Saturday Visit - The Good, Bad and Inappropriate

I rarely go out on the Weekend.  I knew the Cubs would be getting snow, so I braved the heat and holiday crowds, to go out for a bit and see these babies having some fun that I hadn't seen yet.

                                          Cubbies in the Snow!

On the way out, the Lemur Cafe was shut down as the Fire Dept was there.  Apparently it got so hot in there it tripped the alarm and SFFD came out.  Allegedly there are no fans or Air Conditioning in the grill/kitchen area.  How is that possible?  I have no idea what laws are for this, but I can't imagine its legal to have employees operating the grill/fryer/ect.  especially in warm weather, without the relief of a cooling system.  The Cafe is run by an outside company, but it must follow Zoo Management as I understand.  I think its pretty cruel, especially with the heatwave, to have no way for the employees to stay cool. This all said, come on SFZoo, make sure the workers in the Cafe have better working conditions. This was the Bad.

Now for the  Obnoxious.  I hate to have to write about this, but I got a feeling I need to document this interaction.  I wanted to say something to management about this, but every time I talk to them about something like this, it seems to get sloughed off.  Different rules apply when I complain about something.  Like the times I've said something when Visitors have put Animals in danger and I've been sworn at by Visitors and management does nothing.  For those not interested, I understand, skip it and check out my Cub group on Facebook Rescued Bear Cub Club for videos of the babies enjoying the Snow and Ice Treats!

https://www.facebook.com/groups/110513812976818/

While watching the Cubs, a couple started talking to me about how cute they are.  I said, I know, I've been out several times a week and love them so much I have a FB Group for them.  The guy said, "The Zoo should hire you."  I laughed and said, "Oh the Zoo would never hire me, they don't like me."  He asked why.  I said,  "Because I look out for the Animals and if you care about the Animals too much, they don't like that."  One of the Docents there then stuck herself between us and said, "That's not true. The Zoo takes good care of the Animals."  The couple looked at her like what's going on?  I said to the Docent, "I never said that they didn't take good care of the Animals."  I turned to the couple and said, "Did I say that?"  They said, "No."  The Docent went on saying, "Yes you did."  I said, "No I didn't."  She continued to say I did, so I asked her to tell me exactly what I said that implied that.  She had to think for a minute and then said, "You said, The Zoo doesn't like people who care about the Animals."  I said, "That's exactly the truth."   ... But, that in no way implies an opinion about the care of the Animals.

Digress - That is what I said, because in my experience that's the truth. It had nothing to do with their care. The Zoo Director and other Management do not like if anyone cares too much.  Its no secret, I've written about it, and its been demonstrated at Zoo Meetings, when I personally have seen Management, Park and Rec, and Board members roll their eyes, when Keepers would bring up Animal issues that they could not get addressed any other way than in that forum.  As well, in the way so many long time Keepers have either been let go or run out of there, for addressing Animal concerns.  Good Grief, the Zoo went without a Vet on Staff for almost two months, relying only on covering the schedule with previous Vets.  How did this happen?  Allegedly one Vet "retired", or was asked to in lieu of being fired. The other was allegedly fired for allegedly trying to do best by the Animals and having Management oppose.  The Director eventually hired back the Vet that she allegedly fired in the wake of the Patas Monkey scandal, that was documented by KGO News.

Anyway,  So this Docent insinuated herself into our space and interrupted our conversation, and then proceeded to call me a liar.  She didn't hear the whole conversation, and had no idea the progression of the conversation.  In my opinion she was out of line and once again someone there is calling me a liar.  ... I know for a fact that my passion and commitment to watching out for the Animals and speaking up if I think something isn't right, is exactly the reason the Zoo Director and her Management Minions do not like me.  They have no other valid reason, and that is why I have still never received a valid reason for either time my Membership has been taken away. Because what else am I doing while I'm there?  I'm watching the Animals.  I don't even report people over barriers anymore because they don't do anything about it.  So SFZoo, what is it that I'm doing that is so wrong?

Continuing on, So this Docent continued to make her case about the care of the Animals, saying she came from being Anti-Zoo, yadda.   I didn't want to continue with her, but since she was going on and on, touting her position, I was curious, since I had recently witnessed a Docent do nothing when the Bear Cub fell into the pool a couple weeks ago, and I continually see people over the barrier and they say nothing.  So, I said, "I'm not trying to be argumentative, but I want to ask you, Would Advocate for the Animals if you saw something that wasn't right?"  She said, "Yes if she saw an Animal in distress, I would go to Education,..." (I'm thinking go to Education? If an Animal is in distress, why aren't they calling Security?)  Anyway, I said, "That's not what I mean."  I said, "Let me ask you this, Do you think that the Komodo Dragon is living in the ideal situation?"  She said, "Yes, because of his medical condition,..."  I said, "They committed to building him a new home before that and never did."  She said, 'He was small."   I said, "I'm not going to argue about that", and I asked her If when she first became a Docent (2012), at that time did she ever look at the Chimps and think they should have better?  She said, "They are old and can't be moved around."  I said, "Tanya (Director Peterson) tried to kick them out, after they lived here near 50 years,  so she could bring in Orangutans.  I saved those Chimps."  All she had to say was, "We are still getting Orangutans."   I said, "Well, what you've told me is what the Zoo tells you.  You might want to learn more about the Zoo than just what you're told."  Which is true.  I don't believe just what people tell me.  No one should.  I was endeared to the Animals and became passionate about the Zoo almost ten years ago, and I did my research. I read every article on SFGate ever posted, I read every Joint Zoo Committee Document, I searched all the Animals by name,  and found out their history.  Why, because I was interested in learning about the Animals I was lucky to know.  Sadly, even back then I was told by a Staffer that some didn't like me , because it was weird that I cared to know so much about the Animals.  Why would that be something weird?  I think its weird to spend time doing something and not wanting to know more.

Anyway, she walked away and I could hear her behind me loudly talking at groups of people, saying, The Zoo takes good care of the Animals, like she had to still counter something I said, which was NOT even something I said. So inappropriate.

Like I said, I wanted this documented, because who knows if this Docent shared her interaction with me, the Zoo may decide to make something of it, even though she instigated the interaction and at no time did I say anything untrue or inappropriate.  I can talk to who I want.  I can say what I want.  I'm not being vulgar, or threatening, which is in their guidelines. (Although remember, people have been vulgar and threatening to me, yet when I report it nothing is done.) Its not bashing the Zoo, by pointing out things that could be better. It shouldn't be viewed as wrong to want better, instead of accepting mediocrity. I don't often talk about things like that with other visitors, but that conversation with that couple was initiated by them and led that way.  And what I said was true.  The Zoo would never hire me, they don't like me.  They don't like me because I care too much.   

Additionally, contrary to what I've heard, that being that I make stuff up, what I write in this blog, is reflective of what I see with my own eyes.  The Komodo Dragon lives in a Terrarium.  The Chimps have been slighted for over two decades and were set to be sent away.  People hang over the barriers. Those are facts.  Its all the truth.  Its curious that the Zoo is always so concerned with what I say or write, when If they felt secure in what they were doing there, I could say anything and it wouldn't/shouldn't matter.  ... As well, there are people who visit the Zoo everyday who make negative comments about how they think the Animals are, and the enclosures they are in.  I hear them.  Yet its only my opinions that seem to matter so much.  

Ok, so I've sorta digressed again.  Its not right that I should feel like I have to write about such things and repeat stuff I've previously written about.  I got other things to do.  Like write a detailed post about the Komodo Dragon.  But back to yesterday, Bottom line, I should not have been verbally attacked (how I felt) by this Docent and called a liar.  She should never have interrupted a private conversation, or went about involving other visitors with her misinterpretations.