ANWR's Sly Fox - Highlight by NGM

Sly Fox Photograph by John Dunne

In a field of summer blooms a scruffy arctic fox in the process of molting its white winter coat guards a den full of pups. Common on the refuge s coastal plain, arctic foxes build durable dens that may last several generations. Home to some 200 other species of animals, the refuge supports a vast Arctic ecosystem. ANWR has been set aside for its conservation and wildlife values, says refuge biologist Fran Mauer. But some measure ANWR's wealth not in the richness of its species but in the abundance of its oil.

Source: NGM - Support National Geographic by Subscribing today!

Men Charged With Releasing Gator in Lake

An alligator soaks up some sunshine. Authorities charged two men for releasing an alligator in the lake of a Los Angeles public park.(AFP/File/Robert Sullivan)

LOS ANGELES - A former police officer and another man were charged Thursday with dumping an alligator into an urban lake where it has thwarted would-be captors and gained a following.

Authorities say Todd Natow, 42 and Anthony Brewer, 36, released the 7-foot reptile into Harbor Regional Park's Machado Lake, where it has become known by the public as Reggie.

Natow, who worked for the Los Angeles Police Department for 17 years before leaving in 2001, faces 14 misdemeanor counts of unlawful possession of restricted animals, releasing an alligator into the lake, causing a public nuisance and marijuana possession, the city attorney's office announced.

Source: Yahoo News

Monarto Zoological Park Has Christmas Zebra Baby

Zoo's special gift in need of a name - THE Christmas Day present of a new foal was another reward for Monarto Zoological Park's successful zebra breeding program.

The male baby zebra, who needs a name, was born to mother Tanzania and father Bwana. The baby, the second born in the park in 18 months, brings the Monarto zebra herd to nine - five males and four females. Zebras, related to horses, are born 1m tall after a 10-month gestation period

Park director Chris Hannocks was thrilled at the birth and its timing.

"To receive a wonderful gift of a zebra foal is indeed a Christmas present for the conservation of this wonderful African plains animal," he said.The zoo and The Advertiser are running a competition to find an African name for the foal. To enter, visit theadvertiser.com.au, then click on the zebra naming button and follow the prompts.

The competition closes at 11.59pm on January 5. Winners will be announced on January 7.

One winner will receive two passes, valued at $110, to Meet the Lions at the Monarto Zoo.

Tulsa Zoo's Newest Resident

The Tulsa Zoo welcomes a new addition. Ulysses and Eugena, two of the zoo's howler monkeys gave birth to a baby girl last month. The howler monkey's name comes from the very loud, deep vocalization they make that serves as a spacing mechanism with other howler monkey groups. The new howler monkey baby is on public display in the zoo's rainforest exhibit.

NASA finds New Starts

This image provided by NASA shows newborn stars, hidden behind thick dust, are revealed in this image of a section of the Christmas Tree Cluster from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. The newly revealed infant stars appear as pink and red specks toward the center and appear to have formed in regularly spaced intervals along linear structures in a configuration that resembles the spokes of a wheel or the pattern of a snowflake. Hence, astronomers have nicknamed this the 'Snowflake Cluster.' At a mere 100,000 years old, these infant structures have yet to 'crawl' away from their location of birth. Over time, the natural drifting motions of each star will break this order, and the snowflake design will be no more. (AP Photo/HO)

Snowy Owl

A Snowy Owl eyes its surroundings at the Daehlhoelzli zoo in Berne, Switzerland, December 20, 2005. The Snowy Owl is a large, diurnal bird of prey that has a rounded head, yellow eyes and black bill and does most of its hunting in the 'sit and wait' style. REUTERS/Pascal Lauener

3 Iberian lynx Born in Spain

Three baby Iberian lynx born at the National Park of Donana, in Spain, in March 2005. The sharp decline in the number of wild rabbits in Spain and Portugal over the past five decades has driven endangered eagles and cats, which prey on the animals, closer to extinction.(AFP/Donana National Park/Files)

Snow Monkey

A baby monkey eats an orange beside a hot bath at the Ueno Zoo in Tokyo December 22, 2005. Japanese macaque, or the snow monkey, in the zoo enjoyed the cold Tokyo winter in the Japanese custom of soaking in 'yuzu' fruit baths to warm their bodies for good health. REUTERS/Toshiyuki Aizawa

Leaping Over Earth

A view of the Earth taken during the Galileo Mission of the Earth and Moon is shown in this undated handout photograph. Scientists are delaying the start of 2006 by the first 'leap second' in seven years, a timing tweak meant to make up for changes in the Earth's rotation. The adjustment will be carried out by sticking an extra second into atomic clocks worldwide at the stroke of midnight Coordinated Universal Time, the widely adopted international standard, the U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology said this week. NO SALES EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Nasa/Handout

Santa Visits Mantas at UShaka Marine World

Santa and the manta : A South African diver sporting a Santa Claus outfit feeds fish at Africa's largest marine theme park the UShaka Marine World in Durban. (AFP/Rajesh Jantilal)

A Beatutiful Sahara Sunrise

Djerid sun rising : The sun rising on the chott Djerid in the Sahara desert on the second day of the 38th edition of the International Sahara Festival in Douz, south-western Tunisia. (AFP/Fethi Belaid)

Leopard News

Mom's in charge : Leopard (Panthera pardus) mother carries her cub in her mouth at the Capital Zoo in Islamabad. (AFP/Farooq Naeem)

In other News: Leopard captured from Margallah hills - ISLAMABAD: After hectic efforts of more than three months, the Capital Development Authority (CDA) succeeded in catching a wild male leopard late Wednesday night the hunt for female leopard was still on.

Marghazar Zoo Director Raja Javed told Geo TV that the male leopard, after a long absence, has been spotted around the zoo during the last few nights. He said that the leopard jumped into the zoo from the backside of children’s park late Wednesday night. It entered a cage, and the zoo staff closed its door.

Christmas theft of boa constrictors baffles Dutch police

Boa constrictors. Dutch police are mystified how thieves got away with 24 boa constrictors from a suburban zoo in the administrative capital of The Hague, a spokesman said.(AFP/File/Jean-Christophe Verhaegen)

The slippery group comprising two adult snakes stretching to 2.5 metres and 22 youngsters up to about 50 centimetres disappeared sometime on Christmas Eve.

Full Story

Baby hippo, giant tortoise still together

A baby hippo named Owen walks along with its 'mother', a giant male Aldabran tortoise at the Mombasa Haller Park, Wednesday. (AP)

The unlikely couple of a baby hippo and a 130-year-old tortoise were still together—a year after the hippo was separated from its family by last year’s Indian Ocean tsunami.

The relationship between “Owen,” the two-year-old hippopotamus, and “Mzee,” the giant tortoise, surprised conservation workers and made international headlines.

Owen was living with his family on the Sabaki River when massive waves from the Indian Ocean tsunami reached the East African coast. He was washed into the ocean and stranded on a reef.

Residents of Malindi, a small coastal town, used fishing nets to catch him. He then was taken to the Haller Park sanctuary, where he met Mzee and adopted him as a surrogate parent.

Owen may have been attracted by Mzee’s round shape and gray colour that are somewhat similar to that of an adult hippopotamus.

Full Story

Gray Seal Born In Captivity

Rare baby : Photograph of a baby gray seal, three days after the birth of the animal at the Museum of the Sea in Biarritz, a 'very rare' event in captivity for this species. (AFP/Daniel Velez)

Gray Seal Born In Captivity

BIARRITZ, France -- A French aquarium is welcoming its newest resident -- a baby gray seal.

The baby seal, born at the Biarritz Sea Museum, is one of only a handful to be born in captivity.

The gray seal is typically found off the coast of England and is one of the Sea Museum's favorite attractions.

Officials at the aquarium are keeping a close eye on the new pup, and will give more information about the baby seal as it continues to mature.

Video | More Pictures

Stolen Jackass penguin's outlook grim

Toga is seen aged 3 weeks in this undated handout image released by Amazon World Zoo Park in the Isle of Wight, southern England December 22, 2005. Police said on Thursday they feared the worst for Toga, a three-month-old Jackass penguin whose plight has prompted headlines around the world after he was stolen from Amazon World Zoo Park five days ago. EDITORIAL USE ONLY REUTERS/Kath Bright/Handout

Stolen Jackass penguin's outlook grim
LONDON (Reuters) - Police said on Thursday they feared the worst for a baby penguin whose plight has prompted headlines around the world after he was stolen from a zoo five days ago.

Toga, a three-month-old Jackass penguin, was snatched on Saturday night from the Amazon World zoo on the Isle of Wight.

Zoo managers think he might have been stolen as a Christmas present by thieves inspired by the hit documentary film "March of the Penguins".

She added the zoo was currently on tenterhooks after an anonymous man called to say he had dumped Toga on Tuesday in a plastic bag at Portsmouth docks on the mainland across from the island.

A rescue team is now on standby to rush out if the report is true and Toga is found.

However Hampshire police who have been investigating the theft said the report had not made them very hopeful that Toga was still alive.

"I think it's really sad," said a police spokeswoman. "I don't envisage a happy ending."

Double-Mouthed Fish Pulled From Neb. Lake

A rainbow trout fished out of Holmes Lake in Lincoln, Neb., on Dec. 17, 2005, features a double mouth. Clarence Olberding, 57, of Lincoln, wasn't just telling a fisherman's fib when he called over another angler to look at the two-mouthed trout. It weighed in at about a pound. Olberding, who plans to smoke and eat the fish, said the hook was in the upper mouth, and that the lower one did not appear to be functional.(AP Photo/Submitted photo, Charrye Olberding)

Double-Mouthed Fish Pulled From Neb. Lake

LINCOLN, Neb. - This fish didn't have a chance. A rainbow trout pulled out of Holmes Lake last weekend had double the chance to get hooked: It had two mouths.

"I reached down and grabbed it to take the hook out, and that's when I noticed that the hook was in the upper mouth and there was another jaw protruding out below," said Olberding.

He said in his 40 years of fishing, he's never seen anything like it.

"It's probably a genetic deformity," he said. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it."

The second mouth didn't appear to be functional, Olberding said. He has plans for the fish, which don't included mounting.

"I'm going to smoke it up and eat it," he said.

Uh.. Is that wise? What are they putting in the lakes in Negraska?

Senate Blocks Alaska Refuge Drilling

Thomas Joswiak, of Grand Rapids Michigan holds a photograph of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) at a large rally on the West Lawn of the US Capitol, September, 2005 in Washington, DC. The US Senate blocked a measure supported by the White House that would allow oil exploration in the Alaskan National Wildlife Refuge.(AFP/File/Tim Sloan)

WASHINGTON - The Senate blocked an attempt to open an Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling Wednesday, foiling an attempt by drilling backers to force the measure through Congress as part of a must-have defense spending bill.


YEAAAYYYY!!!!!!!!

Walt Disney World Resort Has New Baby Elephant

The Walt Disney World Resort's animal care team welcomed a 233 pound bundle of joy to Disney's Animal Kingdom earlier this week. The female African elephant calf arrived early Monday morning, and joins her 21-year-old mother Donna after 21 months (gestation) in the womb. The calf has not yet been named.

Both the calf and her mother are doing well according to veterinarians and elephant managers, who are cautiously optimistic about the calf's likelihood for survival. The first-time mother experienced a very short labour, lasting approximately 16 minutes. With assistance from the animal care team, the newborn became comfortable using her "newly-discovered" legs and began nursing successfully from Mom soon after her birth. She is already feisty and very active.

"African elephants are endangered and difficult to breed, and having a successful birth is a significant event both for the species and for our talented and experienced team of elephant experts who have been working on this breeding program for more than five years," said Dr. Beth Stevens, vice president of Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park and President of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). Donna, who is on permanent loan from the Albuquerque Zoo, became pregnant through natural breeding on March 17, 2004, when she mated with Jackson, a bull here on breeding loan from the Pittsburgh Zoo. This arrangement is part of the AZA Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP), a consortium of zoos and wildlife parks working cooperatively to conserve elephants.

The next critical milestone is for the calf to continue the bonding process with her mother who will teach her important lessons and protect her as she is introduced to the herd," said John Lehnhardt, animal operations director for Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park.

Going forward, the focus of the elephant managers and veterinarians at Disney's Animal Kingdom will be on the health and welfare of the calf and Donna.

In the near future, Guests will be able to see the calf's progress on camera monitors at Rafiki's Planet Watch at Disney's Animal Kingdom. It will be several weeks before the calf and her mother will join other elephants on the savanna.

Lehnhardt noted that breeding African elephants is a challenging process, so it is especially exciting that this is the third African elephant to be born at Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park. A male calf, Tufani, was born in May 2003 and has gained nearly 1500 pounds in his first two and a half years and Kianga a female was born in July 2004 has gained more than 500 pounds in her first year. Lehnhardt said because many of the elephants giving birth in zoos and wildlife parks are first-time mothers -- just as several of the elephant cows at Disney's Animal Kingdom are -- it is not unusual for the animals (both in the wild and in wildlife parks) to lose their first calf, either through a still birth or following the birth. He is optimistic that observation and interaction with Tufani has helped the other elephants gain additional maternal knowledge, thus improving the success rate for the Animal Kingdom breeding program.

Importance of Breeding Programs

African elephants are classified as endangered species by IUCN, the World Conservation Union, and their future in zoos and wildlife parks is complicated as the aging pachyderm population in North American zoos passes its reproductive prime.

Disney's Animal Kingdom has a breeding program that is part of a cooperative effort coordinated by the AZA that is focused on sustaining the elephant population in North America.

AZA's Elephant Species Survival Plan (SSP) has called for a five-fold increase in African elephant reproduction efforts -- using both natural and artificial breeding methods -- in order to create a self-sustaining elephant population among North American zoos and wildlife centers.

Preparing for a newborn

In the same way that people prepare their homes for a newborn baby, the staff at Disney's Animal Kingdom took steps to "baby proof" the elephant habitat to ensure that there were no hazards for a young elephant calf. The team has taken a critical look at the habitat and made many changes including planting more trees and shrubbery for shading purposes, closing gaps between boulders, and the installation of a shallow pool behind-the-scenes where the
calf will be able to explore the water and learn to swim in a safe environment.

High Tech Pregnancy

Donna received extensive pre-natal care during her pregnancy. In addition to regular ultrasounds, veterinarians and elephant managers monitored her hormonal levels on a daily basis to help them determine when she would give birth. She has been receiving around-the-clock attention from the animal care team over the past few weeks as the birth became imminent.

Disney's Animal Kingdom Theme Park is accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (AZA). With its more than 200 accredited members, AZA is a leader in global wildlife conservation, and your link to helping animals in their native habitats. For more information visit www.aza.org.

For further information: Media Contact: Ren? d'Entremont, Publicist,
The Walt Disney Company (Canada), Parks & Resorts, (416) 596-3356

San Diego Zoo's 18week old Panda Cub

San Diego Zoo's 18-week-old panda cub,Su Lin peers from around her mother as she explores her new exhibit in Decembe. China celebrated the birthday of a giant panda who has outlived most of her peers by more than a decade, showering her with presents and even her own website.(AFP/Getty Images/File)

Lost Wildlife Refuge Protection in Alaska

A Fish and Wildlife Service photograph of a valley in Alaska's Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, May 3, 2004. The House of Representatives on Monday approved opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to oil drilling in a rider attached to an unrelated bill. (Handout/Reuters)

Dolphin Calf in Madrid is one month old

Lina and lala : One-month-old dolphin calf Lina(L) swims along her mother Lala at the aquarium of the Zoo of Madrid. (AFP/Philippe Desmazes)

Here Kitty Kitty.....

A lion cub caresses a domestic cat as another lion rests in a private house in Kharkov, about 450 km (279.4 miles) northeast of Kiev December 15, 2005. The three-month-old lions live in the house of Tatyana Efremova who also keeps a number of other exotic animals. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich

Endangered Baby Elephant Born in Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo

In the first event of its kind in Israel's history, an endangered Asian Elephant in Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo has given birth to a baby elephant, after fertility treatment and an arduous labor.

The baby elephant is the first to be born in Israel, and just the 11th Asian Elephant on earth to be born through the complex fertility method.

An endangered species after being hunted throughout the ages for the ivory in their tusks, less than 50,000 Asian elephants now exist worldwide. The Biblical Zoo currently is home to one male and four female Asian elephants.

The Biblical Zoo, which displays animals mentioned in the Bible alongside specific passages referring to them, was also recently blessed with the birth of a new giraffe, named Shelly (pictured below).



Baby Elephant Cam

Auckland Zoo Welcomes Birth Of Endangered Great Ape

Photo: Melur and Madju taken by Auckland Zoo's photographer, Graham Meadows

Auckland Zoo's Bornean orang utan Melur is being the perfect mum to her new-born son Madju, whom she delivered with ease earlier last month.

Confident, but cautious, and one hundred percent attentive, she looks at him adoringly like any proud and doting mother. The mother-baby bond is breathtakingly human-like from this great ape, whose genetic make-up is 97 per cent similar to humans.

The birth boosts the zoo's orang utan population to nine for this endangered species, which, arguably the world's slowest-breeding land mammal, produces offspring only about once every eight years.

"Madju's (Indonesian for 'to make progress') birth is really something to celebrate. It's very positive. But the fact that almost 90 per cent of both Bornean and Sumatran orang utan habitat has been decimated by illegal logging and the growth of palm oil plantations, is anything but," says Auckland Zoo Curator, Maria Finnigan.

Orangutans are only found in Borneo (Malaysia) and Sumatra (Indonesia) - also the world's largest producers and exporters of palm oil. Found in everything from margarines to beauty products, palm oil is forecast to become the world's most produced and internationally traded edible oil by 2012.

Orangutan numbers in the wild are dropping rapidly, and if this current growth of palm oil plantations continues, orang utan could become extinct in the wild in less than 20 years. The illegal pet trade of infant orang utans is also impacting on numbers. The World Conservation Union (IUCN) currently classifies Bornean orang utans (population 12,000 - 20,000) as 'Endangered', and Sumatran orang utans, (population just 7,000), as 'Critically Endangered'.

"It's an appalling and unnecessary situation, and I believe that with the right intentions and actions, we do not have to see this magnificent species become extinct in our lifetime," says Maria Finnigan, who has worked extensively in Africa with other great ape species.

"As 'The Oil for Ape Scandal', (a collaborative report by a number of NGOs including Friends of the Earth) states, forest conversion is not necessary for the future growth of the oil-palm sector. This report also urges the Indonesian and Malaysian governments to ban forest conversion, and advises that greater productive efficiency and the redirection of plantation development on the millions of hectares of abandoned and heavily degraded land, would greatly reduce the destruction of forests. These are the kind of actions that need to happen," says Ms Finnigan.

Through its Conservation Fund, Auckland Zoo continues to support the work of the Sumatran Orangutan Conservation Programme (SOCP), and advocate for this species. Founded in 1999, SOCP has 120,000 ha of protected lowland forest and a purpose-built medical quarantine facility in northern Sumatra. Its roles encompass rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing 'ex-pet' animals, public education, research and monitoring, and habitat protection. Among fundraising events the Conservation Fund will run over summer, will be a special screening of the classic 'King Kong' at the zoo on 26 January.

At present, Zoo visitors may see Melur and Madju in their outdoor enclosure where they are spending short periods, or in the orang utan playroom. But as the weeks go by their time outside will increase, and chances of a good view of mum and baby will be more likely. Footage of Melur and her baby can also be viewed at the zoo's Paddlepop Kidzone area.

Source

Baby Penguins

Two penguin chicks made their debut at the Erie Zoo, just days before the facility will close for the winter.

The black-footed penguin chicks were born Nov. 12 and 13, but they haven't been named because blood tests needed to determine their gender haven't been completed.

Zoos try hard to breed black-footed penguins, because only 120,000 are believed to be left in the wild, down from more than 1 million in the 1940s.

The penguin chicks were displayed Monday. The zoo will close for the winter on Thursday, for the first time in its history, due to a lack of funding from the city. It will reopen March

Zoo officials say the baby chicks are healthy as can be, and weighed-in at aobut 3 pounds each. The zoo is also excited to announce that two other peguins have laid some eggs and should be new parents by the start of 2006. They hope to have even more Black-Footed peguins to breed at the zoo in upcoming years, so they can keep these endangered warm-weather peguins from extinction.

New Baby Gorilla at Zoo Atlanta

The firstborn offspring of the late, beloved Zoo Atlanta patriarch Willie B. gave birth to her first baby on Monday, Zoo Atlanta officials announced.

The baby's sex has not been determined. Kudzoo, who is now 11-years-old, is the eldest offspring of Willie B. Taz, the zoo's newest silverback, is the baby gorilla's father.

Zoo officials reported that Kudzoo and her new offspring are both doing fine and are already bonding. The pair can be visited in the African Rain Forest on days when the weather is above 50 degrees.

Another of Willie B.'s daughters, 7-year-old Sukari, is expected to give birth in the Spring.

Willie B.'s first grandchild died on Nov. 12 at just five days of age. The gorilla had been born to Lulu and Taz. Although the baby was deemed to be full term by Zoo Atlanta primate experts, his birth weight was considered to be low at just over three pounds.

The infant had been turned over to the care of Kuchi, his grandmother, when Lulu failed to property nurture him, but he died on Nov. 11.

Sixteen gorillas have been born and reared by their mothers at Zoo Atlanta since 1988. Officials say another of Willie B.'s daughters, 7-year-old Sukari, is expected to give birth next spring.
Willie B., who was so popular with visitors that he became the Zoo Atlanta mascot, died in February 2000 at 42.

Palm Beach Zoo Reopens, Announces New Baby Jaguars!

Two new female jaguar cubs are the latest addition to the Palm Beach Zoo collection! Read the Full Press Release (PDF DOCUMENT)

The pair of cubs, born Sept. 21 and the first jaguars born at the zoo, made their first public appearance Thursday when the zoo reopened, eight weeks after Hurricane Wilma damaged buildings, collapsed enclosures and ripped through the zoo's greenery to the tune of $1.5 million to $2 million.

Full article at Palm Beach Post

They are having a naming contest. Names must be Mayan or Latin in origin.

I found
KUKUCAN - In Maya mythology, Kukucan is the wind god.
YAXCHE - In Maya mythology, Yaxche is the tree of heaven under which good souls rejoice.

Extinct Mammoth Dna Decoded

Scientists have pieced together part of the genetic recipe of the extinct woolly mammoth.

The 5,000 DNA letters spell out the genetic code of its mitochondria, the structures in the cell that generate energy.

The research, published in the online edition of Nature, gives an insight into the elephant family tree.

It shows that the mammoth was most closely related to the Asian rather than the African elephant.

The three groups split from a common ancestor about six million years ago, with Asian elephants and mammoths diverging about half a million years later.

"We have finally resolved the phylogeny of the mammoth which has been controversial for the last 10 years," lead author Michael Hofreiter of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, told the BBC News website.

Story Continues at BBC.Co.Uk

Study Finds Manatees Have Keen Hearing

Photo courtesy of SaveTheManatee.org

"Manatees can hear 10 times better than humans underwater, a new study suggests. The discovery leaves researchers wondering why so many get hit by boats.

Very little is known about manatees' hearing ability, so researchers tested the range of sound frequencies the creatures could hear using a technique similar to what doctors use to check hearing abilities of newborn humans.

It turns out that manatees, sometimes described as ugly sea cows, are able to follow sounds changing at rates of up to 1,400 cycles per second, with peak responses at 150 and 600.

"This is remarkably ten times faster than that of humans but only half that of dolphins," said study leader David Mann of the University of South Florida.

There are an estimated 3,500 manatees in Florida waters. Despite their excellent hearing, between 70 and 80 are killed by boats each year. Scientists have wondered if they are good at locating where a sound is coming from."
Source

Meet Sirene (2, F) & Pixel (6, M). My 2 Devon Rex Cats :)

Decline of Trout Not Stopping Grizzlys Success

In this undated photo released by the Bronx Zoo, Betty, a grizzly bear, stands in its enclosure in the snowfall that blanketed New York on Tuesday, Dec. 7, 2005. (AP Photo/Wildlife Conservation Society, Julie Larsen Maher)

Grizzly Bear: Ursus horribilis

"The protein-packed Yellowstone cutthroat trout is in serious decline park officials said it "appears to be in peril" in a recent publication fewer bears are feeding off the lake's tributaries.

There's been intense interest in safeguarding the cutthroat trout -- including a request to place it on the endangered species list -- and understanding how its decline affects the more than 40 species that feed on it.

Yellowstone's overall grizzly population, which the federal government recently proposed to take off the endangered species list, doesn't appear to be hurting from the decline in cutthroat, Haroldson said." Source

Giraffe Born in Berlin

Standing by mom : An eight-day-old baby giraffe stands by his mother Malindi at the Berlin zoo. (AFP/DDP/Johannes Eisele)

Giraffe Fact: The world's tallest animal, giraffes can reach a height of 18 feet. Their extraordinarily long necks have only seven vertebrae, just like humans' necks.

Congratulations!
Here are links to Giraffe Cams:
Live Giraffe Cam at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Giraffe Cam at the National Zoo
Giraffe Webcam at South Lakes Wild Animal Park

Arctic killer whales are 'toxic'

Norwegian killer whales are the most toxic mammals in the Arctic, according to a new study.

The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) has found that killer whales have higher levels of chemicals known as PCBs, pesticides and flame retardants in their blubber.

Previously the polar bear had taken the title of most toxic animal in the research funded by international environmental group WWF.

"This new killer whale research re-confirms that the Arctic is now a toxic sink," said Brettania Walker, a toxics officer with WWF's international arctic programme.

NPI researcher Dr Hans Wolkers said: "Killer whales can be regarded as indicators of the health of our marine environment.

"The high levels of contaminants are very alarming. They clearly show that the arctic seas are not as clean as they should be, which, in particular, affects animals at the top of the food chain."

The flame retardants are used in electronic goods and coatings for household products such as carpets but can affect whales' neurological functions, behaviour and reproduction.

WWF and the Norwegian government are now pushing for EU leaders to ban the chemicals when the European Council of Ministers votes on Reach (Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals) tomorrow.

Full Story

Polar Bears

Polar bear Sonja looks out of the water at the zoo in Gelsenkirchen, western Germany, Friday, Dec. 9, 2005 where she lives together with 3 other bears. (AP Photo/Martin Meissner)

Baby Hopi Born in Australia

Baby Hopi arrives at Western Plains Zoo

(Western Plains Zoo, Australia) - Hopi is a bison and it's a rare birth for the zoo. He's the first the zoo has seen in three years.

The bison is native to North America where they once roamed 95% of the continent according to Keeper, Kevin Allanson.

The zoo has had an impressive birthing year with a cheetah, siamang ape, maned wolves and white and black rhino births all recorded in 2005. (Source

Congrats to the Western Plains Zoo! The Western Plains Zoo is an open range facility on the outskirts of Dubbo in Central New South Wales.

Visit the Zoo's Website at
http://www.zoo.nsw.gov.au/

LA Zoo Opens New Zebra Habitat

Zoo Opens Zebra Habitat

The Grevy's zebra (Equus grevyi) is the largest species of zebra, and it is now on display in a newly renovated habitat at the Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens.

The exhibit is a renovation of a paddock that was originally built in 1966.

The zoo staff added several new features to the exhibit to improve it for the animals and zoo visitors. Improvements include sand for the animals to roll around in and the planting of native African vegetation, including acacia trees.

In addition, the moat was filled in, expanding the living space for the zebras while changing the topography so that the animals can be viewed at eye-level by zoo visitors. Several fences were replaced to improve the views for small children and those in strollers. New graphics were also installed with educational information about Grevy's zebras.

Grevy's zebras have a larger frame, thinner striping patterns than plains and mountain zebras, as well as giant round ears and a white belly. They are native to the deserts of northern Kenya and Ethipia.

This is the first time since 1994 that the Los Angeles Zoo has exhibited this endangered species. The Grevy's zebra population is rapidly declinng with less than 3,500 in existence today. The loss of more than 15,000 Grevy's zebras since 1970 from habitat degradation and poachers had led to their endangered status. Source

Read more about Grevy's zebra at The National Zoo Website

Black Leopard Katrina Finds Home in Alabama Zoo

Gulf Coast Zoo given 3-month-old black leopard named Katrina

GULF SHORES, Ala., - Celebrity animal expert Jack Hanna presented a 3-month-old female black leopard (Panthera pardus) named Katrina to the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo, which was damaged by Hurricane Ivan.

During a visit Thursday to the zoo in Gulf Shores, Hanna said the leopard was born on Aug. 29, when Hurricane Katrina struck Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.

Related Interactive Sites:
Snow Leopard Cam at the Bronx Zoo - 10AM to 6PM EST

Caracals are Featured Guests in Tallahassee

One of my favorite felines - the Caracal (Caracal caracal).

A caracal cleans her paw while resting at the Tallahassee Museum of History and Natural Science, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2005, in Tallahassee, Fla. The caracal and her mate are featured guests at the museum's animal habitat, on loan from the Carnivore Preservation Trust in Pittsboro, N.C. The cats are native to Israel, Africa, and other regions of the mid-east. AP Photo/Phil Coale)

Caracal Fact Sheet - National Zoo| FONZ

Labradoodle!

Labradoodle! : (AFP/Yoav Lemmer) What is a Labradoodle??? Poodle/Labrador mix of course. Not as cute as the Puggle (Pug/Beagle) in appearance but the name is pretty cute.

New Mammal Discovered in Borneo

Undated photograph shows a Bornean red carnivore from the Kayan Mentarang National Park, East Kalimantan. Researchers from the WWF conservation group may have made the extremely rare discovery of a new species of mammal in the dense forests of central Borneo, the organisation said.(AFP/HO/WWF-INDONESIA)

Amur Tigers Endangered due to Chemical Spill in China

Lutiy, an endangered Amur tiger, roams in his cage at the Wild Animals Rehabilitation Center at the Sikhote-Alin Nature Monument, Russia on Monday, Dec. 5, 2005. The tigers and other endangered animals live in the ecosystem around the Amur River that face the consequences of a chemical spill in China. (AP Photo/Burt Herman)

Amur Tiger, Panthera tigris altaica, also known as Siberian Tigers.
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Gorilla "Nipple Fetish" Dispute Settled

Two women who had taken care of Koko, a gorilla who communicates with humans by sign language, have settled a lawsuit charging the president of its sanctuary urged them to show their breasts to the ape.

Nancy Alperin and Kendra Keller had sued the Woodside, California-based Gorilla Foundation, claiming its president had pressed them to bare their breasts for Koko to help bond with the gorilla.

The two said foundation President Francine Patterson would interpret hand movements by Koko as a demand to see human nipples. They declined and were later fired in an act of retaliation for not indulging what the lawsuit called Koko's "nipple fetish".
The lawyer for the foundation said the two were fired for different reasons and that a county court earlier this year dismissed their sexual harassment and wrongful termination charges.

Attorney Todd Roberts said the foundation agreed to settle the lawsuit to get on with its work. Terms of the settlement were confidential, he added.

"We denied all of the allegations in the complaint and continue to deny the allegations," Roberts said.

Stephen Sommers, a lawyer for the two women, declined to comment on the lawsuit and its settlement.
 

A Somali herdsman walks at sunset towards Wajid, 450km (280 miles) northwest of the capital Mogadishu December 2, 2005. Aid agencies provide food, medicine, shelter and water to thousands who remain displaced by numerous clashes between different Somali militia factions. The local needs grew in 2004, owing to a worsening drought. Picture taken on December 2, 2005. REUTERS/Antony Njuguna
 

Panda cub Tai Shan Woes Media

Giant panda cub Tai Shan bites a piece of straw in his exhibit at the National Zoo in Washington November 29, 2005. (Jason Reed/Reuters)

Tai Shan, the 21-pound (9.5-kg) baby panda born in July at the U.S. National Zoo, took his first bow before the media on Tuesday, reducing one of the hardest-bitten press corps in the world to cooing and incoherent babble.

Tai Shan, whose name means "peaceful mountain," is top of the chart for growth. Zoo officials say he is becoming more assertive by the day, squealing and barking when he is picked up and chasing his keepers around his indoor enclosure.

Su Lin, a girl panda born this year in the San Diego zoo, was the rare product of natural mating in captivity.

Mei Xiang will be ready to breed again in a couple of years and the Washington-based zoo plans to try to mate her with Tian Tian again in 2007.

The couple is on a 10-year loan from China and any babies it produces belong to Beijing. Tai Shan is due to return to his ancestral land when he is two years old.

Baby Rhino Born in Berlin

Betty, an 11-year-old Rhino, nuzzles her newborn calf at the Friedrichsfeld Zoo in the German capital Berlin, November 29, 2005. The baby rhino was born on Saturday and has yet to be named. REUTERS/Finbarr O'reilly.