User login
 |
 |
 |
 |
Mike Bungard From Paignton Zoo Searches for Gold in the Caribbean
Paignton, UK - Conservationists from a Devon wildlife charity have returned from a quest for Caribbean gold. The pair travelled to the island of Trinidad in search of the critically endangered golden tree frog. Mike Bungard, Curator of Lower Vertebrates and Invertebrates at Paignton Zoo Environmental Park, teamed up with Dr. David Stradling, the chair of trustees of the Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust, the charity which runs Paignton Zoo. The field trip was designed to pave the way for vital work with endangered amphibians in the future. Mike said: “One of the hardest things is building trust with local communities and establishing contact with local experts – it makes life much easier when you have someone who knows the country.” Dr. Stradling is a Fellow of the Royal Entomological Society and was on the academic staff of both the University of the West Indies and the University of Exeter. He is an expert in leaf cutter ants and has advised both the BBC Natural History Unit and Oxford Scientific Films. The pair stayed at the Asa Wright Nature Centre, a world-class field station set up in 1967 and one of the first nature centres in the Caribbean. They visited the University of the West Indies to speak with staff and with a research student who is conducting surveys on frogs. Mike: “Our aim was to check the site, review field techniques and speak to relevant people at the University of the West Indies. They are really the only people who are doing any work at all on these frogs. “UWI showed interest in the project. We hope to develop close links with both them and the Trinidadian Wildlife Division in order to make the project a success. With their help we can develop a programme to protect this rare species, which may include captive breeding.” The golden tree frog (Phyllodytes auratus) is endemic to the island of Trinidad. Its natural habitat of tropical forest is often shrouded in cool, misty cloud cover. It is found only at the summits of two mountains; El Cerro del Aripo and El Tucuche, the two highest peaks in Trinidad. The frog is closely associated with a plant, the giant bromeliad Glomeropitcairnia erectiflora. Water collects between the leaves - the frogs lay their eggs and the tadpoles develop entirely within these pools. The golden tree frog is threatened by habitat loss and is listed by the IUCN as critically endangered. Mike: “We didn’t see any in the wild, which was very disappointing. There is a lot of work that desperately needs doing - Paignton Zoo could make all the difference when it comes to saving this species.” Mike’s next task is to write a report on the visit and assess the options. Paignton Zoo’s Amphibian Ark species rescue and reintroduction centre, which opened in August 2009, was built to help save species in Madagascar, Tanzania and Trinidad. The work will include a mix of field work and conservation breeding at the Zoo. Out of the world’s 6,000 known amphibian species, 32% are threatened with extinction, compared to 22% of mammal species. Paignton Zoo Environmental Park is a registered charity. For more information go to www.paigntonzoo.org.uk or ring (01803) 697500. To view Paignton Zoo's web page on Zoo and Aquarium Visitor, go to: http://www.zandavisitor.com/forumtopicdetail-783-Paignton_Zoo_Environmental_Park |
By Philip Knowling
User login
Your Comments listed below have been added (Scroll down to add additional comments)
Unusual to have three snow leopard cubs
Congratulations to ABQ BioPark and the proud cat parents on the birth of three snow leopard cubs. That's fantastic news and we look forward to these three playing an important role in snow leopard survival breeding and also helping educate people about their endangered cousins in the wild.
Snow leopards live in some of the most extreme environments on earth - in high altitudes and freezing temperatures. If we don't do a lot of work with communities and governments in snow leopards 12 range countries, these beautiful cats may be extinct in the wild in our life time.
Sibylle Noras
Founder and Publisher
“Saving Snow Leopards” website. See how conservationists and zoos are working to help these rare and elusive cats avoid extinction.
http://www.snowleopardblog.com
Love penguin fluffballs.
I especially liked if you go to the zoo's homepage and click on the info about naming the baby, the winner says she'd like to be able to tell her dad that a penguin was named after him for his birthday. Adorable!
If you have any interest in reading a new blog, featuring conservation of adorable animals and their habitats, please check out my website...
Conservation:Cute
http://conservationcute.blogspot.com/
Thanks!
World Oceans Day
For more information about World Oceans Day and a list of other events in your area you can visit www.WorldOceansDay.org
Elephants
Asome news on the new baby! I agree with everyone here on the fact that animals should not be in captivation. If you want to check out a really cool place in Thailand where you can care for elephants check out http://www.elephantstay.com this place is a sanctuary for retired working elephants, it's an amazing place and they do so much good for the animals who live there. I went a few months ago and it was amazing.
Kimberly Juchnowski
Publisher, http://www.tikikiki.com
zoo animal diet's
It's ridiculous to try extrapolate zoo animals diet to human beings, and it flies in the face of all science of the last 30 years that looked into nutrition and health research. Maybe Rudy Socha was being sarcastic? I hope so.
response to starseed
I fully agree with you when it comes to the captivity of orcas. These animals live considerably shorter, unhealthier lives than they normally would have in the wild. I am disgusted by what I have seen at Sea World. They claim to be trying to educate people on the animals when really it is all nothing but a circus with the animals being made to perform to attract customers. I am a little more on the fence however when it comes to some other species of dolphins, such as the ones they keep at Vancouver Aquarium. While I do not support the capture of wild dolphins, I do recognize the fact that there are species that actually live longer and perhaps healthier lives in captivity than in the wild. One of the neat things at the Vancouver Aquarium is that none of the dolphins were captured for the purpose of entertainment: they were all animals that were rescued after getting caught and injured in fishing nets and are unable to return to the wild due to their injuries. I have seen the shows and the aquarium are truly focused more on educating visitors than trying to entertain them at the animals' expense.
Christian's Award
I know that Christian is dedicated to her aquarium job and to the rehab of sea turtles. I am proud of her.
Dry Tortugas National Park
The seashore, our accredited Summer Learning Adventure Camps merge scientific exploration Dry Tortugas National Park with hands-on fun and learning. Campers investigate marine habitats, create ocean art projects, learn about careers in oceanography, and combine the science and sports of surfing and snorkeling, all while making new friends and memories.
hey
http://www.deafmatching.com is an online community for deaf, ASL and hearing-impaired friends and singles!
Have fun with photos, message boards, chat, blog and more.
Don't support it anymore
I think we should move on from having dolphins in captivity now - we all know this isn't good for them.
diabetes
diabetes
pacaya samiria national reserve
The Pacaya Samiria National Reserve is a magical place. The flora, fauna, remoteness and beauty are exquisite. Another interesting aspect is how the indigenous people there live. To learn more and see photos taken by indigenous children in the Pacaya Samiria National Reserve, you can visit ninosdelaamazonia.org
© 2010 Zoo and Aquarium Visitor. All rights reserved.
