http://channels.netscape.com/ns/news...=20030416CS102
By Sue Pleming
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A year-long scientific review of National Zoo began in earnest on Wednesday to investigate a series of animal deaths at the prestigious animal park, one of Washington's biggest tourist attractions.
Scores of animals, including two rare red pandas, giraffes, zebras and a lion, have died in recent years at the zoo, raising questions about operations at the zoo, part of the famous Smithsonian Institution.
The National Academy of Sciences, a federal body that advises the government, got the go-ahead from its board late on Tuesday to begin the investigation into animal care at the zoo as part of a review ordered by Congress last month.
Academy spokesman Bill Skane told Reuters that zoo experts from across the country would join the panel, which would soon begin "unscripted" visits to the zoo, set in rambling grounds next to Rock Creek Park in the capital.
"They will be talking both to the brass at the zoo and also to workers who are directly involved in the animal care," he said of the visits.
Created by an Act of Congress in 1889, the National Zoo attracts up to 3 million visitors a year to see its more than 3,000 animals of which about one-fifth are threatened or endangered. The biggest attractions are the two giant pandas.
The academy's three-page "task document" for the review referred to "increasing public concern" about the care of animals at the zoo.
"Some of these animal deaths have been directly attributed to human error and others have raised questions about the management and adequacy of animal health and nutrition programs at the zoo," said the academy document.
The committee will assess the "quality and effectiveness of the current system of animal management, husbandry and care." An interim report will be issued after six months listing the most pressing problems and a final report after one year.
The zoo, whose director appeared before Congress to answer questions over the deaths, was humiliated in March by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's decision not to renew the zoo's five-year accreditation until it saw improvements.
Citing crumbling buildings, insufficient funding and the performance of the zoo's staff, the association gave the zoo a provisional one-year accreditation and told it to upgrade its facilities and make other changes.
The zoo has provided little information about the deaths of animals, citing in some cases a confidential doctor/patient relationship that protected the privacy of the animals.
However, they did release some information on the rare red pandas, who died in January after eating rat poison that was buried in their enclosure, and a Grevy Zebra who died in early 2000 of malnutrition after being put on a reduced diet.
"We know the red pandas died due to human error, and we have taken swift and aggressive action to prevent anything like that from happening again," said zoo director Lucy Spelman on the zoo's Web site at
www.natzoo.si.edu.
In another incident, a lion named Tana died in October 2002 one day after a medical checkup of complications from anesthesia, and an Orangutan died of salmonella.
04/16/03 14:16
Animal Deaths Under Spotlight at Washington's Zoo
Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! 
Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?
Linear Mode
