CALIFORNIA IN BRIEF : SAN DIEGO : Zoo Society Cuts Animal Dealer Ties

The San Diego Zoological Society has suspended relations with a Kansas animal dealer who said he took four endangered addax antelope from the San Diego Wild Animal Park to a Missouri auction in 1985. Zoo spokesman Jeff Jouett said ties with Jim Fouts were severed in October because of “suspicions” that he did business with wild animal auctions. The San Diego Zoo and others nationwide condemn the sale or transfer of any animals to auctions, where some end up at private hunting farms whose clients pay to kill and mount the wildlife for trophies. Fouts confirmed to The Times that he took the four addax to an auction in Cape Girardeau, Mo. He said two of the animals were bought by a private collector and the others were sold to the highest bidder. Fouts also said he was unaware of the San Diego Zoo’s decision to stop dealing with him.