Zoo News Digest 22nd July 2017 (ZooNews 963)
Peter Dickinson
elvinhow@gmail.com
Dear Colleague,
The big news this week is the AZA inviting Wayne Pacelle the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States to give a keynote address spot at the group’s annual meeting in September. This has stirred up people to such a degree that there are talks of boycott and resigning AZA membership. Is his talk a good idea? Judging by the reactions I think not. I am all for listening to the other side of the story, any story, and base my opinions on this and so which may even change from time to time. There are other times though when I really can't be bothered. I believe Wayne Pacelle is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Thinking back I could actually have predicted that something like this was going to happen...only it seemed too ridiculous. The wolf has been making some slightly pro AZA statements in the press for a little while now and now we know why....so he could sneak in the back door of the hen house.
I am not a fan of
Dade City's Wild Things or of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in
Oklahoma but I am no friend of PETA either. Just how can a Federal Judge order
an inspection by PETA ‘experts’???? This is so stupid as to be unbelievable. This would be the same as allowing the Born Free Foundation a legal right to inspect British Zoos. I am not against either organisation visiting any zoo anywhere and voicing opinion but neither group contains experts and so that opinion is hardly legally valid. From a personal point of view I don't think Dade or Wynnewood should actually exist. Playing with tigers is wrong, pulling them from their parents is wrong, breeding them is wrong, I mean is a single one of these tigers on an official studbook anywhere? What is the contribution to conservation?
The really important news which should be top on the internet is Vietnam closing all the Bear Bile Farms. This is a tremendous victory for Animals Asia but at the same time a massive headache. If there ever was a need for an animal charity in need of funds for building new housing then it is now. It would be gratifying if the HSUS, PETA and the Born Free Foundation all put their hands into their overflowing coffers and made a contribution to a project which really matters. I have visited both of the Animals Asia rescue centres...one in China and one in Vietnam and cannot praise too highly the quality of both accommodation and care the bears receive. The staff too are excellent.
I was looking back
at links I have posted over just the past four years. Just because a story
disappears from the media does not mean that it no longer exists, been shelved
or has gone away. Granted that this CAN be the case but I hear things that
never reach the press. There are some extremely disturbing zoo news stories
just waiting to be told. As they say "it will all come out in the
wash". Do you not wonder about zoos who were hugging the media who all of
a sudden say nothing at all for years? It isn't normal, especially if they are
commercial.
So they say that
Cairo Zoo is dropping into neglect. I have only ever had a single zoo person
say anything in praise of this collection. I have met a few who have worked
there and all seemed happy to have escaped. I did visit once, it was a Tuesday
and so the place was closed. This left me wandering around the perimeter
looking in. I was not impressed. If all goes well I will visit again this
year…avoiding Tuesday and the weekend.
Have you noticed
that over the past five years or so that zoos are as likely to publish stories
of animals dying as they are about births?
So the strike at the
National Zoo in Pretoria is over. A bit quicker than Toronto. No details of the
settlement. Did the strikers win? How many if any were dismissed? Lots of
questions there. Sadly the situation of the Daily Wage Keepers in India just goes
on and on and on.
Lots of interesting
links follow.
Dear Colleague,
The big news this week is the AZA inviting Wayne Pacelle the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States to give a keynote address spot at the group’s annual meeting in September. This has stirred up people to such a degree that there are talks of boycott and resigning AZA membership. Is his talk a good idea? Judging by the reactions I think not. I am all for listening to the other side of the story, any story, and base my opinions on this and so which may even change from time to time. There are other times though when I really can't be bothered. I believe Wayne Pacelle is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Thinking back I could actually have predicted that something like this was going to happen...only it seemed too ridiculous. The wolf has been making some slightly pro AZA statements in the press for a little while now and now we know why....so he could sneak in the back door of the hen house.
The big news this week is the AZA inviting Wayne Pacelle the CEO of the Humane Society of the United States to give a keynote address spot at the group’s annual meeting in September. This has stirred up people to such a degree that there are talks of boycott and resigning AZA membership. Is his talk a good idea? Judging by the reactions I think not. I am all for listening to the other side of the story, any story, and base my opinions on this and so which may even change from time to time. There are other times though when I really can't be bothered. I believe Wayne Pacelle is a wolf in sheeps clothing. Thinking back I could actually have predicted that something like this was going to happen...only it seemed too ridiculous. The wolf has been making some slightly pro AZA statements in the press for a little while now and now we know why....so he could sneak in the back door of the hen house.
I am not a fan of
Dade City's Wild Things or of the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in
Oklahoma but I am no friend of PETA either. Just how can a Federal Judge order
an inspection by PETA ‘experts’???? This is so stupid as to be unbelievable. This would be the same as allowing the Born Free Foundation a legal right to inspect British Zoos. I am not against either organisation visiting any zoo anywhere and voicing opinion but neither group contains experts and so that opinion is hardly legally valid. From a personal point of view I don't think Dade or Wynnewood should actually exist. Playing with tigers is wrong, pulling them from their parents is wrong, breeding them is wrong, I mean is a single one of these tigers on an official studbook anywhere? What is the contribution to conservation?
The really important news which should be top on the internet is Vietnam closing all the Bear Bile Farms. This is a tremendous victory for Animals Asia but at the same time a massive headache. If there ever was a need for an animal charity in need of funds for building new housing then it is now. It would be gratifying if the HSUS, PETA and the Born Free Foundation all put their hands into their overflowing coffers and made a contribution to a project which really matters. I have visited both of the Animals Asia rescue centres...one in China and one in Vietnam and cannot praise too highly the quality of both accommodation and care the bears receive. The staff too are excellent.
I was looking back
at links I have posted over just the past four years. Just because a story
disappears from the media does not mean that it no longer exists, been shelved
or has gone away. Granted that this CAN be the case but I hear things that
never reach the press. There are some extremely disturbing zoo news stories
just waiting to be told. As they say "it will all come out in the
wash". Do you not wonder about zoos who were hugging the media who all of
a sudden say nothing at all for years? It isn't normal, especially if they are
commercial.
So they say that
Cairo Zoo is dropping into neglect. I have only ever had a single zoo person
say anything in praise of this collection. I have met a few who have worked
there and all seemed happy to have escaped. I did visit once, it was a Tuesday
and so the place was closed. This left me wandering around the perimeter
looking in. I was not impressed. If all goes well I will visit again this
year…avoiding Tuesday and the weekend.
Have you noticed
that over the past five years or so that zoos are as likely to publish stories
of animals dying as they are about births?
So the strike at the
National Zoo in Pretoria is over. A bit quicker than Toronto. No details of the
settlement. Did the strikers win? How many if any were dismissed? Lots of
questions there. Sadly the situation of the Daily Wage Keepers in India just goes
on and on and on.
Lots of interesting
links follow.
Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 60,000 Followers on Facebook and has a weekly reach often exceeding over 350,000 people? That ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 823 Zoos in 154+ countries? That the subscriber list for the mail out reads like a 'Zoos Who's Who?'
If you are a subscriber to the email version then you probably knew this already. You would also know that ZooNews Digest pre-dates any of the others. It was there before FaceBook. It was there shortly after the internet became popular and was a 'Blog' before the word had been invented. ZooNews Digest reaches zoo people.
Did You Know?
ZooNews Digest has over 60,000 Followers on Facebook and has a weekly reach often exceeding over 350,000 people? That ZooNews Digest has subscribers in over 823 Zoos in 154+ countries? That the subscriber list for the mail out reads like a 'Zoos Who's Who?'
If you are a subscriber to the email version then you probably knew this already. You would also know that ZooNews Digest pre-dates any of the others. It was there before FaceBook. It was there shortly after the internet became popular and was a 'Blog' before the word had been invented. ZooNews Digest reaches zoo people.
AZA Giving HSUS
Opportunity to Plug HSUS
The Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is the largest zoo accrediting group in the United
States, and is part of a worldwide network of accredited zoological
institutions that contribute greatly to animal conservation and public
education. The existence of zoos, however, is threatened by radical animal
rights groups including HSUS and PETA, who have spread anti-zoo propaganda to
children and other demographics. These groups are laying the groundwork to
undermine public acceptance of zoos (which is currently very high).
So why has the
leadership of AZA provided Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the
United States, a keynote address spot at the group’s annual meeting in
September? And why is it hosting another HSUS employee on a panel discussion?
HSUS and Pacelle
have an anti-zoo, PETA-like agenda. Consider the following:
HSUS’s official
position on zoos is that it “believes that under most circumstances wild
animals should ideally be permitted to exist undisturbed in their natural
environments. Zoos are, however, a currently established part of our society
and a fact of life.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement. In fact, HSUS is saying
that ideally there would be no zoos and implying that, in the long run, there
should be fewer and fewer.
HSUS does not
endorse AZA institutions. “Even some AZA-accredited zoos contain forgotten and
outdated exhibits,” says HSUS.
Wayne Pacelle has
praised PETA, saying, “PETA has really done so much in a short time to protect
animals and promote animal rights … visionary and professional leadership.”
Wayne Pacelle has
even spoken out against pet ownership. Asked if he would envision a future
without pets, he said, “If I had my personal view perhaps that might take hold.
In fact, I don’t want to see another cat or dog born.” If he doesn’t like pet
ownership, does anybody think he likes zoos?
The second HSUS
representative—let’s not forget him—is Jonathan Balcombe. He’s an animal
liberation extremist who has compared eating meat to using the “n”-word.
Recently Balcombe has focused his efforts on fish. “Each fish is a unique
individual, not just with a biology, but with a biography,” Balcombe asserts.
“If you apply my rule of thumb, then very few species of fishes can adequately
be kept in a tank,” he says. That doesn’t sound like a fan of aquariums—another
segment of the AZA membership.
What good can come
for the AZA of getting closer to people who ideally want AZA members out of
existence? Some would say it’s a way for AZA to co-opt an opponent. But they’re
playing with fire. HSUS’s strategy with any industry is to constantly move the goalposts
while they “divide and conquer.” HSUS convinces AZA to embrace an alliance
while allowing HSUS to co-opt AZA, not the other way around. It will give
authority to HSUS to be the arbiter of who’s a humane zoo and who’s not, and
reduce AZA’s authority on the matter.
The bottom line is
that Wayne Pacelle has a record of deception—he recently lied before a
Congressional committee. HSUS’s whole business model (and the nice salary it
affords Pacelle) is based off of scam—keeping small-dollar donors in the dark
that HSUS is not related to local humane societies. It’s likely that Pacelle
will say whatever he needs to say to sound nice to AZA and try to get in their
good graces. Perhaps he’ll spin a yarn about how AZA is the best in the
business, and how HSUS just wants to “help” zoos “improve.” On his terms. What
he won’t be upfront about is that the ultimate improvement is to not exist at
all.
“A serious,
science-based accreditation program is vital to the health of the zoo and
aquarium industry and to the animals at the center of these enterprises,” said
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
“The AZA standards are strongest in the industry by a country mile, and while
they don’t answer every question related to the care of animals and the other
operations of zoos, they provide an essential baseline that humane
organizations, the public, and other key stakeholders value immensely.”
France bans
cetaceans in captivity, as Ringling wraps up its final shows this month
Late last week and
into the weekend, the Detroit Zoo convened zoo industry and animal welfare
leaders and probed the question of animal welfare. There is also a rising tide
of concern within that industry for animal welfare, certainly among zoos and
aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Zoo
industry leaders are taking a more serious look at the behavioral and
psychological health of animals on exhibition, and taking other steps for
animal welfare, including by becoming advocates for animals on a larger scale.
Some are pushing for a federal ban on the sale of shark fins and a ban on the
breeding and private ownership of big cats for the pet trade.
Statement from the
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
The Association of
Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) has invited Wayne Pacelle, the President and Chief
Executive Officer of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), to speak
at our Annual Conference this fall.
HSUS is active in
the animal welfare community and Pacelle has an important perspective to share
with conference attendees.
AZA-accredited
facilities are well respected by HSUS. That was recently reflected in the
following statement Pacelle made in an AZA news release about AZA
accreditation.
“A serious,
science-based accreditation program is vital to the health of the zoo and
aquarium industry and to the animals at the center of these enterprises,” said
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
“The AZA standards are strongest in the industry by a country mile, and while
they don’t answer every question related to the care of animals and the other
operations of zoos, they provide an essential baseline that humane
organizations, the public, and other key stakeholders value immensely.”
The AZA Annual
Conference will be held in early September in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Another keynote
address will be provided by Dr. Carl Jones, 2016 winner of the prestigious
Indianapolis Prize. In the second plenary session, John G. Shedd Aquarium
President and CEO, Dr. Bridget C
AZA Giving HSUS
Opportunity to Plug HSUS
The Association of
Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) is the largest zoo accrediting group in the United
States, and is part of a worldwide network of accredited zoological
institutions that contribute greatly to animal conservation and public
education. The existence of zoos, however, is threatened by radical animal
rights groups including HSUS and PETA, who have spread anti-zoo propaganda to
children and other demographics. These groups are laying the groundwork to
undermine public acceptance of zoos (which is currently very high).
So why has the
leadership of AZA provided Wayne Pacelle, CEO of the Humane Society of the
United States, a keynote address spot at the group’s annual meeting in
September? And why is it hosting another HSUS employee on a panel discussion?
HSUS and Pacelle
have an anti-zoo, PETA-like agenda. Consider the following:
HSUS’s official
position on zoos is that it “believes that under most circumstances wild
animals should ideally be permitted to exist undisturbed in their natural
environments. Zoos are, however, a currently established part of our society
and a fact of life.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement. In fact, HSUS is saying
that ideally there would be no zoos and implying that, in the long run, there
should be fewer and fewer.
HSUS does not
endorse AZA institutions. “Even some AZA-accredited zoos contain forgotten and
outdated exhibits,” says HSUS.
Wayne Pacelle has
praised PETA, saying, “PETA has really done so much in a short time to protect
animals and promote animal rights … visionary and professional leadership.”
Wayne Pacelle has
even spoken out against pet ownership. Asked if he would envision a future
without pets, he said, “If I had my personal view perhaps that might take hold.
In fact, I don’t want to see another cat or dog born.” If he doesn’t like pet
ownership, does anybody think he likes zoos?
The second HSUS
representative—let’s not forget him—is Jonathan Balcombe. He’s an animal
liberation extremist who has compared eating meat to using the “n”-word.
Recently Balcombe has focused his efforts on fish. “Each fish is a unique
individual, not just with a biology, but with a biography,” Balcombe asserts.
“If you apply my rule of thumb, then very few species of fishes can adequately
be kept in a tank,” he says. That doesn’t sound like a fan of aquariums—another
segment of the AZA membership.
What good can come
for the AZA of getting closer to people who ideally want AZA members out of
existence? Some would say it’s a way for AZA to co-opt an opponent. But they’re
playing with fire. HSUS’s strategy with any industry is to constantly move the goalposts
while they “divide and conquer.” HSUS convinces AZA to embrace an alliance
while allowing HSUS to co-opt AZA, not the other way around. It will give
authority to HSUS to be the arbiter of who’s a humane zoo and who’s not, and
reduce AZA’s authority on the matter.
The bottom line is
that Wayne Pacelle has a record of deception—he recently lied before a
Congressional committee. HSUS’s whole business model (and the nice salary it
affords Pacelle) is based off of scam—keeping small-dollar donors in the dark
that HSUS is not related to local humane societies. It’s likely that Pacelle
will say whatever he needs to say to sound nice to AZA and try to get in their
good graces. Perhaps he’ll spin a yarn about how AZA is the best in the
business, and how HSUS just wants to “help” zoos “improve.” On his terms. What
he won’t be upfront about is that the ultimate improvement is to not exist at
all.
“A serious,
science-based accreditation program is vital to the health of the zoo and
aquarium industry and to the animals at the center of these enterprises,” said
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
“The AZA standards are strongest in the industry by a country mile, and while
they don’t answer every question related to the care of animals and the other
operations of zoos, they provide an essential baseline that humane
organizations, the public, and other key stakeholders value immensely.”
France bans
cetaceans in captivity, as Ringling wraps up its final shows this month
Late last week and
into the weekend, the Detroit Zoo convened zoo industry and animal welfare
leaders and probed the question of animal welfare. There is also a rising tide
of concern within that industry for animal welfare, certainly among zoos and
aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). Zoo
industry leaders are taking a more serious look at the behavioral and
psychological health of animals on exhibition, and taking other steps for
animal welfare, including by becoming advocates for animals on a larger scale.
Some are pushing for a federal ban on the sale of shark fins and a ban on the
breeding and private ownership of big cats for the pet trade.
Statement from the
Association of Zoos & Aquariums
The Association of
Zoos & Aquariums (AZA) has invited Wayne Pacelle, the President and Chief
Executive Officer of The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), to speak
at our Annual Conference this fall.
HSUS is active in
the animal welfare community and Pacelle has an important perspective to share
with conference attendees.
AZA-accredited
facilities are well respected by HSUS. That was recently reflected in the
following statement Pacelle made in an AZA news release about AZA
accreditation.
“A serious,
science-based accreditation program is vital to the health of the zoo and
aquarium industry and to the animals at the center of these enterprises,” said
Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of The Humane Society of the United States.
“The AZA standards are strongest in the industry by a country mile, and while
they don’t answer every question related to the care of animals and the other
operations of zoos, they provide an essential baseline that humane
organizations, the public, and other key stakeholders value immensely.”
The AZA Annual
Conference will be held in early September in Indianapolis, Indiana.
Another keynote
address will be provided by Dr. Carl Jones, 2016 winner of the prestigious
Indianapolis Prize. In the second plenary session, John G. Shedd Aquarium
President and CEO, Dr. Bridget C
BREAKING NEWS:
Vietnam agrees plan to close all bear bile farms
In a historic move
the Vietnamese government has agreed a plan with Animals Asia to finally end
bear bile farming in the country.
The Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) outlines an agreement between animal welfare NGO Animals
Asia and the Vietnam Administration of Forestry
(VNFOREST) to work together to rescue the remaining bears still caged on
farms across Vietnam – believed to be around 1,000.
The document was
signed and announced at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in
Hanoi on Wednesday 19 July.
Researchers Identify
Novel Avulaviruses in Antarctic Penguins
A team of
researchers recently identified 3 genetically and antigenically distinct
avulaviruses in Antarctic penguins. The team’s findings, reported in the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases
journal, “suggest that, in Antarctica, a much greater diversity of avulaviruses
exists than previously recognized,” wrote the researchers.
Avulaviruses
comprise the Avulavirus genus, which is within the Paramyxoviridae family of
viruses. Avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs) affect domestic and wild birds,
including turkeys, chickens, and pigeons. Outbreaks of APMVs can be
economically devastating, particularly to the poultry industry.
Currently, 13
Avulavirus species (APMV-1 to APMV-13) have been recognized formally. Although
most avulaviruses cause either mild or no clinical signs, APMV-1—the well-known
and highly contagious Newcastle disease virus—can cause acute respiratory
disease and diarrhea in chickens. Previous studies have reported detection of
APMV-1 and several other avulaviruses in Antarctic pigeons.
For the current
study, researchers visited 7 Antarctic locations, collecting cloacal and fecal
samples from Gentoo penguins and blood samples from Adélie penguins; samples
were collected during 3 scientific expeditions from 2014 to 2016. Several
diagnostic tests were performed to isolate, confirm,
Genome study offers
clues about history of big cats
A large
international team of researchers has conducted a genetic analysis and
comparison of the world's biggest cats to learn more about their history. In
their paper published on the open source site Science Advances, the team
describes their work mapping the genome of the jaguar and comparing the results
with other big cats.
The jaguar is the
largest wild cat in the Americas, and as the researchers note, it is also in
danger of becoming extinct. While some of the reasons for the rapid decline in
jaguar populations are obvious, others are not so clear. That is why the team
embarked on a five-year mission to study the animals hoping to learn how to
save them.
One of the avenues
of research involved mapping the genome of the jaguar—such mapping for other
big cats had already been done. That allowed the researchers to compare markers
between cats belonging to the genus Panthera, which, in addition to jaguars, also
includes tigers, lions, snow leopards and regular leopards. Also, because so
much genetic work has been done on the common house cat, they, too, were
included in the study.
The researchers
report that they found over 13,000 genes that were similar through all of the
species included in the study. They also found that the cats all diverged from
a single a
Everything you need
to know about the move to reintroduce lynx to the British countryside
After being absent
for more than 1,300 years, lynx could make a comeback – if the plans to
reintroduce them to the British countryside are approved.
The Lynx UK Trust
has submitted an application to Natural England to carry out a trial
reintroduction of six Eurasian lynx in the Kielder Forest region of
Northumberland.
It is the first time
an application has ever been made in the UK for this species but the move has
left people divided, with some experts saying the presence of wild cats could
keep the roe deer population under control while farmers and many others believe
it could have a significant impact on livestock numbers.
Here’s everything
you need to know.
Reintroduced
Przewalski's horses have a different diet
The Przewalski's
horse, also called Takhi or Mongolian wild horse, is the only remaining wild
horse species. In 1969, wild horses were officially declared extinct. However,
a few animals survived in captivity. In 1992, first captive bred wild horses
were returned to the wild.
Petra Kaczensky and
Martina Burnik Šturm from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology from the
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna now found out that before their
extinction in the wild Przewalski's horses were on a mixed diet. In summer,
they only ate grass, in winter also less nutritious bushes. After their
reintroduction, the animals only eat high-quality grass throughout the year.
"We explain
this dietary shift by an improved human attitude. In the past, humans
considered Przewalski's horses as pasture competitors and hunted them as a food
source. The nutritious pastures were reserved for domestic sheep and cattle.
Thus, access to pastures in winter was difficult for wild horses. Shrubs and
bushes were the only alternative," explaines Martina Burnik Šturm, one of
the lead authors.
Przewalski's horses
are "holy animals" today
Unlike in former
times, Przewalski's horses are today worshiped as "holy animals" in
the Gobi Desert. They are fully protected and are no longer hunted by humans.
"The wild horses can now feed on grass throughout the year because humans
allow it", says wildlife biologist and lead author Petra Kaczensky.
Habitat in the Gobi
Desert has hardly changed
In the last 120
years, the habitat of the wild horses in Southwest Gobi has hardly changed. The
available food resources have remained the same. But the social acceptance of
Pangolins at ‘huge
risk’ as study reveals dramatic increases in hunting across Central Africa
The hunting of
pangolins, the world’s most illegally traded mammal, has increased by 150
percent in Central African forests from 1970s to 2014, according to a new study
led by the University of Sussex.
The first-ever study
of its kind, published in Conservation Letters, shows the true scale of local
pangolin exploitation across the continent. The international research team,
which includes researchers from academia and conservation organisations, state
that up to 2.7 million pangolins are harvested annually from forests in
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic
Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo.
The team used data
from 113 sites in 14 African countries to estimate the total annual harvest of
pangolins. Worryingly the new study reveals the mammal, which is more sought
after than elephant ivory and reproduces slowly, is now making-up an increasing
proportion of all animals hunted in Central Africa. The researchers also found
that snares are still being used to capture pangolins despite the practice
being illegal in most Central African countries.
Pangolins are hunted
and traded for food and traditional medicine throughout their range in Africa,
and recent evidence has also shown an increasing trade of African pangolins to
some countries in Asia. The researchers show that the price of pangolins has
increased in urban African markets since the 1990s, with a 5.8 times increase
in price observed for the sought after giant pangolin despite it being
protected.
The team are calling
on governments across the continent to increase the capacity to enforce
international trade bans, embark on education and outreach programmes, and
monitor pangolin populations.
Daniel Ingram, lead
author of the study from the University of Sussex, said: “Our new study shows
that African pangolins are at risk. We now have
I reckon White Lions would have been unlikely
Should rangers be
allowed to kill poachers on sight? Yes‚ researchers say
South Africa should
adopt a “shoot-to-kill” policy to show that it is serious about halting the
country’s rhino poaching crisis.
This is the
controversial view of two University of Botswana academics‚ who raised a storm
by urging South Africa to adopt the highly controversial policy.
Writing in the
latest issue of the SA Crime Quarterly journal‚ Goemeone Mogomotsi and Patricia
Madigele argue that the policy‚ adopted in Botswana in 2013‚ was a “legitimate
conservation strategy” and “a necessary evil” to protect rhinos from
extinction.
Zoo’s roadkill bid
is left to 'waste away'
ALTINA Wildlife
Park’s push to feed roadkill to its animals has fallen on deaf ears.
The Riverina zoo has
lost an ongoing battle with the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH),
prohibiting staff from removing roadside carcasses.
Owner Gloria Altin
described the outcome as a “disappointment”.
“Roadkill is useful
for animals such as Tasmanian Devils, because it’s a much more natural diet for
them in the wild,” she said.
“Additionally, we
could have prevented accidents and helped save animals like the Wedge-Tailed
Eagle, which tries to eat roadkill and becomes vulnerable to traffic.
“It really makes a
lot of sense to us but there's not much we can do about it now.”
DEH informed the
Darlington Point zoo that each carcass unlawfully gathered would attract a
$3000 fine.
It came as a
significant financial blow for t
On this day 1913:
Edinburgh Zoo opens to the public
On this day in 1913,
Edinburgh Zoo opened its doors for the first time. Edinburgh Zoo was founded by
the Royal Zoological Society in the Corstorphine hill area, opening after just
15 weeks of work.
The park was created
by Thomas Haining Gillespie, a solicitor from Dumfries. Despite the failure of
Edinburgh’s previous zoo, the Royal Zoological Gardens, Gillespie’s ultimate
goal was to successfuly house tropical animals. He soon formed the city’s Royal
Zoological Society and began plans for Edinburgh Zoo. Searching for an
appropriate site, the Zoological society desired a location which was widely
and inexpensively accessible for the public, one which had minimal wind and
maximum sun. The Zoological society was faced with financial difficulties so it
was Edinburgh Council who purchased the 75-acre Costorphine Hill House estate
for around £17,000 and allowed the society full use of the grounds in return
for a small repayment fee each year.
Is there a place for
zoos in modern-day society? The fight over Papanack Zoo
They gather out on
County Road 19, mostly on weekends in the summer. Kerri Bayford, co-owner of
Papanack Zoo, seems almost to be looking for them, these unwanted visitors, on
this grey spring day. But it is far too early. The zoo doesn’t open until May.
“Animal rights
activists like to come in the summer,” she tells me. “I think that’s why I like
spring and fall so much.”
“There’s one nice
thing about bad weather,” she says, gazing out on the two-lane road that runs
in front of the zoo. “You usually don’t get a lot of animal rights activists
coming out to see you.”
Bayford is taking me
on a tour of the zoo, located about 45 minutes east of Ottawa, which she
purchased in 2014. In addition to lions, Arctic wolves, lemurs, and a python,
we see work crews feverishly constructing pens for the three Kodiak bears —
Ursula, Betty, and Whopper — that will spend their first summer at Papanack
this year.
“They’re going to be
part of our new bear safety p
Wildlife park should
stay put
Deputy Chief
Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin has objected to the Sabah Wildlife
Department”s (SWD) proposal to shift the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park to Sugud,
Penampang.
Yahya claimed that
it would be unwise to shift the wildlife park, or commonly referred to as a
zoo, as it will cost a lot money and time consuming.
“The zoo has been at
Lok Kawi for a very long time now.
“I was made to
understand that the main reason they want to shift the zoo is due to the
limited space at the park”s present site.
“Thus, they (SWD)
want to move it to Sugud, where the space is much bigger,” he said.
Yahya said
constructing a zoo from scratch is not easy, as a lot of money would be needed.
“From what I can
remember, when we first started the zoo, we had to spend almost RM40 million on
the first day.
“Over the years, the
expenditure grew t
Rethinking bad
decisions taken at Bondla zoo
Who remembers Sarita
the hippopotamus? Trucked into Goa from the Mysore zoo in 2013, she was
"accidentally" killed by her mate last year, in their ill-suited
enclosure at the Bondla zoo. Now there is one single hippo marooned in the
jungle sanctuary, thousands of miles from his natural African habitat. Quite
close by is another traumatised and lonely male animal, the Asian elephant
Krishna, whose solitary existence dates back to the death of his own mate in
2012. It is heart-rending to view this marvellous but visibly doleful animal,
shaking back and forth listlessly, its leg bound by a huge rope. Instead of
being an attraction at the state's only zoo, the sight is thoroughly
depressing.
Until last month,
Krishna and Devidas the hippo weren't the only friendless and isolated animals
at Bondla. There was also the tigress, Sandhya, whose own mate passed away some
months ago. Now she has also been freed from her misery. This should have been
regarded as a golden opportunity for the forest department authorities to
rethink the obsolete mission of their flagship showcase, and to reorient to the
twenty-first century cutting edge of animal r
Gene factor of
melanistic tigers in Odisha under lens of NCBS
The Bangalore-based
National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) is all set to study the rare
melanistic tigers found in Odisha. The one-year project will entail genetic
analysis of the melanistic tigers in captivity at Nandankanan Zoological Park
here as well as the wild ranging ones in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).The
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)-funded project received the
recommendation of Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of the State Government
last week. Uma Ramakrishnan of NCBS will lead the study.
Talking to this
paper, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) SS Srivastava said the
NBCS will collect blood samples from melanistic tigers which are in captivity
in the zoo to understand genetic reasons behind melanism and the extent of
melanism in these tigers.There are three melanistic tigers, all juveniles, in
the zoo. They were born to Sneha, a white tigress paired with a normal-coloured
male Manish. One of the three juveniles possesses strong black stripes on a
white coat and in case of the other two, melanism is on normal colour body. Two
of them have been released in the tiger safari of the zoo.
The research project
will focus half of its tenure on the tigers in captivity while the other half
will be in STR, where the melanistic tigers were recorded for the first time.
During the last tiger en
Cairo's zoo falls
into neglect
The Giza Zoo, built
by Khedive Ismail Pasha and opened in 1891 under Khedive Muhammad Tawfiq Pasha,
was considered a world-class facility when it opened. Covering an area of about
80 acres, the oldest zoo in the Middle East now houses approximately 6,000
animals, including some endangered species. In 1993, it ranked as the third
best zoological garden in the world. Today, the zoo no longer figures among the
top 330 such facilities. In 2004, it lost its accreditation from the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
Chimp Expert: 'War
for the Planet of the Apes' Nailed Poop-Throwing
Sure, Caesar and his
hyper-intelligent apes can operate machine guns, ride horses, and in a couple
cases, speak English. But for the most part, the simians in the new Planet of
the Apes series are pretty true to modern-day apes. Advanced motion-capture technology,
extremely physical acting, and attention to detail help make the chimpanzees
and gorillas in War for the Planet of the Apes staggeringly realistic… even
when they, quite literally, go apeshit.
There are some
shitty spoilers for War for the Planet of the Apes below.
Towards the end of
War, Caesar and his ape family have been captured and imprisoned by Woody
Harrelson’s militaristic human group. In order to escape, the apes, lead by
Caesar’s right-hand chimp Rocket, come up with a very ape-like plan. A human
guard is minding his own business on patrol when the apes nail him in the back
of the head with a water
Frog farms combat
poaching
Poachers in Ecuador
have long known the hefty prices their country's rare frogs can fetch. But now
environmentally conscious firms are starting to sell the amphibians too - to
try to save them from the black market and threatened extinction.
In San Rafael, just
outside the capital Quito, the scientific company Wikiri is raising 12 species
of frog. Some are native only to Ecuador, while others are at risk of
disappearing from their natural habitat elsewhere.
After being raised
in hundreds of terrariums, they are sent to Canada, the United States, Japan
and various European countries for up to $600 (R7,738) each.
That high value
"gives you an idea just how profitable that activity (frog poaching) can
be," Lola Guarderas, manager of the facility, told AFP.
To illustrate her
point, Guarderas showed a glass frog, with translucent skin through which its
organs and beating red heart could be seen, as it moved along the edge of its
container.
On the company's
grounds - 5,000 square metres made up of big gardens alongside a river - the
frogs are reproduced in labs, so as not to affect local fauna.
They are then put
into an "ethical bio-
Dade City's Wild
Things moves tigers to Oklahoma during court battle with PETA
On Friday, a federal
judge ordered Dade City's Wild Things not to remove or relocate any of its 22
tigers pending an ongoing legal battle with People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals.
By Sunday, 19 of the
Dade City tigers pulled into the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in
Oklahoma after a 1,200-mile journey on a cattle truck.
The move appears to
be a reaction to a July 12 ruling by a judge allowing PETA officials to inspect
the facility, owned by Kathy Stearns, and observe the tigers' care and housing.
The judge scheduled the site inspection for Thursday.
PETA sued Wild
Things in October, alleging its tiger cub encounter program, in which visitors
can pay to cuddle or swim with weeks-old cubs, violates the Endangered Species
Act.
The judge granted an
emergency injunction Friday, ordering Stearns not to move the animals after
PETA learned about the relocation plan.
G.W. Exotic Animal
Park entertainment director Joe Maldonado confirmed 19 of Stearns' tigers
arrived at his facility Sunday. He said a pregnant tiger gave birth during the
haul, and all three cubs died. He did not know the whereabouts of the other
three tigers cited in the court order.
"All I know is
(Stearns) called me and asked if I could take the cats until she figured
something out," Maldonado said. "Something to do with a lawsuit and
PETA, and she needed to get rid of her tigers."
On Monday, Stearns
denied sending her tigers to Maldonado. When asked if she transported any
tigers out of her zoo to other facilities over the past several days, she said,
"I don't know, I just got back into town today."
Maldonado, who holds
the facility's U.S.
Dade City's Wild
Things blocks PETA officials at gates for court-ordered site inspection
Dade City's Wild
Things founder Kathy Stearns refused to let People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals officials enter her facility on Thursday for a court-ordered
inspection, court filings show.
The inspection was
granted by a federal judge so PETA experts could observe the care and housing
of 22 tigers on the property. PETA sued Wild Things in October, alleging its
tiger cub encounter business, in which visitors can pay to cuddle or swim with
weeks-old cubs, violates the Endangered Species Act.
A judge had granted
an emergency injunction July 14, ordering Stearns not to remove any of the
tigers from the zoo after PETA officials said they learned Stearns "was
scheming to transfer its tigers" before the scheduled in
25 endangered
one-horned rhinos die in Chitwan National Park during last year
As many as 25
one-horned rhinos have died in Chitwan National Park in Nepal in the last one
year. The Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation took a decision to
transfer 30 rhinos from CNP to two national parks which aim to prevent possible
epidemic dangers and increase the population of healthy rhinos.
Lion parts 'sold as
fake tiger products' in Asia
Trade in bones and
other parts of lions faked as tiger products is thriving in Chinese and South
East Asian markets, a leading wildlife group says.
China's ban on the
sale of tiger products has led to unscrupulous traders substituting them with
lion parts, the UK-based Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) said.
South Africa is the
largest exporter of lion parts to Asia, it added.
EIA is pushing for
the trade to be banned, saying it encourages poaching.
It released its
report as a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (Cites) begins in Switzerland.
Cites allows limited
trade on body parts of lions bred in captivity.
The South African
government last month announced an export quota of 800 skeletons, causing
concern among conservation organisations.
The EIA said that
between 2005 and 2015, South Africa exported the following to Laos and Vietnam:
755 lion bodies
587.5kg (92st 7lb)
of bones, which is roughly the equivalent of 65 lions
54 claws
3,125 skeletons
67 skulls
90 teeth
Pretoria zoo strike
comes to an end
The strike at the
National Zoo in Pretoria, which started earlier this month, has come to an end
after the National Zoological Gardens (NZG) of South Africa and employees
affiliated to the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) reached an agreement.
In a statement, the
NZG said the agreement saw the parties agree to end the strike and workers are
set to resume duties on Wednesday.
"Details of the
negotiated settlement will be discussed with the NZG’s non-striking employees
and other stakeholders," the statement said.
"The NZG would
like to expres
New Undergraduate
Certificate in Zoo and Aquarium Conservation
A new certificate
developed in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' School of Natural
Resources and the Environment will introduce University of Arizona students to
the increasingly important role that zoos and aquariums play in wildlife
conservation and management, and help them understand how to maintain
sustainable wildlife populations in a zoo setting.
Zoos and aquariums
worldwide have joined with local, national and international agencies to
protect animal species. In Arizona, for example, the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson is
involved in Saving Animals From Extinction, or SAFE, to raise awareness about
the vaquita, a critically endangered porpoise species in the Gulf of
California. The Phoenix Zoo is raising species native to Arizona for release to
the wild, including the black-footed ferret, Chiricahua leopard frog, Gila
topminnow and desert pupfish.
Through the
undergraduate certificate in zoo and aquarium conservation, students will have
the opportunity to participate in such
Study suggests
climate change may kill off the aardvark in some areas
A team of
researchers with the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa has found
evidence that suggests the aardvark may face a large decrease in population as
the planet heats up due to global warming. In their paper published in the
journal Biology Letters, the group describes how they fastened monitors to a
group of aardvarks who by happenstance were forced to endure a severe
drought—and how the animals fared.
Rare birth of
endangered hairy-nosed wombat in Australia
The population of
one of the world's rarest species has been boosted with the birth of a northern
hairy-nosed wombat joey, Australian wildlife officials said Wednesday.
The arrival of the
furry marsupial comes as a conservation programme to save the animal—which
numbers just 250 in the wild—gathers steam.
The joey emerged
from its mother's pouch at the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge in Queensland
state, which was established just eight years ago and is one of only two known
colonies remaining.
Queensland
Environment Minister Steven Miles said wildlife officers had been closely
observing the mother for the past 10 months.
"It's been a
long wait for the wombat specialist team, but finally it's confirmed that the
joey has successfully left the pouch," he said.
"This is the
first addition to the reintroduced colony of northern hairy-nosed wombats in
five years, and it indicates the new male brought in last year is settling in
well."
The only known
colonies of the animal are both in Queensland—at the Richard Underwood Nature
Refuge and Epping Forest National Park.
When numbers dropped
in Epping in 2009, the state gove
OPERATION RED CLOUD:
RHINO HORN TRAFFICKING IN CHINA
Elephant Action
League (EAL) is proud to release GRINDING RHINO, a public report detailing
another expansive and successful undercover investigative operation. In
response to unprecedented growth in rhinoceros poaching rates in the past ten
years, and enduring consumer demand for rhinoceros horn in both China and
Vietnam, EAL commenced Operation Red Cloud in August 2016 and ended it in June
2017.
Operation Red Cloud
is the first undercover investigation into rhino horn trafficking in China in
decades. This 11-month intelligence gathering and investigative operation was
designed to expose and map the networks, the players and the means (or ‘modus operandi’)
by which rhino horn is trafficked into China. Today, EAL is releasing the
results of this incredibly comprehensive operation.
A separate 200-page
Confidential Intelligence Brief (CIB) has been prepared for law enforcement
only, and it includes detailed information and evidence on 55 identified
Persons of Interest involved in rhino horn trafficking in China and Vietnam.
Although completely
illegal since 1993, anyone with the desire and means can easily buy rhinoceros
horn in China. All you need to do is walk into an ‘antiques’ shop and ask.
The rhino horn
products they show you are far from antique, though, they are new and have most
likely been illegally trafficked from Africa to Vietnam and then into China.
The report Grinding Rhino: An Undercover Investigation on Rhino Horn
Trafficking in China and Vietnam, shows us exactly how rhino horn makes its way
into those shops in China, now the largest illegal market for rhino horn in the
world.
For Operation Red
Cloud, in addition to off-site research and intelligence analysis, EAL
investigators executed multiple field missions to China and Vietnam. EAL
targeted provinces along the southern border of China — Guangxi, Guangdong, and
Yunnan — as well as Henan, Fujian, Beijing, and a few key locations in Vietnam.
Leveraging the experience and expertise of
New whale species
discovered in Sri Lankan waters
Accidentally running
into a whole new species of whale on the job? For marine biologist,
conservationist and educator Asha de Vos, who’s a specialist in Sri Lankan blue
whales, it’s all in a day’s work. She tells us more about her latest
discovery—an Omura’s whale just off the shores of Sri Lanka, in the Northern
Indian Ocean—and why this finding is significant.
What’s special about
this species of whale?
Omura’s whale
(Balaenoptera omurai) was only described as its own whale species in Japan in
2003. That’s just 14 years ago — amazing, considering that they grow to 33 feet
and aren’t exactly microscopic! They have a distinctively long, narrow body and
asymmetrical markings. Before 2003, this species was spotted in the South
Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Eastern and Western Indian Oceans, plus one
sighting of a
Sapphire mining
threatens the indri lemur species
Indris - the largest
lemurs - are native to Madagascar but their existence is threatened by illegal
mining.
Since late last year
more than 40,000 miners have descended on the island.
Our team followed
the miners and made the long trek into what is meant to be a protected zone.
The Toxins That Are
Designed to Kill - Or Heal
Venom is one of
nature's great paradoxes. At its most basic level it's designed to kill – and
to do so quickly and efficiently. Yet, the same properties that make it deadly
can also be harnessed to provide potent healing.
There are
potentially 20 million distinct venom toxins, each with its own targets and
effects that have yet to be explored. As National Geographic reported:1
"Venom is
exquisitely honed to stop a body in its tracks. The complex soup swirls with
toxic proteins and peptides — short strings of amino acids similar to proteins.
The molecules may have different targets and effects, but they work
synergistically for the mightiest punch.
Some go for the
nervous system, paralyzing by blocking messages between nerves and muscle. Some
eat away at molecules so that cells and tissues collapse. Venom can kill by
clotting blood and stopping the heart or by preventing clotting and triggering
a killer bleed."
What's intriguing is
that venom often targets the same molecules that medicines target to treat
disease, "fitting into them like keys into locks."2 Out of the fewer
than 1,000 venom toxins that have been analyzed by researchers so far, about a dozen
medications have been developed and brought to market.
"It's a
challenge to find the toxin that hits only a certa
Even scientists take
selfies with wild animals. Here’s why they shouldn’t.
One of the great
things about being a biologist is getting to work in the field and connect with
wildlife. Through my career, I have enjoyed many unforgettable close encounters
with various species, including turtles, birds, marine mammals, invertebrates
and a lot of fish, especially sharks and rays.
My research program
also has a strong focus on citizen science. I use data collected by
recreational scuba divers and snorkelers to describe marine animal populations
and conservation needs. Therefore, I work closely with the tourism industry.
Because of these
connections, I am often asked to advise on best practices for tourists
interacting with wildlife. In response I tell them that scientific studies have
documented how unnecessarily handling or getting too close to wild animals can
have lasting consequences – including causing stress which can interfere with
their feeding or mating success.
Reflecting on my own
experiences, however, I recognize that I and many of my peers have not always
followed those best practices. Sure, we need to have close encounters with
wildlife to do our work, and we have the necessary training and permits. We
often have reason to photograph animals in the course of our research – for
example, to quickly capture information such as size, health,
BREAKING NEWS:
Vietnam agrees plan to close all bear bile farms
In a historic move
the Vietnamese government has agreed a plan with Animals Asia to finally end
bear bile farming in the country.
The Memorandum of
Understanding (MOU) outlines an agreement between animal welfare NGO Animals
Asia and the Vietnam Administration of Forestry
(VNFOREST) to work together to rescue the remaining bears still caged on
farms across Vietnam – believed to be around 1,000.
The document was
signed and announced at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in
Hanoi on Wednesday 19 July.
Researchers Identify
Novel Avulaviruses in Antarctic Penguins
A team of
researchers recently identified 3 genetically and antigenically distinct
avulaviruses in Antarctic penguins. The team’s findings, reported in the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Emerging Infectious Diseases
journal, “suggest that, in Antarctica, a much greater diversity of avulaviruses
exists than previously recognized,” wrote the researchers.
Avulaviruses
comprise the Avulavirus genus, which is within the Paramyxoviridae family of
viruses. Avian paramyxoviruses (APMVs) affect domestic and wild birds,
including turkeys, chickens, and pigeons. Outbreaks of APMVs can be
economically devastating, particularly to the poultry industry.
Currently, 13
Avulavirus species (APMV-1 to APMV-13) have been recognized formally. Although
most avulaviruses cause either mild or no clinical signs, APMV-1—the well-known
and highly contagious Newcastle disease virus—can cause acute respiratory
disease and diarrhea in chickens. Previous studies have reported detection of
APMV-1 and several other avulaviruses in Antarctic pigeons.
For the current
study, researchers visited 7 Antarctic locations, collecting cloacal and fecal
samples from Gentoo penguins and blood samples from Adélie penguins; samples
were collected during 3 scientific expeditions from 2014 to 2016. Several
diagnostic tests were performed to isolate, confirm,
Genome study offers
clues about history of big cats
A large
international team of researchers has conducted a genetic analysis and
comparison of the world's biggest cats to learn more about their history. In
their paper published on the open source site Science Advances, the team
describes their work mapping the genome of the jaguar and comparing the results
with other big cats.
The jaguar is the
largest wild cat in the Americas, and as the researchers note, it is also in
danger of becoming extinct. While some of the reasons for the rapid decline in
jaguar populations are obvious, others are not so clear. That is why the team
embarked on a five-year mission to study the animals hoping to learn how to
save them.
One of the avenues
of research involved mapping the genome of the jaguar—such mapping for other
big cats had already been done. That allowed the researchers to compare markers
between cats belonging to the genus Panthera, which, in addition to jaguars, also
includes tigers, lions, snow leopards and regular leopards. Also, because so
much genetic work has been done on the common house cat, they, too, were
included in the study.
The researchers
report that they found over 13,000 genes that were similar through all of the
species included in the study. They also found that the cats all diverged from
a single a
Everything you need
to know about the move to reintroduce lynx to the British countryside
After being absent
for more than 1,300 years, lynx could make a comeback – if the plans to
reintroduce them to the British countryside are approved.
The Lynx UK Trust
has submitted an application to Natural England to carry out a trial
reintroduction of six Eurasian lynx in the Kielder Forest region of
Northumberland.
It is the first time
an application has ever been made in the UK for this species but the move has
left people divided, with some experts saying the presence of wild cats could
keep the roe deer population under control while farmers and many others believe
it could have a significant impact on livestock numbers.
Here’s everything
you need to know.
Reintroduced
Przewalski's horses have a different diet
The Przewalski's
horse, also called Takhi or Mongolian wild horse, is the only remaining wild
horse species. In 1969, wild horses were officially declared extinct. However,
a few animals survived in captivity. In 1992, first captive bred wild horses
were returned to the wild.
Petra Kaczensky and
Martina Burnik Šturm from the Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology from the
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna now found out that before their
extinction in the wild Przewalski's horses were on a mixed diet. In summer,
they only ate grass, in winter also less nutritious bushes. After their
reintroduction, the animals only eat high-quality grass throughout the year.
"We explain
this dietary shift by an improved human attitude. In the past, humans
considered Przewalski's horses as pasture competitors and hunted them as a food
source. The nutritious pastures were reserved for domestic sheep and cattle.
Thus, access to pastures in winter was difficult for wild horses. Shrubs and
bushes were the only alternative," explaines Martina Burnik Šturm, one of
the lead authors.
Przewalski's horses
are "holy animals" today
Unlike in former
times, Przewalski's horses are today worshiped as "holy animals" in
the Gobi Desert. They are fully protected and are no longer hunted by humans.
"The wild horses can now feed on grass throughout the year because humans
allow it", says wildlife biologist and lead author Petra Kaczensky.
Habitat in the Gobi
Desert has hardly changed
In the last 120
years, the habitat of the wild horses in Southwest Gobi has hardly changed. The
available food resources have remained the same. But the social acceptance of
Pangolins at ‘huge
risk’ as study reveals dramatic increases in hunting across Central Africa
The hunting of
pangolins, the world’s most illegally traded mammal, has increased by 150
percent in Central African forests from 1970s to 2014, according to a new study
led by the University of Sussex.
The first-ever study
of its kind, published in Conservation Letters, shows the true scale of local
pangolin exploitation across the continent. The international research team,
which includes researchers from academia and conservation organisations, state
that up to 2.7 million pangolins are harvested annually from forests in
Cameroon, Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Democratic
Republic of Congo and Republic of Congo.
The team used data
from 113 sites in 14 African countries to estimate the total annual harvest of
pangolins. Worryingly the new study reveals the mammal, which is more sought
after than elephant ivory and reproduces slowly, is now making-up an increasing
proportion of all animals hunted in Central Africa. The researchers also found
that snares are still being used to capture pangolins despite the practice
being illegal in most Central African countries.
Pangolins are hunted
and traded for food and traditional medicine throughout their range in Africa,
and recent evidence has also shown an increasing trade of African pangolins to
some countries in Asia. The researchers show that the price of pangolins has
increased in urban African markets since the 1990s, with a 5.8 times increase
in price observed for the sought after giant pangolin despite it being
protected.
The team are calling
on governments across the continent to increase the capacity to enforce
international trade bans, embark on education and outreach programmes, and
monitor pangolin populations.
Daniel Ingram, lead
author of the study from the University of Sussex, said: “Our new study shows
that African pangolins are at risk. We now have
I reckon White Lions would have been unlikely
Should rangers be
allowed to kill poachers on sight? Yes‚ researchers say
South Africa should
adopt a “shoot-to-kill” policy to show that it is serious about halting the
country’s rhino poaching crisis.
This is the
controversial view of two University of Botswana academics‚ who raised a storm
by urging South Africa to adopt the highly controversial policy.
Writing in the
latest issue of the SA Crime Quarterly journal‚ Goemeone Mogomotsi and Patricia
Madigele argue that the policy‚ adopted in Botswana in 2013‚ was a “legitimate
conservation strategy” and “a necessary evil” to protect rhinos from
extinction.
Zoo’s roadkill bid
is left to 'waste away'
ALTINA Wildlife
Park’s push to feed roadkill to its animals has fallen on deaf ears.
The Riverina zoo has
lost an ongoing battle with the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH),
prohibiting staff from removing roadside carcasses.
Owner Gloria Altin
described the outcome as a “disappointment”.
“Roadkill is useful
for animals such as Tasmanian Devils, because it’s a much more natural diet for
them in the wild,” she said.
“Additionally, we
could have prevented accidents and helped save animals like the Wedge-Tailed
Eagle, which tries to eat roadkill and becomes vulnerable to traffic.
“It really makes a
lot of sense to us but there's not much we can do about it now.”
DEH informed the
Darlington Point zoo that each carcass unlawfully gathered would attract a
$3000 fine.
It came as a
significant financial blow for t
On this day 1913:
Edinburgh Zoo opens to the public
On this day in 1913,
Edinburgh Zoo opened its doors for the first time. Edinburgh Zoo was founded by
the Royal Zoological Society in the Corstorphine hill area, opening after just
15 weeks of work.
The park was created
by Thomas Haining Gillespie, a solicitor from Dumfries. Despite the failure of
Edinburgh’s previous zoo, the Royal Zoological Gardens, Gillespie’s ultimate
goal was to successfuly house tropical animals. He soon formed the city’s Royal
Zoological Society and began plans for Edinburgh Zoo. Searching for an
appropriate site, the Zoological society desired a location which was widely
and inexpensively accessible for the public, one which had minimal wind and
maximum sun. The Zoological society was faced with financial difficulties so it
was Edinburgh Council who purchased the 75-acre Costorphine Hill House estate
for around £17,000 and allowed the society full use of the grounds in return
for a small repayment fee each year.
Is there a place for
zoos in modern-day society? The fight over Papanack Zoo
They gather out on
County Road 19, mostly on weekends in the summer. Kerri Bayford, co-owner of
Papanack Zoo, seems almost to be looking for them, these unwanted visitors, on
this grey spring day. But it is far too early. The zoo doesn’t open until May.
“Animal rights
activists like to come in the summer,” she tells me. “I think that’s why I like
spring and fall so much.”
“There’s one nice
thing about bad weather,” she says, gazing out on the two-lane road that runs
in front of the zoo. “You usually don’t get a lot of animal rights activists
coming out to see you.”
Bayford is taking me
on a tour of the zoo, located about 45 minutes east of Ottawa, which she
purchased in 2014. In addition to lions, Arctic wolves, lemurs, and a python,
we see work crews feverishly constructing pens for the three Kodiak bears —
Ursula, Betty, and Whopper — that will spend their first summer at Papanack
this year.
“They’re going to be
part of our new bear safety p
Wildlife park should
stay put
Deputy Chief
Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Yahya Hussin has objected to the Sabah Wildlife
Department”s (SWD) proposal to shift the Lok Kawi Wildlife Park to Sugud,
Penampang.
Yahya claimed that
it would be unwise to shift the wildlife park, or commonly referred to as a
zoo, as it will cost a lot money and time consuming.
“The zoo has been at
Lok Kawi for a very long time now.
“I was made to
understand that the main reason they want to shift the zoo is due to the
limited space at the park”s present site.
“Thus, they (SWD)
want to move it to Sugud, where the space is much bigger,” he said.
Yahya said
constructing a zoo from scratch is not easy, as a lot of money would be needed.
“From what I can
remember, when we first started the zoo, we had to spend almost RM40 million on
the first day.
“Over the years, the
expenditure grew t
Rethinking bad
decisions taken at Bondla zoo
Who remembers Sarita
the hippopotamus? Trucked into Goa from the Mysore zoo in 2013, she was
"accidentally" killed by her mate last year, in their ill-suited
enclosure at the Bondla zoo. Now there is one single hippo marooned in the
jungle sanctuary, thousands of miles from his natural African habitat. Quite
close by is another traumatised and lonely male animal, the Asian elephant
Krishna, whose solitary existence dates back to the death of his own mate in
2012. It is heart-rending to view this marvellous but visibly doleful animal,
shaking back and forth listlessly, its leg bound by a huge rope. Instead of
being an attraction at the state's only zoo, the sight is thoroughly
depressing.
Until last month,
Krishna and Devidas the hippo weren't the only friendless and isolated animals
at Bondla. There was also the tigress, Sandhya, whose own mate passed away some
months ago. Now she has also been freed from her misery. This should have been
regarded as a golden opportunity for the forest department authorities to
rethink the obsolete mission of their flagship showcase, and to reorient to the
twenty-first century cutting edge of animal r
Gene factor of
melanistic tigers in Odisha under lens of NCBS
The Bangalore-based
National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS) is all set to study the rare
melanistic tigers found in Odisha. The one-year project will entail genetic
analysis of the melanistic tigers in captivity at Nandankanan Zoological Park
here as well as the wild ranging ones in Similipal Tiger Reserve (STR).The
National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA)-funded project received the
recommendation of Research Advisory Committee (RAC) of the State Government
last week. Uma Ramakrishnan of NCBS will lead the study.
Talking to this
paper, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) SS Srivastava said the
NBCS will collect blood samples from melanistic tigers which are in captivity
in the zoo to understand genetic reasons behind melanism and the extent of
melanism in these tigers.There are three melanistic tigers, all juveniles, in
the zoo. They were born to Sneha, a white tigress paired with a normal-coloured
male Manish. One of the three juveniles possesses strong black stripes on a
white coat and in case of the other two, melanism is on normal colour body. Two
of them have been released in the tiger safari of the zoo.
The research project
will focus half of its tenure on the tigers in captivity while the other half
will be in STR, where the melanistic tigers were recorded for the first time.
During the last tiger en
Cairo's zoo falls
into neglect
The Giza Zoo, built
by Khedive Ismail Pasha and opened in 1891 under Khedive Muhammad Tawfiq Pasha,
was considered a world-class facility when it opened. Covering an area of about
80 acres, the oldest zoo in the Middle East now houses approximately 6,000
animals, including some endangered species. In 1993, it ranked as the third
best zoological garden in the world. Today, the zoo no longer figures among the
top 330 such facilities. In 2004, it lost its accreditation from the World
Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA).
Chimp Expert: 'War
for the Planet of the Apes' Nailed Poop-Throwing
Sure, Caesar and his
hyper-intelligent apes can operate machine guns, ride horses, and in a couple
cases, speak English. But for the most part, the simians in the new Planet of
the Apes series are pretty true to modern-day apes. Advanced motion-capture technology,
extremely physical acting, and attention to detail help make the chimpanzees
and gorillas in War for the Planet of the Apes staggeringly realistic… even
when they, quite literally, go apeshit.
There are some
shitty spoilers for War for the Planet of the Apes below.
Towards the end of
War, Caesar and his ape family have been captured and imprisoned by Woody
Harrelson’s militaristic human group. In order to escape, the apes, lead by
Caesar’s right-hand chimp Rocket, come up with a very ape-like plan. A human
guard is minding his own business on patrol when the apes nail him in the back
of the head with a water
Frog farms combat
poaching
Poachers in Ecuador
have long known the hefty prices their country's rare frogs can fetch. But now
environmentally conscious firms are starting to sell the amphibians too - to
try to save them from the black market and threatened extinction.
In San Rafael, just
outside the capital Quito, the scientific company Wikiri is raising 12 species
of frog. Some are native only to Ecuador, while others are at risk of
disappearing from their natural habitat elsewhere.
After being raised
in hundreds of terrariums, they are sent to Canada, the United States, Japan
and various European countries for up to $600 (R7,738) each.
That high value
"gives you an idea just how profitable that activity (frog poaching) can
be," Lola Guarderas, manager of the facility, told AFP.
To illustrate her
point, Guarderas showed a glass frog, with translucent skin through which its
organs and beating red heart could be seen, as it moved along the edge of its
container.
On the company's
grounds - 5,000 square metres made up of big gardens alongside a river - the
frogs are reproduced in labs, so as not to affect local fauna.
They are then put
into an "ethical bio-
Dade City's Wild
Things moves tigers to Oklahoma during court battle with PETA
On Friday, a federal
judge ordered Dade City's Wild Things not to remove or relocate any of its 22
tigers pending an ongoing legal battle with People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals.
By Sunday, 19 of the
Dade City tigers pulled into the Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park in
Oklahoma after a 1,200-mile journey on a cattle truck.
The move appears to
be a reaction to a July 12 ruling by a judge allowing PETA officials to inspect
the facility, owned by Kathy Stearns, and observe the tigers' care and housing.
The judge scheduled the site inspection for Thursday.
PETA sued Wild
Things in October, alleging its tiger cub encounter program, in which visitors
can pay to cuddle or swim with weeks-old cubs, violates the Endangered Species
Act.
The judge granted an
emergency injunction Friday, ordering Stearns not to move the animals after
PETA learned about the relocation plan.
G.W. Exotic Animal
Park entertainment director Joe Maldonado confirmed 19 of Stearns' tigers
arrived at his facility Sunday. He said a pregnant tiger gave birth during the
haul, and all three cubs died. He did not know the whereabouts of the other
three tigers cited in the court order.
"All I know is
(Stearns) called me and asked if I could take the cats until she figured
something out," Maldonado said. "Something to do with a lawsuit and
PETA, and she needed to get rid of her tigers."
On Monday, Stearns
denied sending her tigers to Maldonado. When asked if she transported any
tigers out of her zoo to other facilities over the past several days, she said,
"I don't know, I just got back into town today."
Maldonado, who holds
the facility's U.S.
Dade City's Wild
Things blocks PETA officials at gates for court-ordered site inspection
Dade City's Wild
Things founder Kathy Stearns refused to let People for the Ethical Treatment of
Animals officials enter her facility on Thursday for a court-ordered
inspection, court filings show.
The inspection was
granted by a federal judge so PETA experts could observe the care and housing
of 22 tigers on the property. PETA sued Wild Things in October, alleging its
tiger cub encounter business, in which visitors can pay to cuddle or swim with
weeks-old cubs, violates the Endangered Species Act.
A judge had granted
an emergency injunction July 14, ordering Stearns not to remove any of the
tigers from the zoo after PETA officials said they learned Stearns "was
scheming to transfer its tigers" before the scheduled in
25 endangered
one-horned rhinos die in Chitwan National Park during last year
As many as 25
one-horned rhinos have died in Chitwan National Park in Nepal in the last one
year. The Nepal's Ministry of Forests and Soil Conservation took a decision to
transfer 30 rhinos from CNP to two national parks which aim to prevent possible
epidemic dangers and increase the population of healthy rhinos.
Lion parts 'sold as
fake tiger products' in Asia
Trade in bones and
other parts of lions faked as tiger products is thriving in Chinese and South
East Asian markets, a leading wildlife group says.
China's ban on the
sale of tiger products has led to unscrupulous traders substituting them with
lion parts, the UK-based Environment Investigation Agency (EIA) said.
South Africa is the
largest exporter of lion parts to Asia, it added.
EIA is pushing for
the trade to be banned, saying it encourages poaching.
It released its
report as a meeting of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered
Species (Cites) begins in Switzerland.
Cites allows limited
trade on body parts of lions bred in captivity.
The South African
government last month announced an export quota of 800 skeletons, causing
concern among conservation organisations.
The EIA said that
between 2005 and 2015, South Africa exported the following to Laos and Vietnam:
755 lion bodies
587.5kg (92st 7lb)
of bones, which is roughly the equivalent of 65 lions
54 claws
3,125 skeletons
67 skulls
90 teeth
Pretoria zoo strike
comes to an end
The strike at the
National Zoo in Pretoria, which started earlier this month, has come to an end
after the National Zoological Gardens (NZG) of South Africa and employees
affiliated to the National Trade Union Congress (NTUC) reached an agreement.
In a statement, the
NZG said the agreement saw the parties agree to end the strike and workers are
set to resume duties on Wednesday.
"Details of the
negotiated settlement will be discussed with the NZG’s non-striking employees
and other stakeholders," the statement said.
"The NZG would
like to expres
New Undergraduate
Certificate in Zoo and Aquarium Conservation
A new certificate
developed in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences' School of Natural
Resources and the Environment will introduce University of Arizona students to
the increasingly important role that zoos and aquariums play in wildlife
conservation and management, and help them understand how to maintain
sustainable wildlife populations in a zoo setting.
Zoos and aquariums
worldwide have joined with local, national and international agencies to
protect animal species. In Arizona, for example, the Reid Park Zoo in Tucson is
involved in Saving Animals From Extinction, or SAFE, to raise awareness about
the vaquita, a critically endangered porpoise species in the Gulf of
California. The Phoenix Zoo is raising species native to Arizona for release to
the wild, including the black-footed ferret, Chiricahua leopard frog, Gila
topminnow and desert pupfish.
Through the
undergraduate certificate in zoo and aquarium conservation, students will have
the opportunity to participate in such
Study suggests
climate change may kill off the aardvark in some areas
A team of
researchers with the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa has found
evidence that suggests the aardvark may face a large decrease in population as
the planet heats up due to global warming. In their paper published in the
journal Biology Letters, the group describes how they fastened monitors to a
group of aardvarks who by happenstance were forced to endure a severe
drought—and how the animals fared.
Rare birth of
endangered hairy-nosed wombat in Australia
The population of
one of the world's rarest species has been boosted with the birth of a northern
hairy-nosed wombat joey, Australian wildlife officials said Wednesday.
The arrival of the
furry marsupial comes as a conservation programme to save the animal—which
numbers just 250 in the wild—gathers steam.
The joey emerged
from its mother's pouch at the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge in Queensland
state, which was established just eight years ago and is one of only two known
colonies remaining.
Queensland
Environment Minister Steven Miles said wildlife officers had been closely
observing the mother for the past 10 months.
"It's been a
long wait for the wombat specialist team, but finally it's confirmed that the
joey has successfully left the pouch," he said.
"This is the
first addition to the reintroduced colony of northern hairy-nosed wombats in
five years, and it indicates the new male brought in last year is settling in
well."
The only known
colonies of the animal are both in Queensland—at the Richard Underwood Nature
Refuge and Epping Forest National Park.
When numbers dropped
in Epping in 2009, the state gove
OPERATION RED CLOUD:
RHINO HORN TRAFFICKING IN CHINA
Elephant Action
League (EAL) is proud to release GRINDING RHINO, a public report detailing
another expansive and successful undercover investigative operation. In
response to unprecedented growth in rhinoceros poaching rates in the past ten
years, and enduring consumer demand for rhinoceros horn in both China and
Vietnam, EAL commenced Operation Red Cloud in August 2016 and ended it in June
2017.
Operation Red Cloud
is the first undercover investigation into rhino horn trafficking in China in
decades. This 11-month intelligence gathering and investigative operation was
designed to expose and map the networks, the players and the means (or ‘modus operandi’)
by which rhino horn is trafficked into China. Today, EAL is releasing the
results of this incredibly comprehensive operation.
A separate 200-page
Confidential Intelligence Brief (CIB) has been prepared for law enforcement
only, and it includes detailed information and evidence on 55 identified
Persons of Interest involved in rhino horn trafficking in China and Vietnam.
Although completely
illegal since 1993, anyone with the desire and means can easily buy rhinoceros
horn in China. All you need to do is walk into an ‘antiques’ shop and ask.
The rhino horn
products they show you are far from antique, though, they are new and have most
likely been illegally trafficked from Africa to Vietnam and then into China.
The report Grinding Rhino: An Undercover Investigation on Rhino Horn
Trafficking in China and Vietnam, shows us exactly how rhino horn makes its way
into those shops in China, now the largest illegal market for rhino horn in the
world.
For Operation Red
Cloud, in addition to off-site research and intelligence analysis, EAL
investigators executed multiple field missions to China and Vietnam. EAL
targeted provinces along the southern border of China — Guangxi, Guangdong, and
Yunnan — as well as Henan, Fujian, Beijing, and a few key locations in Vietnam.
Leveraging the experience and expertise of
New whale species
discovered in Sri Lankan waters
Accidentally running
into a whole new species of whale on the job? For marine biologist,
conservationist and educator Asha de Vos, who’s a specialist in Sri Lankan blue
whales, it’s all in a day’s work. She tells us more about her latest
discovery—an Omura’s whale just off the shores of Sri Lanka, in the Northern
Indian Ocean—and why this finding is significant.
What’s special about
this species of whale?
Omura’s whale
(Balaenoptera omurai) was only described as its own whale species in Japan in
2003. That’s just 14 years ago — amazing, considering that they grow to 33 feet
and aren’t exactly microscopic! They have a distinctively long, narrow body and
asymmetrical markings. Before 2003, this species was spotted in the South
Atlantic, Eastern Pacific, and Eastern and Western Indian Oceans, plus one
sighting of a
Sapphire mining
threatens the indri lemur species
Indris - the largest
lemurs - are native to Madagascar but their existence is threatened by illegal
mining.
Since late last year
more than 40,000 miners have descended on the island.
Our team followed
the miners and made the long trek into what is meant to be a protected zone.
The Toxins That Are
Designed to Kill - Or Heal
Venom is one of
nature's great paradoxes. At its most basic level it's designed to kill – and
to do so quickly and efficiently. Yet, the same properties that make it deadly
can also be harnessed to provide potent healing.
There are
potentially 20 million distinct venom toxins, each with its own targets and
effects that have yet to be explored. As National Geographic reported:1
"Venom is
exquisitely honed to stop a body in its tracks. The complex soup swirls with
toxic proteins and peptides — short strings of amino acids similar to proteins.
The molecules may have different targets and effects, but they work
synergistically for the mightiest punch.
Some go for the
nervous system, paralyzing by blocking messages between nerves and muscle. Some
eat away at molecules so that cells and tissues collapse. Venom can kill by
clotting blood and stopping the heart or by preventing clotting and triggering
a killer bleed."
What's intriguing is
that venom often targets the same molecules that medicines target to treat
disease, "fitting into them like keys into locks."2 Out of the fewer
than 1,000 venom toxins that have been analyzed by researchers so far, about a dozen
medications have been developed and brought to market.
"It's a
challenge to find the toxin that hits only a certa
Even scientists take
selfies with wild animals. Here’s why they shouldn’t.
One of the great
things about being a biologist is getting to work in the field and connect with
wildlife. Through my career, I have enjoyed many unforgettable close encounters
with various species, including turtles, birds, marine mammals, invertebrates
and a lot of fish, especially sharks and rays.
My research program
also has a strong focus on citizen science. I use data collected by
recreational scuba divers and snorkelers to describe marine animal populations
and conservation needs. Therefore, I work closely with the tourism industry.
Because of these
connections, I am often asked to advise on best practices for tourists
interacting with wildlife. In response I tell them that scientific studies have
documented how unnecessarily handling or getting too close to wild animals can
have lasting consequences – including causing stress which can interfere with
their feeding or mating success.
Reflecting on my own
experiences, however, I recognize that I and many of my peers have not always
followed those best practices. Sure, we need to have close encounters with
wildlife to do our work, and we have the necessary training and permits. We
often have reason to photograph animals in the course of our research – for
example, to quickly capture information such as size, health,
The Zoo Keepers Part in the Illegal Animal Trade
UK zoo donates white
rhino eggs in IVF bid to save species
A British zoo is
using IVF technology to help the three remaining northern white rhinos
procreate and save the species from extinction.
Scientists at
Longleat safari park in Warminster, England, extracted nine eggs from three
female southern white rhinos in their facility earlier this week.
The eggs will be
used by researchers at a clinic in Italy to develop IVF technology that
eventually could be used with genetic material from the northern whites.
If scientists are
unable to use IVF to create a pure northern white rhino, they have a back-up
plan: to create and embryo using eggs from southern whites and sperm from a
northern white to create a new hybrid species.
The southern white
rhino is a sub-species that shares many of the characteristics of the northern
white. While there are only three nort
9 Harsh But Helpful
Tips on Rocking Your Internship With Animals!
I got my first
internship the summer after I graduated college. Out of 30+ interns, I was the
only one offered a job as a full-time trainer immediately after the internship
ended. Since then I have coached other interns and have developed these 9 tips
to help those who want to succeed in their animal internship.
If you are an
aspiring marine mammal trainer, you understand the importance of getting animal
experience (especially if you have read my book). Experience not only gives an
inside look on what it is like to care for animals, but also connects you to
influential leaders in the industry. If you are lucky enough to have landed an
internship, you are well on your way to achieving your dreams. However, not
everyone can be a trainer, so how you perform during your internship could
determine whether or not you’ll be swimming with dolphins for a living.
Wildlife charity
highlights use of palm oil in orangutan plight
Conservationists
working for Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust are encouraging people to stop
using products containing palm oil, to help save endangered orangutans.
Huge areas of the
Sumatran rain forest are being cleared at an alarming rate to make way for palm
oil plantations.
As well as
contending with the loss of their natural habitat, orangutans, which are
considered a pest in palm oil plantations, are often killed by workers as they
go in search of food.
Durrell says any
surviving orphan Orangutan babies are sold as pets.
The same fate often
awaits other forest animals, such as rhinos and elephants.
Hot dogs: Is climate
change impacting populations of African wild dogs?
Climate change may
be harming the future of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) by impacting the
survival rates of pups, according to one of the first studies on how shifting
temperatures are impacting tropical species.
Led by scientists
from ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and published in the Journal of Animal
Ecology, the study highlights how African wild dogs -- already classified as
Endangered by the IUCN Red List -- raise fewer pups at high temperatures.
Three concurrent
studies, undertaken by ZSL, the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, and the
African Wildlife Conservation Fund, monitored a total of 73 wild dog packs at
sites in Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe, over a combined 42 years of study.
Tracking with
high-tech collars showed that wild dog packs spent less time hunting on hot
days. When packs tried to raise pups in hot weather, more of the pups died,
potentially because they received less food from individuals returning from
hunts.
At the Botswana
site, temperatures increased steadily over 24 years of monitoring. The average
daily maximum temperature during the pup-rearing period was roughly 1°C higher
in the first 12 years of monitoring than in the second 12 years, and over the
same period the average number of pups surviving per pack per year fell from
five to three.
The study's lead
author, Professor Rosie Woodroffe of ZSL's Institute of Zoology, said:
"Our study shows the truly global impact of climate change. When most
people think about wildlife in a changing climate, they thin
The International
Elephant Foundation (IEF) is now accepting proposals for 2018 Elephant
Conservation and Research Funding Support.
******************************************************
UK zoo donates white
rhino eggs in IVF bid to save species
A British zoo is
using IVF technology to help the three remaining northern white rhinos
procreate and save the species from extinction.
Scientists at
Longleat safari park in Warminster, England, extracted nine eggs from three
female southern white rhinos in their facility earlier this week.
The eggs will be
used by researchers at a clinic in Italy to develop IVF technology that
eventually could be used with genetic material from the northern whites.
If scientists are
unable to use IVF to create a pure northern white rhino, they have a back-up
plan: to create and embryo using eggs from southern whites and sperm from a
northern white to create a new hybrid species.
The southern white
rhino is a sub-species that shares many of the characteristics of the northern
white. While there are only three nort
9 Harsh But Helpful
Tips on Rocking Your Internship With Animals!
I got my first
internship the summer after I graduated college. Out of 30+ interns, I was the
only one offered a job as a full-time trainer immediately after the internship
ended. Since then I have coached other interns and have developed these 9 tips
to help those who want to succeed in their animal internship.
If you are an
aspiring marine mammal trainer, you understand the importance of getting animal
experience (especially if you have read my book). Experience not only gives an
inside look on what it is like to care for animals, but also connects you to
influential leaders in the industry. If you are lucky enough to have landed an
internship, you are well on your way to achieving your dreams. However, not
everyone can be a trainer, so how you perform during your internship could
determine whether or not you’ll be swimming with dolphins for a living.
Wildlife charity
highlights use of palm oil in orangutan plight
Conservationists
working for Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust are encouraging people to stop
using products containing palm oil, to help save endangered orangutans.
Huge areas of the
Sumatran rain forest are being cleared at an alarming rate to make way for palm
oil plantations.
As well as
contending with the loss of their natural habitat, orangutans, which are
considered a pest in palm oil plantations, are often killed by workers as they
go in search of food.
Durrell says any
surviving orphan Orangutan babies are sold as pets.
The same fate often
awaits other forest animals, such as rhinos and elephants.
Hot dogs: Is climate
change impacting populations of African wild dogs?
Climate change may
be harming the future of African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus) by impacting the
survival rates of pups, according to one of the first studies on how shifting
temperatures are impacting tropical species.
Led by scientists
from ZSL (Zoological Society of London) and published in the Journal of Animal
Ecology, the study highlights how African wild dogs -- already classified as
Endangered by the IUCN Red List -- raise fewer pups at high temperatures.
Three concurrent
studies, undertaken by ZSL, the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust, and the
African Wildlife Conservation Fund, monitored a total of 73 wild dog packs at
sites in Kenya, Botswana and Zimbabwe, over a combined 42 years of study.
Tracking with
high-tech collars showed that wild dog packs spent less time hunting on hot
days. When packs tried to raise pups in hot weather, more of the pups died,
potentially because they received less food from individuals returning from
hunts.
At the Botswana
site, temperatures increased steadily over 24 years of monitoring. The average
daily maximum temperature during the pup-rearing period was roughly 1°C higher
in the first 12 years of monitoring than in the second 12 years, and over the
same period the average number of pups surviving per pack per year fell from
five to three.
The study's lead
author, Professor Rosie Woodroffe of ZSL's Institute of Zoology, said:
"Our study shows the truly global impact of climate change. When most
people think about wildlife in a changing climate, they thin
The International
Elephant Foundation (IEF) is now accepting proposals for 2018 Elephant
Conservation and Research Funding Support.
******************************************************
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New Meetings and Conferences updated Here
New Meetings and Conferences updated Here
If you have anything to add then please email me at elvinhow@gmail.com
I will include it when I get a minute. You know it makes sense.
Recent Zoo Vacancies
Vacancies in Zoos and Aquariums and Wildlife/Conservation facilities around the World
*****
About me
After more than 49 years working in private, commercial and National zoos in the capacity of keeper, head keeper and curator Peter Dickinson started to travel. He sold house and all his possessions and hit the road. He has traveled extensively in Turkey, Southern India and much of South East Asia before settling in Thailand. In his travels he has visited well over 200 zoos and many more before 'hitting the road' and writes about these in his blog http://zoonewsdigest.blogspot.com/
or on Hubpages http://hubpages.com/profile/Peter+Dickinson
Peter earns his living as an independent international zoo consultant, critic and writer. Currently working as Curator of Penguins in Ski Dubai. United Arab Emirates. He describes himself as an itinerant zoo keeper, one time zoo inspector, a dreamer, a traveler, an introvert, a people watcher, a lover, a thinker, a cosmopolitan, a writer, a hedonist, an explorer, a pantheist, a gastronome, sometime fool, a good friend to some and a pain in the butt to others.
"These are the best days of my life"
Peter Dickinson
Independent International Zoo Consultant        |
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