Actualités du zoo de Singapour

[grievous]

Je me propose de vous faire part de l 'actualites de ce grand zoo ( bon je me foule pas je vais chercher cela sur leur site ... )
Pour des raisons de temps se sera en anglais ( en ce moment je suis en revision donc pas le temps de traduire).
Faites moi part de vos commentaires sur l'utilité d'un tel post....

Singapore , 06 April 2006 – Home to 24 orang utans, the Singapore Zoo has created a free-ranging area for these arboreal creatures to swing, climb and even play. Visitors to the Zoo’s orang utan free-ranging area can now better observe these primates up close and witness the display of their natural behaviours.

Located opposite the Orang Utan exhibit, the free-ranging area comprises tall trees, thick branches, abundant foliage and vines which replicate the animals’ natural environment. The branches and vines encourage the orang utans to brachiate, or move by swinging with the arms from one hold to another. There are also wooden platforms and a hammock, which further stimulate the orang utans mentally.

Ms Fanny Lai, Executive Director of Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, said: “Singapore Zoo is proud to have the world’s largest social colony of captive orang utans. The free-ranging area provides an additional form of enrichment for these primates as it encourages their mental stimulation whilst exploring the surroundings. With the free-ranging area, visitors will also be able to observe the orang utans’ natural behaviour in a more intimate manner.”

The orang utans’ free-ranging area is open from 10.30am to 5.30pm daily and about five orang utans will be on display each time. Members of this group would include sub-adult, young and mother with babies.

Orang utans live on the islands of Borneo and Sumatra in South-east Asia and are the only great apes found outside Africa. Orang utans spend most of their time in the treetops of the rainforests, in fact the name orang utan means "person of the forest". They pass from tree to tree by climbing or swinging. Their strong arms stretch out longer than their bodies and allow them to move about in the rainforest canopy with ease, or to hang from branches eating fruit and leaves. When climbing, orang utans use all four limbs. Their big toes are opposable so they can grip branches with their feet as well as their hands. The average lifespan for an orang utan is 30 years, and maturity is reached at seven to 10 years of age.

[grievous]

SINGAPORE 19 May, 2006 – Today marks the first time a primate confiscated from the illegal pet trade in Singapore is being repatriated to India.

Asha, a female rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta), cut a lone, desperate figure when she was found by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (Acres) being kept as a "pet" at a warehouse in Singapore. A chain around her neck restricting her movement and deprived of companionship of her own kind- the suffering and mental anguish for such a naturally sociable animal must have been great. A non-native species, Asha was probably smuggled into Singapore by ruthless animal traders.

Through a tip-off, Asha was rescued from her plight in 2004 by Acres. As Singapore has no rescue centre for confiscated animals, Acres had to find a new safe home for her so that she would not be euthanised. Singapore Zoo, which houses the world’s largest collection of primate species, agreed to take care of her until a new home has been found by Acres. It also helped to arrange the logistics for Asha’s repatriation.

Dr Chris Furley, Director of Zoology and Veterinary Services, Singapore Zoo says, “From August 2004, we have kept her in our Small Animal Quarantine division. For the last twenty months, we have provided food, lodging, regular medical checks and treatment for her. As we do not have rhesus macaque in our collection, we are glad that she will be moving to a rehabilitation centre in New Delhi.”

“Asha serves as a living testimony to remind everyone that it is illegal and dangerous to keep primates as pets. Southeast Asia is a major hub for wildlife trade. Keeping of exotic pets is one of the factors that has prompted illegal collection and smuggling of endangered animals,” continues Dr Furley.

As the Rhesus macaque is of Indian origin, Acres secured Asha a home at the Wildlife SOS Rescue & rehabilitation Centre in New Delhi, India in 2004. Wildlife SOS agreed to care for this monkey for the rest of her life. However, that was just the start and it took months and months of letter writing, email correspondence and phone calls to get all the permits necessary to send her to her new home.

“Asha is finally set to start her new life in India, after over twenty months of hard work, frustration and invaluable help from Mr. Ramachandra, Maneka Gandhi, Marie Gupta, Jose Louies, Geeta, Jaswant and Kartick. At last, Asha will have a permanent home in a sanctuary and be reunited with her own kind; in short, her name (an Indian name meaning Hope) will be fulfilled” said Amy Corrigan, Acres’ Director of Zoology, who will be accompanying Asha on board the same flight.

“We are relieved that Asha is being repatriated finally back to India - her country of origin and hope she will start a new life here” said Kartick Satyanarayan, Co-Founder of Wildlife SOS.

This repatriation was made possible with funding from Ananda Bhavan Veg. Restaurant, Sri Sreenivasa Perummal Temple, Acres and other well-wishers. “I am very pleased to have been able to help give this monkey a second chance at life after her terrible ordeal” said Mr. Ramachandra, Director of Ananda Bhavan Veg. Restaurant.

The Singapore Zoo also kindly assisted in housing the macaque and the logistics required for the repatriation. Acres also expresses our sincere appreciation to the Indian Wildlife Authority and the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority, Singapore.

This is the second primate repatriation organised by Acres. In 2004, Acres repatriated a vervet monkey, illegally kept as a pet in Singapore, back to Africa.

Acres understands that Asha’s owner was fined as it is illegal to keep primates as pets in Singapore.



Une petite action qui a tout de meme son importance .....

[grievous]

UPGRADED EXHIBIT AT SINGAPORE ZOO OFFERS VISITORS CLOSER VIEWS OF MALAYAN TAPIRS



Singapore Zoo’s upgraded Malayan tapir exhibit offers more trees to provide the tapirs shade and a re-landscaped flooring with soft ground.




Singapore, June 29, 2006 –To enable visitors to have a closer view and thus better appreciation of its two Malayan tapirs, Singapore Zoo has built two shelters with glass windows at its upgraded Malayan tapir exhibit. Designed to look like ethnic thatched huts, the shelters will also have interpretive signage that contain ecological and conservation facts about this Southeast Asian mammal.

Apart from the shelters, the upgraded Malayan tapir exhibit offers more trees to provide the tapirs shade and a re-landscaped flooring with soft ground for these barrel-shaped animals characterised by their dramatic black and white bodies. At the revamped exhibit, the water in the pool has been filtered and sliding gates introduced in the service area to manage the animals better. Upgrading began in February and was completed in April this year.

Ms Fanny Lai, Executive Director of Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, said: “The upgrading of the Malayan tapir exhibit is in line with our initiative to transform from a Viewing Zoo to a Learning Zoo. The interpretive signage and shelters offering better views of the Malayan tapirs are aimed at enhancing the visitors’ appreciation of the tapirs and providing them with more knowledge about conservation issues facing them.“

“The upgraded exhibit, with its soft flooring and trees, will also provide an improved environment for the two tapirs. Malayan tapirs are listed as Endangered, or facing a high risk of extinction in the wild. We hope that by providing them with a conducive environment, the Malayan tapirs will be encouraged to breed further and contribute to the global Malayan tapir population,” she added.

At the Night Safari, there are two male and six female Malayan tapirs. The Zoo and Night Safari have successfully bred a total of 15 Malayan tapirs, and sent nine of them on exchange programmes with other zoos in countries such as Malaysia, UK, the Netherlands, Spain, USA, and Australia.

About the Malayan tapir
Malayan tapirs are native to Southeast Asia. Like all tapirs, they belong to the odd-toed hoofed animal family, and are related to the horse and rhinoceros. The Malayan tapir is the largest of four tapir species, including the Mountain, Baird’s and lowland tapirs, which are all native to Central and South America. It also has the most dramatic coloration, with a white band around its body.

Shy and solitary by nature, tapirs are often hunted in their native countries for their hide, which is tough and leathery. In some parts of Asia, tapir meat is sold in the shops. Loss of their natural habitat has also contributed to the tapir’s declining population in the wild.

[Pedro]

Pas mal du tout comme info! Merci beaucoup grievous. J'avais souvenir d'un beau groupe de tapirs au night safari mais je ne pensais pas qu'ils étaient si nombreux. En tout cas, quand tu verras ce qu'ils ont comme espace au Night, tu vas halluciner.

[grievous]

Encore une info sur Singapoure où la refection des enclos bat son plein.
SINGAPORE ZOO UPGRADES ITS NEW KOMODO DRAGON EXHIBIT TO ENHANCE VISITORS’ EXPERIENCE




The upgraded Komodo Dragon exhibit has been expanded, and re-landscaped to reflect the lizards’ natural environment.




Singapore , July 20, 2006 –

The Singapore Zoo has recently re-opened its Komodo Dragon exhibit after a four-month refurbishment exercise.

The upgraded exhibit now boasts of more exciting and educational elements. It features a sheltered viewing gallery, a close-circuit TV monitor that shows the animal’s natural behaviour underground and interpretive signboards that present educational information and conservation facts about the reptiles.

Ms Fanny Lai, Executive Director of Singapore Zoo and Night Safari, said: “Komodo dragons, the world’s largest lizard, can only be found in Indonesia. To enhance our visitors’ experience, we have upgraded the exhibit so that visitors can better observe and learn more about the reptile’s natural behaviour. This move reflects our aim to be an outdoor classroom for visitors to learn about wildlife and conservation.”

The upgraded Komodo Dragon exhibit has been expanded, and re-landscaped to reflect the lizards’ natural environment. Visitors can view the lizards from the footpath across dry moats or up close through floor-to-ceiling glass panels at the viewing gallery. In addition, colourful interpretive signboards give visitors the background on komodo dragons with details on their diet, habitat and population. The signboards also carry illustrations which are targeted at young children.

Currently, three female komodo dragons are housed in this new exhibit. To help boost the komodo dragon breeding programme, the Singapore Zoo has approached the Indonesian zoos for two male lizards. These males will be here on a breeding loan programme.

Pour voir une photo de l'enclos aller a cette adresse : http://www.zoo.com.sg/about/NEWS/news20072006a.htm