Amazon World Zoo
Encyclopedia
The Amazon World Zoo is located between Newport
and Sandown
on the Isle of Wight
, England.
The zoo mostly features exotic animals from South America
, including Giant Anteater
s, Tamarin
s and Marmoset
s, Ocelot
s and Parrot
s. It also is home to the biggest collection of toucan
s 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.
who was stolen from the zoo. Toga was the first South Africa
n Jackass Penguin bred at the zoo.
On December 19, 2005, burglars stole Toga. It is supposed that the thieves scaled a 6 feet (1.8 m) outer wall before climbing over an 8 feet (2.4 m) metal fence. Katherine Bright, manager at Amazon World, said: "Toga was last seen at 4.30pm on Saturday."
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, which was swelled by additional offers of money from around the world (including $600 from America). 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 27 December, the zoo continued to search for the missing penguin. 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 14 February 2006 one of the penguin keepers arrived at the Amazon World office with the news that one of the two eggs had hatched. The other egg did not 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.
Newport, Isle of Wight
Newport is a civil parish and a county town of the Isle of Wight, an island off the south coast of England. Newport has a population of 23,957 according to the 2001 census...
and Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
on the Isle of Wight
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight is a county and the largest island of England, located in the English Channel, on average about 2–4 miles off the south coast of the county of Hampshire, separated from the mainland by a strait called the Solent...
, England.
The zoo mostly features exotic animals from South America
South America
South America is a continent situated in the Western Hemisphere, mostly in the Southern Hemisphere, with a relatively small portion in the Northern Hemisphere. The continent is also considered a subcontinent of the Americas. It is bordered on the west by the Pacific Ocean and on the north and east...
, including Giant Anteater
Giant Anteater
The Giant Anteater, Myrmecophaga tridactyla, is the largest species of anteater. It is the only species in the genus Myrmecophaga. It is found in Central and South America from Honduras to northern Argentina...
s, Tamarin
Tamarin
The tamarins are squirrel-sized New World monkeys from the family Callitrichidae in the genus Saguinus. They are closely related to the lion tamarins in the genus Leontopithecus.- Range :...
s and Marmoset
Marmoset
Marmosets are the 22 New World monkey species of the genera Callithrix, Cebuella, Callibella, and Mico. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term marmoset is also used in reference to the Goeldi's Monkey, Callimico goeldii, which is closely related.Most marmosets...
s, Ocelot
Ocelot
The ocelot , pronounced /ˈɒsəˌlɒt/, also known as the dwarf leopard or McKenney's wildcat is a wild cat distributed over South and Central America and Mexico, but has been reported as far north as Texas and in Trinidad, in the Caribbean...
s and Parrot
Parrot
Parrots, also known as psittacines , are birds of the roughly 372 species in 86 genera that make up the order Psittaciformes, found in most tropical and subtropical regions. The order is subdivided into three families: the Psittacidae , the Cacatuidae and the Strigopidae...
s. It also is home to the biggest collection of toucan
Toucan
Toucans are members of the family Ramphastidae of near passerine birds from the Neotropics. The family is most closely related to the American barbets. They are brightly marked and have large, often colorful bills. The family includes five genera and about forty different species...
s in the United Kingdom. Despite holding nine species, including the rare Plate-billed Mountain-toucan
Plate-billed Mountain-toucan
The Plate-billed Mountain Toucan is a species of bird in the Ramphastidae family. It is found in humid montane forests growing on the west Andean slopes in north-western Ecuador and south-western Colombia at a wide range of high, mountain altitudes...
, no serious attempts are made to breed their toucans, and none have access to outdoor aviaries. The zoo holds the only Brazilian Porcupine
Brazilian Porcupine
The Brazilian Porcupine is a porcupine found in Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela, the Guyanas, Bolivia and Trinidad, with a single record from Ecuador. It inhabits tropical forests at elevations up to 1500 m....
and Paca
Paca
The Lowland Paca , also known as the Spotted Paca, is a large rodent found in tropical and sub-tropical America, from East-Central Mexico to Northern Argentina...
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
Tamandua
Tamandua is a genus of anteaters. It has two members: the Southern Tamandua and the Northern Tamandua . They live in forests and grasslands, are semi-arboreal, and possess partially prehensile tails. They mainly eat ants and termites, but they occasionally eat bees, beetles, and insect larvae...
and two-toed sloth
Two-toed sloth
Choloepus is a genus of mammals of Central and South America, within the family Megalonychidae consisting of two-toed sloths. There are only two species of Choloepus : Linnaeus's Two-toed Sloth and Hoffmann's 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 an African PenguinAfrican Penguin
The African Penguin , also known as the Black-footed Penguin is a species of penguin, confined to southern African waters. It is known as Brilpikkewyn in Afrikaans, Inguza or Unombombiya in Xhosa, Manchot Du Cap in French and Pingüino Del Cabo in Spanish...
who was stolen from the zoo. Toga was the first South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n Jackass Penguin bred at the zoo.
On December 19, 2005, burglars stole Toga. It is supposed that the thieves scaled a 6 feet (1.8 m) outer wall before climbing over an 8 feet (2.4 m) metal fence. Katherine Bright, manager at Amazon World, said: "Toga was last seen at 4.30pm on Saturday."
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, which was swelled by additional offers of money from around the world (including $600 from America). Zoo staff speculated that the film March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins
March of the Penguins is a 2005 French nature documentary film. It was directed and co-written by Luc Jacquet, and co-produced by Bonne Pioche and the National Geographic Society. The film depicts the yearly journey of the emperor penguins of Antarctica...
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
GMTV
GMTV was the national Channel 3 breakfast television contractor, broadcasting in the United Kingdom from 1 January 1993 to 3 September 2010. It became a wholly owned subsidiary of ITV plc. in November 2009. Shortly after, ITV plc announced the programme would end...
claiming to have dumped the body of Toga in Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour
Portsmouth Harbour is a large natural harbour in Hampshire, England. Geographically it is a ria: formerly it was the valley of a stream flowing from Portsdown into the Solent River. The city of Portsmouth lies to the east on Portsea Island, and Gosport to the west on the mainland...
.
Despite the unlikelihood of success on 27 December, the zoo continued to search for the missing penguin. 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 14 February 2006 one of the penguin keepers arrived at the Amazon World office with the news that one of the two eggs had hatched. The other egg did not 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.