It was reported last week the the Toronto Zoo was close to acquiring a couple of pandas from China to exhibit at their zoo. The Toronto Star is now reporting that the deal is done and the zoo will have the pandas for five years, starting next year.
If Canada still plans on changing their national emblem to the polar bear, they better do it quick before the bears are gone. Global warming is expected to wipe out two thirds of the world’s polar bear population within the next 20 to 30 years, a leading expert warns.
Not surprisingly, security is pretty tight at nuclear power plants around the world. But that didn’t stop an intruder from hanging out at the Darlington nuclear power plant in Bowmanville, Ontario, Canada last week. A willow ptarmigan, who lives in the Arctic regions of Northern Quebec, was discovered on the plant’s grounds by an employee. It had been over 100 years – 1897 to be exact – since a willow ptarmigan was seen in the area, so this discovery caused quite the stir in the bird watching community.
As humans encroach more and more onto wildlife habitat, humane societies are learning to care for more than just dogs and cats. Take the Kitchener-Waterloo Human Society, for instance. Located about an hour’s drive southwest of Toronto, the human society has rehabbed and released five red-tailed hawks in the past four years alone, including two this past Thursday.
The Toronto Zoo has received some not-so-positive press as of late due to the controversy over their dwindling elephant population (the board has since voted on getting out of the elephant business). Couple that with a 12% decrease in attendance at the zoo last year, and things aren’t looking too sunny for the Toronto Zoo. Enter Shaker, Flap, Pedro and nine friends to save the day.
Are you in the market for an elephant – or three?! If so, you are in luck, as it appears that the Toronto Zoo may be forced to give away their remaining elephant herd. The three female elephants (Toka, Thika and Iringa) are all that remains of what was once a 10 elephant herd.
