Di van, My Friend Writes About Angelo and Mich - The Two White Bengal Tigers

Hello friends...  here's a true story of  a couple of White Bengal Tigers, written by my friend Di van, who is an avid animal lover. Should anyone wants to get in touch with Di van, the email has been mentioned below this post. I am really honored to publish my friend Di van's story here in my blog.

Read out the story here....


This is a story of two white Bengal tigers, born at Elmvale Zoo in Canada in 2008.

Angelo and Mich were imported into South Africa in December 2008 as four month old cubs. They were originally destined for a wildlife breeding facility but due to a permit problem ended up on loan to Jukani Wildlife Predator Park in Mossel Bay, a coastal town in the south of the country. Jukani is recognised by South African authorities as a bona fide zoological facility.

In July 2009 Angelo, the male, was diagnosed by a wildlife specialist veterinarian with Progressive Retinal Atrophy, a genetic transferable and incurable disease which would leave him permanently blind.

When the owner of the tigers was advised of Angelo’s plight his response was that Jukani should either buy the animals at Rs. 250 000 per animal (approximately USD 36 000 each) or he would sell them on. This owner has previously been exposed on national television for the supplying of lions to canned hunting operators and also for the slaughtering of lions to sell their bones and body parts to the traditional Chinese medicine market. It is a sad fact, but Angelo is worth more dead than alive.

Fortunately, Jukani has a written agreement which gives them first option to purchase Angelo and Mich at an agreed market related price. They have chosen to exercise that right as they are fearful of the fate that might await the tigers should they be removed from their care.

All tiger sub species are protected under CITES 1 regulations and the hunting of captive or wild tigers is banned internationally. With Angelo going blind our local authorities may grant permission to euthanize him by way of a canned or trophy hunt. South Africa has a dismal animal rights record and the murder of a protected animal in a canned hunt could easily slip through the cracks.

Angelo is a 200 Kg happy and playful boy. He is housed with Mich in a large enclosure and she is becoming his “eyes”. His neighbors are 2 white lions, Tsau and Tendile, and they help him out as well. He has a wonderful support team at Jukani headed by Jurg and Karen Olsen, whose passion for large (and small) cats is absolutely amazing and he has a vet whom he knows and trusts. Angelo has a right to live out his life in peace - his medical condition is the result of inbreeding motivated by greed. As long as his specific needs are taken care of and his caretakers, his enclosure and his companion, Mich, do not alter, there is no reason why he cannot be content. All he is asking for is a chance for him and Mich to live.

A non profit company has been registered to raise funds for Angelo and Mich. A very successful golf day was recently held in Cape Town and a dinner with a sports memorabilia auction is planned for later on this month . All the sports memorabilia is being donated to the cause.

For more information on this campaign visit http://www.jukani.co.za or visit Join Jukani on Facebook www.facebook.com/jukani.felines or follow Jukani on Twitter www.twitter.com/jukani

Author : Di van Zyl (content based on internet research)
e-mail : di.vanzyl@yahoo.com

Note : The author has had the privilege of visiting Angelo and Mich and spending time with them and the Jukani team. Jukani is a well run, properly maintained facility with a
dedicated group of people whose first priority is the welfare of the animals in their care.

Top 10 Zoos of the World - Ten Best Animal Parks

I am honored to have animal lovers like Tim Handrof reading my blogs. Tim emailed me - informing me about a post he had published on his own blog - Best Colleges Online. After reading his post on 10 Amazing Zoos... I found it really cool, and as interesting as he said it was! I decided to re-post it, and already emailed back Tim, that I would publish the post on my blog. Here's the Top 10 Zoos of the World!

10) Disney's Animal Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida, is one of the most renowned park of its kind. Home to over 1,700 animals from 250 distinctive species, Disney's Animal Kingdom - the world's largest animal-themed park spans across 500 acres of amazingly refreshing landscape! Disney's Animal Kingdom Park in Orlando, Florida, is one of the most renowned park of its kind.The Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park, one of 4 Theme Parks at Walt Disney World Resort, and is a powerhouse for education, adventures and fun for kids. This animal park mirrors Walt Disney's dedication towards conservation of animal species and nature.

9) Tiergarten Schonnbrunn Zoo at Vienna, Austria, is the world's oldest known zoo. This oh-so-popular zoo is provides safe shelter to more than 500 animal species, including very talked about giant panda, and caertain endangered species such as jaguars, Siberian tigers, koalas and so on... The Tiergarten Schonnbrunn Zoo also has a rich historical background. Emperor Francis Stephen of Lorraine (1708-1765) founded the Schönbrunn Zoo in the year 1752. Currently this animal park exhibits an incredible collection of amazing specimens from the animal kingdom, including the rare South American giant anteater, capybara, lowland-tapir and seriema.

8) Columbus Zoo is located at 4850 West Powell Rd. | Powell OH 43065. This amazing animal park is one of the best spots for animal lovers. The park is directed by famous zookeeper Jack Hanna, and is full of many exciting exhibits, featuring over rare and common 7,000 animals including Mammals, Fish, Amphibians, Birds and Reptiles. The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is officially partnered with some of the well organized hotels around its vicinity.

7) Zoo Praha is again another great place that you cannot afford to miss out if you are an animal lover. Located in Prague, Czech Republic, this park also has a rich history spanning back to 1881, when an appeal to establish a zoological garden in Prague was published in the newspapers by count Sweerts-Spork on the occasion of the marriage of prince Rudolph and princess Stephanie of Belgium. This 111-acre park is a cool shelter for over 4,600 animals including around 630 species from across the globe.

6) The Phoenix Zoo has been rated as the top 5 best zoos for kids. There are around 1200 animals in this zoo. With a total area of 125-acre this park exhibits some of the most fascinating animals. There are around 20 hotels with 20 miles of the Phoenix Zoo. The Zoo is located in the heart of the Valley, and there are so much for kids to do and watch.

5) Singapore Zoo is a 70-acre rainforest-inspired facility. The zoo has used hidden barriers to create an open and natural environment with streams, moats and lush vegetation. This is the world's most famous "open concept” animal park that reveals opportunities to explore and experience certain unspoken wonders of the nature. The Singapore Zoo is a safe shelter for over 2,500 animals from 316 species, 36% of which are endangered.

4) Bronx Zoo in New York City is the home for around 600 species, including several endangered animals. The most talked about Siberian tigers, rare snow leopard, Congo gorilla, and crocodiles can be watched within your close vicinity. Sprawling across 265-acre this animal park exhibis the world's largest man-made rainforest forest that reveals an opportunity to interact with the multicolored butterflies and wild Madagascar.

3) San Diego Zoo is a 100-acre facility revealing opportunities to come close to over 4,000 animals from 800 species. One interesting fact about the San Diego zoo is that it is one of the few zoos that house giant pandas. Alike Singapore Zoo, this animal park also has promoted the idea of "cageless" or "open concept” exhibits that feature several endangered and threatened species.

2) Smithsonian National Zoological Park, which is commonly known as the National Zoo in Washington, DC, is another amazing animal park that houses over 2,000 animals from 400 distinctive species, including several endangered ones. Spring is the busiest season at the Smithsonian National Zoological Park. The most important of all facts about the Smithsonian’s National Zoo is that it is free and open every day throughout the year, except December 25. The timings are April–October -- Animal exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day AND November–March -- Animal exhibits are open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. every day.

1) Audubon Zoo at Forget Bourbon Street is quite famous and is a must see spot for animal lovers visiting New Orleans. This wonderful animal park is home for gorillas, orangutans, leopards, white tigers, Komodo dragon and an incredibly wide varieties of snakes. Audubon Zoo is Open: Tuesday - Sunday (10am - 5pm). Audubon Center of Research of Endangered Species is a 36,000 square-foot modern research arena that s fully dedicated to developing reproductive and veterinary technologies to benefit endangered wildlife.

Yellow Head Goby Fish - Aquarium Lovers

Yellow Head Goby Fish

Opistognathus aurifrons

Group: Goby

Distribution: Indo-Pacific

Description: Goby is actually the largest single family of the salt water fish. This beautiful marine fish is one of the most beautiful members of a marine aquarium. The Yellow head Goby fish is one of the most amazing members amongst the goby group that have been widely admired by the advanced hobbyists. Amongst some the most loveable marine fishes the yellow head goby is the most popular breeds of fish. Often seen in pair the Yellow head Goby fish gives a special fervor to the beauty of the aquarium. Plenty of hiding places should be provided to them. They love to stay on sand bed or rubble flats in clear lagoons. They also prefer seaward reefs. At maturity a well maintained yellow head goby can reach up to 7 to 8 centimeters long. Their vibrant head color, unusual dorsal fin, interesting behavior, and unique appearances, make the yellow head goby an intriguing captives of your marine tank. While resting the yellow head gobies tend to be in a stiff and straight position.

Environment: Yellow Head Goby thrives best in temperatures between 75 and 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The water pH value should range between of 8.3 or 8.4 and the specific gravity should be between 1.020 and 1.025.

Feeding: Yellow head Goby eats small organisms, fishes and fish eggs.

Behavior: Being relative non-aggressive these fishes have cool temperament. They have been known to jump out of the aquarium, which is why it is advisable to keep the lid of the tank closed. This is a natural behavior which should be encouraged by using a loose substrates which should not be too fine, or too hard nor it’s edge should be too sharp.

Compatibility: These fishes are relatively non-aggressive. They are compatible with all the other members of Goby group. They can be kept with other non aggressive marine fishes. More than one yellow head gobies are recommended because they love to live in pair. Aggressive and very fast moving fishes can be stress to this beautiful marine creature.

Harder Law Against Eating Dogs Urged

The activists for animal rights protested against a Taiwanese prosecutor’s office decision so that they drop the charge against five suspects accused of killing dogs and use them as their foods. They also demanded strict laws against animal abuse, stating that the current law demands too much evidence to be practical.

Ruan Mei-ling one of the activist said that 5 men were caught while killing two dogs hanging them on a tree and having them grilled. The prosecutors dropped indictments against those 5 men last week stating that there was no sign of torture on the dog’s bodies and the men were not caught eating their meat.

Many Taiwanese believe that there is nutritious value in dog’s meat. But in recent years such practices are taken to be illegal and has faded out under a ban on killing or torturing animals.

U.S. Government Participates at the Tiger summit in Russia

U.S. State Department's strong engagement at the Tiger summit.

Let me express my heartfelt gratitude to the U.S. Government for their participation at the tiger summit in Russia and take the next major step in in the process of protecting wild tigers.

I am thrilled to post here about the participation of the America Government in the tiger summit at Russia. In November, 2010 the Undersecretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero had joined the International Tiger Conservation Forum. The first summit of heads of state ever convened for the purpose of protecting wild tigers from extinction. Senator John Kerry and Congresswoman Madeline Bordallo have recently introduced resolutions in the U.S. Senate and House to support the goals agreed upon at the tiger summit held at Russia and to support the efforts of Asian countries not only to protect, but also to raise the current tiger populations.

An incredibly fewer number of only 3,200 tigers left in the wild. It is already too late, but still something can be done! This tiger summit acted as a platform for the countries with remaining wild tiger populations, like some countries of Asia and donor countries, like the U.S., to agree on concrete measures to resist the alarming trend directed toward the complete annihilation of the species. The fight begins here! The tiger range states have agreed upon a common target of multiplying two times the number of wild tigers by the next Year of the Tiger in 2022. The United States has been consistently supporting the international tiger conservation, and continued support from the US Government will be helpful to fulfill the target.

Sign up for the WWF Conservation Action Network

Paul – the Football World Cup 2010 Phenomenon Passes Away

Here’s again another news that stirred up sparks again across the world. Paul – the Football World Cup 2010 hero died on October 26, 2010. He was around 2 years and 6 months old. Sad news indeed, although he lived his whole life!

"Management and staff at the Oberhausen Sea Life Centre were devastated to discover that oracle octopus Paul, who achieved global renown during the recent World Cup, had passed away overnight," the aquarium said in a statement. Paul died in sleep, which means he probably had a painless death.

Very recently, during the Football World Cup 2010, Paul the octopus created a buzz across the web. The octopus, Paul was the first winner of 2010 Football World Cup as declares the before actually the match happened. The incidence of Paul’s revealing the winner beforehand had buzzed up the World Wide Web – especially the sports lovers’ community. Paul had attracted huge volume of fan base with his predictions. Octopus Paul predictions became true in every game of 2010 Football World Cup. Paul the Octopus was hatched on January 2008 in England and shifted to Germany. Paul predicts the winner of Germany’s seven football matches in 2010 FIFA World Cup.

Paul’s prediction had been correct throughout the tenure of Football World Cup, 2010, except two. Before the final happened he declared Spain as the winner of 2010 FIFA World Cup. Spain had encountered with Germany – the home team of Paul. The result of the final match was apparent to the world; Germany lost against Spain. Germany turned out to be quite serious about the Paul’s predictions. Spain requested Germany for Paul, but Germany refused to give Paul to Spain. Finally Spain honored Paul the Octopus grandly in Germany.

It is certainly hard to ascertain the facts about Paul's life. However, he was believed to be born at Weymouth Sea Life Park in the year 2008. Of the genus Octopus vulgaris, there wasn’t anything vulgar about Paul as a young octopus. "He didn't show any special abilities while he was here for his eight weeks of quarantine, but that's probably because we didn't have a chance to give him the opportunity," senior aquarist Matthew Fuller told the BBC in a summer profile of Paul, while at the height of his fame.

"His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself," Stefan Porwoll, manager at Oberhausen. He also said, "We may decide to give Paul his own small burial plot within our grounds and erect a modest permanent shrine."

"He appears to have passed away peacefully during the night, of natural causes," said Oberhausen Sea Life manager Stefan Porwoll. "His success made him almost a bigger story than the World Cup itself... We had all naturally grown very fond of him and he will be sorely missed." Within two hours of his death, more than 250 messages of condolence were posted on Paul's "official" Facebook page. "Paul, we will never forget you. We love you," wrote one. One user of micro blogging site Twitter wrote: "Paul the octopus is dead. Bet he didn't see that coming."

Paul’s body is now in cold storage while Sea Life management decide how best to mark his passing, though it is thought he will be buried within the grounds and a permanent shrine erected.

Here are some of video clips related to Paul the Octopus: