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25Jun2006 Marine zoo needs 'new blood' for the sharks... it's for sale at 17Jun2006 Elephant kills attendant in Nanhui zoo 9Jun2006 NIGHT SAFARI PARK 4Jun2006 Zoo needs more money Wellington Zoo is about to go to council to ask for more money for its planned upgrade. The zoo has prepared a business plan to put to council for a 10-year development plan that will cost around $20 million. Acting CEO Mauritz Basson says they are not after a great deal to start with. He says they are after about $1.8 million to start off with, then another $3-4 million http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/newsdetail1.asp?storyID=96670 Runaway lion brought back to zoo Three animal trainers pull a female lion back to a zoo in Yinchuan, northwest China's Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, May 31, 2006. The lion escaped to a road outside the zoo during a performance. More than 100 http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-06/02/content_607248.htm Zoo faces charges of cruelty to hippo A two-year-old animal named Hazina was allegedly kept alone in a windowless shed The Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove has been charged with cruelty to animals after allegedly keeping Hazina, a two-year-old hippo acquired as a baby, alone in a windowless shed with a pool so shallow she couldn't float. The charges, laid by B.C. Crown counsel on recommendations from the B.C. SPCA, are believed to be the first against a major Canadian zoo for alleged cruelty to animals. The SPCA and the Vancouver Humane Society will formally announce the charges, laid under the B.C. Prevention of Cruelty to http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=324c3317-ea11-4e98-a3e7-7f0888d4b164 'Bushmeat' monkeys saved by U.S. zoo The San Diego Zoo has rescued four Allen's swamp monkeys from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where they were part of the illegal trade in 'bushmeat,' destined to be killed to feed families. The four new swamp monkeys at the San Diego Zoo have good reason to be a little wary. The last time they were in front of so many people, they were in a market in the Democratic Republic of Congo, destined for sale as exotic curiosities or else to be fattened up and eaten. These four Allen's swamp monkeys, along with 30 other Congolese primates at five other zoos, will spend their lives in the United States to highlight the illegal trade in ''bushmeat'' -- wildlife slaughtered to feed hungry families in poor countries -- which is decimating populations of many species in Africa and parts of Asia. ''All these little monkeys were bushmeat orphans, their parents and troupes had been killed for bushmeat,'' explained Karen Killmar, the zoo's associate curator of mammals, who in an unusual move bought the monkeys from a middle man who had acquired them at a market and hoped to turn a profit by selling them as pets. Jane Ballentine, a spokeswoman for the American Zoo and Aquarium Association, which helped coordinate the adoptions, called the acquisition ``the righ http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/14704695.htm Wildlife park culls pack of wolves 'to stop them killing each other' A WILDLIFE park has culled a pack of wolves because it feared the animals would eventually kill each other. A pack of Mackenzie River wolves, normally found in North America, had been a feature at the Highland Wildlife Park, Kincraig, near Aviemore, since 1972. However, it has been revealed that the remaining six animals, aged between six and eight, have been destroyed because they were no longer displaying natural behaviour. The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, which owns the park as well as Edinburgh Zoo, said the deaths were carried out humanely and with the backing of the independent Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee. Animals rights http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=761572006 Al Ain Zoo denies report on taking in sick animals, says Noor is a liar The sensational story broadcast on Abu Dhabi Arabic Radio's Studio 1 regarding an Asian man, referred to as Investor Noor, who claimed he had sold sick animals to the Al Ain Zoological Park and Aquarium (Aazpa), was categorically denied by the Zoo Director Mark Craig yesterday. Craig said the Asian man told a false story. The Al Ain Zoo only receives animals from international organisations, government organisations within and outside the UAE, in addition to other zoos in the Emirates Do apes go through menopause? Really, it's only the monkeys' business. But, if you must know, the female gorillas at the Dallas Zoo might have hit menopause. Jenny and Timbo, the zoo's two female Western lowland gorillas, were part of a national study meant to determine whether there's an end to an ape's fertile years. It's a question primatologists have never been able to answer and one that could shed light on the mysterious evolution of our own species' reproductive cycles. While not everyone is ready to declare gorilla menopause as natural as the birds and the bees, the results are pretty clear for our girls. If Jenny and Timbo - 52 and 43 - are hoping http://www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/nation/14724382.htm Couple spared jail over endangered geckos theft A Christchurch couple who stole three endangered geckos from the city's Orana Wildlife Park to keep as unusual pets have been spared jail sentences. Nicholas John Ormandy, 20, an installer, and Sally Somers Stirton, a dancer, had their sentencing in Christchurch District Court adjourned this morning so they could make a donation to the park on the northwestern fringes of Christchurch. When their case was called at midday, Judge Stephen Erber gave Ormandy and Stirton two hours to "put their money where their mouths have been". He said the delay would give the couple http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3688244a12855,00.html Zoo authority seeks `outside' assistance To fund research projects on scientific management of animals in zoos Crippled by an acute shortage of technical personnel and the consequently suffering research activities at the zoo level, the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) established to oversee zoos across the country, coordinate breeding programmes and captive conservation measures has decided to go public and seek "outside" assistance to better understand and rectify the needs of individual zoos in the country. The CZA through this latest programme will support scientific research in zoos by granting fellowships to individual or a group of zoos. "We are faced with a lack of technical staff and keeping in view the existing ban on recruitment http://www.hindu.com/2006/06/03/stories/2006060311750400.htm Alarming Decline In Nepal's Rhinos And Tigers In Former Maoist Stronghold Results released today by World Wildlife Fund of the first assessment done in two years in one of Nepal's premier national parks reveal an alarming decline in tiger and rhino populations, indicating widespread poaching. The area only became accessible for visits since the ceasefire between the Maoist insurgents and government troops a month ago. Since 1986, 70 rhinos were translocated to Bardia National Park, but only three were found last week in the Babai Valley. Thirteen tigers were reported in the area between 1998-2001 but the WWF team http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060531164621.htm Researchers Uncover Eight Previously Unknown Species In Caves Near Jerusalem Discovery of eight previously unknown, ancient animal species within "a new and unique underground ecosystem" in Israel was revealed today by Hebrew University of Jerusalem researchers. In a press conference on the Mt. Scopus campus of the Hebrew University, the researchers said the discovery came about when a small opening was found, leading to a cave extending to a depth of 100 meters beneath the surface of a quarry in the vicinity of Ramle, between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. The http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060531094605.htm
28May2006 ZOO OPENS GIANT AVIARY FOR CONDORS A UK first took place in Dalton today when the world's biggest birds were let loose in a giant aviary. Free-flying condors and vultures, with 10-foot wingspans, cast ominous shadows on visitors walking beneath. The spectacular new development will further cement South Lakes Wild Animal Park's ranking as Cumbria's top tourist attraction. Visitors now have the unique opportunity to walk with the Andean condor, Griffon vulture, King vulture and a number of other birds of prey species in a 7,200 cubic metre aviary. Education and http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=371858 MONKEYING AROUND ON HER 21ST BIRTHDAY A kinky gal has set a world record to Paignton Zoo. A female Goeldi's monkey, called Kink because of a bend in her tail, has become the oldest of her species in captivity, having just turned 21 at Paignton Zoo. Curator of mammals Neil Bemment said: "Goeldi's usually live for between 18 and 20 years in zoos, so 21 is a very good innings." Kink was born at Apenhuel Primate Park, in the Netherlands in 1985 and was at Banham Zoo in Suffolk before coming to Paignton in June 1989. Gustl Anzenberger from Zurich University, the European species co-ordinator said: "She is the oldest living Goeldi's monkey now in any zoo in the world." She still has a little way PHILADELPHIA ZOO'S LARGE CAT EXHIBIT OPENS The "Big Cat Falls" exhibit is now open at America's first zoo. It's the first major new exhibit at the Philadelphia Zoo in seven years. State-of-the-art, 20 (m) million-dollar habitat is the new home for the zoo's 13 lions, tigers, pumas, jaguars and snow leopards. The one-point-seven-acre exhibit features five spacious outdoor areas for the big cats, who come face-to-face with visitors. When the cats are willing, visitors can play patty-cake with them against an inch-and-a-half-thick glass pane separating the natural predators from the public. The exhibit also preaches conservat http://www.kpvi.com/index.cfm?page=nbcheadlines.cfm&ID=33753 Sexless in zoo There are 163 zoos across the country that are foster homes to the king of the jungle and his subjects — elephants, leopards, bears, gibbons, zebras and a host of birds including love birds. And there is one thing common among many of them — forced celibacy. The plaintive mating calls of these lonely animals have now found an echo in the highest court of the land. The Supreme Court, on a petition filed by NGO People for Ethical Treatment to Animals, have sought responses from various authorities on why over 500 zoo animals in India have to lead an unattached life. PETA had contended before a Bench comprising Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal, just before the court closed for summer vacation, that this forced celibacy was against rule 37 of the Recognition of Zoo Rules, 1992. The rule states: "Every zoo http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1577099.cms Manchurian Tigers to Receive DNA Testing in NE China Breeding Center The Manchurian Tiger Park, the world's biggest artificial breeding center of tigers, will conduct DNA testing on 200 tigers this year to identify their pedigrees and prevent inbreeding. The park has already done DNA testing on more than 360 tigers and identified their pedigrees, said Wang Ligang, general manger of the park in Harbin, capital of Northeast China's Heilongjiang Province. The park began the practice in 2001 and in 2003 it cooperated with the wild animal testing center of the State Forestry Administration in doing so. It planned to identify every tiger above the age of one with DNA testing, according to Wang. Wang expects 100 more cubs this year, which will bring the number of tigers in the park to more than 700 by the end of the year. The park has more than 200 female http://english.nen.com.cn/74591976929886208/20060525/1923539.shtml HIV's Ancestry Traced to Wild Chimps Twenty-five years after the first AIDS cases emerged, scientists have confirmed that the HIV virus plaguing humans really did originate in wild chimpanzees, in a corner of Cameroon. Solving the mystery of HIV's ancestry was dirty work. Scientists employed trackers to plunge through dense jungle and collect the fresh feces of wild apes ¡ª more than 1,300 samples in http://english.nen.com.cn/74591981224853504/20060526/1924521.shtml Expert suggests changes in Mysore zoo `Simulate natural habitat of animals; camouflage enclosures' The Mysore Zoo is set for a makeover. It will be developed on a par with international zoos and for this, suggestions were sought from the former Director of Singapore Zoo, Bernard Harrison, who was here on Thursday. Executive director of Mysore Zoo, Manoj Kumar told The Hindu that Bernard Harrison was in Bannerghatta in connection with a workshop on redesigning. He invited Mr. Harrison to Mysore for an interaction and to seek his opinion that could be incorporated in the master plan for the Mysore Zoo that is in final stages of preparation. The master plan for Mysore Zoo is being conceived at the behest of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) with a 25-year perspective. Mr. Harrison was in the zoo http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/26/stories/2006052609520300.htm Zoo picks up 'ambassador' to raise interest in conservation ONE of Scotland's most senior bankers has been appointed "ambassador" for Edinburgh Zoo to promote the attraction's conservation work. John Spence, the former chief executive of Lloyds TSB Scotland, was last night named as the new president of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, the charity which http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=780032006 Pogo the gorilla, 48, dies at San Francisco Zoo Pogo, one of the world's oldest captive gorillas, died at the San Francisco Zoo with a tummy full of grapes and her cherished baby ape doll close by. The orphaned West Africa native was 48. She was found dead Wednesday in the heated sleeping chamber she shared with four other Western lowland gorillas. The younger apes were observing her when keeper Mary Kerr, who worked with Pogo for nearly three decades, discovered the body, zoo spokesman Alexander Winslow said Thursday. ''They knew she had passed away,'' he said. The 210-pound primate had arthritis, http://www.newspress.com/Top/Article/article.jsp?Section=OPINIONS-LETTERS&ID=564740856268456291 Zoo car park objector in charge of planners A DALTON councillor who opposed a car park plan for the town's zoo has been made chairman of Barrow Borough Council's planning committee. Conservative Councillor Gordon Murray survived an angry backlash during the recent town hall election campaign after he admitted voting against an application for an asphalt car park at South Lakes Wild Animal Park. He beat Labour's Chas Bell by just nine votes in his Dalton South seat, as the Conservatives scored a series of election successes. The Tories gained five seats on the council while Labour lost six seats and overall control. Cllr Bill Joughin took over http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=370268 Snow leopards melt hearts at Mountain Zoo LOVE was in the air yesterday as North Wales' first snow leopards got to know each other. Bosses at the Welsh Mountain Zoo, Colwyn Bay, are hoping new arrivals Otilia and Szechuan may breed. They were paired together after travelling from the furthest corners of Europe. Female Otilia was born in Tallinn Zoo, Estonia, on April 29 last year. Male Szechuan, born in Hungary's Szeged Zoo three days later, was playing hard to get in his new home as he is spending most of his time up a tree. The rare animals were chosen as a potential breeding pair for the zoo as part of a caref Gorilla numbers fall UGANDA risks running out of gorillas and monkeys for biomedical research, wildlife experts have said. Makerere University lecturer Prof. Gilbert Basuta on Friday said it was not clear where the country's primates were located or what their numbers were. "We do not know how far they go along the hill tops of Rwenzori or Bwindi, and whether they come back. Without these primates keeping here, I am afraid, biomedical research will be difficult, because we will not have anything on which to test or to use in studying diseases like HIV," he said. Basuta said this during a wildlife public dialogue at the Uganda Museum in Kampala. The dialogue, under the theme `Why should we respect and conserve the world's primates?', was organised by the Uganda Wildlife Authority. Basuta said people were not different from such primates, adding that they had more or less the same cognitive abilities. A wildlife conservation society research scientist, Dr. William Olupot, said, "Much as we receive about 50% revenue from tourism http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/13/499991 DM to set up Dhs10 million Visitor Centre at Wildlife Sanctuary Dubai Municipality will build a Dhs10 million Visitor Centre at the Ras Al Khor Wildlife Sanctuary to educate people on the UAE's biodiversity. The centre will also act as a comprehensive reference point for providing updated information on the country's environment. This was stated by Hamdan Al Shaer, Director of Environment Department at the municipality, on the sidelines of a one-day exhibition organised by the civic body to celebrate the International Bio-Diversity Day which falls on May 22 every year. This year, the day was observed worldwide under the banner "Protect Biodiversity in Dry Lands." The exhibition, organised in cooperation with the Environment and Protected Areas Authority of Sharjah showcasing specimen plants from the country's drylands, was inaugurated by Abdullah Rafia, Assistant Director General of Dubai Municipality for Environment and Public Health Affairs. Al Shaer said the proposed Visitors Centre, which would be located at the end-point of Ras Al Khor sanctuary, would consist of permanent exhibitions for the country's biodiversity including specimens of desert http://www.ameinfo.com/86838.html Steve Irwin influenced minister's croc safari ruling Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell has acknowledged flamboyant crocodile hunter Steve Irwin influenced his decision to reject a proposal for crocodile safari hunting in the Northern Territory. Senator Campbell has broken his silence on the issue after a month of ignoring the ABC's requests for an interview. He says he listened to Mr Irwin before turning down a proposal to let safari hunters shoot 25 crocs a year. The Minister says proponents of the idea and people http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200605/s1637414.htm Rare eagles diving toward extinction WEDGE-TAILED eagles are in serious trouble in Tasmania, says a wildlife refuge operator who specialises in raptors. Craig Webb, operator of the Raptor and Wildlife Refuge of Tasmania, said the species was looking down the barrel at extinction. There are only about 100 breeding pairs of the Tasmanian sub-species, which is the largest eagle in the nation, left in the wild. "They're in real trouble," Mr Webb said. can't sustain the current rate of mortality". He said a wedge-tailed eagle had been hit by a car while feeding on roadkill at Nubeena last week. "It had to be euthanased," Mr Webb said. Birds Tasmania chairman Eric Woehler said two wedge-tailed eagles had been killed at the Woolnorth wind farm in the state's north-west in the past two weeks. "It's not a good record," Dr Woehler said. Mr Webb is currently caring for two injured http://www.themercury.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,19128148%255E3462,00.html Former N.E.W Zoo Employee To Stand Trial For Theft The woman accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the N.E.W Zoo will stand trial. Wendy Johnson, the former operations manager for the zoo, was in Brown County Court Wednesday morning. A judge entered a not guilty plea for Johnson. She's accused of stealing nearly $95,000 from the zoo. She faces a single count of theft from a http://wfrv.com/topstories/local_story_144141320.html
22May2006 Captured tiger dies in zoo A tiger which was trapped in Panagudi village near Nagercoil and brought to the Arignar Anna Zoological Park (AAZP), Vandalur, on May 9, died at the zoo on Friday. The tiger was caught after it had killed a man and attacked goats of farmers who stayed close to the forest land in Panagudi. The tiger was around 15 years old and had injuries on its body when it was brought here. We tried our best to save it but he did not survive, K P N Perrumahl, Director of AAZP, said. Incidentally, the average life expectancy of the tigers in the wild is around 15 years. The doctors of the AAZP, along with two veterinarians from the Madras Veterinary College conducted postmortem of the tiger and the carcass was consigned to flames in the Zoo premises, the director added. The tiger was old and that was why it started targeting easy preys. It was also mauled by other animals in the wild and had deep injuries. We had provided it round-the http://www.newindpress.com/NewsItems.asp?ID=IE920060521133359&Page=9&Title=Chennai&Topic=0& Zoo Negara receives RM60,000 ExxonMobil Malaysia yesterday handed over RM60,000 to Zoo Negara, half of which will be used for the upkeep of three Malayan tigers that it adopted. The rest of the money would be used to sponsor an educational poster for the zoo. "We have printed 7,000 posters about the nocturnal animals in the zoo which will be mailed to schools in Peninsular Malaysia," said Dr Abu Hasan Samad, ExxonMobil medical adviser and country occupational health manager. He said this year the company had allocated about RM300,000 for various community projects. "We have about 20 community projects planned for this year, which will be carried out by our staff." At a ceremony yesterday http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/nst/Sunday/National/20060521084654/Article/index_html Zoo to debut $20 million Big Cat Falls If Philadelphia Zoo visitors are lucky, a glance up will bring them face to face with a gleaming-eyed, shadowy leopard poised silently overhead, watching. Not to worry: You will not be staring into the bright eyes of death. The leopard will simply be moving through an overhead "cat transfer chute" - a well-protected cat transfer chute - as it takes its own tour of the zoo's showy new Big Cat Falls exhibit, which will open Thursday. "I was there," said Gretchen Toner, zoo communications vice president, "and [my companion] Andy said, 'Look up!' One of the snow leopards was up there, just watching us. It was very cool - one of those unexpected moments you discover." The chutes are a special feature of the $20 million state-of-the-art exhibit that will give visitors a more intimate sense of wild cats than the nation's oldest zoo ever offered before. Bank of America Big Cat Falls is the first of three capital projects called Our Wildest Dreams, which the zoo intends to complete http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/news/local/14632427.htm Elephants 1, City of Toronto 0 When you take on two 3,500-kilogram elephants, it's pretty clear who's going to win. One of Michael Hackenberger's elephants relaxes at the Bowmanville Zoo. (CBC) And lucky for Michael Hackenberger, director and part owner of the Bowmanville Zoo, the logic also applies in court. Hackenberger and the Bowmanville Zoo were acquitted Wednesday on a charge of breaking a Toronto bylaw by having two elephants appear at a fundraiser in October. Had he been convicted of having prohibited animals within city boundaries, Hackenberger could have faced a fine of $10,000 per elephant or six months in jail. "We're just delighted with the decision," said Hackenberger, just after Justice of the Peace Kevin Madigan ruled for their acquittal at the Toronto court. But after the costly day-long trial, he said he would have "rather spent the day with elephants." The animals at the centre of the controversy are Limba and Caesar, two Asian elephants that live at the zoo about an hour east of Toronto. They were brought to Toronto's National Trade Centre for an "elephant encounter" during a University Health Network fundraiser on Oct. 29, 2005. Prominent lawyer Clayton Ruby argued that the bylaw prohibiting animals http://www.cbc.ca/story/canada/national/2006/05/17/elephant-bylaw.html Pachyderm won't pace to keep off pounds So far, it's only the trainers at the Alaska Zoo who seem to be breaking into a sweat. They've so far made little progress trying to coax Maggie, a somewhat cantankerous African elephant, onto the world's first treadmill for a pachyderm. For two months, Maggie's trainers have used her favorite treats -- watermelon, apples, carrots, peanuts in the shell, banana slices and sweet potatoes -- to entice the 8,000-pound elephant into exercising on the $100,000 piece of equipment. "She has two feet on the treadmill and has touched a third one on it," zoo director Pat Lampi said Tuesday. "Every six inches forward is a new goal. There are a lot of steps to go." Maggie's trainers and zoo staff aren't discouraged. "It is just a matter of getting that fourth foot up off the concrete floor," elephant trainer Rob Smith said. Maggie arrived at the zoo http://cnn.tv/2006/US/05/17/jumbo.treadmill.ap/ A Park Closure to Protect the Mountain Gorillas Authorities in Rwanda have announced that the "Parc national des volcans" (National Volcano Park) will soon be closed to stem the killing of endangered mountain gorillas, and prevent further destruction of the park forest. "We realised that there was no other way out of this problem. But, we're confident that the awareness campaigns and other projects will enable communities to become conscious of the need to protect their ecological surroundings," Rosette Rugamba, director of the Rwandan Office of Tourism and National Parks (l'Office rwandais du tourisme et des parcs nationaux, ORTPN), told IPS. About 380 gorillas live in the reserve, some 120 kilometres north of the capital, Kigali. Despite several initiatives to save the animals, they are still being hunted by poor communities living adjacent to the forest -- and also by poachers. The growing need for farm land and pasture often pushes local inhabitants to invade natural reserves and national parks. "The exploitation of local resources is particularly evident in the destruction of the park by communities in search of water and pasture...Combined with poaching, http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=33252 Latest recruits give zoo mammoth logistics task MORE than two years after they were acquired in Thailand, eight Asian elephants at the centre of a protracted custody battle are finally preparing to travel to new homes in Australia. It will be a long and tricky trip, though, involving a three-month stopover at the Cocos (Keeling) Islands quarantine station in the Indian Ocean. Taronga Zoo, which will take five of the elephants, is chartering one of the world's largest aircraft, a Russian Antonov An-124 freighter capable of carrying up to 130 tonnes, for the big lift. "Flights have still to be confirmed," said Mark Williams, spokesman for the zoo's so-called tusk force co-ordinating the operation. "But we hope to move the elephants from Thailand to Cocos some time in the next few weeks." The Antonov will return to deliver the elephants to Taronga and Melbourne zoos in early September. Taronga Zoo had hoped to have http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/05/14/1147545210707.html The cubby house THEY may look cute and cuddly, but this troublesome trio is always ready to wrestle in the backyard. It's what Annabelle Olsson and her family will miss most now they have taken the three lion cubs back to the zoo. Brothers Trooper and Tonka and their sister Bubbles had been living with the wildlife vet since they were born five months ago. They were delivered by caesarean section at the troubled Mareeba Wild Animal Park, in north Queensland. Veterinarians feared their mother would be unable to bond with them – and could even kill the trio. The decision was taken for Ms Olsson to hand-rear them and they soon became part of the family. "They had the run of the house and the yard and loved to sit on the bed and have cuddles just like lap cats," she told The Sunday Mail. "I was seen as their mum and the family became their pride. "I called them my hyper-active http://www.thesundaymail.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5936,19123846%255E2765,00.html Zoo director cleared of bylaw charges Elephant-sized inconvenience for zoo and judicial system, said Justice of the Peace It's not easy to miss an 8,000 lb. elephant. But that, argued well-known Toronto lawyer Clayton Ruby, is exactly what a Toronto bylaw inspector did last October, when he laid charges against Bowmanville Zoo and its director and part owner Michael Hackenberger for having elephants Caesar and Limba in the city. The work of the inspector, Peter Freeman, left a lot to be desired, said Mr. Ruby. "I describe his actions as being like the quality of inspection you'd expect of Inspector Clouseau," said Mr. Ruby. "This is a man who managed to overlook an 8,000-pound elephant. This is a man who, when there were five (four-by-six-foot green information) signs, could only http://www.durhamregion.com/dr/regions/clarington/story/3502761p-4047447c.html Woo ... The Zoo is cool Lying on a giant hammock in the warm morning sun, Anita stares dreamily into space, blithely ignoring the calls beckoning her over. Even with the lure of food, she refuses to leave the comfort of her sanctuary, which is perched about two storeys above the ground. She knows no one can touch her there. Anita, you see, is a 21-year-old orang utan at the Singapore Zoo. Thanks to the new free-ranging facility - the first in the world - Anita can now hang out, literally, on 24m-tall trees with her 23 primate pals. It is the brainchild of Robert Kwan, executive chairman of the park's parent company, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS), which also runs the Night Safari and Jurong BirdPark. One day, while taking one of his regular "surveillance" walks around the Zoo, an idea came to him as he observed the orang utans in their spacious yet artificial enclosure. Since these were tame arboreal creatures, would it be possible to let them roam freely in a real forest setting instead? Kwan, or Bob as he is affectionately called, http://www.asianewsnet.net/lifestyle.php?aid=1491 Replacement gorilla dies on trip from Memphis to Erie Zoo A male gorilla died while being transported from the Memphis Zoo to one in Erie, Pennsylvania. Tumai, a 21-year-old lowland gorilla, died during a flight Thursday. The body was taken to the Cleveland Zoo, where a necropsy was scheduled Friday. Officials said he just stopped breathing while under sedation during the trip. Tumai was going to replace a 49 http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=4928065 Philly Zoo set to open new $20 million big cat exhibit Thirteen big cats - from a rare black jaguar to a trio of young snow leopards -are enjoying spacious new digs in the city after some time away "vacationing" at other zoos. Philadelphia Zoo next week will formally open its new $20 million habitat, which is designed to give the animals a more natural setting and visitors a more intimate experience. The exhibit also preaches conservation, using interactive games, video clips and other tools to describe the threats humans pose to big-cat species around the world. "Its intent is really gut level, for people to look at how beautiful and intense and amazing these animals really are, so they'll want to do something to save big cats," said Andrew Baker, the zoo's senior vice president of animal programs. When the cats are willing, visitors can play patty-cake with them against a 1 1/2-inch-thick glass pane that is the only thing separating the natural predators from the public. Zenda, a playful, 273-pound African lion, took the bait Thursday, bounding over when a child appeared and patting its thick paws http://www.centredaily.com/mld/centredaily/news/local/14618331.htm Human Ancestors May Have Interbred With Chimpanzees When the ancestors of human beings and the ancestors of chimpanzees parted ways 6.3 million years ago, it was probably a very long goodbye. Some of their descendants may even have gone back for a final tryst. That is the conclusion a group of scientists has reached, using a comparison of the genes of humans and their closest animal relatives to sketch a picture of human origins far more detailed than what fossil bones have revealed. According to the new theory, chimps and humans shared a common apelike ancestor much more recently than was thought. Furthermore, when the two emerging species split from each other, it was not a clean break. Some members of the two groups seem to have interbred about 1.2 million years after they first diverged -- before going their separate ways for good. If this theory proves correct, it will mean modern people are descended from something akin to chimp-human hybrids. That http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/17/AR2006051702158.html Southern Indiana zoo to build $11.1 million rain forest exhibit Officials in Evansville, Indiana have approved an eleven (m) million dollar contract for an Amazonian rain forest exhibit at the city's Mesker Park Zoo. Zoo Director Dan McGinn calls the decision by the Parks Board "the biggest day in the history of the zoo." In March, the board rejected project bids after post-Hurricane Katrina construction spikes and skyrocketing fuel costs pushed them all well over the engineer's cost projection. Zoo officials scaled down the project http://www.wkyt.com/Global/story.asp?S=4921814&nav=4CAL Zoo hopes admission will help curb animal abuse It started with the gum they found in the meerkat's fur. It wasn't the first time staff at the Racine Zoo had dealt with visitors mistreating the animals. They've witnessed some, mostly unsupervised minors under the age of 16, throwing rocks and sticks at the animals. Then there's the vandalism. The zoo finally had to get rid of its prairie dog exhibit because it was too costly to keep replacing whenever it was vandalized. The zoo staff decided they needed some help after a visitor riding through the zoo on his bicycle became belligerent when asked to walk his bike. It wasn't an easy situation and it's become a problem http://www.journaltimes.com/nucleus/index.php?itemid=5703 Bears Eat Monkey in Front of Zoo Visitors Bears killed and ate a monkey in a Dutch zoo in front of horrified visitors, witnesses and the zoo said Monday. In the incident Sunday at the Beekse Bergen Safari Park, several Sloth bears chased the Barbary macaque into an electric fence, where it was stunned. The park confirmed the killing in a statement, saying: "In an area where Sloth bears, great apes and Barbary macaques have coexisted peacefully for a long time, the harmony was temporarily disturbed during opening hours on Sunday." Witness Marco Berelds posted a detailed report on the incident, including photos, on a Dutch Web site. He said one Sloth bear tried unsuccessfully to shake the monkey loose after it took refuge on the structure, built of crossing horizontal and vertical poles. The bear then brought the animal http://www.localnewsleader.com/olberlin/stories/index.php?action=fullnews&id=187855
13May2006 Thirty-four rare pond turtles have been returned to Vietnam in what a conservationist said Saturday was the first time that smuggled wildlife was repatriated to the country. The turtles - two rescued from a market in Hong Kong and 32 others born into captivity there - were flown Wednesday to Vietnam aboard a Cathay Pacific flight and will eventually be released into the wild. The two turtles were believed to have been caught in the marshes of Quang Nam Province in 1999 and were found for sale in a Hong Kong market. They were turned over to the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden of Hong Kong where they http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1501AP_Vietnam_Turtles_Return.html Girl throws party for zoo parrot A schoolgirl threw a birthday party for a parrot in a zoo in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province. Pei Yidan went to the Bird Zoo with her mother on Friday to celebrate the parrot's 8th birthday. She brought a http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2006-05/09/content_585028.htm Monkey find may establish new family of primates A rare and reclusive African monkey discovered last year is believed to belong to an entirely new family of primates - the first such find for 83 years. Scientists originally thought the monkey, named Rungwecebus kipunji after Mount Rungwe in Tanzania, was a type of mangabey from the genus Lophocebus. However, a more detailed genetic analysis of the animal showed its close connection to baboons. William Stanley, of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago, writes in the journal Science today: "This is exciting news http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1773043,00.html Zoo rebrand to encourage visitors Jersey's Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust is to drop the name Jersey Zoo to try to get more people to visit. The number of locals and holiday-makers visiting the site in Trinity has fallen year on year, which is being put down to a decline in tourism. The trust said it hoped to attract more corporate sponsors and staging new events, including starting new http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/jersey/4760633.stm PETA plea to protect zoo bred animals People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has urged the authorities to take adequate steps to protect the animals in zoos across the country. In a statement issued here, the PETA said it had filed a case in the Supreme Court on the deplorable state of zoos in the country and the deplorable condition of the inmates. The court had also ordered notice to the authorities concerned. The organisation said it approached the court after conducting a study in 30 zoos NO TRACE OF RARE MONKEYS SNATCHED BY ZOO RAIDERS More than 30 rare monkeys which have been stolen from Westcountry zoos over the past few years are still missing, investigators have revealed. Several dozen have been stolen from across the region over the past two or three years, including two raids on the Shaldon Wildlife Trust, near Teignmouth, in 2004, when 15 of the animals were stolen. John Hayward, a former police officer who runs the National Theft Register for Exotic Animals, said the thefts were among a number happening across the country at around that time in which more than 40 primates - worth up to £100,000 on the black market - had been stolen. Some of the monkeys have been Zoo director `goes ape' over animal's death A monkey died at the Lahore Zoo on Friday, following the three tigers that died in April, sources in the Lahore Zoo told Daily Times on Friday. Sources said a chinkara, a locally endangered deer species, would also die because of a broken neck and leg. From 2005 to May 2006, 18 animals have died at the zoo, especially because of the unavailability of proper medical facilities. Lahore Zoo Director Yousaf Pal said the monkey that had died had been donated by a man six months ago. The monkey was running a temperature some days ago, after which he fell victim to severe itching and started losing his hair. Lahore Zoo Deputy Director Dr Saleem Nasir said the monkey was paralysed a couple of days ago, after which he died. He said there could be several re http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\05\13\story_13-5 Tiger's death leaves zoo staff stunned Auckland Zoo's only tiger, Nisha, died yesterday, just months before getting a new mate. The Sumatran tiger, one of Auckland Zoo's most popular attractions, died after suffering what staff believe was a stroke. The 9-year-old tiger had been unwell for the past month but staff had been unable to pinpoint the problem. However, her lungs and liver were found to be riddled with what are believed to be cancerous growths. Auckland Zoo communications and promotions co-ordinator Jane Healy said Nisha had been treated with antibiotics for a cough and eye problem and her appetite had been monitored daily for the http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=1&ObjectID=10381616 Grizzly-polar bear cross found in Arctic Bear shot by American trophy hunter had white fur mottled with brown A DNA test has confirmed what zoologists, hunters and aboriginal trackers in the far northern reaches of Canada have dreamed of for years: the first documented case of a grizzly-polar bear in the wild. Roger Kuptana, an Inuit tracker from the Northwest Territories, suspected the American hunter he was guiding had shot a hybrid bear after noticing its white fur was spotted brown and it had the long claws and slightly humped back of a grizzly. Territorial officials seized the bear's body and a DNA test from Wildlife Genetics International, a lab in British Columbia, confirmed the hybrid
8May2006 Tarzan movie chimpanzee Cheeta turns 74 Cheeta the chimp, star of a dozen Tarzan movies in the 1930s and 1940s, celebrated his 74th birthday with sugar-free cake. Although healthy and active, Cheeta is diabetic. "He had a good time. The party went real good," said keeper Dan Westfall, operator of the primate sanctuary Creative Habitats and Enrichment for Endangered and Threatened Apes, or CHEETA. Representatives from a Spanish film festival also showed up for Sunday's party to present Cheeta with the first award of his career, an International Comedy Film Festival of Peniscola prize. Cheeta has been recognized by Complaints raise warning flags about zoo conditions (Horrific reading - Peter's note) The inhumane treatment of animals in the country's zoos is cause for concern, according to visitors' complaints sent to the Greater Amman Municipality (GAM) and the Humane Centre for Animal Welfare (HCAW). The complaints, seen by The Jordan Times, expressed anger about what one visitor referred to as "horrendous sights" at local zoos. Among the complaints listed were poor feeding, physical abuse and a lack of proper medical supervision. "The animals in these zoos are in a miserable state," stated Walid Bakri. "Most are starving, some are severely wounded and everywhere we turned not one zookeeper showed the slightest bit of care," his letter continued. Another complaint read: "My children and I witnessed one of the zookeepers savagely beat animals to force them to submit to what appeared to be a display of entertainment... It was more than disturbing behaviour for us to witness." An investigation conducted by The Jordan Times at three zoos in the Amman area revealed various violations of national and international animal rights laws. Veterinarians who inspected the mentioned sites confirmed that the majority of animals were suffering from extreme hunger and showed signs of physical weakness and fatigue. A wide variety of animals, particularly http://www.jordantimes.com/mon/homenews/homenews2.htm Zoo park told footpath must stay An animal park has been told it cannot re-route an ancient footpath which runs between wild animal enclosures. Howletts had been given permission by Canterbury City Council to re- route the path round the 95-acre Kent zoo park. But a planning inquiry was held after objections from the Ramblers' Association and inspector Helen Slade overturned the diversion order. "The proposed diversion would present several serious disadvantages to the public," her judgement said. Inconvenient for Howletts Ms Slade said re-routing the path would be inconvenient for walkers, as well as spoiling enjoyment and raising health and safety issues. "I am aware that failing to http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/kent/4981786.stm Residents vote to replace Marineland's dolphins Napier residents have launched a battle to replace Marineland's dolphins, despite earlier indications that the Government would not support the move. More than 300 people who jammed a public meeting on Saturday voted overwhelmingly to lobby for the dolphins' replacement, and by last night had gathered about 2000 signatures for a petition they plan to present next month at Parliament. However, Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott said replacing the dolphins would burden ratepayers with at least $15 million in compliance and permit costs – money badly needed for other projects. She favoured a private adventure tourism business – similar to Kaikoura's whale-watching industry – to celebrate Hawke's Bay's plentiful dolphin population. "I think there's a better way now http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3660751a11,00.html China introduces polar wolf species from Canada Seven polar wolves imported from Canada have become a new tourist magnet in a safari replica of the polar world in Dalian, a port city in northeast China's Liaoning Province. It is the first time the endangered species has come to China. The pack of wolves arrived at the park on Friday and are now settled in an enclosure at the park with three concrete walls and one glass wall. The park said that it plans to use artificial breeding technology to help propagate the http://onlypunjab.com/fullstory2k5-insight-polar+wolf+species-status-8-newsID-99839.html Baby dragons born after mysterious pregnancy Sungai`s four babies live far away from their mother and their father is unknown, but will soon look just like their biological parents. They have been the first of their kind to be born in Europe, at least after dinosaurs extinguished, leaving Komodo dragons as their closest ancestors in a remote Indonesian island. The biggest still existing terrestrial reptiles, able to hunt animals as big as deers, these animals are amongst the most endangered species, and their reproduction needs to be monitored carefully in order to avoid incestuous matings. That`s why new mother Sungai had been separated from her male cousin Kinaam and later sent on a blind date from the French wildlife park of Thoiry, near Paris, to the London zoo, where she was supposed to meet her partner to be. But as soon as she arrived to her new temporary home in the U.K., the young dragon laid some fertilized eggs. Her new husband Rajah could have got jealous of Sungai`s former boyfriend, but the last time the two cousins had been together in the same place was two years beforehand, when they were still too young to mate. Days after Sungai`s four babies came out of their eggs in London, experts are trying to investigate their mysterious conception, which http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=292744&ssid=68&sid=LIF Honolulu Zoo criticized in accreditation report The Honolulu Zoo's accreditation has been put on hold amid concerns about staffing and its --quote-- ``unkempt and cluttered'' --unquote-- overall look. The American Zoo and Aquarium Association also says the savannah exhibit had broken glass, and that some exhibits are antiquated. In response, the city has tripled the maintenance budget to one-point- five (m) million dollars and filled vacancies. Accreditation Commission Chairman Dennis Pate says the zoo needs to improve its maintenance and provide opportunities for staff professional development. He praised the zoo for its new construction, professionalism and http://www.kpua.net/news.php?id=8197 Vast tourist's paradise along Dubai-Al Ain highway soon Some seven million square feet of land on the Dubai-Al Ain highway would soon be transformed into a tourist's paradise, as Dubailand has announced the signing of an agreement with Al Suwaidani group to implement The Western City project along the highway. The project will include hotels, villas, farms, zoo, theatre, rodeo show- grounds, stables, shops, restaurants, a horse riding training centre and car parks et al. The agreement Tiger Escapes Varna Zoo A tiger has managed to escape its cell in the Varna zoo, on the Black Sea coast. Soon after that, however, the beast was caught and fetched back to its house, local media informed. The Varna zoo is located literally on the premises of the unique Sea Garden of the city, where http://www.novinite.com/view_news.php?id=63097 Byculla Zoo authorities asked to improve conditions Authorities have rushed to Mumbai's Byculla Zoo and asked for steps to improve the living conditions of the animals. This was following an expose by CNBC-TV18's investigative show Uncovered last Friday. Some of the conditions reported in the show shocked Mumbai's Additional Municipal Commissioner Subrat Ratho who visited the zoo after a letter from an animal rights organisation. "Visitors come here from all over the state..then there's teasing or heckling of animals.. we http://www.moneycontrol.com/india/newsarticle/stocksnews.php?autono=189482 Silly to predict their demise Starling conclusion to say they will disappear within 25 years and surprise to many researchers Tim Flannery is one of Australia's best-known scientists and authors. That doesn't mean what he says is correct or accurate. That was clearly demonstrated when he recently ventured into the subject of climate change and polar bears. Climate change is threatening to drive polar bears into extinction within 25 years, according to Flannery. That is a startling conclusion and certainly is a surprising revelation to the polar bear researchers who work here and to the people who live here. We really had no idea. The evidence for French Kangaroos? Locals near Emance, France have chuckled about their kangaroo population for years. Escapees thirty years ago from a local wildlife park, the small kangaroos--wallabies, to be precise--have built up a 50- strong community in the Rambouillet Forest. Kangaroos end up in more far-flung places than you'd expect: a motorcyclist hit a kangaroo in the Netherlands a few years back, and in 2003 police fielded hundreds of strange calls when a circus escapee started hopping around the streets of Vienna. Guess he must love Sacher torte. But back in Rambouillet Forest, the French and the little 'roos lived happily ever after; until insurance claims enter the picture. A concerned Sydney newspaper recently reported about Emance residents whose insurance claims were rejected by French insurance companies. Sensibly, the company thought a collision with a kangaroo was an unlikely occurrence a mere hour away from Paris. What's happening in the world? If we're not careful, there'll be grizzlies in the http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/5/2/121147/6833 USDA critical of zoo in deaths of polar bears The U.S. Department of Agriculture has issued preliminary findings critical of the Saint Louis Zoo following the deaths of two polar bears within a five-week period in 2005. Zoo president and chief executive Jeffrey Bonner said Friday the zoo received the preliminary report in the last week. He would not discuss specifics but said the report is critical of the zoo. He said the zoo would send a letter to USDA next week stating its plans to respond. "We are not in general agreement," he said. "We http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/local/14512258.htm Claws out: rumble in urban jungle AS THE city's newest animal attraction prepares to open, conservationists say there is no room in this town for two zoos. Bradley Trevor Grieve, governor of Taronga's fundraising arm, said the zoo at Sydney Aquarium would severely affect Taronga's revenue. "Suddenly here is this upstart attraction stealing a lot of the audience for an inferior experience," Mr Greive said. "The core costs of any zoo remains the same - the animals have to be fed and the staff have to be paid. Ultimately it's going to [affect] the number of programs and the number of quality http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2006/05/05/1146335930406.html Hippopotamus swallows ball, dies at Biblical Zoo A hippopotamus at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo died of intestinal obstruction on Friday after swallowing a rubber ball that had been kicked into the hippopotamus pool by careless visitors, Israel http://www.jpost.com/servlet/Satellite?cid=1145961284608&pagename=JPost/JPArticle/ShowFull City takes control of zoo's primate center The Jakarta administration is getting ready to operate the Schmutzer Primate Center as the operator, the Gibbon Foundation of Switzerland, is satisfied it is now complete. "We have accomplished building the center with all its supporting facilities. Now, we are ready to hand it over to the city administration," said the head of the foundation, Willy Smits. The foundation started to build the center, which is located within Ragunan Zoo in South Jakarta, in 2000. The center was built with money bequeathed by Puck Schmutzer, herself a primate lover, who hoped Indonesians would come to respect and see the beauty in the country's primates. As of its last delivery of assets Monday, it has delivered a total of Rp 44.9 billion (US$5 million) in assets, ra http://www.thejakartapost.com/yesterdaydetail.asp?fileid=20060503.G04 No plans for local zoo The Malta Environment Planning Authority (MEPA) has never received any applications for a local zoo. This was stated by Minister George Pullicino during a parliamentary sitting on Wednesday. In response to Stefan Buontempo¡¯s parliamentary question regarding whether any interested parties had presented an apllication to open a zoo since the setting up of MEPA, Minister Pullicino answered negatively. The only animals in zoo-like state in Malta are the dolphins at the Mediterreaneo in Bahar ic-Ca©¤aq. San Anton gardens used to house animals http://www.maltamedia.com/news/2005/ln/article_9882.shtml House reinstates $4M zoo grant Badly-needed funds will keep financiall-troubled facility in operation Legislation reinstating a badly needed $4 million grant for the Detroit Zoo was approved by the House on Wednesday. The money is part of a supplemental spending bill for the current fiscal year, containing a host of added state spending items and recommended by Gov. Jennifer Granholm. The House made changes in the bill, which already had passed the Senate, so it must return there for final approval. Lawmakers originally had approved the $4 million grant in December, but made their action contingent on an agreement by the Detroit City Council to give control of zoo http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060504/METRO/605040415 Dallas Zoo Re-Opens Gorilla Exhibit The Dallas Zoo is almost finished with a $2 million renovation. On Wednesday, for the first time in 2 years, since Jabari the gorilla escaped and attacked several people, visitors were able to look at the gorilla exhibit. This is the first time the animals have been let loose in 6 months. They had been inside while the renovation project was underway. "It's taken us a long time to do it," said Dallas Zoo director Rich Buickerood. "It's been under construction for two years." "I never thought it was unsafe to begin with. I think it was a freak accident," said Kim Vance, a zoo http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_123173654.html Saskatoon Zoo takes first step in $2.1M expansion plan The Saskatoon Zoo and Forestry Farm park has announced its most ambitious expansion plan ever. The fundraising campaign, The Cameco Who's Whoo at the Zoo Campaign, aims to raise $2.1 million to develop an education centre, a bear exhibit, Phase 2 of the PotashCorp ark, the Raptor Flight Rehabilitation and Conservation Centre and an accessible park playground. Mayor Don Atchison announced the city will also donate $1.3 million to visitor services at the zoo. "People need to understand this is the only zoo we have in the province of Saskatchewan," he said. The zoo is not only a tourist attraction, but also a national heritage Chimpanzee attack causes West African chaos Pflugerville resident Gary Brown hasn't been able to sleep because of the trauma he witnessed Sunday in a West African rain forest. Brown was working in Freetown, Sierra Leone installing communication systems for the new U.S. Embassy. He faced a life or death situation when his sight-seeing group was ambushed by a huge chimpanzee. "This thing was on a rampage and it acted like it wanted to kill everyone of us and it had hatred in it's eyes," Brown said. Brown and four other men were touring the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary when an abnormally large chimpanzee charged their station wagon. It crashed through the window http://www.news8austin.com/content/your_news/default.asp?ArID=160615 Most chimps return after Africa attack Most of the chimpanzees that fled a preserve and mauled a group of sightseers have returned, but the leader is still on the loose "out on the hills," the sanctuary's director said Saturday. In all, 31 chimpanzees escaped two weeks ago by using sticks to get out through a sliding metal door, said Balasingam Amarasekeran, head of the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary outside Freetown. The chimps then attacked a taxicab of tourists, killing the driver and ripping his body apart. Another Sierra Leonean man lost his hand in the mauling on April 23. Three Americans were treated for minor injuries. Twenty-one of the chimps have returned, but the oldest, Bruno, is "still out on the hills" with nine others, said Amarasekeran. "We expect Bruno to be the last to return," he said. "We never thought they could use sticks to destroy" the door, Amarasekeran said. "We are dealing http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1501AP_Sierra_Leone_Chimp_Attack.html
2May2006 Zoo nominated for business award A Devon zoo has been short-listed for a national award for best practice in their business operations. Paignton Zoo was nominated for the British Hospitality Association's Business Excellence Awards after saving £11,000 a year on its water bill. The awards recognise the adoption of ideas, tools and techniques that measurably improves business. Ian Turner, from the zoo, said they had made economies without hiring in outside consultants. He said: "We are a good example of best practice because we have implemented a system http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4960804.stm China Seizes Hundreds of Bear Paws, Pangolins Chinese police have seized hundreds of bear paws and dead pangolins that smugglers had injected with tranquillisers, the online edition of the official Yunnan Daily said on Thursday. Police in the southwestern province of Yunnan announced on Sunday that 20 members of a ring smuggling endangered animals had been arrested, the Web site of the Yunnan provincial government mouthpiece said. Investigators seized 278 bear paws and 416 pangolins that had been smuggled by truck or train from Yunnan to three neighbouring provinces over a period of 45 days from December to January. Ring members injected the pangolins with tranquillisers to prevent them from making noise during transport, the daily said, quoting the Spring City Evening News. The provincial public security department and forest police reached by telephone declined to comment. Bear's paw is a Chinese delicacy http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/36168/story.htm Hyena Mothers Give Their Cubs A Helpful Dose Of Hormones Among spotted hyenas, being a supermom is less about packing lunches, and more about packing a hormonal punch that gives her cubs a powerful head start. In a study appearing in the April 26 edition of the international science journal Nature, Michigan State University zoology professor Kay Holekamp and her former graduate student Stephanie Dloniak along with Jeffrey French from the University of Nebraska, report http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/04/060426173221.htm Flock of Endangered Birds Found A flock of one of the world's most endangered birds _ the white- shouldered ibis _ has been discovered in a remote province in northeast Cambodia, a conservationist said Monday. A flock of between 20 and 30 white-shouldered ibis, a critically endangered species with only 250 existing in the wild, was found in a protected wetland in Stung Treng province, said ecological adviser Kong Kimsreng of the Mekong Wetland Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use project. The flock was first found during a survey last November in the province, 150 miles northeast of Phnom Penh. Their presence was confirmed in a follow-up in March, Kong Kimsreng said. The flock did not appear to have http://www.happynews.com/news/4282006/Cambodia-Flock-of-Endangered-Birds-Found.htm Zoo nominated for business award A Devon zoo has been short-listed for a national award for best practice in their business operations. Paignton Zoo was nominated for the British Hospitality Association's Business Excellence Awards after saving £11,000 a year on its water bill. The awards recognise the adoption of ideas, tools and techniques that measurably improves business. Ian Turner, from the zoo, said they had made economies without hiring in outside consultants. He said: "We are a good example of best practice because we have implemented a system http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/devon/4960804.stm A Significant Honour for Mysore Zoo The Mysore zoo reckoned to be among the most prestigious in the country is poised to make a major departure from its primary objective of providing conservation education, and will embark on scientific research and species conservation. The shift in its key objective is at the behest of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA) which suggested that Sri Chamarajendra Zoological Gardens, which is better known as Mysore zoo, take up research on species conservation and establish a separate cell exclusively for the purpose. Mysore zoo, which was established in 1892 and is among the oldest zoological gardens in the world, has an ongoing programme of captive breeding of endangered species like the Lion tailed macaque and the Indian bison or the Gaur. But these were not regular, as its primary objective as indicated in its mission statement was to educate the Zoo, forest staff on trail of runaway leopard Twenty hours have lapsed. There is still no sign of the leopard, which escaped from Binkadkatte Zoo in Gadag district on Sunday. Twenty hours have lapsed. There is still no sign of the leopard, which escaped from Binkadkatte Zoo in Gadag district on Sunday. Special squads have been constituted and sent in various directions to trace the carnivore which is still at large. The leopard was housed in the zoo after it strayed into a school in Hubli on April 1. Since then, it had been behaving http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/may22006/state233218200651.asp Missing black bear of Delhi Zoo spotted after two months It's official. The "missing" female Himalayan black bear at Delhi zoo has finally been spotted. Alive and well, the bear was captured on closed-circuit television cameras installed at the entrance of the cave on April 23, putting to rest all speculations about the animal having escaped from the enclosure or died. The bear had not been spotted in its enclosure since February 22. According to zoo officials, the bear had only disappeared into one of the tunnels in the enclosed space that she shared with one male and two other females. "This is a quite normal in the http://www.hindu.com/2006/05/01/stories/2006050114400400.htm Zoo staff take protest to town hall MAKING A POINT: Supporters of South Lakes Wild Animal Park protest outside Barrow Town Hall before last night's full council meeting waving zoo staff protested last night at a council decision not to allow an asphalt car park at the Dalton tourist attraction. Barrow Borough Council's planning committee refused an application for the car park at South Lakes Wild Animal Park and http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=359407 Councillor stands firm despite call to oust him EPICENTRE OF THE ROW: Zoo boss David Gill on the controversial car park at his South Lakes Wild Animal Park A COUNCILLOR is standing firm in the face of a campaign by zoo staff to oust him at the elections. Gordon Murray is facing a backlash after voting against an application for an asphalt car park at South Lakes Wild Animal Park in Dalton. Cllr Murray is one of eight councillors who admits voting against the plan on March 21. He is up for re-election on May 4. Zoo staff are protesting against Barrow Borough Council planning committee's decision and are set to attend polling stations on election day. They said Cllr Murray was their main target. Cllr Murray added fuel to the fire at http://www.nwemail.co.uk/news/viewarticle.aspx?id=360138 New elephant exhibit opens The next time you go to the zoo there's a new exhibit to check out. Rochester's African elephants, Genny C and Lilac, now have a new place to call home. On Thursday Monroe County Executive Maggie Brooks and the zoo SpokesKids cut the ribbon for the opening of the new African elephant exhibit. "I think the elephants will love it hear and have a happy home just like in the wild," said Seneca Park Zoo SpokesKid Jacob Reynolds. "I think it would make the elephants more happy. It's bigger for them," said Seneca Park Zoo SpokesKid Tyler Ray. Monroe County invested more than $4 million into the new http://www.10nbc.com/index.asp?template=item&story_id=18587 I can save zoo, says businessman A BOLTON-born businessman says he is still hopeful he can save a zoo, despite it closing its doors on Sunday. Danny Bamping says he has raised the £1 million he needs to buy Dartmoor Wildlife Park and hopes owner Ellis Daw, who is retiring, will accept his offer later this week. Mr Bamping, who grew up in Bromley Cross but now lives near Plymouth, has been fascinated by big cats since childhood and is the founder of the British Big Cats Society. He hopes to buy the zoo Ugandan zoo says farewell to Big Mama Wildlife authorities said on Wednesday they had been forced to euthanize "Big Mama," a giant 52-year-old Nile crocodile that had been a star attraction at a Ugandan zoo for nearly half a century. Keepers at the Uganda Wildlife Education Centre in Entebbe, south of the capital, put down the ailing reptile at the weekend after determining that a illness it had been suffering from since last year was terminal, they said. "The crocodile had been ill for a very long time," Uganda Wildlife Authority chief Moses Mapesa said. "For several months it had not been moving or feeding itself. "We tried to treat it but it didn't http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?set_id=1&click_id=68&art_id=qw1146117425381U253 Rare animals coming to Lahore Zoo A US-based veterinary doctor will donate 22 rare animals to Lahore Zoo, sources told Daily Times. Sources said Dr Riaz H Khan wanted to donate seven Muntjac Deer, two pairs of Alpacas, two pairs of Boer Goats and three pairs of Emus. The Wildlife Department is likely to approve the offer in the next few days and has asked Dr Khan for the pedigree and health certificates of the animals and has offered to pay for their transportation from the US to Lahore. A letter (No MGT/18(SICK)2006) addressed to Punjab Wildlife Director General Imtiaz Tajwar says, "The offer is excellent and Lahore Zoo requires these animals urgently," adding that the zoo would have to spend millions of rupees to buy the animals. Sources said all the animals were rare and no Pakistani zoo had had them. They said all the http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2006\04\28%5Cstory_28-4-2006_pg13_3 |
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