In the US, a federal court has recognised the hippos as “interested persons” with legal rights. But the case to really watch out for is that of Happy the elephant For all those who keep up with Pablo Escobar’s “cocaine hippos”, some happy news: a federal US court has recognised them as “interested persons” with […]
Tag: bronx zoo
First COVID-19 cases in zoo gorillas raise alarm about wild populations
Two gorillas at San Diego Zoo in California have tested positive for COVID-19, in the first reported cases of great apes contracting the novel coronavirus. Three of the primates showed symptoms as of this week, and zoo authorities have not ruled out other troop members also being infected. Since the pandemic broke out last year, […]
Coronavirus is a Threat to Endangered Primates
Research found that endangered primates including the Sumatran orangutan and western lowland gorilla are vulnerable to coronavirus infection because of shared genetic similarities to humans. Like the tigers at the Bronx zoo that likely caught the coronavirus from zookeepers, scientists say the potential for humans to give the virus to endangered animals is likely. Study […]
Petition: Captive Tigers at Risk for COVID-19
Experts say that the corona virus is a danger to captive big cats around the country, including those in public or private zoos. The Bronx Zoo made headlines when it announced that tigers under its care had contracted COVID-19, which is caused by the transmission of the coronavirus. Animal welfare experts warn that tigers held […]
Petition: Zoos and Aquariums Must Help Stop Zoonotic Diseases that Kill Millions of People Annually!
In Defense of Animals is calling for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) to help stop zoonotic diseases at zoos. In an emailed statement, the organization urges the AZA to stop transmission between animals and humans, like the one that resulted in a Bronx Zoo tiger being affected by coronavirus. Tuberculosis is another disease […]
Woman taunts lion after climbing into enclosure at Bronx Zoo
A woman climbed over a safety barrier at New York City’s Bronx Zoo last week and made her way into the lion exhibit, standing dangerously close to one of the animals. The woman, standing a few feet away from a male lion, waved her hands and moved her body as if she was dancing. The […]
Victory! Buffalo Zoo is Closing its Elephant Exhibit
Animal advocates are celebrating another victory for captive elephants with news that the Buffalo Zoo in New York is finally closing its exhibit. The zoo announced this week that its two Asian elephants, 36-year-old Jothi and 35-year-old Supara, will be headed to the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans this fall, where they’ll be able to […]
13 newly-discovered birds declared extinct
In a recent update of the IUCN Red List, scientists have identified 13 new bird species that have gone extinct since 1500. In total the list now finds that at least 140 bird species gone extinct in the past five hundred years, representing 1.3 percent of the world’s total known birds. The new extinct birds […]