Get Information on This Tour That You’ll Never Get in a Normal Rio Grande Zoo Tour

By Terry Axline

Albuquerque, NM - Indulge your animal instincts this Valentine’s Day with a tour of the Rio Grande Zoo. The action starts on Sunday, February 14, promptly at 2:00 p.m. Love is a complex dance—even in the animal kingdom. Our resident experts will divulge the details of the exotic, erotic, and often curious romantic rituals of animals. Learn about the life-long romances of condors and cranes, intriguing mating habits of primates, and what goes on in the breeding world of reptiles. You’ll get information on this tour that you’ll never get in a normal zoo tour! It’s sure to be this winter’s most interesting day at the Zoo.

Tickets for this tour are $10 and can be purchased at the Zoo’s cashier booth on Sunday. Ticket cost includes Zoo admission and a special sweet treat. Reservations are required; please call (505) 764-6247. Sorry, kids. This affair is for adults only (18 and older). The Zoo is located at 903 Tenth St. SW.

“Winter’s Dream” is That Every Foster Child Available for Adoption Finds a Family

By Jeni Hatter

Clearwater, FL - Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) welcomed Florida Governor Charlie Crist and other dignitaries to kick off a new adoption campaign called “Winter’s Dream.” CMA is partnering with the Progress Energy Heart Gallery and Eckerd Community Alternatives to raise awareness of the need for children in foster care to be adopted and the need for Winter the dolphin to be adopted. CMA relies on public support for its work of marine life rescue. One of the ways to generate support is by allowing families to adopt its animals.

“Winter’s Dream” is that every foster child available for adoption finds his or her “forever family.” Winter lost her family, overcame physical challenges and found a new family with CMA. Many kids in Florida’s foster care system face similar challenges and are considered “special needs,” given their background, age or disability. These children have been separated from their birth families, live in foster care and now need adoptive homes.

Most Penguin Species Go Through One Complete Molt (shed their feathers) Each Year

By Angie Hyde

Sandy, UT - The Living Planet Aquarium has deferred the opening of the highly anticipated penguin exhibit until late March, and the penguins’ switch to new “formal wear” is to blame.

Most penguin species go through one complete molt (shed their feathers) each year, usually after the breeding season. Depending on the species, the average length of the molt varies from 13 days to 34 days. The Living Planet Aquarium will be receiving 11 penguins for the new exhibit, three of which are chicks, hatched in late 2009, two are adults (a breeding pair, over 4 years of age), and the remaining 6 are a year old (hatched in 2008).

Jacksonville Zoo is Celebrating Valentine’s Day with a Special Admission Offer

By Mercede New

Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens is celebrating Valentine’s Day with a special admission offer on February 13th and 14th. Guests can buy one adult’s admission and get one adult’s admission free! Coupons for this offer will be available online at Jacksonvillezoo.org. A coupon from the Zoo’s Web site must be presented to receive the discount, one coupon per person.

For over 90 years, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has been dedicated to inspiring the discovery and appreciation of wildlife through innovative experience in a caring environment. Starting in 1914 with an animal collection that consisted of one red deer fawn, the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has grown to house more than 1,400 rare and exotic animals and over 1,000 unique plant species. The Jacksonville Zoo is a non-profit organization and is an accredited member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). It is open year-round, seven days a week, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and is located on Jacksonville’s North side at 370 Zoo Parkway, one-half mile east from I-95. For more information on the Zoo, log on to jacksonvllezoo.org.

Acacia Booked a Seat Aboard a Cargo Jet Flight to Piedmont Triad International Airport

By Rod Hackney 

Asheboro, NC - —“Acacia,” a 15-year-old female gorilla, arrived at the North Carolina Zoo Saturday evening from the Oklahoma City Zoo, the second new gorilla to be transferred to the state zoo in the past month.

“Jamani,” a 10-year-old female arrived in Asheboro January 14, from the San Diego Zoo. Both gorillas were transferred to the N.C. Zoo as part of the Gorilla Species Survival Plan (SSP), a cooperative program of the Association of Zoos & Aquariums aimed at improving the captive care and breeding of these highly endangered great apes.

Blending Fecal Facts With Fun in This New Interactive Exhibit

By Tom O’Konowitz

Cleveland, OH - Get The Scoop on Poop This Summer at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

DINOSAURS!, FLUTTER! and Professor Wylde return for Zoo’s summer season

Discover the science behind dinosaur dung, giraffe droppings and porcupine pellets this summer with “The Scoop on Poop,” Cleveland Metroparks Zoo’s newest exhibit. Blending fecal facts with fun, this interactive exhibit runs from Saturday, May 22, through Sunday, September 12 at the Zoo.

Staff Members are Scrambling to Treat the 1,000 Parrots, Many of Which are Injured or Ill

By Jennifer M. Wilson

Powell, OH - More than 1,000 endangered African grey parrots were delivered to the Limbe Wildlife Center in Cameroon last week after being confiscated as part of a $1.5 million illegal shipment at the Douala Airport.

The shipment—that was scheduled to be loaded on to Ethiopian Airlines—was the largest on record and is the third major bust of African grey parrots in Cameroon in the past two years. The Last Great Ape Organization (LAGA), in conjunction with Cameroonian law enforcement officials, coordinated the bust. The parrots were destined for Kuwait International Airport and the Bahrain International Airport.

Limbe staff members are scrambling to treat the parrots, many of which are injured or ill. Forty-seven parrots were found dead at the bottom of the crates upon arrival and another 30 did not survive the first day.

Akron Zoo Looking to Fill Jobs in the Areas of Guest Services, Horticulture and Custodial

By David Barnhardt

Akron, OH - The Akron Zoo will be hosting a job fair to showcase its opportunities for summer employment, February 19 from 1 – 7 p.m. & February 20 from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., 2010.

The zoo will be looking to fill jobs in the areas of guest services, horticulture and custodial. In the area of guest services the zoo will be looking for people to work admissions, gift shop and food service. The zoo’s summer season runs April 1 – September 30. Applicants can fill out an application and some on-the-spot interviews will take place. Anyone interested must be 18 years or older and the Akron Zoo is a drug-free work place.

Zookeepers Work to Reintroduce Hadari Into Gorilla Group

By Steph Husman

Omaha, NE - Hadari, an infant gorilla, is finding his place among the gorilla group.

Hadari was born on July 27, 2009 to Timu, his mother, and Samson, his father, at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo. Timu successfully cared for Hadari for three weeks until he unfortunately suffered from a broken arm. Zoo staff worked quickly to ensure proper healing. A special vest, made to simulate the mother’s hair, was worn by Zoo staff to teach Hadari how to grasp and hold on. He was then cared for by keepers, animal care staff and docents around the clock. The origin of the break is unknown as it happened over night. The goal has always been to reintroduce Hadari into gorilla group therefore he was continually kept near the group so they could smell, watch and interact.

Enjoy a Frosty Ride While Raising Money to Help WCS Save Wildlife and Wild Places

By Fran Hackett

New York, NY - Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises and Coney Island Polar Bear Club are teaming up on Saturday, February 27th to host the second annual “Naked” Polar Bear Cruise (bathing suit required) to benefit the Wildlife Conservation Society.

Participating passengers are encouraged to strip down to their bathing suits and enjoy a frosty ride while they raise money to help WCS save wildlife and wild places around the globe.

Paper Retriever® is a No-cost Program that Provides Bins to Vollect Paper For Recycling

By Gina Stiles

Jacksonville, FL - The Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens announces that it has joined the community recycling program, Paper Retriever®, with the addition of two bins on location at the Zoo. Paper Retriever® is a no-cost program that allows organizations to host bins to collect paper which is then recycled. The program is a fundraiser for participating organizations as the proceeds from the bins benefit the host.

“Paper Retriever® supports the Zoo’s mission to instill passion in the next generation as responsible stewards of the future,” said Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens’ Executive Director Tony Vecchio. “And it’s just one of our efforts to become more “green” as an institution while encouraging others to do the same.”

As Long as Weather Conditions are Favorable the Akron Zoo Will Reopen Tomorrow

By David Barnhardt

Akron, Zoo - Due to current weather conditions the Akron Zoo will be closed today, Saturday, February 06, 2010. As long as weather conditions are favorable the zoo will reopen tomorrow, Sunday, February 7, 2010 at 11 a.m.

The Akron Zoo, which is home to over 700 animals from around the world, is open 361 days a year. Regular hours are 11 a.m. – 4 p.m. and admission is $6.00 per person. Children under two are free and parking is $2.00.

The One-mile Walk/run Begins at 7:45 a.m. and Includes Two Water Stops

By Trish Chambers Bump

Phoenix, AZ - Run, walk, crawl or stroll: however you choose to get around, be prepared to have a wild time! The Phoenix Zoo invites both individuals and teams to have fun while staying in shape during Walk in the Wild on Saturday, February 27, 2010. With an estimated attendance of 2,000 participants, the second annual fundraiser offers route options of either one mile or 5K around the Zoo’s grounds. Pre-registration for the non-competitive event runs through February 24 for teams and February 26 for individuals. Proceeds benefit the non-profit Zoo and its numerous programs to help endangered and threatened animal species.

An easy route for younger children or persons with physical challenges, the one-mile walk/run begins at 7:45 a.m. and includes two water stops.

Ocean Wise Construction Project Available for Viewing Through the Olympic Winter Games

By Kent Hurl

Vancouver, Canada - Today the Vancouver Aquarium revealed an enormous Inukshuk sculpture made entirely of cans of Ocean Wise recommended seafood in a display of Olympic spirit. Created by an Aquarium design team, the Ocean Wise Construction project will be available for viewing from now through the 2010 Olympic Winter Games. The seafood was generously donated by Raincoast Trading. Following the exhibit the canned fish will be donated to the Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society.

“You can tell our team and partners had a lot of fun creating this amazing spectacle to share with locals and visitors during the Games,” said Aquarium president, Dr. John Nightingale. “We are able to show our Olympic spirit and support the Food Bank, while showcasing the importance of choosing sustainable seafood. Overfishing is the number one problem facing the world’s oceans today. Ocean Wise makes it easy for Canadians to play an active role in conserving them now and for future generations.”

"Fashion with Passion" Show Takes Place at Living Coasts on Wednesday 10th March

By Philip Knowling

Torquay, UK - Living Coasts is holding a fashion show with a unique theme.

It follows the success of Fashion with Passion in 2009, when local students and Torbay businesses joined forces to promote eco-friendly fashion.

This year’s show is entitled Fashion with Passion – the Web of Life, and sets out to promote biodiversity through fashion design. Living Coasts spokesperson Phil Knowling said: “I don’t think anyone has ever held a fashion show with the theme of biodiversity before – it’s a first!”

Tai Shan Will Take Part in a Panda Breeding Program at the Bifengxia Base

By Enica R. Thompson

Ya’an, Sichuan, China- Tai Shan, the Smithsonian’s National Zoo's beloved 4 ½-year-old giant panda, has arrived safely to his new home at Wolong’s Bifengxia Base in Ya’an, Sichuan. The 184-pound panda arrived at 4:26 p.m. local time in Chengdu on Feb. 5, 2010. On Feb. 4, Tai Shan’s 15-hour non-stop flight departed Dulles International Airport at 12:10 p.m. via a FedEx 777 plane, also known as the “Panda Express.”

Under the National Zoo’s agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, Tai Shan will take part in a panda breeding program at the Bifengxia Base. The Zoo successfully negotiated two extensions with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, which allowed the Zoo to keep Tai Shan for two-and-a-half years beyond the original two-year contract.

Yona Yona Penguin is a Japanese Animated Movie with English Subtitles

By Laura Chew

Singapore - Miss the nostalgia and magic of an outdoor movie? Take a journey down memory lane with family and friends at Jurong Bird Park on 27 February and be amongst the first island-wide to catch this film. Debuting in Singapore, Jurong Bird Park will be screening Yona Yona Penguin at the Pools Amphitheatre for a special one-evening only preview.

Directed by Japanese animator Rintaro, director of Metropolis, Yona Yona Penguin is a Japanese animated movie with English subtitles about the amazing adventures of Coco, a small girl with a penguin coat, as she journeys through a world of fantasy and magic to save her friends from the Emperor of the Dark. Join her and her friends in this heart-warming tale where they discover friendship and courage for the first time in their lives. Having been represented at various film festivals in Venice, Spain, Tokyo and Bangkok, this is a movie that both the young and old will enjoy!

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Name:  Patrick Garratt

Actual Title:  Managing Director

Name of Aquarium:  Two Oceans Aquarium

Location:  Cape Town, South Africa

URL:  http://www.aquarium.co.za

Number of species:  +/- 220 vertebrates. Invertebrates and algae too numerous to count

Your favorite critter at the facility:  Rockhopper penguins

Total number of animals or fish at your facility:  +/- 2,700

Number of visitors annually:  +/- 450,000

Number of employees:  90

Number of Volunteers:  220

Annual Budget:  32 Million Rand

Name: Denise McClean

Actual title: Facility Director, Wildlife Conservation Society’s Prospect Park Zoo

Name of your zoo: Prospect Park Zoo

Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA

URL for your facility: prospectparkzoo.com

Number of species at your facility: 101

Your favorite critter at the facility: They’re all special to me. Every time I have one of those close-up encounters at an exhibit, I fall in love with that animal…until I move to the next one!

Total number of animals or fish at your facility: 247 excluding fish

Number of visitors annually: 269,000

Number of employees: 55 full time

Number of volunteers: 47 Discovery Guides (11 adults, 36 teens), and 22 Docents (Docents have received training in tractable animal handling for special programs)

Annual budget: $3.8M

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