Primates – TINA CHIARELLI, PHD, FRGS

Rhesus Macaques of Central Florida

August 20th, 2016tinalc0 Comments

In 1932, film director, W.S. Van Dyke, and crew descended upon the Silver River in Central Florida to film a Hollywood blockbuster. Tarzan the Ape Man would do just that, making more than $2.5 million worldwide. In comparison to today’s film industry, that would be a hit! Capitalizing on the film’s success, local tour boat operator, Colonel Tooey, devised a plan to purchase several exotic species including Rhesus macaques to keep near the banks of the river. He would offer a five-mile “Jungle Cruise” from the river’s mouth up to the headwaters of Silver Springs. His idea was to place …

Make 2015 the Year of Conservation Achievements

January 5th, 2015tinalc0 Comments

As 2014 came to a close, I felt inundated with reports of record numbers of animals killed to fuel the illegal wildlife trade. In 2014, almost 1,200 rhino were killed for their horns. Numbers of elephants slaughtered for ivory were in the tens of thousands. It appears that life in the sea is just as dangerous on land as over 100 million sharks were killed for their fins. Gorillas, tigers, okapis, hippos, lions, and cheetah are not only losing their lives, but also their homes. Sadly, they are not the only ones. This cannot continue. As we begin 2015, …

Dr. Tina Dow Inspires University Students to Help Wildlife

June 12th, 2012tinalc0 Comments

New WVU Student Group Supports Chimp Haven Animal Awareness and Conservation, a new student group at West Virginia University, is turning its organizational interests into action with its first major service activity. Students from the group will be collecting items for Chimp Haven, the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary in Caddo Parish, La. It’s an independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide lifetime care for chimpanzees that have been retired from medical research, the entertainment industry or are no longer wanted as pets. “We chose Chimp Haven because of its non-profit status, its mission to provide a long term home for chimpanzees …

Exotic Animal Ownership

October 30th, 2011tinalc0 Comments

Since the exotic animal incident in Zanesville, Ohio a few weeks ago, I have received a lot of questions regarding the laws governing exotic animal ownership in the United States. Ownership of exotic or non-native species in the US is a much debated subject. In actuality, regulation is done on a state, not national, basis; which allows for a lot of inconsistencies and what appears to be very little regulation. On one side of the argument are those individuals who own exotic species and want to continue to do so. On the other side are people who want to regulate …