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NEWS FROM THE ZOO
Here's the latest goings on at Franklin Zoo  Tommy, our cute otter, is soon to be joined by another friendly otter named Paddles. Read about it in our August Zoo Diary. |
Zoo Diary May 2008
This month James Morrison has gone off to help the plight of sun bears in Borneo; Miracle and Chaska (our new cotton topped tamarins) get their brand new outdoor enclosure; and a beautiful musk lorikeet named Fifi moves in to the zooJames, our development manager and senior keeper, is in Borneo for a month to research and help design a Sun Bear Conservation Centre. The purpose of the centre and fund raising towards it will be to increase awareness of the plight of this species and also to provide a place for sun bears to go for rehabilitation once confiscated by the local authorities.
It is against the law in Borneo to keep sun bears as pets or for any other reason but there just arent enough spaces in existing sanctuaries for sun bears to go once confiscated, so the need for a larger sanctuary is urgent.
The centre will be built in part of the Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Sanctuary in Sabah, and the board running it will include representatives from the Orangutan Centre, the Wildlife Department of Sabah, plus others including a friend of James who has been studying sun bears in Borneo for the past four years.
Franklin Zoo will be fundraising to support this work as we believe it is a very important conservation project and one that will make a difference for the sun bear.
The Malayan sun bear is an extremely rare species. Its recent decline can be largely attributed to the poaching of bears driven by the market for their fur, to use their bile and body parts in Chinese medicine, and to own as pets. Another reason for the decline in sun bears and other species such as orangutans is the destruction of their natural habitat, mostly to make way for palm oil and other cash crops, but also to produce timber goods that are exported.
Palm oil is used as a common ingredient in foods, detergents and cosmetics. Have a look at the labels of the products you buy. Are you supporting this habitat destruction indirectly with out realizing it?
Closer to home; Miracle and Chaska our two new cotton topped tamarin monkeys are enjoying their new outdoor habitat next to the capuchin monkeys. This new enclosure will be part of our proposed South American rainforest exhibit, forming the entry way for the boardwalk up to the viewing area for the capuchin and spider monkeys.
Come and see the two girls. They are very happy and very busy!
New to Franklin Zoo is Fifi a beautiful musk lorikeet that Robyn from Robyns Nest has donated to the zoo. Fifi settled in with two existing musk lorikeets and two Barraband parrots within one day and is enjoying life in the Australian aviary.
Next month we will tell you about Paddles an Otter who is coming to keep Tommy company and two very special bobcats that will be joining us here at Franklin Zoo!
We are open every day 9am 5 pm with Wild Encounters at 2pm. come and join us.
Helen Schofield
Zoo Operator
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| Emu |
| Second biggest bird in the world. Our emu can run up yo 50km per hour and each stride can be as long as 3 metres. Because they have no teeth, emus eat stones and pebbles to grind up their food. Imagine that! Listen carefully, and that drum beat you hear is probably one emu chatting to another. Emu Dads look after the eggs until they hatch and then look after the young chicks for the next two years. |
| ...read more stories |
