Notable quote...nothing to do with primates, per se, but great for Earth Day.

"Isn't man an amazing animal? He kills wildlife by the millions to protect his domestic animals and their feed. Then he kills domestic animals by the
billions and eats them. This in turn kills man by the millions, because eating all those animals leads to degenerative - and fatal - health conditions like heart disease, kidney disease, and cancer. So then man tortures and kills millions more animals to look for cures for these diseases. Elsewhere, millions of other human beings are being killed by hunger and malnutrition because food they could eat is being used to fatten domestic animals. Meanwhile, some people are dying of sad laughter at the absurdity of man, who kills so easily and so violently, and once a year sends out cards praying for "Peace on Earth."

-- C. David Coates

Computers for primates

Computers for primates:

"Visitors get to watch the antics, and zoo officials hope that opening up the research will raise awareness of the world's rapidly diminishing orangutan population."

Hey, I've got an idea. How about if you want to raise awareness about the world's diminishing orangutan population, you make an educational program about threats to the wild population?

The notion that orangutans playing computer games has anything to do with natural behavior or conservation is utterly preposterous. Conservation education needs to be grounded in conservation topics. The spectacle of an ape playing with a computer does nothing to communicate urgency, let alone the details of the plight of wild orangutans. Quite the opposite.

The zoo's decision to spend money on tree-mounted computers communicates that when it comes right down to it and the zoo gets to choose priorities, exhibition is more important than in situ conservation.

Jaya - unlucky # 7

Reuters AlertNet - MADAGASCAR: Successive cyclones bring Madagascar to its knees

I cannot believe the cyclone season that Madagascar is sustaining this year. The human suffering is surely extensive. I haven't yet seen any estimates for tolls on the forests or fauna. I imagine it will be equally dreadful.

From the article:

"Tropical cyclone Jaya made landfall on Madagascar's northeastern coast today on a projected trajectory that will see it rage through areas already devastated by cyclone Indlala just over two weeks ago.

"This is the worst cyclone season in the recorded history of the country," Dusan Zupka, the Senior Emergency Coordination Officer assigned to Madagascar by the United Nations (UN) Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs OCHA) in Geneva, told IRIN.

I suppose that the US will give something on the order of $1.50 and a shipment of used blankets. How sad.