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Dear Readers:
The Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) electronic newsletter is called CONNECT because AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are great places to connect with the wonders of nature and the science of wildlife conservation. I hope you enjoy these stories, which highlight the important conservation work of accredited zoos and aquariums. Please feel free to share this e-mail and please support your local zoo and aquarium.
Jim Maddy
President and CEO
In This Issue
Bountiful Birds
Birds On The Rise
New arrivals at zoos and aquariums are regular occurrences, and not just because of animal exchanges between facilities or additions to exhibits. Notably, births regularly take place at AZA accredited zoos and aquariums, and 2007 saw three significant hatchings for our feathered friends. The Denver Zoo, Audubon Nature Institute and Capron Park Zoo each welcomed new additions to their avian collections this past year.
Read the full story.
Sustainable Seafood
AZA-Accredited Aquariums Help Consumers Make Fish-Friendly Choices
Did you know that purchasing farmed Striped Bass could reduce pressure on wild stocks? Or, that eating Alaska longline Cod has less of an environmental impact than eating its trawled counterparts? AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are helping to make the decision of what to eat easier for you, and better for the environment. Awareness campaigns focused on sustainable seafood choices are springing up at zoos and aquariums across the country in an effort to keep the ocean full of the fish we love to eat for a very, very long time. Read the full story.
Dances with Maned Wolves
Conservation in Action at the Serra da Canastra National Park
Your local zoo or aquarium is a true leader in wildlife conservation. Directly or indirectly, zoo/aquarium staffs are responsible for ensuring the survival of species every single day. Such as the maned wolf. Perhaps the most unusual canid in the world, this creature has an evolutionary history dating back six million years. Having evolved to live in the tall grasses of the South American savannas, a thick red coat, long black legs, large ears, solitary habits and omnivorous diet make the maned wolf unique. More importantly, its population was threatened in the wild, so a team of scientists set out to find why. Read the full story.
Creature Feature
Common name: Red Panda
Scientific name: Ailurus fulgens
These cold-weather creatures can be found in the forests of the Himalaya Mountains in southern China, Bhutan, Nepal, India, Laos and Burma. Bamboo is their food of choice, and although they share this and part of their name with the giant panda, red pandas are thought to be more closely related to raccoons. AZA-accredited zoos and aquariums are helping to learn more about red pandas in China and North American zoos, through research on health, stress, and disease.
Find out if a zoo near you has red pandas!
If you would like to subscribe to this electronic newsletter, send an email to ConnectEnewsletter@aza.org with SUBSCRIBE in the subject line.
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