Latest news with #bottlefeeding
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Aussie Zoo defends $180 experience after video 'stunt' sparks concern
A 'publicity stunt' by an Australian zoo that advertised a controversial new animal experience for customers has led to both excitement and angry complaints. But a manager at the NSW zoo claims its plan to allow customers to bottle-feed baby meerkats during the school holidays has been completely misunderstood. More than 400,000 people have watched a video describing the $180 package. It shows two female keepers at Central Coast Zoo cradling young meerkats and allowing them to drink from bottles. 'Have you ever wanted to cuddle a baby meerkat? If so, we are actually one-upping that for the first time in Australia's history. We are doing bottle feeding for our hand-raised meerkats,' one announces. While meerkat encounters are common at other zoos around Australia, it was the bottle feeding aspect that caused a sensation. Many viewers shared their excitement at the activity. 'That's like my dream,' one person wrote. 'How do I book?' another asked. But not everyone was happy after watching the TikTok video. Wildlife advocates, including a vet with a history of working in zoos, and an experienced meerkat handler at another facility, were alarmed. Both were worried that customers bottle-feeding baby meerkats could lead to accidental drowning, stress from being handled by multiple customers, and imprinting, and the advertisement was reported to the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPIRD), an agency tasked with ensuring that zoos comply with state legislation. Jen, a manager at Central Coast Zoo, told Yahoo News, the video had been misunderstood. 'It's a publicity stunt. It's something fun,' she told Yahoo News. She explained that when most people think of bottle-feeding, they imagine a teat being placed inside the animal's mouth as it's being cradled. 'That's the public understanding of bottle-feeding. So we have used that to our advantage with our marketing in terms of wording,' she explained. But in the case of the meerkats at Central Coast Zoo, they're actually into their seventh week of life, already weaned and eating solid foods. The baby meerkats either wander onto a customer's lap or are placed there, and then they nibble at the teats, dramatically lowering any chance of harm. 'We have a vet, we have an animal welfare charter, we work within the Five Domains,' Jen said in reference to the five established areas of animal welfare — nutrition, environment, health, behavioural interactions, and mental state. Responding to questions about the baby meerkat feeding experience, DPIRD told Yahoo News it is 'committed to safeguarding the welfare of animals' and that this is its 'highest priority'. 'DPIRD is working with the Central Coast Zoo to ensure they are complying with their licensing conditions as an Exhibited Animal authority holder,' it said. Remarkable 26-year change revealed on Aussie desert property Alarming new study prompts call to ban 4,200 chemicals 'of concern' Emotional decision looms as ancient site faces extreme storm Kareena, a keeper at another zoo, who originally raised concerns about the bottle-feeding activity, said the explanation by the zoo made her 'feel better about the situation'. However, she still had concerns about exposing meerkats to humans at such a young age, including their undeveloped immune systems and susceptibility to germs. 'These meerkat pups are tiny, they're so young, they're so fragile, they shouldn't be in a space with people,' she said. Dr Tania Bishop, a vet who specialises in wildlife, told Yahoo the discussion around the meerkat experience was healthy, because it reminds people visiting zoos to always ask questions about their ethics. 'It's important for anyone wanting to have experiences with wildlife to do their due diligence, and to make sure animals are being treated in a fair and humane way in order for them to interact with them,' she said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Central Coast Zoo 'publicity stunt' sparks reaction
The zoo has responded to concerns about the activity. Source: Central Coast Zoo Have you ever wanted to cuddle a baby meerkat? If so, we are actually one-upping that for the first time in Australia's history. We are doing bottle feeding for our hand-raised meerkats here at Amazement. Not only will you guys get to bottle feed our baby meerkats, but you'll also get to meet two of our lovely meerkat mobs as well, right here at Amazement. we really look forward to seeing you this school holidays, bye.
Daily Mail
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Jenna Johnson responds to 'extremely rude' criticism over bottle-feeding her son Rome after age 2
Dancing with the Stars pro Jenna Johnson Chmerkovskiy responded to 'extremely rude' criticism over her decision to bottle-feed her son Rome who, at 29 months old. That is 11 months past when most children have typically moved on to cups and solids. Last Friday, the 31-year-old Emmy-nominated choreographer received a DM responding to a snap of her bottle-feeding little Rome: 'Way too old for this fat r****d to have a bottle.' 'Soooo yesterday I posted a pic of me and my son, who I hadn't seen in four days and lots of people felt strongly about him drinking from a bottle,' Jenna Instastoried on Saturday. 'Totally fine when other moms give *positive* advice and I'm always open to feedback to an extent. But this woman ([whose] profile pic is of her holding her own baby) decided to DM me this. What world are we living in?' Johnson understands that she is a public person, but 'sad trolls/bullies' make her want to shut down and go private on social media due to the 'extremely rude and harmful messages toward my baby.' The Cali-born, Utah-raised hoofer said 'enough is enough' and asked the woman directly: 'Would you want me, a total stranger, to DM you this about your child? Because he's drinking from a bottle? Like what on Earth is happening?!' Jenna concluded: 'Please unfollow me immediately and respectfully get a life!' The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) warn parents that prolonged bottle use can lead to tooth decay and affect the development of teeth and facial muscles - similarly to children sucking on pacifiers after age four. On Sunday, Johnson took to Instastory again to thank her loyal fans for their supportive DMs, which made her 'honestly cry.' 'My heart really hurt yesterday at how vile and mean some people can be,' the two-time Mirrorball champ wrote. 'But once again I was shown just how much this little community of mine on here can also show up. You gave me the love, support, and kindness that I believe in! 'Let's remember that we are all humans, navigating life the best we can! I promise to try and only spread positivity and light on my feed and I hope you feel inspired to do the same.' Jenna finished: 'But seriously, thank you for having my back and making me feel seen. So grateful to each of you!' On June 24, Johnson posted a cute, giggly video of her long-haired toddler practicing the pronunciation of his Ukrainian last name, Chmerkovskiy. 'It's definitely a tongue twister buddy!' the Ovation Dance program director admitted. But before the preschooler bliss, Jenna and her 39-year-old husband suffered from 'two years of infertility' during which they had at least one miscarriage in 2021. On Sunday, the Cali-born, Utah-raised hoofer took to Instastory again to thank her loyal fans for their supportive DMs, which made her 'honestly cry' On June 24, Jenna posted a cute, giggly video of her long-haired toddler practicing the pronunciation of his Ukrainian last name, Chmerkovskiy The married couple of six years originally met on the set of the celebrity dancing competition in 2014 before embarking on their romance in 2015. Jenna and Val famously split in 2016-2017 when Chmerkovskiy had a three-month fling with his big brother Maksim Chmerkovskiy's season 23 dance partner Amber Rose, before eventually rekindling their romance. On April 22, ABC/Disney+ renewed Dancing with the Stars for a 34th season - premiering this fall - which will feature contestants Jen Affleck, Alix Earle, Robert Irwin, and Whitney Leavitt. But it's still unclear whether one or both of the Latin and ballroom-dancing couple will participate. Val (born Valentin) has impressively scored three Len Goodman Mirrorball trophies since joining DWTS in 2011 for the 13th season. Johnson - who boasts 1.5M social media followers - is every bit the influencer with paid partnerships for brands like Maybelline New York, SK-II, Evenflo, New Chapter, Happy Baby Organics, and Exuviance.
CBC
28-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Yukon Wildlife Preserve 'hand-raising' baby muskox after complicated birth
Social Sharing It's baby season at the wildlife preserve near Whitehorse, but one little creature has required a little more help than the rest — a muskox calf, who's being bottle-fed by the animal care team after his mother had health complications after birth. While the calf himself was healthy after being born at the end of April, Yukon Wildlife Preserve executive director Jake Paleczny said the calf's mother had a retained placenta, where the organ doesn't fully and properly expel itself. That meant the mother continued to have contractions after giving birth, which made her uncomfortable, and she didn't allow the calf to feed after he was born. "That first feeding in the early hours is really important and at a certain point, you know, it was becoming clear that this wasn't going to happen," Paleczny said, adding that other muskox were starting to "investigate" the calf and knock him over with their horns. "We ended up having to intervene and so we're now bottle-raising, hand-raising this little baby muskox." Both the calf and the mother, neither of which have names, are doing well now, Paleczny said, but the initial separation meant the pair never got to have a "critical early bonding period." Instead, the preserve's animal care team has had to step into the parenting role, sustaining the now almost four-week-old-calf on a special formula — he gets his first bottle of the day at 6 a.m., and the last one at 7 p.m. — while introducing solid food in the form of pellets. The calf is also being kept in a pen separate from, but adjacent to, the rest of the herd's muskox herd, with the care team planning to allow him to gradually mingle with and eventually fully rejoin his peers — something both sides seem to be interested in. "We've been seeing them coming up to the fence and checking each other out," Paleczny said. "There was some nervousness at first, even some of the adults running away as the baby came up — it's this unusual situation." The calf, Paleczny said, will have "a little door that he can come and go" from the herd's pen because "there are a lot of big animals in there," and is still getting food that the rest of the herd doesn't have access to. The care team, meanwhile, is trying to limit interactions with the calf to prevent him getting too accustomed to humans. "We want him to be a fully-fledged, functioning member of this muskox herd, not, you know, a person, a human in muskox form," Paleczny said. Besides the muskox, the preserve has also seen the birth of bison and elk calves this spring, with mule deer and thin-horn sheep expected to be born in the coming weeks. Some caribou calves and mountain goat kids could be on their way too. Paleczny said the preserve's animals are largely able to have successful births and raise their young without intervention, with the muskox being the only baby the care team has had to help this year. The calf, on Tuesday morning, was alert and curious, running around his pen and following a caregiver as he topped up the pen's water and pellets. He weighed 12 kg, double his birth weight but still a far cry from his final size — male muskox can reach more than 350 kg when fully grown and stand five metres tall at the shoulder. For now, though, the calf is closer to the size of a small dog, little more than a ball of black-and-brown fluff zooming around his enclosure or napping in a pile of hay. "On a scale of one to 10," Paleczny acknowledged, "this guy is 11 on cuteness."
Daily Mail
15-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Ex Apprentice star Luisa Zissman sparks outrage after comparing breastfeeding mothers to 'grass munching cows' in TikTok rant as she admits 'I really don't like it'
Reality TV star Luisa Zissman has come under fire after comparing breastfeeding mothers to 'grass-munching cows' - while advocating for women who opt to bottle feed their babies - in a social media rant. The former Apprentice star, Luisa, 37, from Hertfordshire, took to TikTok yesterday to talk about her 'hate' for breastfeeding in a video that has over 150,000 views at the time of writing as well as several critical comments. The minute-long clip posted on Wednesday was titled 'Another day, another rant' as Luisa, who has also appeared on The Big Brother, defended her stance despite receiving backlash for it in the past. 'I know this is a controversial subject and I have had backlash on my opinions on breastfeeding before,' the mother-of-three began. 'Let's talk about my hate for breastfeeding. I really don't like breastfeeding. I didn't do it and I don't like it.' 'I understand it's marginally beneficial. When you look into the actual benefits of breastfeeding over bottle, it's literally smidgens of a per cent. 'Your kid isn't going to die if they're bottle-fed.' she continued. Addressing women who 'can't, don't, or won't' breastfeed, Luisa affirmed their decision to bottle-feed and explained it did not reflect on their capabilities as a mother. 'So if you're sitting at home with your baby and you're feeling like s*** because Sarah, the grass munching cow with her tandem twinnies on her boobies is making you feel like s***, don't let that affect you,' she said. 'You're doing a great job, mama. You don't need to breastfeed to have a healthy baby.' The video divided opinion, as several viewers were quick to call Luisa out for 'demonising' mothers who opt to breastfeed - with pro-feeders saying it needs to be 'normalised'. According to the National Heath Service (NHS), formula milk does not provide the same protection from illness as breastfeeding, while giving your baby breast milk has long-term benefits. It can reduce the baby's risk of infections as well sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), alongwith the rise of developing conditions like cardiovascular disease and obseity. Reacting to Luisa's claim that breastfeeding is only 'marginally beneficial' as compared to bottle feeding, one person wrote: 'Breastfeeding reduces a baby's chance of SIDS by 50 per cent. I don't think that is marginal.' Urging a more balanced approach, another suggested: 'If you don't do it and use formula instead you CAN just be neutral; you don't have to take such a strong stance, to the point you're calling breastfeeding mums derogatory names such as 'grass munching cows'. 'Wild way to put it. You do what works for you,' a third said. 'You don't need to hate breastfeeding - just as breastfeeding mums don't need to hate bottle-feeding mums.' A fourth comment read: 'Not me sitting here breastfeeding whilst watching this. Only take slight offence to being typecast as being a hippy tandem feeding mum just because I breastfeed my (one) baby. Everyone just do you!' Luisa has previously opened up about her decision not to breastfeed her second and third children, claiming that the choice to do so with her first baby left her battling a particularly nasty bout of post-natal depression. The mother-of-three, who appeared on the ninth season of The Apprentice in 2013, has previously faced backlash for her divisive opinions on the subject. In 2018, she sparked controversy after posting a photograph of her friend, The Only Way is Essex (TOWIE) star Sam Faiers, pretending to breastfeed her child when she was actually being bottle fed. Captioning the picture, which was intended to be a joke, she wrote: 'Do you think I can stick Clemmie on there @samanthafaiers she's a bit dissatisfied with her bottle #TheGreatDebate #supermum.' Again, the post proved divisive online with several mothers commenting their opposing views. Responding to the negative commentary, she wrote a follow-up post saying: 'To clarify...... I don't hate people that breastfeed, I hate it. I have friends that breastfeed, I don't hate them.' She has frequently touted the tagline 'my body my boobies', as a way of expressing her views on the choice to breast feed. Although she acknowledged a 'controversial subject', several viewers were quick to call her out for 'demonising' those who opt to breastfeed, with pro-feeders saying it more 'normalised' in society She explained: 'Just because something might be marginally nutritionally better, does not mean it's all round better. 'If you like me, and so many others I know didn't want to, struggled or couldn't breastfeed. 'Don't feel bad. Don't ever let anyone make you feel bad for that. 'Your mental, emotional and physical health is the number one thing that will make you the best mumma bear for your children, not whether they have a bottle or a boob. 'We need to focus more on making mums feel good because; happy mum = happy baby. 'Sick of mum's suffering because of the pressure of society. I'm lucky I have never felt any kind of social or peer pressure cause I'm such an ignorant, selfish shit. 'But many women who are better people than me do and it's not fair!! It's ok to do what is best for you!!' 'I also don't believe the bo**ocks we are fed about it being so much better than formula. 'No doubt there is extensive research to say it's a bit better but it's really not a life or death situation!'
