Dreamworld tiger handler going to Sumatra

Chlidonias

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note also the line at the bottom about a dolphin calf being born at Seaworld
Theme park handler to track tigers - ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
A tiger handler who wrangles the big cats at a theme park on Queensland's Gold Coast will track the animals in their natural environment over the next couple of weeks.

Dreamworld's Cameron Davidson will join rangers at a national park on the Indonesian island of Sumatra.

He says he will help to map the range of the critically endangered sumatran tiger and educate local people about the need to conserve the species.

Mr Davidson says he is confident he will cope with the challenging environment.

"Lots of leeches and a few ticks and poisonous snakes and spiders and centipedes," he said.

"There's the chance of malaria and all those funky little diseases that are out there.

"But I do the best preparation I can and I am over there with guys who are from the local area, who have grown up in that environment and I put so much trust in them and hopefully I will learn off them."

Mr Davidson says the jungle conservation work is vital to the sumatran tiger's survival.

"If they come across poaching camps they will destroy them; if they come across traps they will de-snare the traps and destroy them," he said.

"They are talking to the local people, going, 'look these animals if you preserve them we can use that as ecotourism and that can get people into your area and funding into your area and you can make a living from that or benefit from that'."

Meanwhile, the newest arrival at another Gold Coast theme park is swimming strongly.

A pacific bottlenose dolphin was born at Seaworld last Monday.

The calf's sex has not been determined yet but the theme park says it is suckling milk from its 47-year-old mother, Suzy.
 
A 47 year old Dolphin had a calf, I find that incredable, how long do they live for.
 
I have photos of it only 48 hours old.

:p

Hix
 
It is really nice that staff from the zoo get some real life experience off in situ conservation by joining field staff in Sumatera.
 
I think Tiger Island should be commended for their continued commitment to in-situ tiger conservation. Makes a change for a facility to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, with regards to supporting in-situ.
 
I think Tiger Island should be commended for their continued commitment to in-situ tiger conservation. Makes a change for a facility to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, with regards to supporting in-situ.

Dreamworld has done loads for in-situ conservation and with regards to tigers more than most. I would just like to say that alot of the in-situ work done by zoos is done outside the public eye.
 
There are a number of zoos that do commit themselves to in-situ efforts and they should make sure that the media and their public base know about it. It drives additional dollars available for in-situ projects.

There though are many institutions that "hang" their hats on just having Sumatran program animals with nothing going in-situ. Everyone is aware that the only real chance for tigers going forward is to spend the resources on projects in range countries.
 
I think Tiger Island should be commended for their continued commitment to in-situ tiger conservation. Makes a change for a facility to walk the walk, not just talk the talk, with regards to supporting in-situ.

I would have to agree 100% with you on that :)
 
Dreamworld has done loads for in-situ conservation and with regards to tigers more than most. I would just like to say that alot of the in-situ work done by zoos is done outside the public eye.

Why "outside the public eye"? I can understand the breeding of sensitive species, but generally this statement makes no sense to me when conservation and education go hand in hand with one another.
On the contrary, many of the "bigger" zoos make sure they get maximum media mileage and exposure for their small contribution to in-situ conservation! Or sit back and rely on the dedication and commitment of some of their keepers and use that as an example of the zoo's commitment to supporting in-situ.
 
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