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2009-12-03T22:22:00.001-05:00

Indiana woman runs hybrid cat rescue

2009-12-03T16:16:00.003-05:00

Few animal shelters will accept "Bengal cats" (i.e. Asian leopard cat-domestic cat hybrids) or any other wild cat-domestic hybrid. Read more at "What about hybrid cats?" (http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/hybrids.htm)

‘Chatty’ Bengal cats seeking good homes
Published: November 29, 2009 3:00 a.m.

Devon Haynie
The Journal Gazette

Janet Saltzman runs a rescue for Bengal cats.

These are house cats, she makes clear. And though they’re not always the cuddliest felines, they’re in no way related to the much bigger Bengal tiger.

“They’re very active, very chatty cats,” she says of the brown and black animals. “But they’re not lap cats. They don’t like being held or confined.”

Saltzman started fostering Bengal cats back in 2004, after she bought her first Bengal.

“I loved the breed,” she said. “The cat was great; there wasn’t anything I didn’t like about it. I wanted more, but I couldn’t have more so I thought maybe there’s something I could do.”

Saltzman founded Great Lakes Bengal Rescue Inc. in 2007. The organization rescues, rehabilitates and re-homes Bengal and Bengal-mix cats from Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Her group works with national Bengal foster groups to adopt about 100 cats a year. She has four foster cats for adoption in Fort Wayne.

All of her cats are spayed or neutered and immunized before placement.

Bengals are related to Asian Leopard Cat, a small, forest-dwelling cat from Southeast Asia and India. They’re typically several generations removed from the wild cat.

Saltzman keeps three cats of her own and keeps two foster cats.

“They’re inside cats,” she says. “They’re great fetchers, and they like water. Some take baths or showers with their owners.”

This holiday season, Saltzman is wishing for permanent homes for her rescued cats and donations to help with veterinary costs.

dhaynie@jg.net

http://www.journalgazette.net/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20091129/LOCAL/311299912

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Learn more about big cats and Big Cat Rescue at http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Turmenistan leopards adjust to life in Russian park

2009-12-03T15:27:00.003-05:00

Turkmen leopards adapted to Sochi

Two leopards that were brought to the Sochi National Park from Turkmenistan have fully adapted to life in the open-air cage, "Interfax-South" reports with reference to deputy director of the park Umar Semenov.

According to him, the period of adaptation of two male leopards in the nursery has come to an end. "Each male leopard eats 4.5 kg of meat per day. Food is complemented with rabbits, eggs, milk and vitamins," Umar Semenov said. Now each male leopard weighs about 50 kg. Their weight was 10-15 kg less when they were brought to the nursery.

It should be recalled that on 19 September animals were placed in spacious cages of the special breeding and rehabilitation center of the Sochi National Park at a ceremony attended by Prime Minister of Russia Vladimir Putin, President of the International Olympic Committee, Jean-Claude Killy and IOC Executive Director Gilbert Felli.

Two leopards imported from Turkmenistan will become the foundation for restoration of this rare cat in the Caucasus in accordance with the Program of Recovery of the Persian Leopard, which was developed by specialists of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the Russia Academy of Sciences. According to the program of breeding of the Persian leopard, there will be three males and three females in the nursery. Their offspring will be released into the wild, in the Caucasus Reserve. Experts suggest that the creation of the northern core of the leopard population will be completed in 10-15 years.

http://www.isria.com/pages/3_December_2009_43.php

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Snow Leopard Trust awarded $15,000 by Idaho zoo's conservation fund

2009-12-03T15:24:00.001-05:00

Boise votes for snow leopards!

We are pleased to announce that the Snow Leopard Trust was selected to receive a grant from the Zoo Boise Conservation Fund. The source of the funds was the community, and the public had the chance to decide which projects would receive funding. The Snow Leopard Trust was a favorite among the voters and was awarded $15,000! Thank you Zoo Boise Conservation Fund and thank you to all the people who voted for protecting snow leopards!

http://www.blog.snowleopard.org/?p=464

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Fire at Florida exotic wild animal company

2009-12-03T15:21:00.001-05:00

Fire at Ex Playboy Model's Miami Cougar Den

Lemurs, snakes dead at exotic wildlife company

By HANK TESTER and BRIAN HAMACHER
Updated 7:27 AM EST, Thu, Dec 3, 2009

Several animals are dead after a fire ripped through a controversial Southwest Miami-Dade exotic wildlife company this morning.

No humans appear to have been hurt but at least two lemurs and several snakes and parrots perished after the fire tore through Wild Animal World at 10495 SW 60 St. in Kendall.

There was no word on what caused the fire, which was quickly put out by Miami-Dade firefighters, though there had been reports of an explosion on the property.

Wild Animal World is owned by Corinne Oltz, a former Hooters girl and Playboy model who's seen her share of controversy since taking over the business over a decade ago.

Oltz, 40, exhibits her exotic animals -- which also include cougars, leopards and other large cats -- at schools, parties and other gatherings, and has been criticized for her brazen use of the animals.

In 1999, Oltz was convicted of not properly caging a cat after one of the beasts escaped from her Miami house and scared the bejesus out of her neighbors. A year earlier, one of her cougars attacked a 5-year-old girl at a birthday party in Coral Gables.

In 2001, one of her leopards attacked and nearly killed a 7-year-old boy at a company picnic, and Oltz was banned from showing leopards.

Perhaps the worst attack came in 2006, when a 4-year-old girl was mauled by a cougar at a birthday party. Oltz was charged with culpable negligence and keeping wildlife in unsafe conditions after the 62-pound cougar put the kid's face in her mouth and nearly ripped her ear off.

First Published: Dec 2, 2009 1:47 PM EST

http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local-beat/Fire-at-Ex-Playboy-Models-Cougar-Den-78335672.html

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New photo exhibit highlights leopards, other Sri Lanka wildlife

2009-12-03T10:29:00.001-05:00

27 Nov, 2009 15:13:30

Island Safari
Showcasing Sri Lanka's eco-tourism

Nov 27, 2009 (LBO) - A photographic exhibition in Colombo makes a case for Sri Lanka eco-tourism, encouraging visitors to experience the island’s rich biodiversity, within a renewed climate of peace in the country.

From Little Egrets in Mannar, Spinner Dolphins off Mirissa on Sri Lanka’s coast, primates and elusive leopards in Sri Lanka’s wildlife reserves, the island boasts of a rich and varied collection of bird and animal life.

The exhibition is by two top Sri Lankan photographers - Chitral Jayathilake and Gehan de Silva Wijeyeratne, both of whom have done extensive work promoting Sri Lanka as an eco-tourism hotspot through their work.

The joint exhibition was first staged in London to assist the Sri Lanka Tourism Promotion Bureau in showcasing Sri Lanka’s biodiversity and encouraging travel to Sri Lanka.

http://www.lankabusinessonline.com/fullstory.php?nid=1560917261

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Big Cat Volunteerism Projects Worldwide

2009-12-03T10:22:00.001-05:00

Good Afternoon,

You have kindly posted some information about our client, Biosphere Expeditions on your blog (http://www.bigcats.com/spotbotnews?id=0000000793). I therefore thought you may like to know that Biosphere Expeditions, the award winning, non-profit making organisation is celebrating it's 10^th anniversary this year (information attached) and is also very much interested in big cat conservation research expeditions.

Also Biosphere Expeditions was founded in 1999 by Dr Matthias Hammer and is committed to running real wildlife conservation research expeditions to all corners of the Earth. Its projects are not tours or photographic excursions but genuine research expeditions and voluntourism projects. Biosphere Expeditions promotes sustainable conservation and preservation of the planet's wildlife by forging alliances between scientists and the public.

Please note Biosphere Expeditions runs the following research expeditions specific to 'big cats'; Altai – snow leopard research; Brazil – Jaguar and Puma research; Namibia; leopard, cheetah and characal studies; Oman; Arabian leopard. More details of 'big cat' expeditions can be found at http://www.biosphere-expeditions.org/english.html under 'two week expeditions'.

I will also keep you on the mailing list to update you about Biosphere Expeditions, and the work it does with 'big cats' which I hope is of interest.

Kind regards

Amy

Amy Woodyatt

Partnership Plus

Tel: 01603 611031

Email: amy.woodyatt@partnership-plus.co.uk

For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
Carole.Baskin@BigCatRescue.org
http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Help Win $1 Million for Big Cats! Vote for us at VoteCats.com

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream Vacation Giveaway! @BigCatRescue

Working to save endangered tiger

2009-12-03T00:30:00.000-05:00

Working to save endangered tiger

01:00 AM EST on Thursday, December 3, 2009
By Peter B. Lord
Journal Environment Writer

SOUTH KINGSTOWN — The video shows a very large tiger that somehow climbed onto the bow of a boat, where it snarls angrily as it bites and swats at the cabin. Off-screen, what looks like a bucket of water flies through the air and hits the tiger. The tiger shakes its head and gracefully dives into the river. It swims ashore and slowly walks back into the jungle.

The video showed an encounter that is commonplace in an unusual area of coastal swamps and islands south of Calcutta, India. The Sundarbans Delta is one of the few places where there is optimism about the future of Bengal tigers.

Anurag Danda, who works for the World Wildlife Fund in the Sundarbans, told the story of tigers Tuesday night to several hundred people at the University of Rhode Island as part of the school’s honors colloquium on India.

He reported that many scientists at a recent workshop in Katmandu concluded that Bengal tigers could become extinct in the wild in 20 years because their numbers have become so depleted by human development. But the Sundarbans Delta offers hope.

More than three times larger than Rhode Island, the Sundarbans Delta supports a healthy tiger population, the world’s largest mangrove forest and a large number of rural residents who don’t retaliate when tigers stray through their villages or kill their livestock, Danda said.

“People there face so many other pressures, tiger killings [of people and livestock] don’t prompt retaliation,” Danda said. “In the last 10 years, not a single tiger has been killed.”

Scientists believe only about 3,500 tigers remain in the wild throughout Asia. In recent decades, tiger populations in Bali, China, Java and Central Asia have been wiped out. India has worked to protect tigers, its national animal. But many tiger refuges in India are threatened by rapid human development and poaching.

The biggest loss of tigers occurred earlier in the last century, Danda said. He described one maharaja who personally hunted down and killed 1,360 tigers. During the 100 years that Great Britain ruled India, it developed 35,000 miles of train tracks and close to 50 million acres of forest had to be cut down to provide the railroad ties, putting more pressure on tiger populations.

The lush forests of the Sundarbans are protected, Danda said. The low-lying coastal marshes have seen good and bad effects from climate change. Warmer water is supporting sardines for the first time in memory. But rising sea levels are swallowing islands and turning groundwater brackish.

Unlike central India, where tiger preserves are threatened by booming development, there is little economic development in the Sundarbans Delta. So Danda and others are trying to help people live without destroying the tigers and the rest of the habitat.

“It is not a pleasant experience working there because there is so much despair, human suffering and change in the ecosystem,” Danda said. “Yet, we continue to work. We can’t throw our hands up and say this is a lost cause. If we can get some things right in the Sundarbans maybe that will be an example for other places.”

Danda said it is important to save the tigers, because by doing so, an entire habitat is saved.

Currently, 7 percent of the former range of tigers is protected. His group hopes to double the numbers of tigers by increasing the range to 12 percent of what it once was.

A final presentation on “Celebrating India Through Dance” will be offered at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Edwards Auditorium. People will see various types of Indian dance, and then be invited to participate.

http://www.projo.com/education/content/Bengal_Tigers_In_India_12-03-09_B3GLLM2_v12.361659d.html

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Scaredy-cat tigers

2009-12-03T00:17:00.001-05:00

Scaredy-cat tigers

11.30.2009

For Information About White Tigers Visit:
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/white_tigers.htm

Zoo-keepers in China say their tigers have grown so tame that they're frightened of the chickens they're supposed to eat.

The Chongqing Wild Animal Park has five rare adult white tigers which were originally trained to perform tricks for visitors, reports the Chongqing Morning Post.

Keepers have been trying to encourage them to follow their natural instincts by throwing them live chickens - but without success.

Feeder Shi Ruqiang said: “They're supposed to be wild and scary, but due to their soft lifestyles and human care, they have gradually lost their wild nature.

"I have been trying to interest them with live chickens but it was quite a funny scene. The tigers were so scared that they wouldn't go near them.

"One chicken passed out and the tigers did eventually approach it - but then it woke up again and squawked and the tigers ran for their lives!"

Shi says the keepers are now forcing the tigers to stay outside their cages for at least 12 hours a day to toughen them up.

And they are planning to introduce a wild tiger to show the domesticated big cats the ropes.

"If all else fails, we will simply cut down their rations until they are so hungry that they are forced to hunt for themselves," he added.

http://www.irishemigrant.com/ie/go.asp?p=story&storyID=5562

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Zoo expelled from industry body

2009-12-02T22:29:00.000-05:00

Zoo expelled from industry body

Page last updated at 18:58 GMT, Wednesday, 2 December 2009

A zoo in North Somerset has been expelled from an industry body over its relationship with a circus.

The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) said Noah's Ark Zoo Farm kept dealings with the Great British Circus hidden from it.

BIAZA, which pledged to investigate last month, has now terminated the Wraxhall zoo's membership for bringing the association into disrepute.

An association statement read: "There has been a breakdown of trust."

The Great British Circus is the only UK circus which still uses tigers in its shows.

One of the Noah's Ark tigers is used on a Great British Circus promotional DVD and is seen performing tricks during a training session in the circus ring.

The circus insists none of the tigers at Noah's Ark Zoo Farm [NAZF] has actually taken part in performances.

BIAZA is a charity which represents and promotes the UK's and Ireland's zoo and aquariums.

Its statement reads: "The reasons for termination are due to a refusal to provide BIAZA with information when requested and entering into an arrangement with the Great British Circus, which contravenes the Animal Transaction Policy, despite having been warned of possible consequences.

"Council believes that the behaviour of NAZF has brought the association into disrepute and that there has been a breakdown of trust between BIAZA and NAZF, and this has unfortunately resulted in a parting of the ways."

Secret filming

In October BBC Inside Out West revealed the Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) had filmed secret footage at Noah's Ark.

That revealed some of the staff at the zoo were unhappy about its links with the circus.

An undercover researcher working for CAPS also discovered the zoo had buried a tiger carcass on its land instead of sending it off for incineration as the law demands.

Anthony Bush, the owner of Noah's Ark, said at the time he had since dug up the tiger and corrected his mistake.

Mr Bush refused to comment on the expulsion from BIAZA when contacted by BBC News Online.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/somerset/8391779.stm

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Tigers, Polar Bears And Blue Fin Tuna Among Most Threatened Species In 2010, Says World Wildlife Fund

2009-12-02T21:56:00.001-05:00

Tigers, Polar Bears And Blue Fin Tuna Among Most Threatened Species In 2010, Says World Wildlife Fund

Iconic Animal Populations Being Decimated by Habitat Loss and Poaching: Climate Change Emerges As Clear Threat on WWF’S Annual Watch List

Washington, DC (Vocus) December 2, 2009 -- World Wildlife Fund (WWF (http://www.worldwildlife.org/)) today released its annual list of some of the most threatened species around the world, saying that the long-term survival of many animals is increasingly in doubt due to a host of threats, including climate change, and calling for a step up in efforts to save some of the world’s most threatened animals.

WWF’s list of “10 to Watch in 2010” includes such well-known and beloved species as tigers, polar bears, pandas, and rhinos, as well as lesser-known species such as bluefin tuna and mountain gorillas. WWF scientists say these, and many other species, are at greater risk than ever before because of habitat loss, poaching, and climate change-related threats. This year’s watch list includes five species directly impacted by climate change, as well as the monarch butterfly, the species at the center of an endangered biological phenomenon. Tigers are at the forefront of this year’s list, with the official Year of the Tiger slated to begin in February 2010.

“We have an urgent window of opportunity in which to step up and pull back some of the world’s most splendid animals from the brink of extinction,” says Dr. Sybille Klenzendorf, WWF’s Managing Director of Species Conservation. “We urge everyone who wants to live in a world with tigers, polar bears, and pandas to make it their New Year’s resolution to save these amazing and threatened species before it’s too late.”

WWF’s “Ten to Watch in 2010” list:

Tiger

New studies indicate that there may be as few as 3,200 tigers (Panthera tigris) left in the wild. Tigers occupy less than seven percent of their original range, which has decreased by 40 percent over the past ten years. Accelerating deforestation and rampant poaching could push some tiger populations to the same fate as its now-extinct Javan and Balinese relatives in other parts of Asia. Tigers are poached for their body parts, which are used in traditional Chinese medicine, while skins are also highly prized. Additionally, sea level rise, due to climate change, threatens the mangrove habitat of a key tiger population in Bangladesh’s and India’s Sundarbans. The upcoming Year of the Tiger, 2010, will mark an important year for conservation efforts to save wild tigers, with WWF continuing to play a vital role in implementing bold new strategies to save this magnificent Asian big cat.

Polar Bear

The Arctic’s polar bears (Ursus maritimus) have become the iconic symbol of early victims of climate-induced habitat loss. Designated a threatened species for protection by the Endangered Species Act in the U.S., polar bears will be vulnerable to extinction within the next century, if warming trends in the Arctic continue at the current pace. WWF is supporting field research to understand how climate change will affect polar bears and to develop adaptation strategies. WWF also works to protect critical polar bear habitat by working with governments and industry to reduce threats from shipping and oil and gas development in the region and with local communities to reduce human-bear conflict in areas where bears are already stranded on land for longer periods of time due to lack of ice.

Pacific Walrus

The Arctic’s Bering and Chuckchi Seas are home to the Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens), one of the latest victims of climate change. In September of this year, up to 200 dead walruses were spotted on the shore of the Chuckchi Sea on Alaska’s northwest coast. These animals use floating ice for resting, birthing and nursing calves, and protection from predators. With Arctic ice melting, the Pacific walrus is experiencing habitat loss to the extent that in September 2009, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that adding the walrus to the Endangered Species Act may be warranted.

Magellanic Penguin

Once threatened primarily by oil spills, Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus), now face a larger threat as fish are displaced by warming ocean currents, forcing the birds to swim farther to find food. Last year hundreds of Magellanic penguins washed up on beaches around Rio de Janeiro, many emaciated or dead. Scientists have speculated that changes in ocean currents or temperatures, which may be related to climate change, could have been responsible for their movement more than a thousand miles north of their traditional nesting area in the southern tip of Argentina. Twelve out of the 17 penguin species are currently experiencing rapid population decline.

Leatherback Turtle

The largest marine turtle and one of the largest living reptiles, the leatherback turtle, (Dermochelys coriaceathe) has survived for more than a hundred million years, but is now facing extinction. Recent estimates of numbers show that this species is declining, particularly in the Pacific where as few as 2,300 adult females now remain, making the Pacific leatherback the world's most endangered marine turtle population. Atlantic turtle populations are more stable but scientists predict a decline due to the large numbers of adults being caught as bycatch and killed accidentally by fishing fleets. Additionally, rising sea levels and higher temperatures on Atlantic beaches pose a new threat to turtles and their offspring. Nest temperature strongly determines the sex of offspring, and a nest warming trend is reducing the number of male turtles. WWF aims to conserve leatherback turtle migratory pathways - by working with fisheries to decrease bycatch, by protecting critical nesting beaches, and by raising awareness so that local communities will protect turtles and their nests.

Bluefin Tuna

The Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) is a large migratory fish found in the western and eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea. Bluefin tuna is the source of highest grade sushi. Bluefin tuna fisheries are near collapse and the species at serious risk of extinction if unsustainable fishing practices in the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean are not stopped. A temporary ban on the global trade of bluefin tuna would allow the overexploited species to recover. WWF is encouraging restaurants, chefs, retailers, and consumers to stop serving, buying, selling, and eating endangered bluefin tuna until this amazing species shows signs of recovery.

Mountain Gorilla

Scientists consider mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) to be a critically endangered gorilla subspecies, with about 720 surviving in the wild. More than 200 live in the Virunga National Park, located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Rwanda and Uganda. War has been waged in areas around the park, with gorillas subject to related threats such as poaching and loss of habitat. Conservation efforts have led to an increase in the Virunga population by 14% in the last 12 years, while the mountain gorillas other home, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest in Uganda, has experienced population increases of 12% over the past decade. Despite this success, the mountain gorillas status remains fragile, and WWF is working to save the great ape’s forest habitat in the mountains of the heart of Africa.

Monarch Butterfly

Every year millions of delicate monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) migrate from North America to their winter habitat in Mexico. A well conserved and protected high-altitude pine and fir forest in Mexico is essential for the survival of the overwintering of monarchs, which has been recognized as an endangered biological phenomenon. The protection of its reproductive habitats in the United States and Canada is also crucial to saving this species migration, one of the most remarkable natural phenomena on the planet. World Wildlife Fund, in collaboration with the Mexican Fund for the Conservation of Nature, has designed an innovative conservation strategy to protect and restore the Monarch butterflies wintering habitat in Mexico, so butterflies are protected from extremes weather and other threats. WWF is also supporting local communities to establish trees nurseries that are reintroduced to the monarch butterfly reserve, creating at the same time new sources of income for the owners of the monarch forests.

Javan Rhinoceros

Listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List (2009), the Javan rhino (Rhinoceros sondaicus) is considered the most endangered large mammal in the world with only two populations known to exist in the wild, for a total number of less than 60 animals. Highly prized as a commodity in traditional Chinese medicine, Javan rhinos have also been brought to the verge of extinction by the conversion of forest habitat to farmland. WWF has been involved in protection and conservation of the Javan rhino since 1998, supporting forest rangers to undertake increased patrolling and protection activities, conducting surveys of the rhino population, raising awareness of the importance of the rhinos to local communities, and supporting park management. Last month, using highly trained sniffer dogs, WWF found traces of the extremely rare and endangered Vietnamese Javan Rhinoceros, of which no more than a dozen are thought to exist.

Giant Panda

An international symbol of conservation since WWF’s founding in 1961, the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) which numbers less than 2500 in the wild, faces an uncertain future. Its forest habitat in the mountainous areas of southwest China has become fragmented, creating small and isolated populations. WWF has been active in giant panda conservation for nearly three decades, conducting field studies, working to protect habitats and, most recently, by providing assistance to the Chinese government in establishing a program to protect the panda and its habitat through the creation of reserves.

Note to Editors: Photos of all “10 to Watch in ‘2010” species are available. Please contact Kerry Zobor at 202-495-4509. More information on all species featured is available at http://www.worldwildlife.org/.

ABOUT WORLD WILDLIFE FUND

WWF is the world’s largest conservation organization, working in 100 countries for nearly half a century. With the support of almost 5 million members worldwide, WWF is dedicated to delivering science-based solutions to preserve the diversity and abundance of life on Earth, stop the degradation of the environment and combat climate change. Visit http://www.worldwildlife.org/ to learn more.

http://www.prweb.com/releases/2009/12/prweb3288164.htm

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Tiger adjusting well to her new home

2009-12-02T19:46:00.000-05:00

Tiger adjusting well to her new home

Published Wednesday December 2nd, 2009

Nyla, a two-year-old Siberian tiger formerly known as Coco, seems very interested in who is outside her enclosure at the Cherry Brook Zoo. Nyla came to the zoo in June to replace Baikal, a male tiger who went to Winnipeg as part of an international breeding project. Zookeepers Shyanne Polley and Sarah Levine say Nyla is 'doing great,' and has 'adapted well' to her routine of eating and having her territory cleaned.

http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/875792

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Program head of World Wildlife Fund says Bengal tigers on the brink of extinction

2009-12-02T19:14:00.000-05:00

Program head of World Wildlife Fund says Bengal tigers on the brink of extinction

Betsy Cohen
Issue date: 12/2/09

12/2/09 - Bengal tigers, native to the Sundarbans, the largest mangrove forest in the world, are on the brink of extinction, according to Anurag Danda, the program head of the World Wildlife Fund's branch in India.

As part of the 2009 University of Rhode Island Fall Honors Colloquium, Danda gave a lecture last night entitled, "Environmental Impact of India's Development: The Story of the Royal Bengal Tiger."

Danda, who is head of the WWF in the Sundarbans, gave background information to help students understand the history and importance of the mangrove forest and the Bengal tigers it is home to.

In 1984, India declared the Sundarbans a national park and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named it as a world heritage site.

"This area is an extremely well-endowed environment," Danda said. "This is the only wetland tiger habitat in the world."

In his presentation, he cited a report that said if current conservation methods in Bengal tiger habitats do not improve, these tigers will become extinct within the next 20 years. Danda said approximately 3,500 Bengal Tigers exist in the world today. Only seven percent of natural tiger habitats exist today. As head of the WWF division in this national park, Danda hopes to expand this percentage to at least 12 percent and secure these areas in terms of safety for the tigers.

Dating back to 1947, the time of India's independence, Bengal tigers have been hunted.

He said, thankfully, today places once known for their tiger goods, such as the Sundarbans, are now being patrolled. Tigers are valued for their skins and are used in traditional Chinese medicinal remedies.

Unfortunately, hunting is only one problem the fading species and its environment faces.

Although the Sundarbans is considered an area of great environmental prosperity, it is also an area in which the negative impacts of climate change are apparent.

Climate change is accountable for increasing levels of salinity and rising sea levels in the Sundarbans National Park. The sea levels are responsible for the disappearance of 19,000 acres of the Sundarban mangrove forest, an area home to 226 bird species, more than 20 snake species and wild boars.

Danda said climate changes are also affecting people, forcing villagers to move to locations because of environmental stress in their community. He referred to these people as 'ecological refugees.'

"There's so much despair, simply because there's so much loss," Danda said. "There's human loss and changes in the ecosystem, much of which we don't understand. This area has a lot of lessons to be learned [and] people around the world [can benefit from these lessons.]"

The loss of the tiger habitat dates back to the mid-1800s, when British rule occupied India.

British colonial administration reduced the Sundarbans to 247,000 acres of mangroves because they used the area for timber and building during this time. In 1853, 20 million hectares, almost 50 million acres, of forests were cleared for the purpose of railroad development, offhandedly reducing habitat available for the tigers.

By 1973, however, nine tiger reserves were established throughout India. It wasn't until 1984 though when environmental consciousness slowly became instilled in the mindset of India. The country now has 30 established tiger reserves, making up one percent of the country's landmass.

"With the rise of this environmental consciousness, the demand for conservation kept rising," Danda said.

Most of the tiger habitats are located in the central region of India, however, its an area where roads and new industries are being developed.

"This [development] is increasingly fragmenting the tiger habitat," Danda said.

According to Danda, the Sundarbans today, has a population density of 1,000 people per kilometer, which by India's standards, is huge. On average, India has fewer than 350 people per square kilometer.

Because of the concentration of people within the Sundarbans, India's WWF strives to promote sustainable development.

The organization accomplishes this goal by means of engaging with different levels of government and members of the community, Danda said. Unfortunately, tiger attacks are not uncommon because people often venture into the woods and tigers tend to follow water sources such as streams, leading into villages. By keeping people as far away from areas known to be habitats of the Bengal tiger, these animals and the human population are better protected from each other.

http://media.www.ramcigar.com/media/storage/paper366/news/2009/12/02/News/Program.Head.Of.World.Wildlife.Fund.Says.Bengal.Tigers.On.The.Brink.Of.Extinctio-3843095.shtml

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Update on BCR's participation in WWF Cambodia project

2009-12-02T17:09:00.001-05:00

Update: Big Cat Rescue's participation in WWF Cambodia project

"The dogs left for Cambodia yesterday fully trained on your scats; thank you once again!" Barney Long, Senior Program Officer – WWF Asian Species Conservation wrote to Big Cat Rescue today.

Marie and I were excited to hear the scat detection dogs are on their way to Cambodia – a 30+ hour trip for them and their handlers from Conservation Canines. Even better is that we now have pictures of Sadie and Scooby, the dogs chosen for this project. Both are black labs and are "insane" when it comes to playing fetch. They say they are the perfect dogs for doing the census work in Cambodia to determine current populations of big cats there. All those bags and bags of leopard scat we picked up and sent to them has taught them well!!

Scooby has quite a resume.

He's worked in Alberta surveying for wolf, caribou and moose

and in Montana determining the presence of grizzly and black bears.

Now, he's off to Cambodia to survey for tiger, dhole (wild dog), clouded leopard and leopard!

Sadie, another dog with boundless energy, surveyed the White Mountains

to determine the presence of Mexican Grey Wolves on local Native American Reservations

after the wolves' re-introduction in that area. She also helped in Alberta investigating

the effects of oil drilling on local populations of wolf, moose, and caribou.

As far as big cats go, Sadie is proficient at tracking Jaguar and Mountain Lion,

but will hopefully now add many more to her list in Cambodia!

If you go to "Conservation Canines" on FaceBook, you'll be able to see some amazing pictures of these dogs in action around the world. Please become a FaceBook FAN of "Conservation Canines" so you can stay up-to-date on their progress. WWF's Barney Long promised to forward pictures to Big Cat Rescue as Sadie and Scooby do their scat detection work in Cambodia.

We can't wait!

Julie Hanan, Volunteer Senior Keeper

For more information, go to:

http://depts.washington.edu/conserv/Conservation_Canines.html

Photos courtesy of Center for Conservation Biology

Fwd: BCR in Corwin's new book

2009-12-02T08:38:00.001-05:00

Date: Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Subject: BCR used as resource
To: carole@bigcatrescue.org

Carole,

Jeff Corwin's new book 100 Hearbeats lists Big Cat Rescue in the
resource section under Feline. It wouldn't surprise me if you already
knew that but I was quite excited when I stumbled upon it, to see not
only our name, but address, phone, web and email.

Have a grrreat day and wish your family a happy holiday from me

Sharon

--
For the cats,

Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue
an Educational Sanctuary home
to more than 100 big cats
12802 Easy Street Tampa, FL 33625
813.493.4564 fax 885.4457
Carole.Baskin@BigCatRescue.org
http://www.BigCatRescue.org

Free ways to join us and help the big cats:

Help Win $1 Million for Big Cats! Vote for us at VoteCats.com

Twitter: Follow Me and be invited to enter our Animal Lover's Dream
Vacation Giveaway! @BigCatRescue

Second Tiger Undergoes Minimally Invasive Surgery at Cummings School

2009-12-02T01:09:00.000-05:00

Second Tiger Undergoes Minimally Invasive Surgery at Cummings School

Released: 12/1/2009 5:00 AM EST
Source: Tufts University

For Information About White Tigers Visit:
http://www.bigcatrescue.org/cats/wild/white_tigers.htm

Newswise — “Taja,” a two-year-old white Bengal tiger, is back to her old self, bounding around her enclosure, and recovering well following a minimally invasive spaying procedure at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University. The 180-lb white tiger, a resident of Southwick’s Zoo in Mendon, Mass., was the second of two tigers to have the routine procedure done laparoscopically at the Cummings School’s Foster Hospital for Small Animals.

The Cummings School’s surgical team, led by Clinical Associate Professors Robert McCarthy and Joerg Mayer and third-year surgical resident Jennifer Weh, performed the procedure in just over one hour. Taja is expected to make a better-than-typical recovery, thanks to the fact that each of the two small holes in her abdomen required only one suture—eliminating the need to anesthetize the animal again to remove sutures once the wound heals.

“Anyone who’s ever had laparoscopy is very aware of how little pain they experienced following the procedure, and this less-invasive method is a wonderful way to decrease pain for animals following the surgery,” said Robert McCarthy, MS, DVM, DACVS.

Pictures of the surgery can be found at: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/mediaservices/gallery/Taj/taja.htm A video detailing the procedure, featuring interviews with surgeon Robert McCarthy, anesthesiologist Lois Wetmore, and Peter Brewer of Southwick’s Zoo, is available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AF03_Hp6pdQ. High-resolution photos and videos are available by request.

The Cummings School recently began performing spays laparoscopically, which reduces postoperative pain, collateral tissue damage, and has been shown in clinical literature to reduce complications. Unlike the open surgical approach to spays, this procedure involved only removal of the animal’s ovaries, not the uterus, as well. Clinicians at the Foster Hospital have recently begun offering the minimally invasive procedure to large dogs at the hospital.

Tigers, which are listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, are primarily found in India and Bangladesh, although they have been found in Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, and southern Tibet. About 4,000 tigers remain in the wild, according to WWF. White tigers are produced through extensive inbreeding and, as such, zoo industry groups do not recommend they be bred.

Named for the late Dr. Henry Foster L. Foster and his wife, Lois, the Foster Hospital for Small Animals treated more than 26,000 animals in Fiscal Year 2009 (July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009), and ranks in the top five veterinary teaching hospitals in the nation. More than 80 percent of the hospital’s cases are dogs and cats, but Cummings School clinicians have recently treated a goose with osteosarcoma, a mule with an irregular heartbeat, and a baby giraffe deprived of her mother’s milk.

Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University
Founded in 1978 in North Grafton, Mass., Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University is internationally esteemed for academic programs that impact society and the practice of veterinary medicine; three hospitals and two clinics that combined treat more than 80,000 animals each year; and groundbreaking research that benefits animal, public, and environmental health.

http://www.newswise.com/articles/view/559076/?sc=rssn

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Tiger Projects in Andhra Pradesh

2009-12-02T00:56:00.002-05:00

Tiger Projects in Andhra Pradesh

Wednesday,2 December 2009
12:17 IST
Rajya Sabha

The Government is going to announce four new Project Tiger areas very soon. In principle approval has been accorded for creation of four new tiger reserves namely Pilibhit (Uttar Pradesh), Sunabeda (Orissa), Ratapani (Madhya Pradesh) and Sahyadri (Maharashtra).

This information was given by the Minister of State for Environment and Forests (independent charge) Shri Jairam Ramesh in a written reply to a question by Shrimati T. Ratna Bai in Rajya Sabha today.

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=54749

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

Forest dept looks to MP, goes hi-tech

2009-12-01T23:00:00.000-05:00

Forest dept looks to MP, goes hi-tech

Ashwin Aghor / DNA Wednesday, December 2, 2009 1:07 IST Email

Mumbai: The state forest department will soon go hi-tech in its protection activities in tiger reserves across the state. It has decided to equip forest officers in these reserves with personal digital assistants (PDA) to track wildlife offences and incidents like fires.

"Initially, the system will be implemented at Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve and Pench Tiger Reserve," said AK Joshi, principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife). "After assessing its effectiveness, it will be extended to other reserves like Melghat and Sahyadri tiger reserves."

The state government has entered into an agreement with the Madhya Pradesh government for the technical know-how of the system.

The system, which has a camera, global positioning system (GPS), and data entry facilities, costs around Rs15,000 per unit. "We have estimated the cost to be Rs25,000, including the cost of training, server and computers," a senior official said.

The equipment is used in cases like forest fires, and other wildlife crimes. The department will initially purchase 75 units, 50 for Tadoba and 25 for the Pench reserve.

http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_forest-dept-looks-to-mp-goes-hi-tech_1319059

http://www.bigcatrescue.org

South Africans look into illegal lion breeding

2009-12-01T20:25:00.002-05:00

afrol News, 27 November - The illegal captive breeding and holding of lions on private farms is becoming a problem in South Africa. Under the protest of wildlife authorities and environmental groups, a growing number of lions are bred in captivity to be exposed to "canned hunting" in South Africa and abroad.

Only today, six lions arrived at a wildlife sanctuary for safekeeping after officials of the Department of Finance & Economic Development (Branch Environmental Affairs) along with the South African Police Services, (Organised Crime Unit), confiscated them from a privately owned game farm in the Limpopo Province. Warrants to seize, confiscate and remove the lions were issued by a local magistrate.

A spokesperson for the Department said that an application for a permit to import, hold and breed the lions in Limpopo Province had been declined. Despite the department's refusal the applicant went ahead and brought the lions into the Limpopo Province from the Free State, where he has already establish another lion breeding project.

The farmer will now be charged for the illegal import, holding and breeding of lions and could face a fine of up to rand 15 000.00 per animal, if found guilty by a court of law. The lions - a black maned male, two adult females and three cubs - meanwhile have settled down well and will remain at the sanctuary until the legal process will determine their fate.

In the Limpopo Province in the north-eastern part of South Africa, there are quite a few lions being held in captive breeding projects illegally, activists say. The Limpopo Department of Finance says it will proceed to charge individuals concerned.

A new holding facility for large predators has even been constructed and this is to allow the Department to "more effectively remove illegally held animals and charge the offenders." A spokesperson said that "the irresponsible disregard for conservation laws will not be tolerated any longer" and that his department is ready to step up their law enforcement efforts.

One of the lionesses captured today was reported to be pregnant and it was established that both the adult females had already given birth to cubs, which had been removed to be hand raised. The farm manager's wife claimed that neither of the lionesses could produce milk and they had no choice, but to remove the cubs for hand rearing.

A spokesperson for the sanctuary questioned this and strongly condemned the practise of lion breeding where very small cubs are removed off their mothers soon after birth and said that it is common practise amongst lion breeders to remove cubs from their mother to allow the female to come into oestrus sooner so that she can produce more cubs.

Lions are being bred at larger numbers in South Africa as the country increasingly becomes a destination for wildlife tourists. In addition to South Africa's many world famous national parks, the country also has a multitude of private parks and wildlife reserves, many of which offer the paying tourist hunting opportunities. Lion hunting remains the ultimate experience for many.

Thus, an industry of "canned hunting" has grown in South Africa, parallel to trends in other wildlife and hunting destinations. A so-called "canned hunt" takes place on a fenced piece of private property where a hunter can pay a fee to shoot a captive animal, which has been raised in captivity.

In South Africa, private "game parks" have specialised on the canned hunting of lions and rhinoceroses - the two animals fetching the highest "hunting" fees worldwide. Some shooting preserves charge up to US$ 20,000 for a lion or a rhinoceros.

Although canned hunting is a "promising industry", South African wildlife and tourism authorities have found this practice difficult to combine with the country's otherwise positive image. Already in 1997, the international Cooke Report exposed unethical lion hunting practises in South Africa and authorities promised to react.

Since that, however, various animals' rights and welfare groups have slammed the South African government's lack of action to stop the practise of breeding lions in captivity to supply a growing demand from trophy hunters. However a new policy governing the utilization and management of large predators has recently been government gazetted.

Louise Joubert of the SanWild Wildlife Trust comments that despite pressure by international animals' welfare groups that have cashed in on the canned lion hunting industry the problem remains to be solved by the South African authorities. She welcomed this move and said that "it is time that the blatant disregard for conservation laws in South Africa is dealt with decisively and immediately."

By staff writers

http://www.afrol.com/articles/10634

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Pallas cat, other animal deaths prompt Topeka Zoo criticism

2009-12-01T20:22:00.001-05:00

Animal deaths prompt criticism of Topeka Zoo

By Associated Press
Posted on Fri, Oct. 23, 2009

TOPEKA — Two groups investigating the deaths of several animals at the Topeka Zoo criticized zoo officials for lax veterinary care and poor record-keeping.

A Sept. 28 inspection report cited the zoo for several noncompliance issues related to the death of seven animals from January 2007 through July 2008. That investigation was followed an August report by the USDA that cited the zoo for several noncompliance issues.

Among other problems, investigators found that two animals died after being infested with maggots.

Also Wednesday, a separate review by Kansas State University veterinarians discussed some of the animal deaths including the 2006 death of a hippopotamus, which was left in 108-degree water.

Zoo director Mike Coker said the facility implemented new policies on animal care record-keeping that he thinks will alleviate problems noted by the USDA.

"It's important to have as complete a picture as possible," he said. "We're just reminding our folks to be more detailed, document everything."

The two critical reports coming so soon after the USDA report in August prompted City Council member John Alcala to question the competence of zoo officials.

"There are serious issues happening out there, and they need to be addressed," he said. "Things are getting let go."

The USDA inspection on Sept. 28 found noncompliance related to the deaths of seven animals — a Pallas cat, a rabbit, an antelope, a mouse deer and three bats — from January 2007 through July 2008.

The Pallas cat died in January 2008 after being ill for several days. A necropsy found it had died from a maggot infestation. The report noted the lack of treatment.

"Medical records do not indicate that the animal was assessed by a veterinarian or that any veterinary care was provided for this animal," the report reads.

Coker said the animal care staff followed procedures by recording the cat's declining health. But when the information was given to a veterinarian, no diagnosis was made. Coker said he wasn't sure why.

The report found that many of the animals' death were not properly documented.

Coker said he has instructed the zoo staff to keep more detailed reports of animal care. He is also writing weekly reports to the USDA detailing issues involving the animals and zoo activities.

http://www.kansas.com/news/state/story/1023664.html

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URGENT REPLY !!!

2009-12-01T13:43:00.000-05:00

Beloved Friend,

I am Mrs. Sarah Welsh from UK. I am married to Dr. Jim Welsh who worked with a Shell oil Nigeria for 20yrs before he died in a plan crash, we were married but without any child. presently I am suffering from cancerous ailment and my Doctor said my life span will not exceed 150days due to the cancerous problems.

When my late husband was Alive he deposited the sum of $10M. (Ten Million U.S.Dollars) in a bank, I want you to use 90% of this money to fund churches, orphanages, widows and less privileges around the world but in my name and the 10% will be yours.

As soon as I receive your Full Name, Address, Age, Occupation and Telephone number in my private Email: sarahwelsh02@yahoo.com.hk, I shall give you the contact details of the bank for the claim of the fund and I will also give you the Certificate of Deposit which will empower you as the new beneficiary of the fund.

God Bless You!
Mother Sarah Welsh.

Thieves accidentally steal lion from German circus

2009-12-01T13:10:00.001-05:00

2009-11-11 16:24

Wuppertal - Thieves in the western German city of Wuppertal unknowingly took possession of a hungry lion on Wednesday, as they made off with an unmarked circus van, police said.

Laurens Thoen, spokesperson for the Probst Circus, said the animal had been dozing in the back of the van when it was stolen, and was by now probably looking for food and water.

"It is a dangerous matter," Thoen said.

"From the outside it wasn't obvious that there was a fearsome predator within," he added.

Police said the public should look out for a cream-coloured van with a blue drivers' cab.

- SAPA

http://www.news24.com/Content/World/News/1073/5b9e194282dd41b88140eb0722bbebdc/11-11-2009-04-24/Thieves_accidentally_steal_lion

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1959 article: Lion went to Pa. car wash after wrecking owner's apartment

2009-12-01T13:06:00.002-05:00

Flashback Lancaster
This week in Lancaster County history

Intelligencer Journal
Lancaster New Era

Nov 30, 2009 00:00 EST

Summaries of local news stories from the pages of the Intelligencer Journal and Lancaster New Era appear in this space each Monday. They are researched and compiled by staff member Tim Buckwalter. Full versions are available on microfilm at the Lancaster County Library, 125 N. Duke St....

LION KING: Lawrence A. Benedict, a Lancaster contractor, builder and car-wash operator, agreed to provide a new home for "George," a lion that was being housed temporarily at the Lincoln Park Zoo in Oklahoma City, Okla., after wrecking the apartment of its private owner. "All my life I have loved animals," Benedict said, "and I have always wanted a lion." Benedict was building a cage for George and planned to place the cage at his car wash, at 245 Park Ave., in time for George's arrival in Lancaster by train. The zoo's director, Dr. Warren Thomas, said he liked Benedict's offer better than the others he received. "Over the telephone he seemed to be the kind of a man who wouldn't eat the lion and the lion wouldn't eat him," Thomas said. Lancaster's chief health inspector said there was nothing in city health regulations to ban a lion. (Nov. 30, 1959) (Note: George arrived in Lancaster and Benedict kept him caged at the car wash. The lion died of pneumonia in 1968. Benedict died in 1983.)

http://articles.lancasteronline.com/local/4/245651?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+local%2F8%2F100+%28LancasterOnline+-+Columns%29

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Leopard skins, nearly 2 tons of ivory seized in eastern Africa

2009-12-01T12:57:00.002-05:00

Nearly 2 tons of ivory seized in eastern Africa

By TOM MALITI - Associated Press Writer
Monday, Nov. 30, 2009

NAIROBI, Kenya -- African authorities raided shops, intercepted vehicles at checkpoints and used sniffer dogs to detect and seize over 3,800 pounds (1,768 kilograms) of illegal elephant ivory in a six-nation operation, Interpol and the Kenya Wildlife Service said Monday.

During the three-month-long operation, authorities also seized leopard, crocodile and snake skins, among other illegal animal products, said Awad Dahia, Interpol's eastern Africa chief.

Dahia told journalists that the operation was coordinated by the international police organization and involved the wildlife authorities, police and customs departments of Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.

The Kenya Wildlife Service said it had arrested 65 people - three Chinese, three Tanzanians and 59 Kenyans - during the operation.

Patrick Omondi, the Kenya Wildlife Service's head of species conservation and management, said the operation highlights a rise in poaching in Kenya over the past two years. More than 216 elephants have been killed so far this year, compared to 47 in 2007, he said.

"We have seen an increase in poaching since 2007," Omondi said. "One of the factors we link this to, is the experiment on partial lifting of (the ban on) international trade in ivory in 2007 to allow Botswana, Namibia and South Africa to sell 108 tons last year."

Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe were granted a one-time exemption in 2007 from a global ivory ban because of their thriving elephant herds. They sold their ivory stockpiles in November 2008.

Part of the 3,898 pounds (1,768 kilograms) haul of elephant ivory confiscated during the three-month investigation was announced two months ago.

In September, Kenyan and Ethiopian officials confiscated more than 2,600 pounds (1,200 kilograms) at their main international airports. Kenya Wildlife Service spokesman Paul Udoto said that seizure was part of the same mission, code-named Operation Costa, after a Tanzanian wildlife official.

Dahia said Monday that Kenyan officials had seized 1,252 pounds (568 kilograms) of ivory, but he did not say when the seizure took place.

Officials say the amount of ivory confiscated during the six-nation operation could be higher because other countries still have to report their hauls.

Bonventure Ebayi, a senior regional wildlife conservation official, said Ethiopian officials had raided shops in the capital, Addis Ababa, and seized carved illegal ivory but they are still computing the total captured.

Ebayi, the head of the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, a regional body that coordinates the enforcement work of African wildlife authorities, said other countries involved in the investigation are also still compiling the list of illegal animal products seized.

The elephant populations of many African countries were being decimated until a global ban on the ivory trade was implemented in 1989. Since then the elephant population of Kenya, for example, has grown to 35,000 this year, from 16,000 in 1989. The increased number is still lower than the estimated 167,000 elephants that roamed Kenya in 1973.

http://www.sunherald.com/world/story/1775809.html

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SD judge affirms conviction in leopard skin smuggling case

2009-12-01T12:55:00.003-05:00

SD judge affirms conviction in smuggling case

The Associated Press - Posted: Sunday, November 29, 2009 11:10 am

ABERDEEN -- A Feb. 1 sentencing date has been set for an Aberdeen man convicted of smuggling a leopard hide into the United States after killing the animal during a hunting trip to South Africa.

A jury also convicted Wayne D. Breitag of filing false import permits for leopard hides for himself and another man.

U.S. District Judge Charles Kornmann on Tuesday denied Breitag's motion to set aside the jury's Oct. 30 verdicts and acquit him.

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/article_cf5728cc-dd12-11de-ab40-001cc4c03286.html

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