The Wild Animal Orphanage near San Antonio, Texas is having difficulty
caring for their animals. They are now trying to find homes for 55
tigers, 14
lions, 3 cougars, 6 wolf hybrids, 2 old (17 years) leopards, and about
200 primates: 18 vervet monkeys, 2 barbary macaques, 2 patas monkeys,
23 +/-
capuchins, 21 baboons (several infants in group), 16 chimps (5 HIV +may
have homes already) and approximately 134 macaques, all retired
research
animals.
We are working on finding homes for many of the animals but if you know
of
a facility who would be willing to take one or more of any of these
animals, please contact me at _laurie.j.gage@aphis.usda.gov_
(mailto:laurie.j.gage@aphis.usda.gov) . Also if you or your facility
might be able to make
donations of primate or big cat food, or able to help with the
transportation
of animals, please let me know. Right now the animals all belong to the
WAO and the transfer would be between the WAO and your facility.
Donations
of food or other resources would go to the WAO. USDA Animal Care is
trying
to help with the situation. We may be able to arrange for
transportation
of some of the animals.
Thanks all in advance for any thoughts, ideas, donations or advice.
Laurie Gage, DVM, DIpl. ACZM
Big Cat Specialist USDA APHIS Animal Care
Courtesy of Steve Robinson
Friday, August 27, 2010
WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!! USDA is now in the "find a home for the animal business". I thought they only did confiscations and inspections?
From JIm Clubb
Finally, at long last, pictures of the new lions Jim Clubb has been training, including the hind leg walking male champagne(sorry Jim, but I gotta call it as I see it) lion. Our "supposed" mate, Glenn Sullivan from the Whipsnade Zoo had spent some time at Jim's compound earlier this year, and had taken photo's, but because of a bullshit promise to Jim "not to release them yet" we have had to just wait like some kind of bastard child. LOL Regardless, I am glad to finally be able to see them, and as is par for Jim Clubb, they look great. Jim relay's in an email" These lions will be joining the four males we have in Japan now, making a total of 12 lions." They will be replacing the four tigers and two ligers currently in the act.
Jim also commented on the "cover" and added additional insight on Henri Dantes, as well as relating the famous mauling that Dickie Chipperfied received from his leopards, for any folk's who might think our world "is a piece of cake:
With regard to Henri Dantes and the cover trick, I consider it to be the most dangerous trick you can do. I did it with three lionesses in the early ‘70s and decided I would never train it with any other act. When those lionesses fall on you, especially when they are in season, it knocks every bit of wind out of you. You are also completely helpless. Dantes, with male lions doing it, is quite incredible. You will note that most of the lions sit on high seats. This was to deter them from coming down when he was on the floor with the others. I met him a few times, but only in his latter life. He was very good at mixing adult animals. I saw him doing this in the menagerie at the back of Cirque d’Hivre. He was trained by Firmin Bouglion (sp?), who was obsessed with wild animal acts. Dantes was best with male lions, although I also saw him present a mixed bear act and a mixed panther act. Both of which he trained. He finished up in a small zoo, training two snow leopards, two pumas and two lynx. However, I never saw the act. Sandrine Le Bris, who presented acts for me in Japan originally worked as a groom for him.
Back to the cover trick. Dicki Chipperfield was the first to do it with small cats. He did it with two black panthers and two spotted panthers. I was there when he had the big accident in London, and was one of the ones who got him out along with John Chipperfield Snr. and Tommy Chipperfield. One of the spotted panthers was in season and the male black panther challenged him for her, just as he got them all on the floor. I remember the panther biting him in the head and shoulder from behind and then there was one big dust ball and they all grabbed him. I never actually got to him, as I was fending off the others on the way there. John Chipperfield Snr. was in the cage like a shot and had two off him immediately. Bandera, the big panther, was harder to convince to let go. However, they all went back on their seats and we walked him out. The next day I presented the second panther act we had, which consisted of six spotted panthers and one black panther. Of course, the audience thought it was the same act. We were packed for a week – 3,000 people at each show. When they announced the act and my panther came down the tunnel the audience erupted. So much so, that it unnerved the animals and we actually had to tell the audience to keep quiet.
So you can see I am not in favour of this very dangerous trick. David Tetzlaaf did it superbly. In fact, in my eyes he was the best. He also had the best of all the mixed small cat acts that I know of. I include Dick Chipperfield’s, Alfred Court’s, Gunther Williams’, Jonny De Kok’s and my own. Court’s, I believe, was the first true mixed small cat act, as Chipperfield’s only contained spotted and black panthers, as did Tetzlaaf’s. My combination was similar to Court’s. However, I had more modern tricks.
"I agree with Jim's thoughts about David Tetzlaff and his leopard act. It was magnificent, and as Jim agrees with me that the cover is the most dangerous trick ever done, you lucky readers of CircusNOSpin have witnessed a historical moment!!!!! For the first time in the annual's of wild animal training, that two trainers have agreed upon the same thing. Not once, but twice!!!!!!
Newell Park Zoo--1906 to 1912
Above is the bear den, all that is left of the short lived Newell Park Zoo. During the warm seasons, enormous blocks of ice were brought over from an icehouse in East Liverpool to keep the bears comfortable. During the winter months, the animals were moved by boxcar to the Highland Park Zoo in Pittsburgh—all but the deer which stayed in Newell.
The story below might explain why the zoo, which was operated by a manufacturer, with all good intentions, but not a lick, we have to assume, of captive animal husbandry knowledge, was only operated for 6 years. I suggest we be a bit more understanding of the current effort by the USDA to "validate" someones claims at being an animal expert. LOL
May 23, 1909, was to be the biggest day in the short history of the Newell Park Zoo. The zoo, located in Laurel Hollow in Newell, Hancock County, had opened for its fourth season the previous Sunday, attracting 2,000 people. Many more visitors were expected this Sunday — so many that the streetcar line put on extra cars to handle the huge crowd that was predicted. Sometime during the day one of the zoo's two polar bears was killed. Earlier one of the original bears had died and a new mate was procured for the living bear for opening day. Not knowing they had purchased a new bear of the same sex, they were quickly paired together in anticipation of the big Sunday crowd. Word of the battle spread fast enough, it was said, to draw a huge crowd of people, including an entire streetcar load from East Liverpool. Lacking any mechanism to break the bears apart, they had only to watch, as the fatal outcome unfolded.
Newell Park Zoo--1906 to 1912
The Newell Park Zoo in Newell, Hancock County West Virginai, operated from 1906 until 1912. The postcard above show's the zoo during it's heyday, with monkey cages in the foreground. The photo below show's the sea lion pool.
The Newell Park Zoo, with its cages of seals, monkeys, geese, porcupines, deer, and raccoons, and the adjacent Laurel Hollow picnic grounds were immaculate. The flower beds were in full bloom, planted, trimmed, and manicured by a crew from the Homer Laughlin China Company, which owned the zoo (under the auspices of its subsidiary the North American Manufacturing Company). Homer Laughlin was the largest employer in the town and had been the driving force in building the town less than five years before.
George Washington Clarke, a vice president of Homer Laughlin and its leading salesman, was a strong advocate for developing a free recreational program in Newell. Artistic, courteous, and urbane, he was the company’s leading salesman and a legend in the pottery business. Clarke felt that an attractive opportunity for recreation would draw workers to the new town of Newell and help keep the work force contented at a time when the company was expanding and workers were scarce. He believed that recreation should be provided for free, unlike the nearby Rock Springs Park in Chester, which was a full-blown, for profit, amusement park with paid rides, restaurants, and shows.
Clarke took an active role in the development of the park. In what little spare time that he had, he served as the superintendent of Laurel Hollow and the Newell Park Zoo. Eventually, the Newell Park Zoo became his obsession.
As work progressed on the Homer Laughlin pottery, work also began on Laurel Hollow and the Newell Park Zoo.
The zoo began to take shape, as well, as two seals, weighing 120 pounds each, were placed in the seal pool. Very quickly four Virginia deer, raccoons, and beavers were added. In addition, a flock of exotic birds, including pelicans, demoiselle cranes, and Mandarin ducks were purchased for the lake. On July 4, a herd of burros arrived to provide rides for children.
Woodland Park Zoo's Bobo, in "happier times."
July 1954 photo above shows Raymond Lowman and his granddaughter Claudia Lowman celebrating Bobo's birthday at the Woodland Park Zoo.
Bobo the Gorilla--Facinating hunting/taxidermy/conservation/ zoological/natural history mystery solved.
Bobo's skull
The Burke Museum is displaying Bobo the gorilla's skull and jaw in the museum lobby Feb. 12 through April 25, 2010.
Bobo, the famous Woodland Park Zoo gorilla, was much beloved by the public and lived at the Woodland Park Zoo from 1953-1968. The Burke has a long-standing arrangement with the Woodland Park Zoo to provide a home for zoo animals that have died. After Bobo died, his skeletal remains were donated to the UW and became part of the mammal collection at the Burke. Bobo's taxidermied skin is also currently on display at the Museum of History and Industry.
Bobo's skeletal remains are of value to the Burke, as a natural history museum, for many reasons. Specifically, Bobo's bones hold a valuable record of the genetic signature of wild gorillas in 1951. His DNA could be compared with gorillas of today to answer questions about changes in gorilla populations or genetics. Also, UW students have used Bobo's skeleton for decades while studying human fossils, evolution, and paleontology.
The skull and jaw complete the skeleton in the museum collection.
On February 14, the Seattle Times' Pacific Northwest Magazine published an article revealing the mystery behind Bobo the gorilla's once-missing skull. Read the story here.
Bobo on display today.In 1954 three Klineburger brothers -- Gene (b. 1920), Bert (b. 1926), and Chris (b. 1927) -- bought the Jonas Brothers taxidermy studio in Seattle and by the early 1960s turned it into one of the largest taxidermist studios in the world.
In the late 1940s Bert came to Seattle to serve an apprenticeship under Guy Jonas of Jonas Brothers in Seattle, and in 1951, Chris came to Seattle and joined Bert at Jonas Brothers.
In the early 1950s Jonas Brothers was already well established in the taxidermy field, having operated in Seattle since 1939 and in Denver for some years before that. In 1954 Gene joined Bert and Chris in Seattle and in July 1954 they bought the Jonas Brothers operation. The business maintained the Jonas name until the mid-1970s, when the Klineburger brothers changed the name to Klineburger Taxidermy.
They recognized the potential for further growth in developing sportsman wildlife programs which would bring in a bigger volume of hunters, and later, in developing conservation programs to properly manage the hunts.
One of the Klineburgers' more well-known jobs came in 1968 when they preserved Bobo the Gorilla after he passed away at the Woodland Park Zoo.
Antwerp Zoo's brilliant effort at "combining the new with the old."
Looking down at the former bear exhibits above, and the left half, formerly the polar bear exhibit.
Antwerp Zoo's brilliant effort at "combining the new with the old."
The former brown bear enclosure above, now the right part of the Spectacled Bear/Coatimundis exhibit below
Antwerp Zoo's brilliant effort at "combining the new with the old."
The former polar bear enclosure above, now the left part of the Spectacled Bear/Coatimundis exhibit below.
Portland Zoo's Packy--1962
In the photo above adjusting the scale is Matthew Mayberry, Portland's Veterinarian at the time Packy was born, and steadying Packy on the scale is Morgan Berry who owned Packy's mother Belle. Morgan and partner Eloise Berchold were both killed by male elephants many years later.
David Hancocks--Honolulu Zoo's new "Asian Forest Elephant Habitat."
http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2008/01/15
David Hancocks is an architect who received his B.Sc. and M.Arch. degrees from the University of Bath. He was director of Woodland Park Zoo (1976-1984), the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum (1989-1997) and Werribee Open Range Zoo (1998-2003) and is a member of RIBA (the Royal Institute of British Architects).
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Brief history of the Woodland Park(Seattle) Zoo:
Jan van Oosten, an animal dealer and aviculturist who had been a founding member of the Seattle Zoological Society, was named director.
The Bartholick master plan (named for its principal designer, architect George Bartholick) called for large, naturalistic exhibits, but it contained a feature that became the focus of considerable controversy and eventually caused the plan's rejection. Bartholick would have placed a lid over Aurora, healing the cut that had sliced the park in two back in 1932. The zoo would also have expanded down into Lower Woodland Park, something that many park users strongly opposed. Opponents mobilized and organized, and when Bartholick's plan was put to a public vote in late 1974, it was soundly defeated. Director Van Oosten resigned just before the election. James W. Foster, the zoo's veterinarian, took over as acting director.
Mayor Wes Uhlman formed a citizens' task force -- a zoo commission -- to help formulate a new plan for the zoo. British architect David Hancocks, who had a background in zoo architecture and had worked with Bartholick on the rejected plan, was named design coordinator. A Seattle-based landscape architecture firm, Jones & Jones, was hired to do the design work.
In 1976, the City Council approved the Hancocks/Jones & Jones plan, which also featured naturalistic designs. Exhibits were grouped in "bioclimatic zones" to demonstrate the similarities of and differences between animals living in similar sorts of habitats all over the world.
The plan itself served as a sort of outline for the zoo's future development. The ideas, principles and philosophy that were delineated along with the plan's drawings were closely adhered to during the quarter-century of design and construction that followed.
That same year, David Hancocks became zoo director. He brought with him his revolutionary ideas on zoo design and zoo management. Once implemented, those ideas would not only stand the test of time, but would bring WPZ to the forefront of world zoos.
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"I have always considered David Hancocks to be one of the most most brilliant exhibit designers of zoological habitats in the past 25 years. His monumental gorilla exhibit at the Seattle Zoo set the standard for all zoo's today. Now that we have hopefully "established his credentials", as Col. Herriot would say, let's look at what he thinks of the Honolulu Zoo's "new" elephant exhibit. It appears that somebody really, really dropped the ball in Hawaii. Most all will agree when someone in my profession does something wrong, it reflects on everybody. We have to also address how Honolulu's effort makes the zoo world look in their efforts at captive elephant husbandry.
Letter to the Editor Aug 14, 2010 Honolulu Star-Advertizer:
Elephants need room to roam
As a former director of Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, and of the Werribee Open Range Zoo and the Melbourne Zoo in Australia, I have increasing concern about the lack of commitment to elephant welfare among many zoos.
Honolulu Zoo must surely be aware that building an exhibit space of less than one acre is not sufficient for three elephants
If they could speak, elephants would say they just want the company of many of their close relatives, very big complex areas with abundant vegetation, lots of space and deep water for swimming.Mostly, this new exhibit will merely show how ignorant the zoo is about elephants' complex social, behavioral and psychological needs. That is something to grieve about, not celebrate.
Melbourne
David Hancocks
Humanity has had an enduring desire for close contact with exotic animals—from the Egyptian kings who kept thousands of animals, including monkeys, wild cats, hyenas, giraffes, and oryx, to the enormously popular zoological parks of today. This book, the most extensive history of zoos yet published, is a fascinating look at the origins, evolution, and—most importantly—the future of zoos.
David Hancocks, an architect and zoo director for thirty years, is passionately opposed to the poor standards that have prevailed and still exist in many zoos. He reviews the history of zoos in light of their failures and successes and points the way toward a more humane approach, one that will benefit both the animals and the humans who visit them. This book, replete with illustrations and full of moving stories about wild animals in captivity, shows that we have only just begun to realize zoos' enormous potential for good.
Hancocks singles out and discusses the better zoos, exploring such places as the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, the Bronx Zoo with its dedication to worldwide conservation programs, Emmen Zoo in Holland with its astonishingly diverse education programs, Wildscreen in England, and Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, where the concept of "landscape immersion"—exhibits that surround people and animals in carefully replicated natural habitats—was pioneered.
Calling for us to reinvent zoos, Hancocks advocates the creation of a new type of institution: one that reveals the interconnections among all living things and celebrates their beauty, inspires us to develop greater compassion for wild animals great and small, and elicits our support for preserving their wild habitats.
David Hancocks--Not so wild about zoo theme park
FORMER Werribee Open Range Zoo director David Hancocks has launched a scathing attack on Village Roadshow's proposal for a theme park at the world-renowned tourist attraction.
Last month the company, which operates Movie World and Sea World on the Gold Coast, outlined its plan to develop the $220million African Safari World at the zoo.
The 40-hectare park would include roller coasters, water rides, a four-dimensional theatre, man-made lakes and mountains, and a wildlife education and conservation centre.
Village Roadshow International theme parks chief executive John Harnden said it had the potential to create 6700 jobs during construction and employ 500 workers. He has previously stated animal welfare was paramount. Village Roadshow hopes to start work on the park next year with a view to a 1020 opening.
However, Mr Hancocks - who was at the helm of the zoo between 1998 and 2003 - said he was "appalled'' by the prospect.
"Although I have nothing against theme parks, the idea of locating a theme park on top of a zoo is reckless, because they're incompatible with one another,'' he said.
"It would completely destroy the whole purpose of the zoo, which is to provide education and forge links between people living in the suburbs and wildlife. The thrill rides will completely overwhelm the zoo experience.''
Mr Hancocks also questioned whether Village Roadshow could deliver the project on budget.
"They're talking about building a world-class facility for $220 million, which is a very small figure if they're going to deliver anything of quality. They have compared the park to Animal Kingdom in the United States, but Disney spent 1.5 billion US dollars on it, over a decade ago.
"From my point of view, the whole idea is ludicrous and it would be an enormous backward step for the zoo.''
The State Government believes the park will attract millions of interstate and overseas visitors and has backed the project, with an interdepartmental committee assessing its merits.
The zoo attracts 270,000 visitors annually, and Mr Hancocks said it was "fanciful'' for Village Roadshow to believe the theme park could lure the touted one million people through its doors each year.
Zoos Victoria chairman Andrew Fairley has previously stated it would not support the facility being operated by anyone else.
Friends of the Zoo president Christina Dennis told the ABC's 7.30 Report last Friday the zoo was a significant asset for Victoria.
"Giving away the land, the animals, the infrastructure to a private company? I can't see how if you've got a conflict between shareholders profits and breeding programs, that the shareholder profits wouldn't come first,'' she said.
"To have screams and shrills that you would get from a roller coaster ride, I think would be upsetting for them [the animals].
"I can't imagine any animal, even humans, getting used to that sort of noise.''
After 12 years, zoo ready to build elephant habitat
Aug. 14,2010
City Director of Enterprise Services Sidney Quintal gestured yesterday during a groundbreaking ceremony toward the area where the elephant housing enclosure will be built.
The Honolulu Zoo's two elephants will move into prime real estate next year when their 37,000-square-foot grazing habitat is completed.
The zoo broke ground yesterday on the enclosure that will house the two female Indian elephants and provide space for a male, which the zoo is hoping to get in the next few years. The facility will replace the elephants' existing 3,100-square-foot facility and form the backbone of a retooled Asian rain forest exhibit.
"They'll have more room to kick up their heels," said zoo keeper Malia Davis, who has worked with the elephants for 19 years. "It's a step in the right direction."
The final phase of construction on the habitat comes more than 12 years after the city first proposed improvements. The city completed construction two years ago on a holding area for the animals behind the enclosure with large cages and medical equipment.
Sidney Quintal, director of the city's Department of Enterprise Services, which oversees the zoo, said the final phase of the elephant enclosure will cost $6.35 million and be completed within a year.
"It's the culmination of a very long and difficult process," Quintal said.
The new facility was designed in consultation with zoo staff. In addition to added grazing room, it will have two 55,000-gallon pools, logs for the animals to play with and grass floors to protect the elephants' feet.
Davis said the animals might be startled by their new environment at first but will become acclimated.
"I do think they'll be frightened at first, but they'll enjoy it," Davis said. "As long as they have each other ... those two are so bonded."
The zoo's two female elephants -- Mari and Vaigai -- arrived in Waikiki from India through the efforts of David Watumull -- former consulate general of India in Honolulu -- and his family. In 1982, Watumull invited former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to attend a ceremony honoring Mari's arrival in Honolulu. Ten years later, Sheila Watumull -- David's wife and honorary consulate general to India -- helped organize the trade of a giraffe, apes and other animals to an Indian zoo to get Vaigai.
With the habitat expansion, Sheila Watumull said she is helping the zoo look for two calves -- a male and a female -- to bring to the Waikiki facility from India.
Zoo keepers said they are already preparing to house a male, which they say tends to be more aggressive and aloof than females. The new enclosure will be split in half with separate grazing and housing areas for males and females.
Once the bull elephant matures, zoo keepers said they plan to mate the endangered animals to help with global conservation efforts.
"They'll find a bull that's mature to bring new blood into the community," said Ken Redman, former zoo director.
Redman said the elephant habitat is part of a long-term renewal plan for the zoo. In the past decade the zoo has replaced metal cages with softer habitats that resemble the natural environment. Animals have also been relocated to create region-specific displays, like the Asian tropical rain forest and African savanna.
"We have changed our exhibit facilities so much," Redman said, "but it takes time to replace the old habitats with the modern."
Honolulu ranked among top 10 worst zoos for elephants
January 10, 2010
The two largest land animals in all of Hawaii are at the center of a lifestyle dispute.
An animal welfare group says the elephants Mari and Vaigai should be removed from the Honolulu Zoo and sent to a wildlife sanctuary.
Cramped quarters, foot disease, and circus-style training are some of the allegations released on Tuesday that put the Honolulu Zoo on a list of top ten worst zoos for elephants.
On Tuesday night, the city fired back.
In a video a watchdog for zoos posted, Mari and Vaigai look like they're dancing, and entertaining visitors with tricks.
But an animal welfare group claims the zoo's two female elephants are suffering.
In Defense of Animals (IDA) says rocking and swaying is abnormal, neurotic behavior triggered by severe confinement.
"It is disappointing that a group like IDA would put something out that, to me, is not factual without at least talking to us," said Honolulu Zoo spokesperson, Sid Quintal.
Quintal says their vet and keeper records are clean, and calls IDA's report twisted.
The group ranks the elephant exhibit as one of the top ten worst zoos for elephants.
IDA says Mari and Vaigai are cramped in their 6,000 square-foot home.
The group says not enough room to move means painful foot problems.
"They have a very good base to work out on, they walk on it, we do not put them on a hard course, we have man sand, it's a softer environment and if they do develop any type of foot problems we address them immediately," said Quintal.
The zoo is already planning two new elephant habitats.
The $6 million project, to be unveiled next month, will give Mari and Vaigai and a future male elephant 38,000 square feet of room to roam.
But IDA says that's not even an acre of space and that Honolulu should send Mari and Vaigai to an animal sanctuary.
"We feel that we have a sanctuary and we feel we're doing all that we can to provide a better environment for our elephants," said Quintal.
The city says the new elephant habitats should be done by Fall or the later part of 2011.
This is the first time the Honolulu Zoo has landed in IDA's list of worst zoos for elephants.
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"Since the photo below, from 1958, it appears that the only change the Honolulu Zoo has made to the elephant exhibit has been to add a roof, for protection from the element's and to paint some palm tree's on the wall's, for "habitat enrichment". As we have discussed in the past the use of potted plants around a tiger cage to give a "realistic" effect to the situation, I'll bet the elephant's have to blink twice each morning when they are released into the exhibit, to remind themselves that "you are not in Kansas, or Burma, for that matter anymore, Dorthy."
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