East West Martial Arts is proud to sponser Hogle Zoo’s conservation efforts in SSP (Species Survival Plan) of Amur (Siberian) Tiger
April 15th, 2013 
admin 
Comments Off 
East West Martial Arts in Salt Lake City, UT is proud to be a sponsor of Hogle Zoo’s conservation efforts of the zoo’s five Amur tigers. Did you know that all subspecies of tiger are endangered including:
Amur (Siberian), Indian, Sumatran and Indo-Chinese. The South Chinese tiger is thought to be extinct in the wild (2002) although there are some individuals in captivity. The Caspian, Javan, and Bali tiger subspecies are thought to be extinct. Hogle Zoo, along with other Zoos from around the world, takes part in the Species Survival Plan (SSP) for Amur tigers. As a part of this plan, zoos help conserve tigers by maintaining their genetic diversity through selective breeding.
SSP programs focus on animals that are in danger of extinction in the wild, when zoo conservationists believe captive breeding programs may be their only chance to survive. These programs also help maintain healthy and genetically diverse animal populations within the zoo community. AZA accredited zoos and AZA conservation partners that are involved in SSP programs engage in cooperative population management and conservation efforts that include research, public education, reintroduction, and in situ or field conservation projects. There are currently 172 species covered by 116 SSP programs in North America.
The Zoo currently houses five Amur tigers.
- Kazek (male): born July 14, 2003 at the Philadelphia Zoo came to Hogle Zoo in 2006.
- Three tiger brothers: born June 2, 2009 at Hogle Zoo.
- Bronevik
- Vikentii
- Kirill
For more information about the SSP program, visit Utah’s Hogle Zoo website at www.hoglezoo.org.
East West Martial Arts, SLC 2013 Black Belt Advancement Ceremony
March 26th, 2013 admin Comments Off Grand Master Bolega interviewed on KSL TV for self defense
March 21st, 2013 admin Comments Off A link to the story can be found here: http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=24480591
Police: Woman attacked outside SLC restaurant fought back
March 20, 2013
SALT LAKE CITY — The search continued Wednesday for a man who stabbed a woman in the neck outside a Salt Lake City restaurant Tuesday night.
The 40-year-old woman was walking home from the Salt Lake City Main Library and took the path behind the Faustina Restaurant, 454 E. 300 South, about 8 p.m. when she said a man grabbed her purse and attempted to run.
The woman tried to hang on to her purse when the man attacked her.
“Suddenly she felt what she described as these punches to her neck,” said Salt Lake police detective Dennis McGowan. “It turned out the person who was assaulting her was using some sort of sharp-edged weapon.”
The woman defended herself as best she could, finally seeking help at the restaurant.
“She was able to fight back, essentially make a lot of noise,” said McGowan. “That caused him to flee soon after the attack began.”
The woman suffered a deep cut to her neck and behind her ear, said McGowan. Her injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
Stories like this one spark interest in self-defense.
“All of us have a will to survive,” said Joseph Bolega, grand master at East West Martial Arts. “We just need to practice it and not get too complacent. It can happen anytime to all of us anywhere.”
Bolega teaches students to use hard parts of the body like elbows against soft parts of an attacker’s body, specifically eyes and throat. Still, he said physical violence is a last resort.
That means not sacrificing safety for property.
“Don’t get hurt of die for things,” Bolega said; “not for car keys, not for money. Everything is replaceable except for life.”
McGowan said it wasn’t clear Wednesday whether the attack was completely random.
Detectives were looking Wednesday for a white man, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, with brown hair and facial stubble. The only other description provided to police was he was wearing dark clothing.
Anyone with information on the robbery can call police at 801-799-6397.