Back to Basics: Green Chamber of Commerce Announces Annual Event
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on September 7, 2012 I’m excited to be attending the Green Chamber of Commerce’s Annual Event as a special guest this year. The theme is Back to the Basics, which couldn’t be more timely for me, as I’ve chronicled the green endeavors of the zoo and aquarium industry over the past few years. These living natural history institutions serve…
Minnesota Zoo’s Moose Get Waterbeds for Thermoregulatory Study
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on August 27, 2012 The Minnesota Zoo is known for its innovative exhibits, which include some of the best displays of temperate and subarctic fauna anywhere in the world. Recently, the Zoo has borrowed some husbandry techniques from the livestock industry to help care for moose, a species so hard to manage in captivity that very few zoological institutions…
Bay Area Zoos & Sonoma State University to Release Western Pond Turtles
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on August 17, 2012 The Oakland Zoo will release 44 western or Pacific pond turtles today as part of a “Headstart” program for the imperiled aquatic chelonians, which once ranged from Baja, California to Washington state. As part of a 5 year collaborative surrogate rearing program, zoo keepers at the San Francisco and Oakland zoos have worked with herpetologists…
Bulimic Barbi’s Gag-gate vs Lady GaGa’s Furgate
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on August 16, 2012 By the Barbi Twins: Lady Gaga, who claims she is an activist on behalf of those who feel “different,” and a gay rights activist, as well as someone who promotes a “STOP THE BULLYING” campaign, has become a total hypocrite by bullying and not respecting the rights of animal activists who have “different” views than…
Interview with Shedd Aquarium’s Manager of Conservation Communications Development—Meg Matthews
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on August 13, 2012 Contributing Editor Jordan Schaul interviews Shedd Aquarium’s Manager of Conservation Communications Development, Meg Matthews, to learn just how Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium, one of the leaders in the industry, has embraced the green movement. With zoo and aquariums contributing over 170 million dollars to aquatic and terrestrial field conservation in as recent as 2010, there is…
Is the “Hype” on Swine Flu for the Birds or People or All of the Above?
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on August 12, 2012 Contributing Editor Jordan Schaul looks at the “hype” surrounding the recent epidemic of swine flu, its ecology, and nomenclature system, and the perception concerning emerging influenza strains in the context of domestic and exotic animal species. As a zoo aficionado, and professional, I’m always concerned that novel strains of influenza—those infecting people, but of animal…
To Trek or Lek: A Guide to Dating for Grouse and Humans
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on August 2, 2012 Contributing Editor Jordan Schaul takes an interesting look at the birds and the bees and lekking behavior with a human twist. When I first learned about lekking behavior in an undergraduate behavioral ecology class, I felt blessed for two things: First, and foremost, I was grateful not to be a gallinaceous bird like a quail,…
Two-fold Increase Reported in Grizzly Bear Deaths in Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on July 24, 2012 A spike in the mortality rate for grizzly bears has been reported in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem earlier in the season than is typical according to my colleague Frank van Manen. Dr. van Manen is the Team Leader of the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team and President of the International Association for Bear Research &…
New Study Suggests Wolverines Refrigerate their Food
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on July 20, 2012 I have never seen a wolverine in the wild. I’m impressed by anyone who has seen one, though. They likely trekked through some challenging terrain with persistent snow in a remote part of some northern clime to have encountered one. I only know a few biologists who have been fortunate enough to see one or…
A Week Dedicated to the Keepers of the Kingdom
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on July 15, 2012 For most patrons of zoological parks, an opportunity to meet a zoo keeper far surpasses a chance to meet the zoo director, the zoo curator and even the zoo veterinarian. In fact, “Meet the Keeper” presentations are often touted as being more popular than up close and personal encounters with the zoo animals. Zoo and…
The Barbi Twins Boo Bear Bile Farming
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on July 14, 2012 Dr. Jordan Schaul interviews the legendary animal activists and Hollywood icons, the Barbi Twins. The models, known for their record breaking magazine covers, nutrition books and best selling calendars, have lent their name to nearly every type of animal cause and animal rights issue out there. They lobby for bills, protest injustice, participate in hands-on…
Remembering the Ghost Bear & Rescuing the Moon Bears
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on July 14, 2012 Her photo is one of two that hangs above my desk. I am haunted to this day, only a month since the incident, but I know I will be haunted for the rest of my life. I let her down somehow—the world let her down. The two pictures that hang behind my desk are of …
A Tribute to Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch on World Oceans Day
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on June 8, 2012 In celebration of World Oceans Day Contributing Editor Dr. Jordan Schaul explores some of the conservation initiatives of the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Center for the Future of Oceans, including the highly successful Seafood Watch program. As I drove home today along the Turnagain Arm estuary—a branch of Cook Inlet—I listened to the Alaska Fisheries report…
World Oceans Day To Be Celebrated By Aquariums And Zoos Worldwide
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 30, 2012 Aquariums and zoos around the world will be celebrating World Oceans Day on June 8th with quite a splash. In celebration of both the beauty of the oceans and their significant role in sustaining life on Earth, these living institutions will host a number of festivities to highlight the critical role marine waters play in…
Gigante: An ADHD Documentary Featuring New York Mets Outfielder Andres Torres
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 30, 2012 I envision him walking out to center field as a cool, brisk summer breeze tugs at his uniform. The grounds crew rushes past, while the crowd’s roar fades and returns. The lights of the score board glimmer; the game boards flash and a voice over the loud speaker echoes overhead, silencing 45,000 patrons. The game…
The “Vote Bison” Campaign
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 27, 2012 Have you been following any bison news lately? The State Mammal of Oklahoma, Wyoming and Kansas may become the National Mammal to the dismay of some marine mammal fans, a contingent of cattle ranchers, and some other anti-bison folks. This hasn’t stopped the the Bronx Zoo-based Wildlife Conservation Society, the Intertribal Buffalo Council or the…
The Valley of 10,000 Smokes Celebrates its 100th Anniversary
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 24, 2012 In celebration of the 100th Anniversary of the Valley of 10,000 Smokes Contributing Editor Jordan Schaul explores the history of this great volcanic event, which shaped part of Alaska’s landscape. It may sound like a fictional destination in an Indiana Jone’s film, but the Valley of 10,000 Smokes is the real deal. Here in the…
Alaska’s Wild Ovid: Dall’s Sheep
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 20, 2012 The one ungulate from Alaska that is not represented in our collection at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center (AWCC) is the Dall Sheep or Dall’s sheep. As a rescue center, we only take in animals that were orphaned or in need of medical care, and to date we have not received a request from the…
The “Sea-lebrities” Are Supporting Captain Paul Watson
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 19, 2012 Updated at 11:58 PM AK Time Zone — May 19, 2012; and at 12:59 PM on May 21, 2012 The Sea-lebrities (a term coined by the Barbi Twins) are saying, “Free the Captain!” I support this campaign even though the Captain works with a rival network — Animal Planet — and is opposed to the…
The World’s Largest King Salmon at 30,000 Feet
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 15, 2012 The notion of flying salmon conjures up a few images for people. Some think of the majestic salmonids jumping the falls and turbulent rapids as the fish “run up” their natal rivers in the Pacific Northwest to spawn. Others envision fishmongers tossing salmon at the famous Pike Place Market in Seattle. From today on, however,…
Barbi Twins vs. Barbie and Mattel’s New Marine Mammal Trainer Doll
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on May 7, 2012 I learned last week that Mattel’s new Barbie I Can Be SeaWorld Trainer hit the market. This is a great partnership SeaWorld has forged with Mattel in regard to this new merchandise. Marine parks like SeaWorld offer people a chance to learn about marine mammals and marine ecosystems in context that is both entertaining and…
The Biggest of the Big—The Brown Bears of Alaska and Russia’s Far East
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 30, 2012 If you can get past the concept that all grizzlies are brown bears, but not all brown bears are grizzlies—a source of great confusion to some—there is an opportunity to learn about the most wide-ranging species of bear in the world, and one of the most wide-ranging mammals on Earth. Although “grizzly bear” is used…
Beetle Mania–Conserving an Endangered Insect at the St. Louis Zoo
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 28, 2012 The most interesting animal species on the planet often have an alias. The blue-faced booby (A.K.A. masked booby); the pygmy chimp (A.K.A. bonobo); the black-footed penguin (A.K.A. jackass penguin); and the snot otter (A.K.A. hellbender) are just a few to mention. Not long ago, I wrote about the St. Louis Zoo’s Ron Goellner Center for…
Chicago’s Brookfield Zoo Leads Pioneering Study of Nasal Cancer in Mexican Grey Wolves
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 26, 2012 “Your dog has cancer.” Nothing may be more devastating to a dog owner than those words. Cancer is fairly common in older dogs. In fact, it is one of the leading causes of natural death in canine companions, period. What about wild dog species? Are they just as susceptible to these malignancies and does cancer…
Cancer Screening & Ex Situ Conservation Implications for the Mexican Grey Wolf Recovery Program
Posted by Jordan Carlton Schaul of University of Alaska on April 18, 2012 Clinicians at the Chicago Zoological Society’s Brookfield Zoo in conjunction with the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s School of Veterinary Medicine are conducting an epizootiological study of malignant nasal tumors in Mexican grey wolves. The wolves, housed at the Zoo, participate in a Species Survival Plan program, which falls under the auspices of the Association of Zoos…
