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Was purchasing rare Chetahs in South AmericaThis morning I received the following message from several sources and immediately contacted Sir Nicholas Rose to see if this was an Internet scam:
Dr Pablo Caligiuri-Urban the Veterinarian and Zoologist from South Africa and owner/curator of the Animal and Reptile Park Zoo in South Africa has gone missing whilst on a visit to Brazil and neighboring countries and has lost contact with his wife and friends who are frantic with worry. He was in South America locating animals for his Zoo and was spoken to last around the 10th January when he told his wife that he had purchased some Cheetahs and was staying at a Zoo with them in or near Sao Paulo Brazil whilst awaiting documentation from the Ministry to bring them back to South Africa. We would be most appreciative if you can post this notice to the group and that anyone who might have some information about him or have seen him in the last few weeks could post their information to help with finding him. Our biggest fear is that he has had a heart attack or stroke and needs desperate assistance. Thanking You Sincerely Sir Nicholas Rose Consul General for Albania to South Africa This is the additional information Sir Nicholas Rose provided to me: Perhaps a key or clue to this matter are apparently 11 King Cheetahs that were with Pablo at a Zoo in or near Sao Paulo where he was staying. He had collected them from various sources and neighboring countries and brought them together ready for shipping home, pending receiving the correct documentation. He told Stella his wife that he had already bought the shipping crates for them. They are so distinctive and unusual in their markings that somebody must know about them. If we can find out at what Zoo they are being kept, it will perhaps lead us to Pablo. After obtaining this additional information from Sir Nicholas Rose, I contacted a number of zoo directors in South Africa, the South African Embassies in both the United States and South America. Being a former Marine, I also contacted a Marine stationed in Brazil. I discovered there are RUMORS that Dr. Caligiuri-Urban had pending legal problems in South Africa and may have fled to South America. Whatever Dr. Caliguiri-Urban's current situation is, his family and zoo employees deserve to know if he is injured, dead or just ran away from his problems to start life over again. FROM Sir Nicholas Rose The South African Consulate in Sao Paulo has been notified as well as the SA Embassy in Brazilia (please refer to Annabel Haslop, Minister-Councellor at this embassy. I can forward her contact details and email if you require it) and an investigation by them is already underway. Unfortunately no results yet. An official missing person report was filed today with the SA Police and the case will be escalated to Interpol tomorrow. A case number will be issued tomorrow. We would be most grateful if you could use your database to try to trace him. Other input received: Dear Mr. Socha, As far as we are aware this circumstance is true and Mr. Urban has apparently disappeared. Regards Dear Rudy, I have spoken to the investigating officer in the South African Police here who has said that Pablo has been having an ongoing legal battle with his landlord but that to this Inspectors knowledge there is nothing that would force Pablo to have to start a new life in South America. Stella has told me that this landlord has laid some sort of assault charge against Pablo but again she certainly does not consider this severe enough to chase Pablo away. In fact Pablo had been offered new premises for his Zoo free of charge in a new development scheme and was extremely excited about the pending move and the opportunities it presented. I feel me must assume foul play or misfortune in this case and pull out all the stops to try to find him as he might be in desperate need of assistance. I do find it strange however that the Zoo he was staying at and keeping the animals at in or near Sao Paulo has not reported anything. Perhaps you can find out something? Sincerely Nicholas UPDATE: Please let me know if I can be of any further assistance. ___________________________________________________________ I agree that the money will tell a story and the investigating officer will get a court order on monday to access his account both here and in South America. He unfortunately took his laptop with him so that route is closed to us. He also sent his sim card back to Stella and was using a local one, so no joy there either. _____________________________________________________________ Dear Mr. Socha Your e-mail to our mission in I can confirm that we are indeed trying to locate Dr Pablo Caligiuri-Urban. Should you have any information on his possible whereabouts it would be appreciated if you could please inform us urgently. Regards, Ben Malan Deputy Director: Consular Services Chief Directorate: Consular Services Department of Foreign Affairs Private Bag x152 0001 Tel: +27 12 351-1270 Fax: +27 12 342-3370 E-mail: malanb@foreign.gov.za |
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Irresponsible Board of Management
Maybe , just maybe The Toronto Zoo Board Is In The Middle Of A Financial Crisis And There Is No Place To Go But To City Council like a wayward son go to Mom and Dad for more money...
Although it was made clear by Shelley Carroll (the City's Budget Chief) that the Toronto Zoo has to behave more financially responsible, perhaps the problem is that there is no place else to go. The $250 Million fund-raising plans are a pipe dream (especially after firing the Zoo Foundation), it is not possible to raise admission prices any longer (or face a significant drop in attendance) and the "junkets" (especially to China for the Giant Pandas) by members of the Zoo Board can not be cut significantly for any reason. In other words, there is no place to go but City Council. What a crock! The Toronto Zoo Board needs a reality check, as it has become clear that they do not understand the problems they are facing. Perhaps the thousands of free Zoo passes given to Councillors on the Zoo Board could be cut to zero, perhaps the Zoo Foundation could be re-instated, and perhaps a citizen's advisory committee could be formed to provide much-needed guidance to the existing members of the Board.
This is Proof positive
that citizens should have more direct say in the budget process. Line item veto by a citizen's budget committee might get the desired cuts we must attain. The citizens of Toronto should stand with one voice that we just won't allow a property tax increase this year.
By Latinoboy in TORONTO
Ethyl Mercaptan
I would be quite interested in any reference you might have to the presence of ethyl mercaptan in carrion. Most literature indicates that dimethyl sulfide and methyl mercaptan are the sulfur containing entities involved. I had also thought that vultures, like many carrion eating and inhabiting species (flies, etc) were attracted to the rather bad smell of the nitrogenous materials (cadaverine, putresceine, etc) produced during decomposition.
Ant farms
Very nice ant exhibit! I wrote a small ant farm post with a reference to your article.
Train Business Directory Available for Visitors
A "Train Business Directory" shows over 850 locations near all of the Portland MAX light rail at PortlandLightRail.net.
Happy Birthday, Boomer!
You are a great ambassador for your cousins in the wild, Boomer!
Orangutans are critically endangered because of rapid deforestation and the expansion of palm oil plantations.
If nothing is done to protect orangutans, they could be extinct in just a few years!
Your fans can visit the Orangutan Outreach website to make a difference!
Orangutan Outreach
http://redapes.org
Reach out and save the orangutans!
Facebook Cause: http://causes.com/redapes
Venemous snakes?
What is it with people that want to exterminate venemous snakes? If they weren't an integral part of the food chain and ecosystem, they wouldn't be here! Evolution and natural selection has chosen them as survivors! The fact that they are "harmful" to humans is only a result of humans encroaching on their territories and habitats. Be mindful of your surroundings and situation and you can safely live with the so called "harmful" species that we share this planet with!
Local wildlife day
Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.
Local wildlife day
Good luck with the event. We have some fabulous wildlife in Devon that's really worth celebrating. We recently had a botanical survey of our small Devon nature reserve, which recorded more than 180 species in about 3.5 acres. And even more amazing was the depth of local knowledge the visiting naturalists had to share - on everything from obscure moths to lichens.
Sadly, a lack of common sense is the trend
What is sad to me is the lack of common sense regarding venomous snakes that seems to becoming more commonplace.
It has become trendy for government agencies to defend venomous snakes, saying they kill rodents, etc., but non-venomous snakes also kill rodents. I have not heard one logical argument as to what a venomous snake contributes to an ecosystem that a non-venomous snake doesn't.
Any non-biased biologist can affirm species extinction has always happened naturally. It's common sense to kill a venomous snake, rather than let it continue breeding and increase the potential for harm.
The unfortunate consequence of naturalists defending venomous snakes is they make them appear so necessary and harmless that both people and agencies--hospitals, for example--do not expect or prepare for snake encounters.
It's doubtful that many hospitals near the snakes stock the expensive antivenin. Governments should help fund snakebite treatment rather than fund snake protection.
Skype Usage
Very cool and novel way to use Skype. Glad to see that people are thinking outside the box with its collaborative application. If it's not too late, you may want to submit this to Skype as a good use of their software for the Skype in business contest they're running.
Shawn
OnState Communications
Word Oceans Day - June 8
And don't forget to "Wear Blue and Tell Two"
Another great way to celebrate World Oceans Day is to wear blue in honor of the ocean and tell people two things they likely don't know about the ocean and two ways they can take action. For more Information check out this website:
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