Aquarium, Museum and Zoo (BAMZ) with a significant achievement award for their longtime captive management and propagation of the Caribbean flamingo.

BAMZ officials accepted the award at a special presentation during the AZA's 72nd annual conference.

During the 25 years the BAMZ has been breeding Caribbean flamingos, they have refined the husbandry for the captive management of this species, allowing Animal Management staff to manipulate breeding behaviour and enhance the successful long-term propagation of the species.

Captive-hatched off-spring from the Bermuda flock have been provided to zoological collections around the world.

BAMZ has also taken a leadership role in developing and supporting the conservation of the species within the Caribbean.

In 1995, the British Virgin Island Flamingo Restoration Project achieved remarkable success when five chicks hatched in the wild.

These chicks hatched from Bermuda-bred flamingos that had been released into the wild in 1992, and are the first wild flamingos to hatch in the British Virgin Islands in nearly 50 years.

*** The Institute of Bermuda Architects presents its first annual sand castle competition at Horseshoe Bay on Saturday October 12.

There will be two categories, one for adults and families and the other 12-year-olds and younger.

The rules -- you can have teams of up to four people only, and the building time limit is 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. with a building site area of eight feet by eight feet, and the sky is the limit.

Judging will take place at 4 p.m. by Institute of Bermuda Architects Council members, and prizes will be rewarded.

To enter fill out a form, which can be obtained from the Planning Department, CBE Architects and Barker & Linberg. Entrance fee $5 per person. Rain date October 13.