Aussie animals for troubled Thai zoo

Zoos in Sydney and Melbourne have agreed to send 40 Australian native animals to a safari park in Thailand at which it is alleged many animals have died, Fairfax newspapers report.

In exchange Melbourne Zoo and Taronga Zoo will import eight Asian elephants.

The plan is detailed in a memorandum of agreement between the Thai government and the Victorian and NSW government signed in June 2004, the newspapers are reporting.

It was tabled in the Sydney Administrative Appeals Tribunal during a recent attempt by animal welfare groups to stop the elephant import.

One Thai activist told the Fairfax newspapers birds in the Chiang Mai Night Safari were dying every day, three out of six crocodiles had died of infection and one hyena was killed by others, while Thai media claim 104 animals have died.

In a statement, the zoos said the transfer of Australian animals to Thai zoos was not contingent on the elephant program.

The statement said zoo staff would raise the issue of the reported deaths with Thai authorities on a visit to Thailand next week.

Source: The Age - February 18, 2006

Night Safari says animal deaths normal

Some animals have fallen ill and died at the Chiang Mai Night Safari during the past seven months – but not because of mishandling, the night safari’s director, Supoj Methapiwat, said yesterday.

“Such deaths occur at other zoos,” Supoj said. He was responding to allegations by some animalrights activists that many animals had died at the safari park because its staff was inadequately trained to care for the animals.

Supoj said the activists had failed to mention that dozens of animals had been born at the night safari, including browantlered deer, hog deer and lions. “Is this a result of good care, then?” he said.

Source: The Nation - Tue, February 21, 2006

I'm still not sure, how they get the eagles & vultures to sit on a log, a few metres from bus-loads of tourists, every evening - but it must be stressful & un-natural behaviour. Sad.