Santa Jaws Is One Of The Many Friendly Species Of Sharks

By Jamie Tacy

Sarasota, FL - Mote Mascot Gilly the Shark is all decked out in his annual holiday garb and will be taking photos with visitors for FREE with their paid admission to Mote Aquarium again this year.

Santa Jaws will be in the Aquarium Courtyard from noon to 2 p.m. each Saturday from Nov. 29 through Dec. 20 (every Saturday from Thanksgiving through Christmas). The event is sponsored by SRQ Media Group.

Hey Mom, I'm Hungry, Would You Swim Down And Get Me Some Food?

By Kasia Deuel

Monterey, CA - A stranded sea otter reared as a pup by one of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s exhibit sea otters and released to the wild two years ago has given birth to a pup of her own – the first for a surrogate-reared animal in the history of the aquarium’s Sea Otter Research and Conservation program (SORAC).

The male pup was born in waters near Moss Landing sometime between July 21 and 28. He appears to be strong and healthy, and to be developing normally, according to Animal Care Coordinator Karl Mayer with the sea otter program. Now almost four months old, the pup is foraging on its own, although he still solicits food from his mother, Mayer said. His surrogate-reared mother seems to be handling first-time motherhood very well, Mayer added.

Good Economic News

By Tom Gillespie

Asheboro, NC - An announcement earlier this month that woeful economic news has not dampened donor generosity to the N.C. Zoo Society is consistent with national trends reported today by the Associated Press (AP). Americans from Asheboro to Seattle are not letting the turmoil on Wall Street prevent them from taking care of needs on Main Street, and 2008 net revenues to the Zoo Society are up 18 percent over 2007. 

“This may be the silver lining to the economic news we’ve been hearing as we head into the holiday season,” said Russ Williams, N.C. Zoo Society executive director. 

The Gift Card Everyone Wants

By Patricia Janeway

Royal Oak, MI - Just in time for the holiday gift-giving season, the Detroit Zoological Society is now offering Detroit Zoo gift cards. The cards can be loaded with any amount $5 and up and can be used for admission and parking as well as tickets for the Tauber Family Railroad, Wild Adventure Ride and Giraffe Encounter feeding station.

The re-loadable gift cards are also good at gift shops and food concessions, and can be used to purchase Detroit Zoo memberships, animal experiences, brick pavers, “Adopt”-an-Animal and other “wild” gifts.

Can You Count Our Teeth?

By Mackenzie Whalen

Atlanta, GA - Georgia Aquarium announced today that new sand tiger sharks have been added into the Ocean Voyager gallery, built by The Home Depot. 

The sharks were introduced into the 6.3 million gallon habitat alongside the whale sharks, manta ray and many other species. The new sharks range from five to more than eight feet in length and weigh between 56 and 237 pounds.

Florida Aquarium Is On The List

By Tom Wagner

Tampa, FL - ForbesTraveler.com, one of the most prestigious travel websites for world travelers, announced their top aquariums in the U.S. The Florida Aquarium was included for its diverse guest programs including Dive with the Sharks, Penguins: Backstage Pass and Explore A Shore, the outdoor water fun zone for children.

This is the fourth such honor the aquarium has received in as many years. Coastal Living and TripAdvisor.com ranked Tampa’s aquarium in its top 10 aquariums in America and Parents Magazine ranked it in their top five “family-friendly aquariums in the country.”

Look At This Cutie

By Toni Kellar

Cumberland, OH - Two male southern white rhinos were recently born at the Wilds, making a total of six of this threatened species born at the conservation center in Southeast Ohio, and the only third generation of white rhinos born in managed herds on record in North America.

“The Wilds is unique in that we are the only known facility in North America where third-generation white rhinos are being born,” said Dr. Evan Blumer, Executive Director of the Wilds.

Put On Your Gloves, Hat And Join Us

By Tom O’Konowitz

Cleveland, OH - Ice-carving demonstrations, holiday music, cookie-decorating and crafts for kids, animal-enrichment demonstrations, visits with Santa and more. 

Holiday activities run from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.  December Days admission is discounted to just $6 per person, $4 for kids ages 2 to 11 and free for kids under 2 and Zoo members.

Let Birch Aquarium Plan Your Evening For You

By Jessica Crawford

La Jolla, CA - Birch Aquarium at Scripps announces "Winter Evening Lecture Series" at Scripps Institution of Oceanography/UC San Diego.

The Jeffrey B. Graham Perspectives on Ocean Science Lecture Series provides concise, comprehensive presentations on climate change and other research conducted worldwide by scientists from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego. Scripps scientists are exploring Earth’s mysteries in hundreds of research projects under way on every continent. Learn about science at Scripps and join researchers on their paths to discovery.

Silverspot Butterfly Requires a Specific Coastal Habitat to Survive

By Cindy Hanson

Newport, OR - Habitat restoration for the threatened Oregon silverspot butterfly received assistance from the Oregon Coast Aquarium early this month. The Aquarium grounds staff helped by rooting and planting nectar producing food sources for butterfly habitat. The Oregon silverspot butterfly (Speyeria zerene hippolyta), listed as a threatened species since 1980, requires a very specific coastal habitat and certain plants to survive. A collaborative effort between the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS), the Nature Conservancy and other agencies seeks to stabilize declining silverspot populations.

Photo Of Gila Baby Entering The World

By Tom Gillespie

Asheboro, NC - “One of two Gila monsters that hatched recently at the North Carolina Zoo makes its way from its shell, marking the first such hatchings at the zoo.

Gila monster eggs have a longer incubation period than most reptiles—120-150 days, as compared to the average 40-60 days. The ‘little monsters’ pushed the high end of the incubation period with one hatching at 149 days and the other at 151 days. Few other zoos are reproducing these reptiles, and they are scarce in the wild, so the hatchings represent a significant event in the captive management of the species.” (NC Zoo photo by Ezra Ellis)

Public Is Invited To Attend Dedication Ceremony

By Gigi Allianic

Seattle, WA - The champion of snow leopards, Helen Freeman, was remembered over the weekend at a private ceremony at Woodland Park Zoo that paid tribute to her tireless efforts toward protecting snow leopards and establishing the Snow Leopard Trust. Family, friends, the Snow Leopard Trust, and the zoo unveiled an ensemble of bronze sculptures that illustrates the lifetime passion of Freeman who passed away in 2007.

 The commemoration to Freeman is located near the zoo’s snow leopard exhibit. Members of the Snow Leopard Trust (SLT), Freeman’s family, and local artist Gretchen Daiber collaborated with the zoo to create the sculptural vignette: a clipboard detailing Freeman’s observations of snow leopards, a leaping snow leopard and a small plaque.

What A View!

By Patricia Janeway

Royal Oak, MI - The Detroit Zoo’s two bald eagles have moved from their home near the Arctic Food Court into their new Pierson Lake habitat across from the Asian wild horses. Their surroundings feature a view of the lake, a more spacious environment and a quieter atmosphere.

The eagles, Lindy and Amelia, are named after two famous American aviators, Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. Lindy, a male, arrived at the Detroit Zoo in 1988 and Amelia, a female, relocated to Detroit in 1995. Both birds were wild-born but had suffered injuries to their wings that prevented them from being released back into the wild.

When Everything Else Turns Brown, Paignton Zoo Remains Green Throughout The Winter

By Philip Knowling

Paignton, UK - Paignton Zoo Environmental Park has won more green awards.

The Zoo was a winner twice over at the Devon Environmental Business Initiative awards this year. The registered charity won both the award for sustainable tourism and was also declared the overall winner.

A World Without Amphibians

By Rebecca Smith

London, UK - As the global amphibian crisis deepens, scientists from around the world will gather today (Thursday 20/11) at the Zoological Society of London (ZSL) to try to hammer out a solution.
 
Conservation heavyweight Sir David Attenborough will preside over the international two-day Halting Global Decline in Amphibians symposium, as scientists and conservationists compare their research in the hope of finding a way forward.