Amazon World Zoo

Infobox zoo
zoo_name= Amazon World Zoo
logo=Amazon World logo.jpg
logo_width=180px
logo_caption=Amazon World Zoo logo


image_width=
image_caption=
date_opened=
date_closed=
location=Isle of Wight, England
area=
coordinates=coord|50|39|21|N|1|13|12|W|type:landmark_region:GB
num_animals=
num_species=
members=
exhibits=Collection of toucans
South America animals
website=http://www.amazonworld.co.uk/

The Amazon World Zoo is a zoo on the Isle of Wight, England. is the largest exotic animal attraction on the island. Amazon World Zoo is located on the A3056 road opposite the "Fighting Cocks Roadhouse" between Newport and Sandown on the Isle of Wight.

The zoo features large collection of exotic animals, mainly from South America, including Giant Anteaters, Tamarins and Marmosets, Ocelots and Parrots. It also is home to the biggest collection of toucans in the United Kingdom. Despite holding nine species, including the rare Plate-billed Mountain-toucan, no serious attempts are made to breed their toucans, and none have access to outdoor aviaries. The zoo holds the only Brazilian Porcupine and Paca on public display in the UK, similarly these are kept in simplistic concrete enclosures designed to resemble the interior of a Mayan temple rather than a rainforest environment. However, Amazon World has had considerable success in breeding the Tamandua and two-toed sloth, both species that do not breed readily in other collections.

In 2005 the zoo was the subject of nationwide media coverage after a baby penguin was stolen from the zoo.

Penguin theft

Toga was a African Penguin who was stolen from the zoo. Toga was the first South African Jackass Penguin bred at the zoo.

On December 19 2005, burglars stole Toga. It is supposed that the thieves scaled a 6ft outer wall before climbing over an 8ft metal fence. Katherine Bright, manager at Amazon World, said: "Toga was last seen at 4.30pm on Saturday."fn|1

As the penguin refuses food from humans it is unlikely to survive more than a few days away from its parents. The zoo initially offered a reward of £1,000 fn|2, which was swelled by additional offers of money from around the world (Including $600 from America) fn|3. Zoo staff speculated that the film "March of the Penguins" may have inspired the crime. By Thursday, hopes of finding Toga alive were fading. There was also a caller to the morning television programme "GMTV" claiming to have dumped the body of Toga in Portsmouth Harbour.

Despite the unlikelihood of success on the 27 December the zoo continued to search for the missing penguin. fn|4 By 17 January 2006, the zoo staff had given up all hope of ever finding the whereabouts of Toga.

Toga's parents Kyala and Oscar produced two more eggs early 2006 after recovering from the loss of their first born. On the 14th February 2006 one of the penguin keepers dashed to the office at Amazon World bearing the good news that one of the two eggs had hatched and bore a tiny new addition to the family. The other egg didn't hatch and was later found to be infertile.

The currently unnamed penguin will have its sex determined when it has become comfortable with its surroundings by way of DNA testing on two feather samples. Due to the size of the penguin the zoo staff believe it to be female. In the UK the newspaper group, Daily Mail are holding a competition to name the new addition to the penguin enclosure.

External links

* [http://www.amazonworld.co.uk/ Official website]

References

*fnb|1 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4541792.stm BBC news article] 19 December 2005.
*fnb|2 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4547722.stm BBC news article] 21 December 2005.
*fnb|3 [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/12/22/AR2005122201004.html Washington Post article] December 23 2005.
*fnb|4 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4562694.stm BBC news article] 27 December 2005.
*fnb|5 [http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/hampshire/4641034.stm BBC news article] 23 January 2006.