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Ostrava zoo supports Berlin-based research into elephant diseases

Ostrava, North Moravia, April 14 (CTK) - The Ostrava zoo has launched a public fund-raising campaign in support of the Berlin-based research into elephant diseases, its director Petr Colas said Monday and recalled that the zoo itself is struggling for the life of a young elephant with a congenital defect.

Born in February, the female calf refused to drink her mother's milk and has had to be fed artificially. It has fared well so far but its future is uncertain, Colas told journalists.

He said the Ostrava zoo has for several years successfully cooperated with the Leibnitz Institute for Animal Research in Berlin, to which the proceeds from the new fund-raising will go.

Colas said scientists know a number of diseases that afflict elephants both in the wild and in captivity.

One of the most dangerous is the elephant herpes virus, which is often fatal for the animals. It mainly affects young elephants and those weakened by distress or another disease.

Most frequently it hits the young elephants which either did not or stopped to drink their mothers' milk and were nourished artificially, like the Ostrava zoo's female.

The Berlin institute is trying to find out what elements elephants' natural feed consists of and what protects the animals against the disease, Colas said.

He said the state of the young female elephant is stable now and she is developing well not only physically but also psychically, enjoying contact with other elephants and trying to copy their behaviour.

Her fate remains very uncertain, however. According to available information, never in history has a young elephant survived without drinking its mother's milk, Colas said.

"We know that it will probably end unfortunately, but we know that we are doing something for [possible] next elephant offspring," zoo attendant Pavel Zvolanek said, referring to the fund-raising campaign.
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The little girl won´t ever receive a proper name. She weights 160kg now. She met all other herd members already, only contact with Calvin is so far only behind a net and sails.
 
A new species is a young pair of Blue-headed Macaws (Propyrrhura couloni) received from Magdeburg and Bojnice.

Sri Lankan rusty-spotted cats (Prionailurus rubiginosus phillipsi) have a litter of 2 cubs, both are males. They were born in April and now they started to leave the box and explore their outside cage.
 
The new chimpanze house still has no chimpanzees (climbing structures are not installed). But one small enclosure in this house has been inhabited by a group of Diana monkeys, they moved from old monkey house.

This video shows their first visit in the pen.
Ko?kodan Dianin v Zoo Ostrava - YouTube
 
Because the hippos are a very important species in Ostrava Zoo (for example they are keeping the European Studbook of the hippos), so I wrote an article to ZOOmoments about the youngest hippo in Ostrava, Kvido after his first birthday. First year of Kvido
 
Jana said:
This video shows their first visit in the pen.
Ko?kodan Dianin v Zoo Ostrava - YouTube
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Great Monkeys, Great natural enclosure, good video.:) There must be six or seven in this group including young. I do wish somewhere in the UK was able to replicate this and make a really excellent display with Dianas as they are such striking Monkeys when seen like this. Reality-wise perhaps Port Lympne might, though they don't have more than a pair or two now.
 
Ostrava keeps around 16 Diana monkeys, but they are kept in more then 1 group.
 
Bull Elephant, Calvin has been euthanized due to ongoing health issues: Statement from Zoo Ostrava

Sad news from the zoo ostrava:
This morning was for medical reasons spent bull elephant of Indian Calvin. Infection in his youth had chickenpox, which caused the curve of his left front leg. With Age, this curvature still worse and caused that Calvin started more burden right front limb. Consequently, on my right foot overburdened created a huge abscess which, however, refused to leave Calvin treat. We therefore 25. August joined his sedation and treatment of wounds in anaesthesia. Despite all the expensive and difficult treatment, which lasted for the next two months, but failed to save the leg and abscess is further expanded. After consultation with colleagues from abroad, we decided to proceed to euthanize her because hopes for Calvin's recovery were at this point zero.

Calvin belonged in Europe between successful male, what is the number of pups. During his life he fathered a total of 14 pups, 11 of whom survived. Two of them-Females Rashmi and Sumatra-you can see in zoo ostrava.
 
Zoo Ostrava is prepairing to completelly change their chimpansee group. They keep 4 hybrid females now (2 females with 2 dauthers, a compact group). They all will move to Leipzig soon. And then 3 new verus females should come from Leipzig, and 2 verus males later from elsewhere.

EDIT:
Their Diana monkeys breed like rats. The group in new "Pavilon Evolution" house has two infants and reached 13 members, while one female is expecting soon. A second family group in old monkey house has 4 members. And three single males sit backstage and wait for transfer abroad.
 
A Southern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax arboreus) was born at Ostrava at the end of December.
There are very few tree hyrax in European zoos - all in the Czech Republic - and a shortage of females within that tiny population.
 
Have Ostrava seriously received a Giant Panda today or is April fools at it again???
 
I'd be inclined to suspect an April Fools joke.....
 
1 Southern Luzon Cloud Rat (Phloeomys cumingi) was born on 21 April...but failed to attract any media attention.
The species remains much rarer in zoos than its Northern Luzon (P. pallidus) cousin.
 
From Whipsnade a young female Hippo arrived. It should bring the breeding-programm for Hippos at Ostrava on the rails again. Sofar no less then 32 Hippos were born at Ostrava :).
 
The last Southern Tree Hyrax at Dvur Kralove (a male) has been sent to Ostrava - thus making Ostrava now the only European zoo to hold Dendrohyrax.
 
0.1 Mongoose Lemur arrived from Le Pal - Ostrava have kept the species since 2011 but this is the first female they've had
 
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