Twee Malagasy Giant Hognosed slangen ontsnappen uit dierentuin Calgary (Canada)

Snakes escape Calgary Zoo

23-02-2010 Calgary Herald, The Vancouver Sun, Canada


CALGARY — The Calgary Zoo said two non-venomous snakes escaped their enclosure this morning through the facility's drainage system, and the search is on to recover these animals.

Zoo officials said the two Malagasy Giant Hognosed Snakes are likely hiding in the building's plumbing system, and no escape into the city's sewer system is possible.
More information will be available on the escape Tuesday afternoon, officials added.

According to snake information site Hognose.com, the Malagasy Giant Hognosed Snake is the "largest of the three species of Xenodonids found in Madagascar." They are popular in the pet trade due to their size and gentle demeanor.

The snakes can reach 1.8 metres in length.

(Bron: http://www.vancouversun.com/)
(Bron foto: http://www.hognose.com/pages/photos/giant.htm)

Note Kraaijer:
This is published today on CBC news about Calgary Zoo:

"Last week, experts from two zoo agencies called in by the Calgary Zoo began investigating animal care practices at the facility.

The death of a capybara crushed by a hydraulic gate in December prompted the zoo's president to enlist the help of the Canadian Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the Washington, D.C.-based Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Animal rights groups have criticized the Calgary Zoo after the deaths of several animals in the past few years, including a baby elephant, a hippo, a wild goat, four gorillas and more than 40 stingrays."