Since I started my "short" item blog, http://mysanfranciscozooouttings.blogspot.com/ a couple followers have noted that its hard to comment on that blog because of how lengthy the Running Commentary post is. I would like to figure this out so people can comment. That said, the style of that blog being a running one post, was meant to be easy access to everything by just landing at the main page. I have posted here once before a Topic list, but that doesn't lend to a comment forum, unless you go back and forth. So, I'm going to try this. Once a week posting here, what was posted on that supplement blog.
> September 26, 2013 - I really should start tallying up all the things the Zoo does that I blog about. Just saying. ... I post here in July 7 entry suggesting a Food Truck event and tonight's event Noc'tails, will include Food Trucks. Actually looks like a good event. Since the Lion House is open during it, would have been cool if they gave the Big Cats some fun themed Enrichment Toys! Here's a photo of a Coconut Cup Tropical Cocktail "Toy" I made for our Tiki Luau themed day :)
Skylar/Leanne enjoying her "Drink aka Toy (filled with meat) :)
> September 25, 2013 - The Zoo finally took my suggestion and came up with a creative way to Name an Animal (thankfully, as a newborn, this one didn't already have a Name!). Noted in my August 23 post. These "ballot" boxes are located in Entry Village.
> September 25, 2013 - Finally! After visiting Willow a handful of times and not seeing her with any food or with it only hanging outside her enclosure, today, she had food inside the fence! Maybe alittle racket helped?! http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2013/09/meet-willow-new-giraffe-lady.html
Four food options INSIDE the fence!
> September 24, 2013 - I haven't posted in sometime about the Idiots who roam free at the Zoo. That doesn't mean they don't still exist. I see them every visit and document as many as possible, because the Zoo refuses to take a stand on deterring this misbehavior. Last week in the African Aviary a guy reached into the exhibit and bounced a tree branch trying to get the Bird sitting on it to move for a photo. WTF? People are out of control. Sure that's minor to Visitors hanging over barriers and possibly falling in, but still its major Bullshit and I'm tired of seeing it. This is their home, WTF is wrong with people? In the case of the later, if that happened, one of our Animals would be killed.
Idiots is too kind. Considering that this is invasive to an Animal in its home AND this action could lead to an Animals death. So, Evil, Demon, Ahole is more what I'd call it, but many don't embrace my extreme bluntness in choice of words. Being ignorant is no longer a valid excuse. ... Note this same Family was dangled of the Black Rhinos minutes before. These Parents must not only be stupid as get all, but must really hate their Children.
> September 23, 2013 - New idea for sharing photos. I take alot of Zoo friend photos, but only edit and share a few on Flickr. Editing is time consuming and they all have to be resized even if I don't have to adjust exposure. So, I picked a bunch from the past week and put them in a Video. Will try to do this weekly :) Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0c4JoLnBASU
> September 21, 2013 - While watching Willow the other day, I captured a Sweet interaction between her and Amani :) While the other Giraffes came by and looked, only Amani interacted with her. Amani came up and sniffed her and then started giving her Kisses! Too precious :) I almost teared up it was so sweet. Amani seems to be a very kissey, lovey girl, as I captured her also kissing the Babie :) I love these two beautiful new Girls! Welcome to you both, I look forward to watching you for many years to come!
> September 19, 2013 - Put together some screen caps from the Monitor outside Gorillas. I took pix of the ones of the babie that I haven't seen posted online anywhere. There have only been a few, these will probably be new to those who haven't been in person.
> September 18, 2013 - Had a wonderful interaction with precious Gauhati (One-Horned Rhino) you can view the video of him greeting me and wanting me to play Ball with him :)
As always, enjoyed following your Zoo visit. About the constant human offenders who don't think about the safety of the animals, not to mention their own safety and that of their children: I think you ought to have a special Fools Gallery page, of the photos you have gotten of these people. Could come in handy for a variety of reasons.
ReplyDeleteJoanne.
@Joanne- Thank you for your comment. Glad that my experiences are fun for you! I know you don't get there that often, that is one of the reasons I do my blog, is to share with those who can't be there as often. Of course some of my posts have strayed from my original blog which was only about sharing info and photos. I still like to share, its one of the things I think of when I'm taking photos. ... I have thought of doing such a page! LOL Fools Gallery :) I did do that compilation photo, maybe once I get my pix all sorted I'll pull together all the ones I've taken and do that. Its always a toss since I have to resize them all for the blog and in some cases blur or overlay the faces, even though I should let their Fool Flags Fly. Most of the time I would rather spend the time resizing wonderful pix of the Animals. That said I started a new thing last week, putting all the favs of the week into a video, which doesn't require resizing. Anyway, thank you for the suggestion and support in the effort to call attention to this issue, which in my opinion is a big one.
DeleteThe problem with the invasive people and harassment of the animals arises from disrespect of the animals. This is most evident in the zoo enclosures that look down or out (across a moat, for example) into the animal's living space. Examples of these at the zoo include the gorilla, chimpanzee, mandrill, polar bear, hippo, black rhino, and most notoriously the big cat exhibits. These are aging enclosure that maintain the standard at the zoo. The problem lies in the fact that looking down at an animal causes disrespect and fear, yet looking eye level or up at an animal causes awe and respect. The zoo must make changes and renovate these exhibits in order for the visitors to respect the animals like so. I understand how you believe that the animals should be priority and new exhibits are not always needed, but without the respect for these animals because of these aging enclosures, I belive new the zoo is in need of new exhibits.
ReplyDelete@ellicruu- Thank you for your comment. I agree with you on several points. First, Yes! Too many people Disrespect the Animals. I even think some do it innocently, but that doesn't mean ignorance should be tolerated as an excuse. Its wide-spread and not sure if fixing all Humans is something that will even happen. That said, Zoo's at least as a "facility" versus the Park, need to do whatever it takes to keep the Animals safe from Visitors. Its their responcibility to provide Visitors with viewing of Animals, but that should not be the priority over doing what it takes to keep the Animals safe, which means deterrents and safeguards. The Zoo just refuses to do this. I do use refuse, as I've been noting these instances for over a year. ... Inregards to the enclosures, I have long thought all the Animals need to be behind glass. I know in the age of Zoo's trying to make enclosures more open air and natural, the elimination of fencing, glass, ect has come into play. That said this era has also coincided with more Human Disrespect in regards to Animals. So in a sense Zoo enclosure design does need to take a step back, while still taking a step forward. I do agree that the Animals should not be looked down at, and that creates an issue because almost all the exhibits have a bit of that aspect. There would need to be renovating to almost all the enclosures. I had not thought of it as part of a "respect" aspect until you mentioned it. I brieftly noted it in reference to the Gorillas, last year when they finally put glass up there on several of the viewing platforms. This was something I had wanted to have happen for sometime, but mostly as a deterrent for people throwing stuff into the enclosure. Now I see from what you've said that looking down is an issue as well. I think by putting a distance barrier at these windows, at least that creates a bit of space and people aren't right up looking down. If only we could redo all the exhibits, to reflect both a visual and physical respect. Saying that, it will be interesting to see any new exhibits that are built from scratch. I would bet none of these issues will come into play with design changes and the same things will be of issue. I hope not, but since the Zoo does not do any oother fixes to gain protection and respect for the Animals, I'm not optimistic. Do you think the set-up at Big Cats is bad now? Even tho the view point is a bit slanted down, and def if the moat is in use, but the glass with the distance between seems good to me. I don't like glass with no distance, because people ruin that by banging on the windows. Sure I love having the Snow Leopard come up to the glass, but I don't love everytime its sleeping against the glass some Ass has to knock on the window.
DeleteI also realized another problem with Tucker's enclosure that may explain the barrier breaching. The problem with the exhibit is that small children cannot see Tucker at all! (I remember when I was little and my parents would place me on the railing as well, which I thought was kind of scary but worth it because without it I could not see the animals) This leads to another reinforcement to my thoughts that changes need to be made, in world class zoos like San Diego, thick panes of glass provide personal interactions with the hippos from underwater viewings. As well as providing kids with the ability to see the animal (prevents barrier breaching), these "modern" enclosures give the animal more "power" to command respect.
ReplyDelete@ellicruu- Thankx again for continuing to comment. I look forward to your input. In regards to Tucker's enclosure and the whole Rhino are Renovation, is that it really was very poor designing. The Hippo Pool should def have glass around it. All that metal wiring/fencing is not only ugly, but he constantly chews on it. I'm not sure I am a fan of glass barriers being at the Animal. Like how Tucker splashes and moves forward in the direction of People, I think glass right at him would be confining to him. As I mentioned before I do like that there is a distance at Big Cats. If Glass was put around the Visitor barrier, his home would still have the feeling of being open from his point of view. I wouldn't want him or any Animal to feel enclosed. Also creating a distance, creates for better viewing. Kids would be able to see, People could continue to hang over the barriers, but the Animals woudl be protected. Now, about the Rhino enclosure. That def needs a glass barrier. The big FAIL in the layout design will probably never be fixed. Whoever created the back and front exhibit design really messed up in my opinion. Divider should have run side by side. And the pool should have been filled in and a shallower pond made, as Rhinos do like to be in water/mud ect. But Elly can't go in that deep pool, and infact, that pool is ancient in design, with its depth and rough edges. Thankfully they blocked it off before an Animal used it and broke its leg.
DeleteYes I see how Tucker being a little aggresive (as most hippos are) may pose a "confining" issue. Thankfully for the hippo and rhino exhibits there is a buffer space of plants between the enclosure and visitor space...This is and will always be a problem, maintaining the buffer. I think you misunderstood when I talked about the cat grottos, I was refering to the unfortunate event when this buffer space was invaded...That is why i think that glass is the best option for big cats...maybe the zoo could fill the moat and raise the barriers to renovate the cat enclosures, creating a larger space for the magnificent felines, while also giving unobstructed (glass) views of the cats. But they must also put large signs stating for example, "Please do not tap on glass or animal(s) will hide and not come near glass." By using positive results for positive behavior, hopefully people's attitudes will change.
Delete@ellicruu- Thank you for your comment. ... First I'll say I hope I didn't make it seem like Tucker was aggressive, I don't think that at all. I think he is defensive. He only gets worked up and comes toward the fencing when there are alot of people around. I can understand that, as from his point of view, his home is being surrounded, and there is no real sense of security distance aka buffer space. A few feet of plants doesn't make him feel secure in his home. People are about 3 feet from his home perimeter. He's defending his territory. ... Regarding the Cats, I see the Cats in the moat, esp on hot days they go down ther for shade, so they do make use of that area as part of their home. My only actual issue with the Cats exhibits, is the fencing, only because people still hoot and holler and throw stuff into the exhibit. It is the only way to get good photos, but the Animals security is my priority. I like that the Glass (except in Grotto A) is not up close to the Animals. And while I love the experience of coming face to face with them (Grotto A, Snow Leopards, Gorillas) I just think Visitors act the Fool and have ruined that being a good thing for the Animals. That said, the Zoo would never wide spread put signs like that on the windows! I have been psoting about that for yrs. I think I have seen it at one exhibit and I can't remember which one. Otherwise its non-existant. In fact, in the ARC the Keepers had a great one up that said, what I basically have said, "Don't tap, rap, bang, knock, ..." and I heard the Zoo made them take it down. So there's the priority right there. Don't offend Visitors, at the expence of the Animals.
Delete