskirts of fifteen different forests in eleven Thai provinces.
The Salak Phra Wildlife Sanctuary is another place where there are just too many animals for the food source available.

Amongst the solutions of ditches, electric fences and fireworks there are plans for 'wildlife corridors'. These have been shown to be successful for many species and allow isolated populations to link up with greater ease. In the case of the elephants though, this is not really the problem. The problem is too many animals in a steadily growing population competing with man in very limited space. Corridors will need to link to suitable elephant habitat where there are currently no animals living.

There is no 'quick fix' here. Sterilisation has been suggested and should be given some consideration as awkward and as difficult as it may be to carry out.



Read More About Elephants:

Elephant Care

Anne The Elephant

Elephant Aphrodisiac

King Kong versus the Elephant

National Thai Elephant Day

Royal Elephant National Museum in Bangkok Thailand

The Elephant Of Tregaron

Ankus


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Saturday, July 30, 2011

Chimpanzee and Tiger Cub


Come on, you don't seriously believe this rubbish. Really? I can fully understand it getting space in some of the newspapers like the Daily Mail but the BBC giving it air time, now that is daft.

Do a Google search for "Chimp and Tiger cub" and see what you turn up. It is old hat, old news, publicity seeking rubbish.

Here is the latest. This place. the Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo of course has a connection with Mr Antle from the Myrtle Beach Circus. Perhaps he gave them the idea.

Adorable odd couple: Chimp's maternal instincts awakened as she feeds milk to a baby tiger


They are humans' closest relative, sharing a similar genetic make-up and displaying behaviour not unlike our own.

Now this little chimpanzee is showing off a motherly instinct to rival even the most maternal of mankind.
These adorable images reveal the close bond that has formed between a two-year-old chimpanzee called Do Do and a two-month-old tiger cub called Aorn.
Completely at ease in each other's company, the ape's motherly instincts take over as she attentively bottle feeds the baby tiger.
Aorn gratefully laps up the milk as Do Do tenderly holds the tiger in her arms.
At one point, Do Do puts the bottle in her own mouth - almost mimicking the actions of a human mother checking to see if the milk is suitable for her offspring to consume.
For some unexplained reason Do Do is wearing a pair of denim shorts - perhaps to protect her thighs from Aorn's claws.
They were photographed at Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm and Zoo on the outskirts of Bangkok, Thailand........read MORE HERE

POINTS TO PONDER:
Why is the Tiger cub not being reared by its mother?

Why is the Baby Chimpanzee not with its mother?

Where did the baby chimpanzee come from?





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Maali the Manila Zoo Elephant


An elephant love story

For 10 years now, photographer and advocate John Chua has been one of the special caretakers of Manila Zoo’s most famous resident, Maali. Today, as the zoo celebrates its 52nd anniversary, it also celebrates this special bond between man and beast.

I am a photographer and I would rather have my photos speak for themselves, but I need to tell Maali’s story.

I don’t own the elephant. I came to know Maali in 2001, when my daughter Kathy volunteered at the zoo. She loved animals and wanted to help. As a father supporting the dreams of his daughter, I went to Manila Zoo and helped convince the zoo director to have these young people do their volunteer work.

The zoo volunteers gave talks to students on field trips, cleaned enclosures, and organized zoo outreach programs that brought animals to schools in order to teach kids about them. I helped out by riding a bicycle around the zoo to check on visitors, reminding them not to throw stones at the crocodiles just to see if they’re alive, or giving cookies wrapped in plastic to the giraffes.

The volunteer group grew. We had bird shows and educational field trips. We were joined by volunteers from the International School, interns from De La Salle and St. Scholastica, students from veterinary schools.

Feeding Maali

One day, I noticed that the zookeepers just threw food into the enclosures for the animals to eat. “Instead of throwing the food and just doing your job, why don’t we all get to know the animals assigned to us, and learn more so that we can take better care of them?” I asked.

A zookeeper replied “Sir. Madaling sabihin iyan… Mahirap gawin. (Sir, that’s easy to say, but hard to do.)

I looked straight into his eyes and said, “Watch me. I will show you how.” I don’t ask people to do things I wouldn’t do also. I looked for animals I could learn how to take care of in order to show them that it could be done. That crossed out several animals right away. Crocodiles: not only do they not speak English, they eat them. Tigers: also out. Snakes: Slimy and don’t show emotions? Molly, the giraffe: she just gets the carrots and leaves me.

Mangoes!

One day, when I was going around, I made friends with the old zookeeper for Maali, the elephant. The zookeeper told me lots of stories, and I became fascinated. I began to visit her everyday, just watching her. She was bored. She walked around, doing nothing.

I asked the zookeeper what Maali’s favorite fruit was. Mangoes, he said.

The next day, I brought a kilo of ripe mangoes. I went to Maali’s enclosure and gave them to her. The mangoes were gone in 60 seconds — everything including the seeds.

Then I noticed that when I talked to her, her eyes looked at me so attentively. I knew she was listening.

I looked forward to seeing her every time I went to the zoo — of course, with a kilo of mangoes each time. Then I got smarter. To extend my conversation with her, I started slicing the mangoes into smaller pieces. I started helping the old man carry the grass and clean the poo. I made sure the old man was beside me whenever I was inside the enclosure.

Learning about elephants

I watched every elephant episode in Discovery Channel and bought all the books on elephants that I could find at the bookstores. I learned that elephants need to drink at least 50 gallons of water every day. I learned they love cooling their bodies with water and using sand to keep insects away. I learned that they could sense your fear by smell. I began to learn what made her angry or afraid.

She didn’t like the low-frequency murmur of diesel engines idling. She hated red trucks, like the one that delivered Coca-cola. She didn’t like horses. She didn’t like the Selecta jingle played by the ice cream cart. Trombones or bands made her poop.

Together with my daughter Kathy, we developed behavioral enrichment programs for Maali and the other animals. Kathy went to South Africa as part of Cathay Pacific’s youth programs, where she volunteered at Johannesburg Zoo and made friends with their behavioral enrichment program specialists. She learned a lot and planned all these programs for Maali.

I got a pail and started splashing Maali with water. We brought in sand for her. We froze fruits in ice blocks.

We hid food in tires for her so that she could find the food in them. We spread the peanuts all over her enclosure. I’d bring coconuts or watermelons, we’d play football, and Maali would eat them afterwards. The main idea was to get Maali to look for her food, work for her food. This got her to be active.

Postcard from the wild

One day, Kathy told me about an essay contest offered by Discovery Channel called “Postcard from the Wild.” The contest asked: In just 50 words, write down why you want to go to Sri Lanka.

Wouldn’t you like to go to Pinawala and see Maali’s cousins?” Kathy asked.

She volunteered to help me tell our story. On top of an 8×10 picture of Maali and me, we wrote: “I want to go to Sri Lanka to learn more about elephants so that I can make Maali’s life better.”

It won.

Discovery Channel called me to offer me a 10-day tour for two people. I was excited. My wife and I went to Sri Lanka to visit the Pinawala Elephant Orphanage. That’s where Maali stayed for a while after being rescued from a pit, before she was given by the children of Sri Lanka to the children of the Philippines.

In Pinawala, we met the mahoots and showed them pictures of Maali and me. They recognized me as one of them, and we became instant friends. We even found the mahoot who accompanied Maali when she came to Manila.

I felt sad for Maali. She was alone and in a small space. I wanted to know more about Maali, and the old man shared his stories. Before Maali came to Manila, there was a bigger elephant named Sheba. Sheba was a circus elephant who was sold to Manila Zoo after the circus went bankrupt. Sheba didn’t like Maali, so they had to be separated.

The zoo built a smaller enclosure in the elephant space. While one elephant walked around, the other elephant had to be locked in the enclosure to avoid fights. It must have been a traumatic experience for Maali.

Pinoy mahoot

I’d been caring for Maali for several months when the Singapore Zoo director came to visit Manila Zoo. He saw me inside the enclosure with Maali. He called the attention of the Manila Zoo director and asked him to call me to the office.

The Singapore Zoo director asked me why I was inside the enclosure. I said I was a zoo volunteer. He told the Manila Zoo director that I should be forbidden to go inside the enclosure. If anything happened, the zoo would be blamed.

I told the zoo director: “Sir, if I don’t do this, who can do it? Nobody. I am willing to sign a waiver, but let me continue my work.”

The Singapore Zoo director was impressed with my sincerity. He said, “Mr. Chua. In case you visit Singapore, please visit me in my office at Singapore Zoo and let me find out what I can do to help you in learning more about elephants.” He handed me his calling card.

Several weeks later, I was in the director’s office at Singapore Zoo. He introduced me to the head of the department and the other staff, and he asked me to see the chief trainer, Mr. Tan.

Every day for a week, I took the 5 a.m. train to Singapore Zoo and reported to Mr. Tan at 7 a.m. sharp. All the mahoots in Singapore talked to the elephants in Singhalese, the native language of Sri Lanka. They taught me the type of food that’s best for elephants. They taught me how to read elephant body language — the movements of ears, when elephants are faking a charge or doing it for real.

I learned so much from the trip and couldn’t wait to make Maali’s life better back home. I brought back photos of all the enclosures, and the use of open space inspired Manila Zoo.

When I saw Maali again, I took the metal hook and all the things I had learned from Singapore Zoo. The first thing I did was to hook Maali’s left ear like the way the mahoots showed me. She followed, but I saw that she was hurting. I stopped. I said to myself, “This is not the way to go, John. You are not a trainer. You are not going to have a show. This is not a circus. You are not going to hurt Maali because you want her to follow you, John. You are not going to hurt Maali.’’

I threw the hook away and hugged Maali. I said, “No, Maali. You can have your way. I am not going to hurt you.” So that was the end to my career of being the topnotch elephant trainer.

Sometimes Maali listens to me, sometimes she doesn’t, and it’s okay. I was afraid to get close to Maali. I knew that if I was close to her, I’d begin to love her and care for her. I’d begin to feel how she feels.

When she was young, she met her cousins and relatives in the Pinawala elephant orphanage. She would have remembered them. You know how elephants remember. It must have been traumatic for her to be captured again. She must have been put in a red diesel truck — that’s probably why she gets so angry at red diesel trucks — as she was taken to the seaport.

Dreams for Maali

I’m afraid for her every night. No matter how big she is, she’s too weak to defend herself against people who can harm her: zoo visitors who throw plastic bottles and aluminum cans into her enclosures, disgruntled employees who might take their revenge, people who might poison her for their own greed in order to get Manila Zoo closed. I’m afraid organizations will just take advantage of her for publicity. I’m afraid I might lose her.

I have many dreams. I have made so many dreams come true. I dream that someday there’ll be a place for Maali. Not Manila Zoo, but stretches of open sugarcane fields. When I shoot on location in places like Pampanga or Batangas, I dream of Maali grazing among the sugarcane she loves. I often pay the workers to load sugarcane in my car so that I can bring the sugarcane to her. She loves them.

Our weather, the climate, the greenery, the hospitality of the people… this makes it the best place for Maali.

Have you seen how the children respond to Maali? I love each time I let the children help me feed Maali. Have you seen how Maali plays with my shoelaces? She can untie my shoelaces with her trunk. We play tug-of-war with it. I always lose, so I need to buy new shoelaces every time we play.

I never wanted publicity for Maali and myself. We enjoy life READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE



Read More about Manila Zoo here.



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Friday, July 29, 2011

Zoo News Digest 29th July 2011 (Zoo News 773)

Zoo News Digest 29th July 2011 (Zoo News 773)




Peter Dickinson


Dear Colleague,

Today is World Tiger Day....or is it? It got some attention on the 29th July 2010 but has scarcely raised a tigers whisker this year. It all gets a bit complicated when we also have 'International Tiger Day' at the end of September...and some call that World Tiger Day too. When all is said and done we really do need to constantly draw peoples attention to the plight of the tiger.

Just who is Rikki Rockett anyway? Never heard of her before. Don't care if I never hear of her again.

If you are a Zoo Biology Member have you checked out the FILES

Subjects covered include:

Callitrichid catch ups

NZP Animal Training Forms

Animal Behaviour unit Observing animals[1].pdf

Chi.doc (Chimpanzee Enrichment)

Guidelines.html (Red Squirrel Guidelines)

Keeper's Role in Zoo Animal Health.pdf

Nighttime Animal Welfare and Facility Security Survey.pdf

World Zoo and Aquaria Conservation Strategy.pdf

And Much Much More especially in the extensive zoo archives.



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On with links: 

Galloway wildlife park raises closure fears
The manager of a south of Scotland wildlife park has warned it needs urgent funding to avoid closure.
John Denerley said the Galloway Wildlife Conservation Park, near Kirkcudbright, could be forced to shut in a "couple of months".
He said the centre had suffered a "serious blow" to its finances during the economic downturn.
The Dumfries and Galloway site is home to several endangered species, rare mammals and birds.
The GWCP has been operating in the area for more than eight years.
However, Mr Denerley said that it was now struggling to meet annual running costs of more
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-14323592





Rhino Crisis Round Up: Antique Rhino Horn Cups Fuel the Fire, Thai ‘Hookers’ Weep and More
Thanks to a financially-focused rhino story that dominated the news during the past few days, crime syndicates could be more motivated than ever to “source” rhino horn.
http://planetsave.com/2011/07/29/rhino-crisis-round-up-antique-rhino-horn-cups-fuel-the-fire-thai-hookers-weep-more/



Check out who is selling Rhino Horn Legally!!!!!!!!!!

Rhinoceros Farming in China


ZOOS NEED TO BEEF UP THEIR SECURITY FOR RHINOS!!!!



Rosie the rhino's horn stolen from Ipswich Museum
Thieves have broken into Ipswich Museum and stolen the horn from a stuffed rhino on display.
Despite receiving warnings of gangs targeting museums and auction houses for rhino horn, the museum in the High Street was broken into on Thursday.
Two men, believed to have stolen the horn from Rosie the Rhino and another rhino skull, were seen leaving in a silver car at about 00:25 BST.
The museum service said it had been confident
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-14326670



Rhino house goes green- ZSL Whipsnade Zoo

http://youtu.be/uX83n5cOlVQ


Palm oil council chief upset over orang utan treatment in Aussie zoo
The treatment of orang utans at the Melbourne Zoo has raised the ire of Malaysian Palm Oil Council chief executive Tan Sri Dr Yusof Basiron, who described it as deplorable and a disgrace.
He said was appalled at the way the animals were screaming for attention in the winter cold when he made a quick visit to the zoo to check out the anti-palm oil signs
http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/palm-oil-council-chief-upset-over-orang-utan-treatment-in-aussie-zoo




Arctic scientist under investigation
A US Federal wildlife biologist whose observation that polar bears likely drowned in the Arctic helped galvanise the global warming movement seven years ago was placed on administrative leave as officials investigate scientific misconduct allegations.
Although it wasn't clear what the exact allegations are, a government watchdog group representing Anchorage-based scientist Charles Monnett said investigators have focused on his 2004 journal article about the bears that garnered worldwide attention.
The group, Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility, filed a complaint on Mr Monnett's behalf today with the agency, the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.
BOEMRE told Mr Monnett on July 18 that he was being put on leave, pending an investigation into "integrity issues".
The investigator has not yet told him of the specific charges or questions related to the scientific integrity of his work, said Jeff Ruch, the watchdog
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/arctic-scientist-under-investigation/story-fn3dxity-1226103960232




Lost interview: Charles Monnett describes how he discovered 'drowned polar bears'
In July 2007, I sat down with wildlife biologist Charles Monnett and a spokesperson for the then-Minerals Management Service, the federal regulator of offshore oil development. Monnett -- who is now in trouble with MMS' predecessor, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement --had led the team of federal scientists who had spotted apparently dead polar bears floating in the Arctic Ocean in fall 2004, the causalities, some would later argue, of a warming climate. Or perhaps just a brutal storm.
That revelation, which was published in a journal at the time, galvanized environmentalists, who had long been saying the Arctic was melting. There was no ice for the bears, and now it seemed they had to swim farther than ever before. That was the implication of Monnett's and his colleagues' work at MMS.
I wanted to interview the man who had made the polar bear an international symbol of global warming. But the federal agency he worked for, which at the time was defending Royal Dutch Shell's plans to drill for oil in Alaska's Arctic, was wary of me asking questions of their scientist. And Monnett himself was paranoid that he would get in trouble by talking to me. As is today, Royal Dutch Shell was facing environmental opposition to its drilling plans for the Arctic. MMS was caught in the middle. And the survival of the polar bear -- now listed as a threatened species -- was at the center of the debate. Monnett seemed to indicate that he was already on thin ice as a result of his research. Thus, an MMS spokeswoman was there to monitor my questioning of Monnett. That's how it seemed, at least.
Here are some selected transcripts from my July 2007 interview with Dr. Monnet:
http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/lost-interview-charles-monnett-describes-how-he-discovered-drowned-polar-bears



Binturong and Keeper Chat at Brookfield Zoo

http://youtu.be/vvCxTIgn9go



Palm Beach Zoo - Tiger Cam - Live!
http://palmbeachzoo.org/tiger-cam.html




Among necessary giants: why we can’t afford to lose the elephant
Cyril Christo and Marie Wilkinson, authors of Walking Thunder, explain why the survival of the elephant is critical for our own future
‘He piled upon the whale’s white hump the sum of all the general rage and hate felt by his whole race from Adam down,’ wrote Melville in Moby Dick. What percentage of Europe and America’s wealth has been drawn from the bodies of whales? What are we to make of a species – ours - supposedly sapient, supposedly sentient, that has destroyed hundreds of thousands of whales in the cause of lighting our cities, corsets and lubricating intercontinental ballistic missiles as the Russian did in the 1970s. That was surely the apex of our madness? Sadly it wasn’t.
In the 1980s, over 600,000 elephants - more than half the
http://www.theecologist.org/green_green_living/out_and_about/994574/among_necessary_giants_why_we_cant_afford_to_lose_the_elephant.html




Wild elephants attack Nepal refugee camp; 2 dead
Wild elephants have attacked a refugee camp in southeastern Nepal, killing two elderly men and damaging several huts.
Gehanath Bhandari, the chief government administrator in Jhapa district, says two elephants entered the U.N.-run camp for Bhutanese refugees Wednesday morning and trampled the two victims. There were no other casualties.
Floods during monsoon season usually drive the elephants from neighboring India into Nepal, where they destroy farms and occasionally attack humans.
Bhandari says some of the refugees were chasing the elephants away from corn
http://english.irib.ir/subcontinent/news/top-stories/item/79768-wild-elephants-attack-nepal-refugee-camp-2-dead



Too Many Elephants




Crocodile caught in Siberian lake
A rescue team in the Russian republic of Khakassia said they caught a 6 1/2-foot crocodile spotted floating in a lake.
Yury Stolbun, head of the rescue group, said Wednesday a tour group in a catamaran spotted the crocodile floating in the water and initially thought it was a log, RIA Novosti reported Wednesday.
"Suddenly the log started blinking and paddling with its legs," Stolbun said.
Stolbun said the croc belongs to a man who offers tourists the chance to be photographed with the reptile.
"Something distracted the owner
http://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2011/07/27/Crocodile-caught-in-Siberian-lake/UPI-69821311781853/




L.A. is one step closer to privatizing zoo
A proposal to potentially turn over management of the Los Angeles Zoo to a private operator was approved by a Los Angeles City Council committee Thursday. If the plan gets the OK of the full council next month, the city could begin soliciting proposals from prospective operators by the end of this year.
Council members also made a new request: that city analysts develop an alternative to privatization to see whether there are changes that can be made to save money and keep the zoo under city management.
That move was cheered by some zoo workers, who are wary of privatization because they might be transferred to other city departments, and by animal-rights activists, who worry that a zoo not managed by the city might be less transparent when it comes to animal welfare.
Councilman Herb Wesson, who sits on the Arts, Parks, Health and Aging Committee that approved the plan, said the amended proposal will allow the city to consider the pros and cons of privatization.
"Basically, we're looking at plan A and B," Wesso
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2011/07/la-zoo-privatize-controversey.html




Poison’s Rikki Rockett Releases Anti-Zoo Statement Regarding Venue
http://www.smnnews.com/2011/07/28/poisons-rikki-rockett-releases-anti-zoo-statement-regarding-venue/




The Moscow Zoo Takes the Heat

http://youtu.be/PmJCMfJcPIE




'Britain's fattest orangutan' Oshine loses 20kg on diet
An orangutan said to be the fattest in Britain has lost a fifth of her body weight after being put on a diet.
Oshine tipped the scales at 100kg (15 stone) - more than double her natural weight - but lost 20kg (3 stone) in 11 months after a lifestyle change.
The 14-year-old ape has cut out sweets, jelly and marshmallows, and instead tucks into a healthy diet of fruit, vegetables and plenty of exercise.
She arrived at Monkey World in Dorset last year from South Africa.
Oshine was previously kept as a pet in Johannesburg for 13 years.
'Morbidly obese'
Her sedentary and unnatural
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-14335135




Paloh the baby elephant is freed from her chains
Paloh the traumatised baby elephant has been freed from her chains – thanks to outraged Mirror readers.
She has been unshackled and moved from a filthy compound at a Malaysian zoo to join a young companion in a better enclosure.
Pictures on Tuesday of lonely and exhausted two-year-old Paloh sparked angry Mirror readers to bombard the Malaysian embassy
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2011/07/29/paloh-the-baby-elephant-is-freed-from-her-chains-115875-23304075/




Zoos must be well run
JOHOR Local Government, Housing, Arts, Culture and Heritage committee chairman Datuk Ahmad Zahri Jamil’s defence of Johor Zoo (“No reason to shut down state’s iconic park, says exco man” – The Star, July 25) is preposterous.
The zoo’s long history, low ticket prices and high number of local visitors are not indicators of the zoo’s animal welfare standards or educational value.
The recent outrage over Johor Zoo’s cruel treatment of Paloh the baby elephant is only the latest in a long string of complaints against it for animal abuse and exploitation.
As recently as 2010, Johor Zoo was openly selling wildlife in a shop within its premises, and this year the zoo made headlines again with Shirley the chain-smoking orang utan.
In May, it was reported that all wildlife establishments would have to undergo auditing under new guidelines drawn up by the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry. (“Audit on all who keep wild animals” – The Star, May 6).
This move is timely and any progress on
http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2011/7/29/focus/9196112&sec=focus



JOHOR ZOO



Rare rock wallabies returned to outback
Six rare rock wallabies taken from the far north-west of South Australia as joeys have returned home to the APY Lands.
A project aimed at saving the endangered species has brought together Anangu people with government agencies, zoos staff and university students.
They transferred more than 20 black-flanked rock wallaby joeys, or warru, into the pouches of surrogate yellow-footed rock wallabies.
Monarto Zoo staff kept them safe until adulthood and six of the wallabies have now been returned to the APY Lands and released into a 100-hectare predator-proof enclosure.
Matt Ward from the Environment Department said there was more to the project than saving the warru.
"It's also very much about employing Anangu
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-07-29/warru-wallabies-rock-apy-lands/2814080




Monkey thief jailed for a year in Ras Al Khaimah (Strange looking Monkey!)
A criminal court in Ras Al Khaimah sentenced a man for one year in prison for stealing a monkey and a parrot at gunpoint from a private zoo in the emirate, a local newspaper reported on Thursday.
The man, identified only as MR, had used a gun to force the zoo guard to hand over the monkey and the parrot before fleeing, Emirat Alyoum said.
Police later seized the man on descriptions
http://www.emirates247.com/news/monkey-thief-jailed-for-a-year-in-ras-al-khaimah-2011-07-28-1.410184




Zoo's live postmortem fails to draw crowd
EDINBURGH Zoo has reportedly sold just 30 tickets for a planned live animal postmortem.
The "distasteful" show was heavily criticised by animal charities when it was announced earlier this month.
Organisers had hoped to sell 100 of the £20 tickets for the event, scheduled to take place on August 23.
Scottish animal welfare group OneKind said that the low sales were a sign of people's distaste at the initiative.
A spokesman for the group said: "It is a credit to the people of Edinburgh that they are animal lovers and they don't want to attend this type of event."
"Most people find it to be in bad taste." But chief executive of the trust that runs the zoo, Hugh Roberts, said the
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Zoo39s-live-postmortem-fails-to.6808944.jp




Experts are foxed as first ever footage of urban OTTER making its home in city dock emerges
Conservationists have captured this amazing footage of a new breed of 'urban' otter which is shunning the countryside in favour of city centres.
Researchers have discovered that the usually-reclusive water creature - immortalised in Kenneth Grahame's Wind In the Willows - are encroaching into cities.
They set up hidden cameras and captured an urban otter making a home by a floating dock in the heart of Bristol city centre - just yards from a shopping mall
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2019737/Experts-foxed-footage-urban-OTTER-making-home-city-dock-emerges.html?ito=feeds-newsxml





Seal scales fence to reach pup at St Andrews Aquarium
A 14 stone (90kg) harbour seal's successful attempt to overcome a metal barrier to welcome a new pup to her Fife aquarium has been caught on CCTV.
Managers at St Andrews Aquarium said they were "amazed" by Laurel's strength and tenacity to overcome a 4ft (1.2m) fence to reach the new arrival Togo.
Officials had planned to introduce the pair in a few weeks time.
However Laurel, 20, was unable to wait and 15 minutes after the park closed on Friday she broke into the other cage.
When workers arrived on Saturday they discovered Laurel was not in her enclosure and found her playing with one-year-old Togo in his new pool.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-14324444

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