View allAll Photos Tagged Behaviour
We had a lovely day out with friends today at a local farm. Last time the children were rather startled by the livestock, but today they had a fab time!
Shorebirds of Ireland, Freshwater Birds of Ireland and The Birds of Ireland: A Field Guide with Jim Wilson.
www.markcarmodyphotography.com
The Moorhen is a common bird of most waterways, ponds and lakes in Ireland. Usually quite secretive, but can also be seen out in the open on water sides and even out in open fields. A dark pigeon sized bird with long sturdy legs. The adult has a red bill and fore crown, the bill is tipped yellow. Has a white line along the flanks and white sides to its under tail. The under tail is east to see as it carries its tail high. The upperparts are brownish and the underparts are blue-grey. Juveniles lack any red in the bill and crown and are have greyish-brown plumage Moorhens are usually seen on the ground or in the water. If the bird is walking about look out for the long yellow/green legs with the very large toes; the legs project out from the tail in flight. (Birdwatch Ireland)
Taken on a Canon 7D Mark II in the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, Ireland.
A young red fox pausing for a brief moment before continuing its exploration. The direct eye contact and relaxed posture reveal the natural curiosity that young foxes often display while discovering their surroundings.
Photographed in the wild during an early morning encounter in Hesse, Germany. Captured using only natural light while respecting the animal’s natural behaviour.
EPITAPH TO 2005:
LINCOLN CRIME BOSS BOWS OUT AS
"NUDE THERAPY" SHRINK'S SON'S
TEEN CANCER CHARITY PREVENTS NOTHING
After a thirty year career successfully failing to notice the mass dispensation of snake-oil medicine by unlicensed municipal dentists to every single resident, Lincolnshire's Crown Prosecution Service chief Alison Kerr is retiring with a rare bone cancer and some words to say about sentencing for dangerous drivers.
Meanwhile the son and daughter-in-law of Lincoln-population-fluoridating liar Councillor Dr Elizabeth Jenkins' long-since struck-off psychiatrist colleague John Harding-Price - famous for his naked mental health consultations - have set up a charity in memory of their son Matt who died of a, er, rare bone cancer.
If only young Matt had been able to recuperate in his grandfather's holiday property in Florida.
But by then the Court had made him give it back to his patient, "K", after a gruelling battle through the courts, during which time Harding-Price was first severely admonished for financial dishonesty, and finally cashiered by the GMC for a test-sample of bottom-slapping, underwear-moving and breach of confidentiality cases.
There was nothing else for it but to go and work in Ireland. Which he did, a couple of weeks later. He still occupies Hafod, the large house and grounds close to Lincoln's MRSA-infested County Hospital.
THE NATURE OF LINCOLN'S PSYCHO-SQUIREARCHY
Back in the 1970-80s golden age of Lincoln's St John's Giant Electric Mental Asylum For Yo-Yo-Knickered Ladies and Unwanted Relatives, Dr Harding-Price had probably quickly realised that it was the stress of overseas property management which had led victim K to seek his psychiatric advice, and relieved him accordingly.
But, showing scant understanding of modern psychiatric techniques, the trial judge eventually ruled that Harding-Price should return K's property for what he had originally paid for it - twelve years earlier - without interest.
The judgement cited the "undue influence created by the discrepancy in the price they paid K for the property and its value at the time of the transfer, together with the doctor-patient relationship between Dr Price and K."
A further appeal to the European Court of Human Rights by Dr Harding-Price and Mrs Mary Hazel Lowe, a Medical Secretary, didn't go to plan.
Between them, the two Lincoln health professionals felt that 1,353,842 English pounds and 37 pence would just about compensate them for the anguish and material loss which the fallout from K's treatment had brought about.
Instead they were awarded 1500 Euros each.
Matt died nine months later. But with an eerie sang-froid his Mum and Dad have worked out what teenagers with life-threatening illnesses need - laptops! Lots and lots of laptops. And so Lincoln's young Malcolms and Jocastas have been set to disco-ing away to raise funds.
I'm sure David Harding-Price's resemblance to his father is purely superficial. He declares a liking for McDonald's psychiatry - and from the size of him it looks like the patients are buying!
His advice to terminally-ill youngsters (within a 50-mile radius of Lincoln Cathedral) is of a practical stripe - "hassle your ward or community based nurse or your social worker" - for a laptop!
This will knock cancer for six, and is obviously a far more plausible type of medical assistance than shoving your hand down a bewildered teenage road-accident victim's pants or swindling some nutter out of his Florida real estate.
INDUSTRY GROWTH MEANS GROWTH INDUSTRY
Dying teenagers look set to become a growth industry. This year saw a Colgate-sponsored Harvard dentist investigated for saying some research showed no association between fluoride and bone cancer - when it said exactly the opposite.
What's to investigate? It must have done, otherwise we would be able to read it. So he's a liar. Investigation over.
As I continue to avoid the trusting backwoods yokels' miracle treatment, and to look younger and less fucked-up than everyone around me, I'm very sorry about my inability to prove from the above that contamination of the natives' water with radionucleides by Matt's grandad's best mate Dr Jenkins and her colleagues on the former North Lincolnshire Health Authority (and before that Lincoln City Council and the Lincoln and District Water Board) is responsible for this pandemic of rare diseases, involving the type of suffering which only laptops can alleviate.
Or that fluoride intoxication generally is a factor in Lincolnshire's extraordinary criminal behaviour on the roads and elsewhere.
This is not how we do statistics, and of course the idea that there is any link between the
intake of
must seem ludicrous to normal, docile, uncritical, conventional, authority-led, fluoridated people.
Mr Harding-Price Jr., now Chairman of the RCN Mental Health Practice Forum is, to his credit, something of an opponent of hardline government plans "that would have meant mentally ill people living in the community could be forced to take their medication, and dangerous people with severe personality disorders could be detained, even if they had not committed a crime."
All we need now is an end to forced medication for people simply because they may have dangerous teeth.
And the compulsory detention of deranged councillors and health officials whose megalomania is so severe that they end up prescribing fertiliser factory waste for the whole population, thus increasing the mineral and vitamin requirement of those they deludedly believe are their "patients" - i.e. everyone.
I'm sure doctors don't want to see health food shops benefit from their unqualified colleagues' actions.
And a spell drying out in a secure unit wondering when they can go home would do many of our local politicans a power of good.
JUSTICE OR JUST ICE?
The positive side to this for Lincolnshire's justice-mongers is that there is still time to halt the fluoridation of the Lincoln natives whilst allowing Ray Barber, Charlie Ireland and the other surviving perps to slither away as though a couple of generations of Texas-toothed minimongism never happened.
But I would say one thing to the Chief Prosecutor's successor...
You don't have to be Einstein.
Happy New Year, everyone!
.
Models: Horace Silver and Michelle Lee
Photographer: Sophie Merlo
One of the 'little' ways abusive men can assert their control is with the mail: from suspiciously checking what the mail is (perhaps with ridiculous and jealous accusations of the woman receiving letters from another lover) to controlling who reads any mail first, to what she is allowed to see, even if it's addressed in her name...
In itself this activity may not seem such a big deal to the woman - there may be far more of concern by that stage going on in the relationship such as physical violence. However, it's the so-called little everyday things that all add up so that personal confidence and power and independence is increasingly eroded. It is therefore VERY important, especially if and when the woman on the end of it feels she can't find the power in herself to stand up against violence.
However, it should be noted, even if there's no physical violence, this sort of controlling behaviour is still abusive and damaging on the psyche. You don't have to be hit to be abused.
These photos form part of a series in a photo campaign against Domestic Abuse, first published in Bristol Woman magazine.
Three people were arrested, 14 vehicles were seized and 98 motorists received tickets as part of a crackdown on crime in Longsight yesterday, Monday 12 December 2016.
The day of action, which took place as part of #GMPChristmas, targeted those causing misery during the festive period.
Fifty police officers joined forces with court enforcement and immigration officers to execute the day of action against criminals.
Of the three people arrested, one was for failure to appear at court, another was for overstaying and the third was for theft of vehicle.
In addition, 14 vehicles were seized for traffic related incidents and one stolen vehicle was recovered.
Traffic officers issued 98 traffic offence reports to motorists for a number of offences including using a mobile phone, speeding and no insurance.
Court enforcement officers recovered £4,000 in outstanding fines and approximately £8,000 was recovered under the proceeds of crime act.
Sergeant Nick Bamber from the Longsight Neighbourhood Police Team said: “Yesterday’s day of action sends a very clear message to offenders that their behaviour won’t be tolerated.
“The festive period should be a joyous occasion and as yesterday’s activity demonstrates, we won’t be winding down for Christmas and letting a small minority ruin it for law-abiding citizens.
“If you have information on a crime, or want to let us know about the whereabouts of a wanted person, then please do the right thing and contact us before they ruin somebody’s Christmas.”
To report a crime, call 101 or 999 in an emergency.
To find out more about Greater Manchester Police please visit
You should call 101, the national non-emergency number, to report crime and other concerns that do not require an emergency response.
Always call 999 in an emergency, such as when a crime is in progress, violence is being used or threatened or where there is danger to life.
You can also call anonymously with information about crime to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Standing on one of his court displays on one end of the 'avenue' to his bower, this male Great Bowerbird, Ptilonorhynchus (Chlamydera) nuchalis, inpsects the inside walls of his bower. Does it need more tidying up? Will it impress the ladies?
He spends a lot of time each day working on the bower itself as well as the display areas at either end. There is a female in the area nearby as the crest area on the back of his head is beginning to open slightly letting the bright magenta coloured display begin to emerge.
More shots of this Bowerbird, plumage displays, rituals and behaviour are in this album www.flickr.com/photos/aussiegypsy/albums/72157671900160764
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I really appreciate all who visit to view, comment and/or fave my nature offerings from various parts of Australia. Thank you!
All my photographs are © Copyrighted & All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or transmit in any form or by any means without full acknowledgement of it being my work. Use without permission is illegal so please contact me first if you'd like to use it.
A common red soldier beetle (a vegetarian as far as I'm aware) trying to pull apart a mating pair of dock bugs in New Ferry Butterfly Park.
Normally one would expect this froglet to quickly fall prey to this snake. However, under the circumstances, the act of taking the photo modified the natural behaviour and caused sufficient stress that normal predatory response was disrupted. As a photographer, it's always worth questioning one's own impact upon the scene. As a viewer it's also incumbent to ask oneself if the scene is truly natural, or whether it has been physically or digitally manipulated.
Photo from the Cocha Cashu Biological Research Station, Manu NP, Peru.
He's going to be the spokesperson for my contest :P. I wanted to get a good image for a banner or a layout, but I think I have to keep on trying.
What drives me nuts is his blushing..the coverage didn't turn out that great, so I think I'm going to try to add some more layers on. If it gets ruined, I'll just redo him completely ^^;.
This behaviour caught my attention today, not sure what it is about. My best guess is that 2 females are trying to attract their partners but it does attract 2 more males to fly in & be seen off
What a day I had on 7 December 2014, with friends Cathy and Terry, in an absolute winter wonderland! We set off from Calgary about 7:45 am (still dark) and drove westwards to the Kananaskis area of our majestic mountains.
My friends had been hoping for a long time to be able to show me a winter Moose and on this day they did really well, finding the beautiful female seen in this photo and, at another location, a youngish male with antlers that looked rather like two little twigs sticking out of the side of his head. The size of both these wild animals was huge! The closest we saw them both was when they approached the car. You can stop the car some distance away from them, but if they are busy licking off the salt from any car in sight, they sometimes might eventually come close. All this female was interested in was doing this very thing : ) She would occasionally stop, straighten up and look and listen - usually this would be because she had heard or seen people snow-shoeing or cross-country skiing on a nearby trail through the forest. The rest of the time, she licked and licked and licked some more - the slurping sound could be heard from quite some distance :) At one point, she bent both front knees to kneel, so that she could reach the lower part of a vehicle. Lol, she did a fine job of cleaning headlights till they shone. Impressive and rather amusing at the same time. Free carwash, anyone??
We saw this female first, then the youngish male, and then we saw the female a second time, later. After feeding on dead leaves and tiny twigs from under the deep snow, she then lay down in the snow at the edge of some trees - the first time I had ever seen a Moose lying down. Such a peaceful scene - no one else was around either.
I always feel so privileged when I witness any kind of wildlife, especially so when you get the chance to watch a while and learn the behaviour of the animal or bird you are lucky enough to see. My friends were so delighted to be able to let me experience this yesterday, though I always tell them that just being in such spectacular scenery and being able to photograph the mountains is more than enough for me.
Thanks so much, Cathy and Terry, for such a great day - including the delicious chili that you brought along. Hope you are enjoying going through your own photos and video. Most of the time, this female was in the shade, which made taking photos a bit of a challenge. What a difference in the colour of her coat when she occasionally moved into the sun.
“The moose (North America) or Eurasian elk (Europe), Alces alces, is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with adendritic ("twig-like") configuration. Moose typically inhabit boreal and mixed deciduous forests of the Northern Hemisphere in temperate to subarctic climates. Moose used to have a much wider range but hunting and other human activities greatly reduced it over the years. Moose have been reintroduced to some of their former habitats. Currently, most moose are found in Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia and Russia. Their diet consists of both terrestrial and aquatic vegetation. The most common moose predators are wolves, bears, and humans. Unlike most other deer species, moose are solitary animals and do not form herds. Although generally slow-moving and sedentary, moose can become aggressive and move surprisingly quickly if angered or startled. Their mating season in the autumn can lead to spectacular fights between males competing for a female.
The moose is a herbivore and is capable of consuming many types of plant or fruit. The average adult moose needs to consume 9,770 kcal (40.9 MJ) per day to maintain its body weight. Much of a moose's energy is derived from terrestrial vegetation, mainly consisting of forbs and other non-grasses, and fresh shoots from trees such as willow and birch. These plants are rather low in sodium, and moose generally need to consume a good quantity of aquatic plants. While much lower in energy, these plants provide the moose with its sodium requirements, and as much as half of their diet usually consists of aquatic plant life. In winter, moose are often drawn to roadways, to lick salt that is used as a snow and ice melter. A typical moose, weighing 360 kg (790 lb), can eat up to 32 kg (71 lb) of food per day.” From Wikipedia.
Edinburgh Zoo formerly the Scottish National Zoological Park, is an 82-acre (33 ha) non-profit zoological park in the Corstorphine area of Edinburgh, Scotland.
The zoo is positioned on the south-facing slopes of Corstorphine Hill, giving extensive views of the city. Established in 1913, and owned by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, it receives over 600,000 visitors a year, which makes it one of Scotland's most popular paid-for tourist attractions. As well as catering for tourists and locals, the zoo is involved in many scientific pursuits, such as captive breeding of endangered animals, researching into animal behaviour, and active participation in various conservation programmes around the world.
Edinburgh Zoo was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins. It is the only zoo in Britain to house Queensland koalas and giant pandas, the latter of which left in December 2023. The zoo is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA), the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA), and the Association of Scottish Visitor Attractions. It has also been granted four stars by the Scottish Tourism Board. The zoo gardens boast one of the most diverse tree collections in the Lothians.
Edinburgh Zoo is a zoological park in Corstorphine, Edinburgh, Scotland which opened on 22 July 1913. Edinburgh had previously been home to a zoological garden which failed to thrive. The new zoo is owned and run by the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and initially opened as the Scottish National Zoological Park. Modern zoological methods allowed animals to survive in Edinburgh's cold climate.
Edinburgh is the only zoo in the United Kingdom to be incorporated by royal charter, and was the first zoo in the world to house and breed penguins. The zoo's penguins have been famous throughout its history, and since the 1950s have performed a daily parade around the park.
The zoo was largely unaffected by war, though some animals were euthanised for safety reasons during the Second World War. After the war the park housed a brown bear named Wojtek who had served with the Polish military. In 1972 one of the zoo's king penguins was adopted by the Norwegian military.
In the 21st century Edinburgh Zoo was briefly forced to close by the 2001 foot-and-mouth outbreak, and in 2005 received threats from the Animal Liberation Front. In 2000 a plan for the complete redevelopment of the zoo was begun.
Precursors
Scotland's first zoo was called The Royal Edinburgh Zoological Gardens, and predated the modern Edinburgh Zoo by some 70 years. After the death of James Donaldson, a wealthy Scottish publisher and bookseller, the gardens of his country house, Broughton Hall (the area now covered by Bellevue) were converted into a zoological park. Occupying a 6-acre (2.4 ha) site, the park was situated about a mile to the north-east of Central Edinburgh, near East Claremont Street. Naturalist John Graham Dalyell was one of the original promoters of the project and eventually president of the board of directors. The Zoological Gardens opened in 1839 with a collection of stock zoo animals including lions, tigers, monkeys, bears and an elephant.
At the time, animals in zoos were typically held in poor conditions in small, cramped cages, and the Zoological Gardens presented no exception. As a result, its animals were frequently afflicted by disease, and also suffered from the harsh easterly winds of the Edinburgh climate. Despite these setbacks, the menagerie attempted to maintain its popularity by putting on concerts, acrobatics shows and displays of fireworks and Montgolfier balloons. Children were carried around the park on the back of the zoo's elephant, giving it a rare opportunity for exercise. Even with these entertainments, the Zoological Gardens were eventually forced to admit defeat. The park was closed and the site developed as tenement flats in 1857. Nothing now remains of the house or its gardens.
Foundation
Edinburgh Zoo was created by Thomas Haining Gillespie, a solicitor from Dumfries who dreamed of establishing a zoological park in Scotland. At first he was told that tropical animals would never be able to live in a cold climate like Edinburgh's—a view that had to some extent been borne out by the failure of the Royal Zoological Gardens. In 1908, though, he was encouraged to read of the pioneering methods employed by Carl Hagenbeck, which were allowing tropical animals to thrive in the recently opened Tierpark Hagenbeck in Hamburg, Germany.
In 1909, Gillespie and others founded a registered charity which was to become the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The Society's first president was lawyer and politician Edward Theodore Salvesen, son of the Norwegian merchant Christian Salveson—a connection which would prove significant in later years. A series of lectures given to the society by J. Arthur Thomson gave yet more momentum to the modern approach being spearheaded by Hagenbeck in Germany.
All that remained was to find a suitable site for the new zoo. Gillespie hoped for a site with plenty of sun and with shelter from the north and east winds. He also intended the zoo to be cheaply and quickly accessible via public transport. The society secured an option to purchase the 75-acre (30 ha) Corstorphine Hill House estate for £17,000. The house had been built in 1793 as the home of Scottish accountant William Keith. Its current Scottish Baronial architecture is mostly thanks to remodelling by the Macmillan family in 1891.
The zoological society found they were having difficulty gathering the necessary funds before the approaching expiry of the purchase option. Edinburgh City Council stepped in, purchasing the site outright in February 1913. The zoological society was granted full use of the estate in return for a 4 percent annual repayment of the cost.
A further £8,000, raised with the help of the society's members, was set aside for the construction and stocking of the park. Initially the zoo occupied only the southernmost 27 acres (11 ha), while the land to the north was used as a golf course. The park was designed by town planner Patrick Geddes and his son-in-law Frank Mears. Following Gillespie's vision, they modeled the park after the open designs of zoos like the New York Zoological Park and Hagenbeck's zoo in Hamburg. These modern zoological parks promoted a more spacious and natural environment for the animals, and stood in stark contrast to the steel cages typical of the menageries built during the Victorian era. The Scottish National Zoological Park, as it was initially called, opened to the public with a large collection of donated and borrowed animals on 22 July 1913, after only 15 weeks of work. The zoo still occupies very much the same area of land today, though the park is being extensively redeveloped.
Early history
In its opening year the zoo was incorporated by royal charter—though it was not granted the use of the "Royal" title until 1948, following a visit by King George VI. As of June 2011 Edinburgh Zoo was the only zoo in Britain with a royal charter. The original charter defined the zoological society's mission as being "to promote, facilitate and encourage the study of zoology and kindred subjects and to foster and develop amongst the people an interest in and knowledge of animal life."
Thanks to the zoological society's connection with the Salvesen family, some of the zoo's first animals were three king penguins, arriving from South Georgia with a Christian Salvesen whaling expedition that docked in Leith in early 1914. They were the first penguins to be seen anywhere in the world outside of the South Atlantic. The zoo successfully hatched the first ever captive king penguin chick in 1919. Penguins continued to arrive with whaling ships for years afterwards. Today, king penguins are perhaps the zoo's most famous animals.
A tropical bird and reptile house was added in 1925, followed by an aquarium, paid for by a grant, in 1927, and an ape house in 1929. The now famous penguin pool was constructed in 1930—though it has since been rebuilt, in 1990, to include a new viewing area. It was in 1928 that the Corstorphine Golf Club finally evacuated the 47 acres (19 ha) to the north of the estate, allowing the zoo to expand significantly. This new area of the park was again designed by Mears, along with his partner Carus-Wilson, and was completed in 1937.
Hagenbeck's modern zoo techniques proved effective, and Edinburgh quickly gained a reputation for its good animal conditions. 1934 saw the births in captivity of a sea lion and beaver, and in 1936 a baby chimpanzee followed. A litter of wolves was born in 1938, and soon afterwards the first orangutan to be born in Britain.
War years
Edinburgh Zoo was bombed twice during the Second World War, but remained mostly unharmed. One of the bombs, in around 1940, was reported to have killed a giraffe. Nevertheless, Edinburgh was, like all zoos in Britain, affected by the war. Since bombs could fall at any time, it was not considered safe to keep dangerous animals that might escape if their enclosures were damaged. In 1941 the recently born wolves had therefore to be euthanized, along with a collection of dangerous snakes, to guard against any possible danger to the public. Despite the war the zoo continued to grow, with land to the east being purchased in 1942 and construction of a lake beginning soon afterwards.
Post-war era
Gillespie retired from his post as director in 1950. In 1956 he was succeeded by Gilbert Fisher, who took over as director-secretary of the Zoological Society and effectively gained control of the zoo.
It was around this time that Edinburgh Zoo's now famous Penguin Parade was established. A zookeeper accidentally left a gate to the penguin pool open, and was followed around the zoo by a train of penguins. Visitors were so delighted with the procession that it became a regular occurrence, and today around two-thirds of the zoo's penguins parade round the park every day.
One of the zoo's famous inhabitants during the post-war period was Wojtek, a Syrian brown bear. Wojtek had been sold to a group of Polish soldiers during the war. He learned to help the soldiers by carrying crates of ammunition, and became an unofficial mascot. In 1944 the Polish II Corps sailed to Italy to join the British 8th Army. Wojtek had to be officially drafted into the Polish army in order to secure his passage on a British transport ship. In 1946 the II Corps were demobilised and settled in Scotland, at Winfield Camp near Hutton, Berwickshire. Wojtek retired to Edinburgh Zoo in 1947 and lived there until his death in 1963. During his time in the army the bear had developed a liking for cigarettes, and this may have contributed to his popularity as an attraction at the zoo.
In 1972 the zoo gained yet more military credentials when king penguin Nils Olav was adopted by the Norwegian King's Guard. Norway's connection with Edinburgh's penguins began with the Salvesen family's links to the zoo, and renewed interest was sparked when a lieutenant called Nils Egelien visited the zoo with the King's Guard in 1961. On his return in 1972 Egelien arranged for the unit to adopt one of the penguins. Nils Olav was named after Egelien and in honour of King Olav V of Norway, and given the rank of lance corporal. A statue of the penguin now stands outside the zoo.
Three-year-old polar bear Mercedes was given to the zoo in 1984, after she was rescued in Churchill, Manitoba, Canada. She had begun wandering into the town in search of food. Because of the danger she posed to residents, Mercedes was tagged with a number so she could be tracked. When she could not be persuaded to return to the wild, a decision was taken to shoot her. A member of the Edinburgh Zoological Society collaborated with a cousin in Canada and they were able to rescue Mercedes, finding her a new home at Edinburgh zoo. The bear would become one of the zoo's most popular attractions.
In 1986, the society acquired the Highland Wildlife Park, a 259-acre (105 ha) safari park and zoo near Kingussie, 30 miles (48 km) south of Inverness. When opened in 1972 by Neil Macpherson, the Wildlife Park's goal was to showcase animals native to the Highlands of Scotland. Today its focus has changed and it primarily houses tundra species, including some animals which have been moved from Edinburgh Zoo itself.
21st century
In October 1999 the zoo had begun to explore the possibility of relocating in order to improve its facilities. As of February 2000 the zoo had scrapped its plans to relocate, instead announcing a "masterplan" for the redevelopment of the entire site.
The foot-and-mouth scare of 2001 forced the zoo to close to protect the animals from possible infection. Since the zoo could not welcome any visitors, it faced significant financial losses. Questions were posed about the zoo's future, though in the end the park was able to reopen after only five weeks. Further help came in the form of a £1.9 million donation from an anonymous former resident of the city in early April, just as the zoo reopened.
In 2005 the new Budongo chimp house was unveiled, along with the Living Links to Human Evolution Centre, Britain's first primate behaviour research site. In a scientific breakthrough in 2006 chimpanzees at Edinburgh were found to use word-like vocal labels for food.
In late 2005 the Animal Liberation Front (ALF) threatened action over the holding in captivity of Mercedes, then Britain's only polar bear. The zoo had initially planned to retire their polar bear exhibit after Mercedes died. When zoo officials announced plans to create a new attraction, citing their responsibility to ensure the survival of the species, the ALF threatened damage to zoo workers' property and other scare-tactics. Edinburgh's treatment of polar bears had often been subject to criticism, punctuated by incidents like the death in 1997 of Mercedes' partner Barney, who choked on a plastic child's toy thrown into his enclosure. In 2009 the zoo carried out their plans to create a new exhibit and improve conditions for Mercedes, moving her to the Highland Wildlife Park, where she was joined by a young male polar bear named Walker. Mercedes was euthanized on compassionate grounds in 2011, suffering from severe arthritis.
2007 council troubles
In January 2006 the zoo put forward plans to sell off 15 acres (6.1 ha) of land in order to raise funds for the ongoing redevelopment. The plans were rejected by the council in October 2007 by a single vote, leaving the zoological society "extremely disappointed". In November the zoo announced that it planned to fight the council's decision. A rumor circulated later that month that the zoo was considering a move to Glasgow, though zoo officials insisted the rumor had no truth to it. Organised opposition to the sale resulted in the zoo being allowed to sell only a small portion of the originally proposed land
Cock Pheasants squaring up to each other although this encounter ended peacefully with just a bit of posturing before one decided to walk away.
Obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder characterized by intrusive thoughts that produce uneasiness, apprehension, fear, or worry; by repetitive behaviors aimed at reducing the associated anxiety; or by a combination of such obsessions and compulsions. Symptoms of the disorder include excessive washing or cleaning; repeated checking; extreme hoarding; preoccupation with sexual, violent or religious thoughts; relationship-related obsessions; aversion to particular numbers; and nervous rituals, such as opening and closing a door a certain number of times before entering or leaving a room. These symptoms can be alienating and time-consuming, and often cause severe emotional and financial distress. The acts of those who have OCD may appear paranoid and potentially psychotic. However, OCD sufferers generally recognize their obsessions and compulsions as irrational, and may become further distressed by this realization.
Obsessive–compulsive disorder affects children and adolescents as well as adults. Roughly one third to one half of adults with OCD report a childhood onset of the disorder, suggesting the continuum of anxiety disorders across the life span.
The phrase obsessive–compulsive has become part of the English lexicon, and is often used in an informal or caricatured manner to describe someone who is excessively meticulous, perfectionistic, absorbed, or otherwise fixated. Although these signs are present in OCD, a person who exhibits them does not necessarily have OCD, but may instead have obsessive–compulsive personality disorder (OCPD), an autism spectrum disorder, disorders where perseveration is a possible feature (ADHD, PTSD, bodily disorders or habit problems), or no clinical condition.
Despite the irrational behaviour, OCD is sometimes associated with above-average intelligence. Its sufferers commonly share personality traits such as high attention to detail, avoidance of risk, careful planning, exaggerated sense of responsibility and a tendency to take time in making decisions. Multiple psychological and biological factors may be involved in causing obsessive–compulsive syndromes. Standardized rating scales such as Yale–Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale can be used to assess the severity of OCD symptoms.