February 24, 2015 - A Day In Zoo History & It's Connection To Today

Most years, I remember one of these days in February, the 24th, 25th or 26th.  This year, with so much on my mind, it took a Facebook Memory to remind me. That Memory showed up as I sat down to dinner last night.  I wanted to write this post timely to that date, but exhausted from the day, I slept through the alarm I set to publish before midnight.  Just waking-up, it's now 2:30a and words are flowing.

Ten years ago, Our three senior Chimpanzees, were at risk of losing their home of over forty-five years, at the hands of Zoo Director Tanya Peterson.  

For those who are new to this cruel and evil offense by Peterson, I'll give a brief (hopefully) synopsis.  

For some, this whole post will surely mostly be a rehash, but I feel what almost happened to Our Chimps is something that should never be forgotten.  An offense that also relates to the plight of Our Orangutans, and the irresponsible attempt to bring Pandas to Our Zoo.  Overall instances of mismanagement, disrespect to the Animals, and lack of care, by Tanya Peterson.

In 1968, ten year old wild born Cobby, was dropped off at the Zoo, after his owner was done using him in entertainment.  In 1970, Minnie and Maggie, estimated at approximately one year old, arrived at the Zoo, via a company who procured Animals from the wild and sold them.  Kidnapped from their Mama's, who may have been slaughtered during the event, their journey from Africa left them at the Zoo.  Together they lived in the Zoo's Triple Grotto enclosure with Cobby and female Tallulah, a former pet, who joined Cobby in 1969, for the next forty-five years. 

In 2013, after the passing of Tallulah, unbeknownst to me, the AZA's (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Chimpanzee Species Survival Plan (SSP), had been in contact, expressing concern for our troop size, that was now down to three.  Understandable,  as Cobby, Maggie and Minnie, were all seniors, and another loss would leave just two.  Allegedly, the Zoo tried to acquire another Chimp from the SSP, but was refused because of the state of the enclosure.  Triple Grotto was built in the mid-60's, and had seen no upgrade since the 80's, when grass was added to the concrete islands, and climbing structures built by then Keepers. In 1997, Cobby, Tallulah, Minnie and Maggie, became the literal "poster children" for a Bond of $47 million, that was put on the ballot that year.  It was passed by voters, yet the Chimpanzees never got the new home that was main selling point of the deal.

Sometime in 2014, Peterson had decided the Chimps had to go.  She refused to fundraise for a new home for them to be built, choosing to instead send them packing from their longtime home and the only home Minnie and Maggie had ever known.  The Zoo's longest and oldest Residents were being kicked out. 

During a visit the week of January 26, a Keeper came and stood beside me as I watched the Chimpanzees.  Knowing me well, and my love for these Friends I grew-up with he said, "You know she's sending them away?"  As a chill came over me, he continued, "What are you going to do about it?"  I said, "They aren't leaving on my fucking watch!"

I had been documenting Zoo mismanagement for four years at that point.  I tried to crusade for Andean Bear Wishbone, to get soft surfaces in 2010, but still new to Zoo bullshit, I didn't know the routes to take to succeed in that.  It pains me, as he lost his life to his bones breaking down from living exclusively on concrete.  I'm so sorry Wishy.  

When I heard about the Chimps, I went home that night and started a dedicated Blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Petition.  I started writing posts and letters, making memes and videos.  Anything I could think of to gain awareness.  At the time, I hadn't thought of media, but thankfully a friend had a contact at KGO News.  Reporter Dan Noyes took my story, and it was the awareness created by his platform, that Saved Our Chimpanzees.  His I-Team report aired Tuesday February 24, 2015.  At Thursday's Joint Zoo Meeting, Director Peterson announced The Chimps were staying!  I just got a chill as I wrote that, and tears are flowing.  It's still emotional for me to think about that journey and specifically, what could have happened to Our Precious Chimps, if Peterson's plan had been successful.  

I don't think the public fully understands the horrors Director Tanya Peterson is capable of.  I document her mismanagement, and her offences here, but it only reaches so far.  In the case of the Chimps, she tried to keep it secret, even denying her plan to kick them out.  She continued her untruths at the Meeting, saying after visiting prospective new homes, "we (she)" had decided not to send them away.  That is a flat-out lie, as I personally heard the transfer cages being built the week before.  Thankfully those babies never had to step foot in those cages, and take a journey that one longtime staffer said, "Would have killed them".

In the two years following the "Save", the promise for a new home, seemed questionable.  Now, I would call it possibly one of Peterson's Zoo-lusions, as since then I have seen and heard her spin too many illusions, in an attempt to put forth faux self-grandeur, to mask her short-comings.  During those two years, the Zoo acquired and built new homes for Sifakas (2016) and Wolves (2016), two species that were not even current residents.  The Chimps sat in Triple Grotto and waited.  And waited.  They waited Peterson out!  I personally think she was stalling, til there was only two left and she could then be justified in sending them away.  Thankfully Cobby, Maggie and Minnie gave her the middle finger, and on Thanksgiving Day 2018, they entered their new Dayroom.  It was a beautiful thing for me to witness and more important for them to experience.

Tanya Peterson's disregard for the Needs of Our Zoo, specifically the Needs of the Animals, is apparent to everyone who cares.  She has been calculating in her disrespect for current residents, in favor of shiny new toys since the start of her reign.  In the two years prior to the Chimpanzee event, when she knew their security at the Zoo was at risk, she acquired and built new enclosures for the Komodo Dragon (2013) and Red Panda (2014).  Unfortunately her new toys for 2019, two Orangutans didn't get the respect of a new home, or any dedicated enclosure.  Zoo Director Peterson kept the Orangutans living in caged tubes for eight months straight, with random access to the Chimps new yard for two years, before dumping them in Triple Grotto, the ancient enclosure deemed unacceptable for Chimpanzees.

And here we now are, almost six years after the Orangutans arrival.  Not one thing has been done for them.  They continue to languish on two cluttered concrete islands, and still spend most of their time in the caged tubes, looking down at the Chimpanzees in their spacious netted yard.  No fundraising was ever done for them.  Not before or since their arrival.  YET, Director Peterson has now gone into overdrive to raise funds for Pandas.  AND her Panda Plan includes displacing the Lions from the Lion House (one of the cornerstone structures since the Zoo's opening over ninety years ago),  AND building a new Lion enclosure.  WHILE the Orangutans sit and wait.  Unfortunately, under Tanya Peterson's Direction, they will wait forever.

It's been very clear to those really watching, that Director Tanya Peterson, does not care about or respect the non-Human Beings that call Our Zoo home.  And, it is certainly apparent that she cares the least for Our Great Apes.

The Panda Plan needs to Stop.  Funding needs to materialize for the Orangutans.  They need a new home built, Not Lions.  And certainly not Pandas.

To view the KGO News Story:

*I-TEAM: San Francisco Zoo on verge of losing 3 elderly Chimpanzees

https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-zoo-i-team-dan-noyes-elderly-chimpanzees/533519/

*I-TEAM: Officials say elderly Chimps will stay at San Francisco Zoo

https://abc7news.com/san-francisco-zoo-i-team-dan-noyes-elderly-chimpanzees/536427/

For more information...

*On Our Chimps story, visit my blog, Save San Francisco Zoo Chimps ...

savesfzoochimps.blogspot.com 

*On the plight of Our Orangutans, search this blog using keyword "Orangutans"

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Blogger's Statement

"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."

For Full Statement see this post:

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

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I used to use (search) labels, but too often forget.  I started noting "Hot Topic" in title, but fell lax on that.  Now I'm just going to add labels, keywords, etc., here at the bottom with hashtags.  Does it help in searches, who knows.

#SanFrancisco , #SanFranciscoZoo , #Zoos #SanFranciscoZoologicalSociety , #SanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #SanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed #SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie,

#AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees ,  #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas #Bison