European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 31, 2007, Darmstadt, Hesse                                May 2007 stars and stripes Mideast edition pages above left command Marvin who took Over this month As the top enlisted solder in visited the zoo saturday Center the zoos pair of cheetahs was raised by Saddam Hussein right once the bars Are a pair of Brown bears will move from their cramped quarters and its Muddy photos by Teri and stripes above a zoo one of about 160 guards on the 400 member stops to pet a right a 3yearold boy climbs on the zoos front above two eagles sit inside a Concrete below the Park was largely deserted on saturday because of a daytime menagerie in the Middle East after Early postwar Baghdad zoo slowly reopens by Teri Weaver stars and stripes Baghdad before the the Baghdad zoo had 650 Ani after the workers found about they rounded up what they found on the added two cheetahs that Saddam Hussein sons had raised As and eventually put a stray dog in one of the Green four years the zoos population has grown to about 80 there Are two two no cockatoos twit Ter in eagles Roost on a con Crete porcupines hide in the a Lone Camel takes a Friendly pet from a zoo and ostriches and a Peacock strut slowly in the 116degree the Good news is that most Days the zoo has More visitors than according to a Small team of the 15th brigade support 2nd brigade combat 1st Calvary work ing with the about people each week pay the pay 20 cents fee to visit the which is open seven Days a week and run by the Baghdad City about 400 peo ple work including about 160 Security according to Amy project manager for the zoo and the surround ing Al Zara to those to those its a big said com Mand Marvin who toured the zoo saturday Hill took Over As multinational command sergeant major this he said he sees visitors at the zoo As an indication local residents Are beginning to feel safer in their they dont want their kids around he they Are very protective of their i think its a big indicator when they bring their kids i  come Here if i didst feel he putting himself in the place of an iraqi Parent on a visit to the on saturday few peo ple were inside the Park because of a mandatory 11 to 3 a single shot of gunfire rang from the a warning signal for incoming rockets blared from a nearby military base there was no Hill and the soldiers around him wore full gear during their a Normal procedure outside any military a Banner was draped on the zoos front Gate to mourn a Park he was killed outside his Home in recent despite saturdays a few visitors wandered about the zoos shaded families brought their bought sodas and watched the caged one Man near the outside of the Gate said he  have brought his wife and Young son a year ago on he said he Felt Safe and that he brings his family As often As he a second inside the teetered his hand Back and Forth to indicate Soso about the safety level for his wife and he said he Felt the same a year the zoo is also a place for court and three times Hill pointed out couples who were walking or sometimes holding the zoo sits inside Al Zara a vast expanse near the Green zone that is filled with soc cer restaurants and an amusement Cronin said Shes seen the rides but Shes never seen any of the six restaurants open for the whole place operates on about an hour of electricity a the army has paid for four generators to Power the which has been closed since the according to staff Herbert of Park the zoo is planning to move the Brown bears to a bigger Cage with a Small Yard so they can move the workers want enough Money to buy paint to recover All the More ambitious goals take longer to carry Cronin and Mowery Are working to link the zoos veterinarians with zoos in the they also want to improve the zoos pump which brings in water from the nearby Tigris but the biggest they is convincing anyone to donate More who would Send animals to Baghdad of boiling the battalion began helping the zoo in and soon after did a Security assessment for the they suggested spreading out staff at the entrances and using Mirror extensions to search under Cronin said they Are looking for additional Money to buy Metal detectors and especially to search female Visi tors without there Are to it seems like the perfect Cronin but there Are other things to think if everything goes she the aquarium should open in about two email Teri Weaver at  Dve i Friou Shinis on you simple online ordon curl do ii Middle East to s a us cover Ril you com Dealership m the Usa ump military sales ser virus hot Superior motors 00 973 17 813 fax 00 973 17 813 kingdom of Bahrain