Latest news with #zoos
ABC News
4 days ago
- General
- ABC News
The Australians helping to evacuate Ukrainian zoos and caring for animals displaced by war
A shed with hundreds of cows, lovingly locked inside for safety by a fleeing Ukrainian farmer, had been transformed into a mass bovine coffin by the time Marcus Fillinger arrived. As Russian troops approached, the farmer had tried to do the best thing for his livestock. The outcome was the opposite. The shed was directly hit by artillery. The Canberra man answered the global call for help when Ukraine's animal shelters and zoos came under direct Russian fire. "The war is causing terrible stress for the animals," wrote Kyiv Zoo on its website in late February 2022, in the first days of the war. Mr Fillinger is one of three police-endorsed tranquilliser-firearms instructors in Australia and travelled to Ukraine where he was swamped by need. "I was getting a myriad of texts on my satellite phone of people crying for help," Mr Fillinger said. "Their lives were in imminent danger, but they were staying behind for their commitment to the animals — they didn't want to leave the animals behind. "That really spoke to me. That would be what I'd be doing. So [I thought], 'I'm going to go help those people'. What he didn't expect was the number of private, unlicensed zoos supplying the black market with exotic animals. The owners of these private zoos abandoned their animals as they fled for safety. That's what led Mr Fillinger, under the cover of darkness and with artillery fire just kilometres away, to sedate and evacuate an emaciated wolf that had been abandoned for weeks. He would have animals in cages in the back of a borrowed van as he sped through the back roads of Ukraine, trying to avoid road closures caused by artillery fire. He encountered caracals, zebras, bears, wolves, a lion, cows, donkeys, sheep, primates and a buffalo — which he deemed too big to move. "I could potentially save two smaller animals or one larger animal because of access to drugs," he said. "It's quite painful to have to make those decisions." His satellite phone number was shared among hundreds of Ukrainians who would reach out for help. "They wanted me to check on the welfare of their grandma's cat that she had to lock in her apartment, and then actually going there and finding out the apartment doesn't exist anymore and having to text back — it's really difficult," he said. Mr Fillinger has completed two missions to Ukraine, with plans to return and train Ukrainians to care for animals themselves. In 2023, he was awarded the newly-established Ukrainian White Cross Medal which is for foreigners assisting Ukraine during times of war. It was presented to him during a ceremony interrupted by air raid sirens. The former RAAF serviceman said his experiences in Ukraine, which still play like horrific slide-shows through his head, were some of the most terrible of his life. As the war evolved, and the front lines moved, animals would again be thrown into danger. "These poor animals are a consequence of the stupidity and violence of war. "They are the forgotten consequence of war." Nigel Allsopp has completed three missions to Ukraine to care for all the abandoned pets caught in the crossfire of the conflict. The Gold Coast man remembers watching footage of Ukrainians fleeing amidst destruction and explosions when the war first began. "I noticed a lot of refugees had dogs and cats under their arms," he said. When he researched online, he discovered more than 60 per cent of Ukrainians owned pets. "They're a pet loving nation," he said. But many were forced to abandon their pets in the chaos because they couldn't find their animal in time while fleeing. "They feel terrible, like they've had to leave someone they love behind," he said. Mr Allsopp set up a specialised microchip program unique for Ukraine, tagging 5,000 animals he hoped would bring comfort at the end of the war. Mr Allsopp wrote and taught a Ukraine-specific animal first aid curriculum to 600 university veterinary students and taught military animal handlers canine first aid. He wants to return in peacetime — he hopes soon — to help with animal therapy for soldiers suffering PTSD. "We do it because we see the need."
BBC News
19-06-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Zoos much more than entertainment, say industry leaders
Zoo and wildlife park leaders at an annual conference have said the industry was "much more than entertainment" in today's British & Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums met at Jimmy's Farm & Wildlife Park near Ipswich for its annual conference, bringing together representatives from across the comes after the government introduced new legislation to raise standards and ensure conservation efforts were being Doherty, owner of Jimmy's Farm and TV presenter, said the industry should "always be striving to do better". "The days of when you got to a zoo or a wildlife part for entertainment, they're still there to have a day out, but it's much more than entertainment," he said."I'm very keen to get that across to people because there still is an anti-side to it, but actually the work that zoos and wildlife parks do to preserve our wildlife and habitats is vital."Particularly now under so much pressure, in terms of destruction of habitats, but also climate change." Mr Doherty's farm and wildlife park is home to four polar bears as well as many other of the polar bears was rescued by Jimmy's Farm from Sweden as it was due to be euthanised. The park is also a part of various breeding programmes and conservation research encouraged people to find out more about all zoo's conservation work and he believed the new government legislation would ensure standards were kept legislation updates rules for keeping animals in zoos, including having larger habitats for elephants, the removal of being able to touch fish and cephalopods at aquariums, and phasing out the practice of tethering welfare minister Baroness Hayman said the reform was "long overdue"."We're making sure all sectors have the tools they need to thrive, which is vital in our mission to deliver economic growth and make lives better for people across the country under our Plan for Change," she said. Tyler Whitnall, a director of Hertfordshire Zoo and a trustee of Big Cat Sanctuary in Kent, said the new legislation would "bring everyone to a higher table".He added: "[It will] hold everyone to a much higher standard to protect the species in our care, but also what we're doing for conservation in terms of protecting these species in the wild."But also in terms of making sure our teams on the ground are looking after the animals, have the right information and are accountable, so we can make sure that zoos going forward are all good zoos."Without the work that good zoos are doing, most of these [endangered] species would be extinct already." Chris Brown is the head of conservation, science and education at Sea Life, which has centres in Great Yarmouth and Hunstanton in believed those in the industry were "excited" by the government's new legislation."I think we've got an incredible responsibility having animals in our aquariums and zoos, and it's really important to be able to educate the public, but also utilise our aquariums and zoos to be able to advance conservation, research and education," he said."The new zoo standards really make that easier to be able to show and evidence what we do for it."So it's something that's been done for a long time, but not always been able to show the impacts that we're having." 'Not far enough' The RSPCA said in May that it welcomed the government's new legislation, but felt it did not go "far enough to protect every animal".Dr Ros Clubb, head of the RSPCA Wildlife Department, said the charity felt elephants did not belong in zoos, while it was still concerned for animals which were handled, including crabs and starfish, which were not included in the charity did welcome the phasing out of tethering of birds of prey, which it said deprived them of their "freedom to fly and exercise"."A fundamental understanding of the welfare needs of all animals is so important," Dr Clubb added."Zoo visitors should be educated about animal welfare so they are encouraged and informed about how to be kind and compassionate to animals they interact with."Wildlife welfare charity Born Free said last month that "zoos can never fully provide for the complex needs of most wild animal species", and it would "continue to call for the revision of zoo licensing and inspection processes to ensure the animals that are kept are afforded the best possible care". Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
14 stories about fascinating critters and plants from Washington state
Stories by Tacoma News Tribune journalists, with AI summarization Washington state teems with curious plants and creatures making headlines. At Point Defiance Zoo, visitors can spot a rare blooming artichoke agave and meet a newborn Malayan tapir that sports watermelon-like stripes. Newly discovered species like the Okanagan crayfish highlight the region's diverse waterways, while animal rescues — such as the rescue of a black bear from a Spokane neighborhood and the rehab of an orphaned mountain lion cub — underscore local efforts to protect wildlife. Volunteers at Owen Beach help safeguard seals, and new arrivals, including a playful baby bison and a litter of meerkat kits, bring fresh energy to local zoos. Washington's beaches, tide pools, and parks show the variety and resilience of the state's flora and fauna. A bill in the Washington State Legislature would name the seaweed the state's official underwater forest. | Published February 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Craig Sailor It's the second of its kind to be born at the Tacoma zoo in 120 years. | Published February 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner These experts are offering free beach tours at low tide this week. | Published April 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Becca Most The worker was seriously injured and taken to a hospital, the zoo said. | Published April 1, 2025 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner 'He is zesty. You go, you spicy little dude!' | Published April 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Brooke Baitinger 'Each birth is a wonderful opportunity to connect guests with this fascinating species,' according to the zoo's curator. | Published April 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi A Tik Tok of polar bear Laerke caused some concerns, but zoo staff said she is a 'special needs' bear who often displays that behavior. | Published May 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi It has a shell, claws and tubercles extending from its head. | Published May 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Sara Schilling Volunteers will be dispatched to Owen Beach to monitor for seals that appear on shore during pup season. | Published May 31, 2025 | Read Full Story by Isha Trivedi The nine-foot plant is blooming at the Point Defiance Zoo. It has been maturing for nearly 20 years. | Published June 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Constanza Montemayor 'Heaven forbid a girl have hobbies.' | Published May 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner Wildlife officers and firefighters responded. | Published May 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner She will soon be reunited with her boyfriend, zoo officials said. | Published May 28, 2025 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner The fluffy animal can be seen during a tour at the wildlife park. | Published June 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Helena Wegner The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
CNA
04-06-2025
- Business
- CNA
Brazil confirms bird flu case at zoo
BRASILIA: The Brazilian government confirmed a case of bird flu at a zoo in its capital after two birds were found dead there last week. Brazil, the world's top exporter of chicken meat, has suspended its shipments to more than 20 countries due to an avian flu outbreak that began in mid-May. Brasilia's zoo closed on May 28 after finding a dead pigeon and dead duck that it suspected were cases of the disease. Samples from the birds revealed "the detection of a case of highly pathogenic avian influenza", the Federal District's Agriculture Secretariat said on social media Tuesday. "With the confirmation of the outbreak ... the closure of the zoo will remain in effect until Jun 12, if no new cases are detected on-site." This brings the total number of recently reported bird flu cases in Brazil to five, according to the ministry of agriculture. The first case was recorded on May 16 at a farm in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul. Avian flu has spread globally in recent years, leading to mass culling of poultry, some human deaths, and a spike in egg prices. Infections in humans can cause severe disease with a high mortality rate, according to the World Health Organization, but the virus does not appear to move easily from person to person. Human cases detected so far were mostly in people who had close contact with infected birds and other animals, or contaminated environments.
ABC News
01-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Junior Vets: Series 4 Episode 1
Junior Vets Entertainment Real Kids, Real Stories Pets, Vets & Zoos Watch Article share options Share this on Facebook Twitter Send this by Email Copy link WhatsApp Messenger Junior Vets gives ordinary school kids the chance to become junior vets. In each episode the recruits are split into pairs and sent out to help with real vet work on animals in a vet school, farms, zoos and animal hospitals.
