Dolphin shows and interaction programs: benefits for conservation education?

Dolphin shows and dolphin interaction programs are two types of education programs within zoological institutions used to educate visitors about dolphins and the marine environment. The current study examined the short- and long-term effects of these programs on visitors' conservation-related knowledge, attitude, and behavior. Participants of both dolphin shows and interaction programs demonstrated a significant short-term increase in knowledge, attitudes, and behavioral intentions. Three months following the experience, participants of both dolphin shows and interaction programs retained the knowledge learned during their experience and reported engaging in more conservation-related behaviors. Additionally, the number of dolphin shows attended in the past was a significant predictor of recent conservation-related behavior suggesting that repetition of these types of experiences may be important in inspiring people to conservation action. These results suggest that both dolphin shows and dolphin interaction programs can be an important part of a conservation education program for visitors of zoological facilities.

A system for monitoring and improving animal visibility and its implications for zoological parks.

With the growing trend in zoos to build complex, naturalistic exhibits comes the potential for exhibits to be so densely vegetated or complex that animals are not easily seen by zoo visitors. This can negatively impact the visitor's visiting experience and the zoo's ability to communicate conservation and education messages. Over the past 9 years, Disney's Animal Kingdom has developed a process for monitoring and improving the visibility of animals on display to the public. This animal visibility process utilizes a data collection system whereby systematic observations are collected each week. The percentage of observations where at least one animal was visible is recorded for each species and compared to an 80% visibility criterion. Species that do not reach this criterion for 4 consecutive weeks are discussed at animal management meetings. If the problems associated with animal visibility cannot be easily solved, the animal-care teams partner with the research team to conduct a second process, called the Visibility Issues Process. This process provides additional information for the animal-care team to utilize in developing a plan to improve visibility. Although the processes described here are specific to the infrastructure at Disney's Animal Kingdom, the basic concepts of (1) a formalized visibility data collection process, (2) a visibility criterion to which managers of species are held accountable, and (3) a process for planning to improve animal visibility without negatively impacting animal welfare are fundamental concepts that can be developed at individual institutions and incorporated into that zoo's existing infrastructure.

Use of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis to link sporadic cases of invasive listeriosis with recalled chocolate milk.

Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis established the linkage between recalled chocolate milk and a multistate invasive listeriosis outbreak during a four-product recall period. Listeria monocytogenes isolates from four hospitalized patients and an environmental dairy sample displayed AscI restriction endonuclease digestion profiles identical to that of the chocolate milk isolate.

Myxobolus microcystus sp. N. (Protozoa: Myxosporida) from the gills of Micropterus salmoides (Lacépède 1802) in southern Illinois.

Myxobolus microcystus sp. n. is described from the gills of the largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides. Mean spore dimensions (in micrometers) are as follows: spore length 12.5; spore width 7.5; spore thickness 5.5; polar capsule length 6.5; polar capsule width 2.5; extended length of polar filaments 21 to 37; polar filaments with 6 to 7 coils. In histological sections, hyperplasia of infected filaments, atrophy of lamellae, partial occlusion of the efferent artery, and reduction in the number of peripheral goblet cells were observed.

Altered intracardiac conduction after acute administration of ethanol in the dog.

Varying concentrations of ethyl alcohol were injected either into the left main coronary artery or intravenously in anesthetized intact dogs. Effects of alcohol on intracardiac conduction (by His bundle electrogram) were examined at spontaneous and paced (atrial) heart rates. Alcohol by the intracoronary route prolonged atrioventricular node and intraventricular conduction times by approximately 5 to 15%. These changes preceded a depression of left ventricular systolic pressure and of the rate of rise of left ventricular pressure and an elevation of left ventricular end-diastolic pressure. Intracoronary injections of contrast medium (sodium diatriozoate) or iso-osmolar solutions of sucrose and injections of similar amounts of alcohol in the ascending or descending aorta did not affect intracardiac conduction. Increasing atrial pacing rates resulted in prolongation of atrioventricular nodal conduction intervals, but did not influence intraventricular conduction time. At each pacing rate, alcohol depressed both atrioventricular nodal and intraventricular conduction. The data suggest that alcohol has a direct depressant effect on intracardiac conduction.