My Reactions To Chronicle Article - Tuesday May 14, 2024

My first reaction to this article, was that it reads like my blog.  Many of the things mentioned, are things I've already written about.  

First of all, the title... "Pandas at the SF Zoo, some say it should fix "dilapidated" conditions first."  

I'm sorry, but no one, used the words fix the Zoo before Pandas, BEFORE me.  I first noted fixing the Zoo before Pandas, in a post dated April 14.  On April 21, I started a Petition titled, San Francisco Zoo Needs a Big Fix, Before Pandas!

I'm glad that notations about Animal Hoarding were mentioned.  The Orangutans situation is one of the cruelest, but not the only Animal Welfare offense to happen under Director Peterson.  As mentioned in the article, the Fossa before them were kept in temporary housing for six years.  What it doesn't note that I did, was their housing included over six months in quarantine holding, and over a year in old cages, before moving to the off view area FCC.  The Zoo also neglected to provide appropriate housing for the first Komodo Dragon, keeping him in a terrarium that he outgrew and couldn't even turn around in.  Additionally a group of Squirrel Monkeys were kept in a concrete room, with no outdoor access for over two years.  

The article reported, "John McNellis, a longtime zoo donor, called facilities at the zoo “sadly dilapidated.”  The $20 million it would cost to build a new panda enclosure might be better spent in bringing our zoo back into pristine, first-class condition." McNellis hoped that the panda gift would inspire the city to increase its annual financial support of the zoo, which has been set around $4 million since 1993, to at least $10 million, “so that the zoo can complete the long overdue repairs and capital improvements to its buildings, landscape and infrastructure. ... Ideally, however, we would have both a first-class zoo and a wonderful panda exhibit."

No shit!  And if someone like a Donor feels this way, Why are they only now speaking up?  This guy should have approached the Board way before now about the condition of the Zoo, it didn't get to this state overnight. 

And the reference to the annual amount the City pays the Zoological Society to "manage" the Zoo per the lease agreement, I've said this before, but will reiterate because it's mind boggling, ... Why has that amount not been renegotiated in thirty years?  There should have been yearly cost of living type increases.  Another ball seemingly dropped by The Zoological Society Board.

This quote by Vitus Leung, Deputy Director, was also included in the article...  "The zoo “remains committed to supporting all of our planned projects, including improvements to some of our current animal habitats. ... We are very grateful to our donors whose funds support these ongoing efforts. ...  We also look forward to adding new donors who are excited to support the San Francisco Zoo as we prepare for the momentous arrival of the giant pandas.”

More empty quotes from Zoo related "officials".  What does any of that actually mean?  It's all mumble jumble.  Improvement to habitats?  Does this mean after six years the Flamingo enclosure is going to get the last third of the netting finished?  Good grief, I know this crap reads well to those who don't know better, but to those of us who do, it's just BS.  But hey, make sure to get in that token Panda mention!  Which are also mentioned in following comments by the Mayor's spokesperson and the former Society Chair Ed Poole.  

Also quoted in the article, "Poole pushed back in an email. He said assertions suggesting that the zoo’s exhibits, whether permanent or temporary, “fail to meet the needs of our animals are entirely unfounded.”

Unfounded.  Is he for real?  He was the Zoological Society Board Chair at the time the Orangutans were living in caged tubes.  He is Unbelievable.

I don't mean to be rude, but I really have had enough of the ignorant and defensive statements by Zoo Officials, mostly Poole's, who as the former Board Chair, should have had a handle on what was going on at the Zoo and he didn't.  So, I'm sorry, but he should just stop talking.  I wouldn't care what any of these people did or said, if this wasn't concerning a place that deals with the lives of innocent Beings. As in previous articles, he continues to discard what Keepers are saying.  They just want to do their jobs, which is caring for the Animals, not be involved with dealing with the bullshit they have had to for sixteen years under Tanya Peterson.  They are Animal Care Staff and the Zoo is an Animal Care Facility, they know what they are talking about.  

Good Grief, I have to stop here.  I'm a broken record at this point.  All these people who have been tasked with making sure the Zoo is taken care of, have been negligent in doing so.  Not one of them is ever going to admit wrong doing, or apologize for the part they have played in ignoring their responsibility to our Zoo and it's inhabitants.

Related Post (includes full article):

iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2024/05/fix-zoo-before-pandas-that-sounds.html

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For Full Statement see this post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html

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