The newborn was 2.5 centimeters long and weighed 5.5 grammes. (ČTK)

A young Egyptian tortoise, one of the world’s most endangered species, hatched in the Prague zoo this weekend, measuring 2.5 cm and weighing 5.5 grammes, the keepers have told journalists.

The “closely watched” egg spent 81 days in an incubator. This species ranks among the most vulnerable in terms of breeding, the keepers said.

The Egyptian tortoise is a small terrestrial tortoise living along the Mediterranean coast. It is on the brink of extinction as its habitats have been devastated and the rest of its population is threatened with poachers and local inhabitants, zoo spokeswoman Jana Ptacinska Jiratova said.

Only about 4,700 specimen survive in the wild, she added.

The Prague zoo’s 15 Egyptian tortoises, including the fresh arrival, are part of a new European salvation programme.

Ten of them arrived in Prague last December. Originally they were part of a consignment of 400 tortoises that were smuggled from Libya and confiscated by Italian authorities.

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March 18, 2010 -- The St. Louis Zoo announced the birth of a male Bactrian camel, who was born on March 11, 2010, weighing 98 pounds. Bactrians are endangered species. The camel was born to Minnie and Elvis, who are part of the zoo's camel heard in the Red Rocks area.

ST. LOUIS — The St. Louis Zoo has added a new baby camel to its herd

Eli, a male Bactrian camel, was born at the zoo last Thursday (March 11), weighing 98 pounds. His parents are Minnie and Elvis, who are part of the camel herd in the zoo’s Red Rocks area.

The zoo announced Eli’s birth Thursday morning. Eli can now be seen by the public along with the rest of the camel herd.

The last camel born at the zoo was on April 21, 2009. Eli is the sixth camel at the zoo, joining three adult females, one adult male and the 1-year-old female.

Pregnancy in camels last 11 months, and calves are typically born in the spring. That’s also when Bactrian camels shed their thick winter coat, making them nearly hairless for the summer.

Baby camels are born with two humps, like their parents, but at birth they lay flat against their sides until they can store up energy-rich fat. Camels can survive without water for long periods of time, and fat stored in their humps lets them survive long stretches without food.

The Bactrian, native to Mongolia in central Asia, is an endangered species.

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Gold has long been a metal of value. Long before paper money gold was the standard from which cultures valued everything. Gold will remain a metal of value for a long time to come, so it is a good plan to always invest some of your money into gold and other precious metals.

Disclosure: This post is made possible by one of our sponsors.

© Joelle Taillon

A new assessment of the Arctic’s biodiversity reports a 26 per cent decline in species populations in the high Arctic.

From ZSL

Populations of lemmings, caribou and red knot are some of the species that have experienced declines over the past 34 years, according to the first report from The Arctic Species Trend Index (ASTI), which provides crucial information on how the Arctic’s ecosystems and wildlife are responding to environmental change.

While some of these declines may be part of a natural cycle, there is concern that pressures such as climate change may be exacerbating natural cyclic declines.

In contrast, population levels of species living in the sub-Arctic and low Arctic are relatively stable and in some cases, increasing. Populations of marine mammals, including bowhead whales found in the low Arctic, may have benefited from the recent tightening of hunting laws. Some fish species have also experienced population increases in response to rising sea temperatures.

“Rapid changes to the Arctic’s ecosystems will have consequences for the Arctic that will be felt globally. The Arctic is host to abundant and diverse wildlife populations, many of which migrate annually from all regions of the globe. This region acts as a critical component in the Earth’s physical, chemical, and biological regulatory system,” says lead-author Louise McRae from the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).

Data collected on migratory Arctic shorebirds show that their numbers have also decreased. Further research is now needed to determine whether this is the result of changes in the Arctic or at other stopover sites on their migration.

Louise McRae adds: “Migratory Arctic species such as brent goose, dunlin and turnstone are regular visitors to the UK’s shores. We need to sit up and take notice of what’s happening in other parts of the world if we want to continue to experience a diversity of wildlife on our own doorstep.”

The ASTI includes almost 1,000 datasets on Arctic species population trends, including representation from 35 per cent of all known vertebrate species found in the Arctic.

Co-author Christoph Zöckler from the UNEP-World Conservation Monitoring Centre says: “The establishment of these results comes at a crucial time for finding accurate indicators to monitor global biodiversity as governments strive to meet their targets of reducing biodiversity loss.”

The findings of the first ASTI report will be presented at the ‘State of the Arctic’ Conference in Miami, USA. The full report is available from www.asti.is.

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“Lucky” Onlookers Observed From Nearby Overlook

TAMPA, Fla. (March 17, 2010) – Bearing soft brown and white stripes instead of the traditional Irish green, an endangered Grevy’s zebra foal was born on exhibit at approximately 1:45 p.m. today (St. Patrick’s Day) at Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo.
Zoo animal care staff observed the entire labor and delivery, along with a small crowd of curious guests who lingered in an area near the exhibit for more than an hour to be on-hand for the rare opportunity to see a newborn zebra.
The Grevy’s zebra birth is the first for the Zoo and for new mother, “Pixie,” who responded extremely well to the newborn foal, thought to be a female. After several tries, the foal stood on its long, wobbly legs, and nursed within one hour of birth.
Grevy’s zebra, sometimes known as the imperial zebra, is the largest species of wild equine in the world. The black stripes are narrow and close-set, being broader on the neck, and they extend to the hooves. The ears are very large, rounded and tapered. The head is large, long and narrow, particularly mule-like in appearance.
Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo has celebrated many “firsts” within the animal collection over the last year, including the first Indian rhino birth for the Zoo, the first shoebill stork hatching in North America, and now the first Grevy’s zebra foal born at the Zoo.

About Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo
Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is operated by the Lowry Park Zoological Society, an independent 501(c)(3) charitable organization committed to excellence in education, conservation and research. Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), and has been named the No. 1 zoo in America by both Parents magazine (2009) and Child magazine (2004). The Zoo is located at 1101 W. Sligh Avenue in Tampa, one mile west of I-275 (exit 48) and is open seven days a week, from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Parking is free. Visit LowryParkZoo.com or call (813) 935-8552 for information.

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Opening on April 1, the shallow touch tank provides guests the opportunity to reach in and touch docile white-spotted bamboo and coral cat sharks as they swim by, while learning about conservation of all shark species. The pool houses six sharks, all one to three feet in length.

From 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each day, kids will learn about shark adaptations, diets, myths and conservation through interactive cart activities, games, presentations and crafts. Guests will be able to smell common scents as a shark would, participate in a shark scavenger hunt to learn about the various species at the aquarium, get an up-close look at shark teeth, fins and jaws, and play games to learn shark facts versus myths and threats sharks face in the wild.

WHEN: Wednesday, April 14 to Tuesday, April 20
Activities take place at scheduled times between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day

WHERE: Mystic Aquarium & Institute for Exploration
55 Coogan Blvd., Mystic, CT 06355

COST: Free with aquarium admission: Adults $26, seniors $23, kids (ages 3 to 17) $19, free for children 2 and under

For more information, call (860) 572-5955 or visit mysticaquarium.org.

About Sea Research Foundation, Inc.
Mystic Aquarium, Institute for Exploration and Immersion Learning are divisions of Sea Research Foundation, Inc., a non-profit 501(c)3organization. The mission of Sea Research is to inspire people to care for and protect our ocean planet through education, research and exploration.

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DOHA, Qatar — A U.S.-backed proposal to ban the international trade of polar bear skins, teeth and claws was defeated Thursday at a U.N. wildlife meeting over concerns it would hurt indigenous economies and arguments the practice didn’t pose a significant threat to the animals.

The Americans argued at the 175-nation Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species, or CITES, that the sale of polar bears skins was compounding the loss of the animals’ sea ice habitat due to climate change. There are projections that the bear’s numbers, which are estimated at 20,000 to 25,000, could decline by two-thirds due by 2050 due to habitat loss in the Arctic.

“We’re disappointed,” said Jane Lyder, the Department of Interior’s deputy assistant secretary for fish and wildlife and parks. “But we understand that CITES is still trying to understand how to incorporate climate change into its decision making.”

Canada, along with Norway and Greenland, led the opposition to the U.S. proposal. They said the threat from trade was minimal and the hunting done by Aboriginal communities was critical to their economies. Only 2 percent of Canadian polar bears are internationally traded and the country strictly manages the commerce, Canada said.

“There is no doubt that action must continue to ensure the conservation of polar bears. Canada’s goal is long term survival of polar bears,” Canadian representative Basile Van Havre said. “But Canada does not think the proposal is supported by facts.”

Frank Pokiak, an indigenous leader from Canada, said communities in the Arctic have hunted bears for generations, mostly for meat for food and pelts for clothing and shelter. He said they hunt them in a sustainable way and would continue doing so with or without an international ban.

“We have always cared for land and the wildlife because we have a lot to lose,” Pokiak told delegates. “If it wasn’t for polar bears and other wildlife that we harvest, we wouldn’t exist today.”

The big white bear, the world’s largest land meat-eater, “nanuq” to the Inuit, may be uniquely susceptible to climate change as rising temperatures fast shrink its habitat, the Arctic sea ice.

Many bears spend their whole lives on the ice, mating, giving birth and hunting for their main prey, the ringed seal. But Arctic summers may be almost free of sea ice within 30 years, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted last April.

Data available on polar bear trade shows that since the early 1990s the market for polar bear carcasses and parts has increased. From 1992 to 2006, approximately 31,294 live polar bears, carcasses or parts were exported to 73 different countries, according to data collected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species.

Skins are the most popular export item, and Canada is the largest commercial exporter.

Copyright © 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.

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Kisangani, Courtesy Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Dave Wax – Taren Reed – First Coast News

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Is that a horse with a custom paint job, or is it a giraffe who got conscientious about her neck?

It’s actually an Okapi, and if you’re not familiar with them, there’s good reason.

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens has become just the 21st zoo to have Okapi on exhibit.

Kisangani, a 20-year-old female (pictured), and Kimacho, a 9-year-old male, comprise the new exhibit.

Kisangani came to Jacksonville from the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, and Kimacho came from the Houston Zoo.

Delfi Messinger, director of animal programs for the zoo, said any facility with Okapi must have certain facilities and a demonstrated commitment to conservation of the unusual creatures.

They’ve only been known about since 1901, and are a relative of the giraffe — the only living relative of the giraffe, in fact.

Okapi have rather unusual characteristics other than looks. They can lick their eyelids, thanks to tongues that can get up to 18 inches long.

The striping on their coats helps them blend into their natural surroundings — the Congo in Africa.

Hunting and deforestation are seen as the biggest threat to their continued survival.

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Calgary Zoo officials suspended an experienced keeper on Monday after a gorilla nearly escaped from its enclosure.

Shana, a seven-year-old male gorilla, was seen perched on top of a glass perimeter screen about 8:15 a.m. but jumped back into his enclosure when he spotted the staffer.

Officials don’t know how long the gorilla was on the fence, said Cathy Gaviller, director of conservation and research, and they figure he jumped there from a pile of ice in the moat.

“No one witnessed exactly where and when it happened but certainly from what the staff member saw it appears the whole thing was over in a minute or two,” she said.

“That staff member immediately called the keeper, who locked all the gorillas in the building right away.”

Four staff members then removed the ice buildup from a moat in the gorilla enclosure.

The zoo wasn’t yet open when it happened, said Gaviller, so there was no danger to the public.

“Gorillas are very shy,” she said.

“Most often the animals are quite anxious to be back in their enclosure.

“Other zoos have had the experience where if the animal has got out of the exhibit the animal is most determined to find its way back in.”

Gaviller would not say how long the staff member was suspended for.

“We certainly investigated the incident and what I would say is a long standing and experienced staff member made a mistake,” she said.

“Conditions change daily so they’re responsible to check the enclosure every morning before letting the gorillas out.”

This was the first incident involving a potential escape since Destination Africa — where the gorillas are housed — opened in January, 2003.

Since arriving from the Bronx Zoo in May, 2009, Shana and another male, Zola, have been kept separate from the rest of the six-member gorilla troop until the dominant male accepts them.

The mishap comes weeks after a audit was done on the zoo’s policies and practices by the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Gaviller said those results are expected by the end of March.

“Certainly we have given them a heads up as to what happened,” she said.

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Moscow, Mar 16 (Itar-Tass) Voicing his concern over the rapid decline in polar bear population, which has brought the Ursidain on “verge of extinction”, the Russian Prime Minister has called to prevent the disappearance of the carnivours in wildlife.

Speaking at a session of the Board of Trustees of the Russian Geographical Society yesterday, Putin said “The number of polar bears continues to decrease. They are on the verge of extinction. Of course, we should prevent this. A polar bear should be preserved in zoological gardens and wildlife.”

He given grants to a programme of studying polar bears in Russia’s Arctic region, to projects of preserving Baikal’s environmental system and cultural monuments of Russia’s European North.

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