The Fence Post

Coronavirus at the Zoo

A strange predicament for the Bronx Zoo, already under stress for lack of revenue and inconsistent staffing during the phenomenon of Covid-19, was the infection of one of their tigers, named Nadia, at the beginning of April 2020. The Malayan tiger showed symptoms of loss of appetite and a dry cough which was sustained long enough to get the staff curious; they began the difficult procedure of testing the wild cat. The test came up positive for the coronavirus. By the end of April, four other cats at the zoo tested positive. The suspicion is that an employee of the zoo infected the tiger. Nadia, who was bred and born at the zoo, is part of a program to breed the endangered Malayan tiger. This news reverberated around the world, alerting other zoos about changing how the animals in captivity are treated. So strange as it may seem--tigers were added to the list for social-distancing. Apes and a variety of smaller animals are most likely susceptible as well. (Here is a recent video that shows Nadia doing well.) 

Sadly, more recently and after having been tested for covid a month prior, 3 snow leopards have died at the Lincoln Children's Zoo in Lincoln Nebraska. 

Zoos: Dependent on Admissions

Unlike other establishments, zoos can't simply shut their doors--they've got mouths to feed and a mountain of general care to manage. Zoos are a cultural joy and an expensive habit. Most zoos in the U.S. and across Europe have been closed but are progressively reopening with reservation systems, some social distancing, and masking guidelines slowly being altered. They are, as always, dependent on the community at large to support their existence.

The majority of a zoo's budget is supported by:

• ticket sales
• concessions/refreshments
• gift shop--especially souvenirs 
• even stroller rentals

The expense of feeding, keeping staff, and maintaining the programs that make up the running of a zoo is, well, mammoth. Add medical costs and the situation became dire. Imagine a budget of up to $30,000 a day to pay the bills. Zoos across the country have had to lay off sizable percentages of staff, both full and part-time. At one desperate moment, unthinkable as it may seem, it was suggested that when they run out of food that the smaller animals would be sacrificed to feed the larger animals. Just the idea of this reveals the strained thinking. One director said that shouldn't be likely and that it may simply be necessary to move animals to other zoos, though this was to be considered drastic and to be avoided.

A Sad Departure

Because of inconsistent food supply issues at the Calgary Zoo, two pandas have been returned to China as of November 2020. The two pandas, "Er Shun" and "Da Mao," required around 170 pounds of bamboo a day, of which the zoo struggled to find sufficient quantities; also experiencing delayed deliveries, much of the bamboo they did receive had rotted en route. These prized pandas cost the zoo upwards of 20 million dollars and preparations for their arrival took six years.  

Responding to Other Needs

A challenging by-product of all this was keeping animals occupied without the usual stream of visitors. To offer stimulation for various animals, they visited other parts of the zoo or were being taken on outings, as this video shows:

On the positive side, Le Le and Ling Ling at the Hong Kong Zoo have, after eleven years, used the peace of lockdown to successfully mate and are possibly expecting a happy event.

If you have a local or favorite zoo now is the time to offer your support. Many zoos are conjuring up fundraising programs to stay afloat flogging T-shirts and such. It may be worth inquiring what the current plans are or simply offer hard cash.

Cage Ideas for a Healthy Bunny

Wire Mesh and Your Bunny

Your bunny's health depends on sturdy galvanized wire mesh. The right gauge and openings are critical for airflow, hygiene, and the safety of your bunny's paws, and more. To begin, the cage should be at least 4 times the size of your bunny. Two feet by three feet for a bunny that weighs up to eight pounds; for larger bunnies, cages should be two and a half feet by three feet at least.  The height of the cage should be ample enough so that your pet can stand up on its hind legs and stretch out. 

Recommended for sides and top of the cage: 14 gauge, 2" x 1" galvanized wire mesh

Your Bunny's Cage 

A big drawback for your pet's health is the flooring materials. Waste and urine contamination of flooring materials, particularly a pen using straw, is a poisonous combination for your bunny. Prolonged interaction with pellets and urine can bring difficulties such as parasites and the resulting ammonia and contact with puddling urine is toxic. 

Flooring Options

It seems that a mix of flooring is the best option, though studies show that bunnies seem to prefer clean and dry wire, spending most of their time on the wire mesh part of the cage .A section of the cage's floor should be a resting board, plexiglas (or another surface that can't be chewed) and the other half wire mesh so waste pellets can drop through. The resting board can also be a piece of marble, which is cooling in the summer. Do not be misled to think that these docile creatures are easy to keep and can simply stay in their cages. Your rabbit needs out-of-cage time or its muscles will atrophy. The best times to target outside or house play is when bunny is most naturally active--in the early morning and at dusk.  

• their feet becoming inflamed
• thinning of bones which means they are broken more easily
• a weakened heart, and as a result, poor muscle tone
• difficulties with urination and difficulty defecating
• troubling behaviors--chewing the cage, lethargy, chewing its own fur, becoming aggressive

Recommended for flooring: 14 gauge (or 16 gauge for smaller breeds), 1/2" x 1" galvanized wire mesh

Security: A Priority

It is very important to consider the wider needs of your pet rabbit. In a natural habitat, much of a bunny's day is spent in retreat in a burrow underground. Hence, for a domesticated rabbit, security is a priority and quite rightly, this is something that is up to you to provide consistently. During out-of-cage time, if you let your bunny roam in an enclosed space outside, make sure that there is protection from predators as just the approach of a strange animal can overwhelm a bunny that has no means of escape, with the ensuing panic possibly causing a heart attack. 

African Swine Fever: Getting Closer

Denmark has recently completed a 43 mile-long fence in hopes to block the spread of African Swine Fever by wild boar traveling from Germany into Denmark. Though not reportedly in Germany, the disease (commonly known as ASF) is present in neighboring Poland and that is reason enough for Denmark to protect its lucrative pork exports by building a five-foot-high fence to keep feral pigs at bay. 

Swine Only

ASF is a contagious and deadly virus affecting domestic & feral pigs. This is primarily for farmers to worry about, not the general human population. This is a virus that is a threat to pigs only, and comes with wide-ranging concerns, however:

• It is not considered a public health threat.
• It is not able to be passed from a pig or from pork products to a human--only hog to hog.
• It is not a food safety concern.
• It is not a concern to livestock or other non-swine pets. 

A Spotty Presence

America and Canada can breathe a sigh for now. It is not found in these two countries--yet. Countries where it is found: Sub-Saharan Africa, China, Mongolia, Vietnam, and some countries in Europe including Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Belgium, Romania, Bulgaria, and Hungary. The Czech Republic is free of the virus; however, it is found in nearby Slovakia. Other countries, such as Spain and France have had it in the past but have currently eradicated it. However, it has recently been detected in the Dominican Republic and Haiti, so it is gaining ground and coming ever closer.

How much of a threat?

Among pigs, deadly. In virulent strains, pigs may get a high fever, then suffer appetite loss and appear lethargic. They may huddle together, shiver, cough, breathing abnormally. They can appear unsteady on their legs and after a few days fall into a coma and die. Scientists have predicted that it may affect a quarter of the world's population of pigs.   

Ongoing Research

Presently, there is no vaccine available to combat the virus. There has been a concerted effort to fight the spread in a multi-tiered effort among veterinarians, researchers, university agricultural programs as well as from very motivated pork producers. A vaccine is actively being tested and though the disease is not present in the U.S., ASF is so virulent that a plan of defense is imperative.    

Containing the Virus

In the U.S., the pork industry provides over 500,000 jobs and represents a 20 billion-dollar-a-year industry. For Canada, the pork industry sustains 100,000 jobs and a 4 billion dollar industry. There are stringent agreements with the U.S. and Canada to relay information, to zone and contain an outbreak should it occur. Restraining this virus is a priority; presently, feral hogs number 6.5 million across the U.S. and are also found in four Canadian provinces.  

Denmark's fence has come under criticism by some skeptics of its effectiveness and some are worried about blocking migratory routes of animals and birds, such as golden jackals, cranes, deer, foxes, otters, and wolves. Roads and railroad crossings have been left open offering a means by which the boars can pass.  

Tension Bar, Fence Puller, and Come Along

Any help we can get when stretching a fence is appreciated--here, precautions are taken when working on a grade.

Calling for a Snow Fence

Drifting snow is a safety hazard for passing cars or airplanes taking off and landing.

Blowing Snow:

• Blinds drivers and reduces visibility
• Causes accidents through lack of vehicle control
• Complicates road maintenance

Snow Drifts:

• Reduce distance visibility, especially at intersections and around curving roadway
• Enable build-up of ice on roadways
• Bury signage
• Reduce the effectiveness of guard rails and safety barriers

Melting snow and its seepage (and refreezing) runs under the pavement, causing cracking and heaving of roadways.

Find the Right Snow Fence

When installed correctly, wooden snow fencing can create a desired barrier for accumulating snow, saving you time and money with snow removal and property damage. Wooden snow fencing is the traditional choice for preventing snow from drifting onto roads, highways, and airport runways. Thereby build-up of snow, slush, and ice is reduced, as well as runoff which impairs drainage. Our top quality, made in America, snow fence is constructed from vertical running aspen and spruce wood lath woven together with 13-gauge galvanized wire. Installing these fences along roads and runways increase the efficiency of snow removal and allows for safer, uninterrupted travel. The sturdy construction of this natural snow fence makes it an aesthetic, durable, and economical alternative to plastic snow fences. Traditional wooden snow fencing has many alternative uses.

So Many Uses for Snow Fencing

• Airport runways
• Compost piles / compost storage
• Construction site boundaries
• Crowd control
• Cribbing
• Dog and pet safety
• Garden center, nursery benching, and operations
• Golf course maintenance
• Livestock control and shading
• Packaging and crating
• Road maintenance
• Sand dune maintenance

Louis Page Wooden Snow Fence: 

• Made with No.1 aspen or spruce pickets (3/8” x 1 ½” x 48”)
• Woven with 5 double-strands of 13 gauge galvanized wire
• Painted with red iron oxide stain
• Sold in 50-foot rolls

Posts Available 

• Steel T-posts: made of hot-rolled rail steel and formed into a “T”
• Dimensions: 1 7/16” X 1 5/16” x 1/8” x 6’ (six feet) long
• Weight of post section without anchor is 1.25 pounds per foot
• Area of anchor plates 23 square inches
• The post comes in painted green or galvanized

>>Snow fences save lives and drastically reduce maintenance costs.<<

And it works, how?

The way snow fencing works is a fairly simple concept. A properly constructed fence will cause snow to drift downwind of it. When the wind blows over the fence, it causes an eddy or swirls to form behind the fence. This in turn causes a rolling wind current that flows downward and to the backside of the fence. As a result of this air current, a drift of snow forms in front of the fence on the windward side. A well-designed fence can retain the snow to a place of your desiring as well as preventing snow from drifting to unwanted areas.

Placement Takes Some Research

Determining wind direction and resulting effects on vegetation, drift development and features, observation of wind-affected trees, abraded wooden poles or fencing, and sourcing local meteorological data should all be considered in the placement of a snow fence.