Sad News from the Calgary Zoo

[Delphinus]

Might be wrong but I thought I heard on the news this morning that they had ruled out sabotage. Thing is yesterday they were saying they had ruled out equipment failure.

So many deaths in such a short timeframe though, doesn't "just happen." There's an explanation for this ... whether they find out what it is or whether they come clean with their findings remains to be seen.

Other public aquariums have similar exhibits, although in hindsight I seem to recall that the ones I have seen have been larger with maybe half as many individuals. But you'd think they'd look to other SUCCESSFUL tanks in other public aquariums and try to model after those...

Guess I'm now inclined to agree with Mark that this was just another poorly thought out folly. I had assumed they would hire an experienced aquarist from another public facility but it seems that they were just learning it as they go. (I was astounded at how they transported the Hippopotamus and they reacted with surprise when she died. I was hoping the rays exhibit was not another one like this, but I see I was wrong. You put some measure of faith into the professionals to know how to do their jobs, or to at least put some legitimate research into things first ....)

Death count is now 35, they lost one of the remaining 8 this morning. What a terrible tragedy.

[Ephraim]

That many animals do not die that close together in time frame due to disease, especially after being acclimated. The only thing that will kill that many fish that quickly is something environmental. With the volume of water in that exhibit i find it very unlikely that something accientally put into the systems via someones hands caused the death. The zoo PR is lying, it either was an equipment failure of some sort, or something wrong with the water that could be tested for whether that be salinity, ammonia, nitrate, or nitrite.

[Delphinus]

Exactly what I was thinking. You just don't have that kind of mortality without an explanation. Whether we ever hear the whole story remains to be seen, I highly doubt it, there's a probably a spin machine at work now.

[Ephraim]

with a ceo that refers to the animals as "display units" you cant really expect much more.

[i have crabs]

im guessing a possible disolved oxygen issue but just a guess, i would think if it was polluted by someone either by accident or on purpose it would have to be alot of something to mess up a tank that size and i just dont see it happening.
also trimming the stingers is the same as trimming your fingernails but im not shure how you hold down a 2' ray and trim its barb? and im quite shure the baby hippo did not die it was on loan from a zoo in quebec and is now back thier in a brand new exzibit.

[i have crabs]

visitor tampering was ruled out today.

[Brent F]

Originally Posted by i have crabs

visitor tampering was ruled out today.

Latest story is poisoning suspected
http://www.nationalpost.com/news/can...html?id=515110
http://www.canada.com/calgaryherald/...2-85ad833be39e

[Matt]

Originally Posted by i have crabs

and im quite shure the baby hippo did not die it was on loan from a zoo in quebec and is now back thier in a brand new exzibit.

Hippo did die.

I've seen touch tanks in a few locations, and I'm always amazed by the idea... How can you possibly make it safe for the animals (and in some cases, the guests)? Up close and interactive with wildlife (stand there, baby, while mommy gets a picture of you with the elk)... it's a disneyfied world, folks. Everything is a cartoon.

[i have crabs]

[quote=Matt;324113]Hippo did die.

wrong hippo
the adult from denver did die wich was no involvment of the calgary zoo the baby hippo was from the granby zoo and is back thier now
http://www.zoodegranby.com/en/visite...tes.htm#polita

[Brent F]

Originally Posted by i have crabs

im guessing a possible disolved oxygen issue but just a guess, i would think if it was polluted by someone either by accident or on purpose it would have to be alot of something to mess up a tank that size and i just dont see it happening.
also trimming the stingers is the same as trimming your fingernails but im not shure how you hold down a 2' ray and trim its barb? and im quite shure the baby hippo did not die it was on loan from a zoo in quebec and is now back thier in a brand new exzibit.

My rays would grow a replacement stinger every couple months. I wonder if they have the stingers surgically removed instead of just trimming them? It would be a hassle having to trim them every month or so.