Wednesday, May 22, 2013

"Zoo Food"

At the Riverbanks Zoo's Kenya Cafe you can choose from "artisan sandwiches, fresh made to order salads, po' boys, veggie burgers and weekly specials." [WLTX.com]

"Our goal is to get rid of the thought of zoo food..."

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Prius + Gravity = 60.7 mpg


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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Dragon Naps


Hey, Jude!

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Delayed Implantation?

Zoo staff are "puzzled" by the birth of an anteater at the LEO Zoological Conservation Center, Greenwich, Conn.

It seems that the mother had no access to a male anteater "in the months before the six-month gestation period for baby Arthur would have begun."

"Marcella Leone, founder and director of the conservation center, suspects this might be a rare case of delayed implantation, when fertilized eggs remain dormant in the uterus for a period of time."

Could this be parthenogenesis or, more specifically, in this case, facultative parthenogenesis?


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Friday, May 17, 2013

Fresh!

The Greensboro Science Center is opening The Fresh Market Cafe at Greensboro's Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited museum.

The Cafe will be run by The Fresh Market, the specialty grocery that started in Greensboro, NC and now has locations in 25 states.

100% of profits will go to the Science Center.

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Thursday, May 16, 2013

"Complex Logistics"

"We are planning to artificially inseminate elephant Batir next week. A lot of complex logistics are involved in this." [David M. Jones, NC Zoo Senior Staff Meeting Notes]

One would think! 

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Conspiracy Theory

""I just don't see where there is enough violations for this to happen, I guess I would call it a conspiracy," said Betty White. "The Department of Wildlife, USDA, and the Humane Society have joined together to put me out of business."" [San Francisco Chronicle]

The U. S. Department of Agriculture [USDA] has revoked the Collins [Miss.] Zoo's exhibitor license and "the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks seized tigers, cougars, leopards, a monkey, and some wolves...".

"Over the years the USDA has cited zoo owners Gus and Betty White for a wide range of violations to include failing to safely handle animals, failure to provide adequate veterinarian care and cages holding dangerous animals lacking."

A conspiracy? There are many hundreds, probably thousands, of zoos in North America. A couple hundred of those earn accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). The USDA  holds all US zoos to its standards. Being "cited...for a wide range of violations..." and having its license revoked by the USDA, having its animals seized by its state fish and wildlife entity and coming afoul of the Humane Society does point toward something not being right...but not, to this observer, to a conspiracy.

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Wild!

Wednesday, May 15, 2013

NC Zoo Troll

Deja vu all over again

Deja vu all over again by ucumari
Deja vu all over again, a photo by ucumari on Flickr.
Title and Aquila/NC Zoo photos by ucumari. [Click on the photo and scroll down to see more in this fun series.]

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Bronze Chimp @ Play

BronzeChimpbaby by russlings
BronzeChimpbaby, a photo by russlings on Flickr.
NC Zoo photo by Mary K. Vidaurri.

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Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Unofficially on Exhibit


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Underlooking @ Aquila


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Mule Deep Underpass

Kenya's got one for African elephants at a cost of $250,000.

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Elephant Kills Poacher?


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Monday, May 13, 2013

"Gorgeously Ugly"?!?

London Zoo is looking for a "gorgeously ugly", female, Mangarahara cichlid (fish).

The Zoo has two of only three it knows of in captivity. (The rare fish may be extinct in the wild.) All three, however, are males. A German Zoo had a female, but its male ate her. "Nice going, fish." [msn.now]

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Koala-Back Rider!


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Sunday, May 12, 2013

"Some Mothers..."


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Mother's Day...

Mother & Child


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