Blog And Visit Updates, Panda Yay or Nay, & Staff Firing Truths

Apologies again for this not being that Part Two to my post What I Think Our Zoo Needs - Part One, dated February 22.  I had planned to work on that today, with hopes of publishing on Sunday, and if I didn't get to that, I had some thoughts after my Zoo walk this week that I was going to express in a short post.  That said, as it often happens, my plans get hijacked by something else, which is what happened late last night.

So, here we are, and I feel I must post on what's current, so that Part Two, is again probably not happening this weekend.  I may even pause that altogether til I catch-up with way past drafts, as well, with the Audit supposedly being made public in April, I should catch-up or abandon drafts.  I want to be timely with what the Audit will reveal, especially with any Panda related news.  So, regular followers of this blog, bear with me as I reorganize the post flow, and get to what I can, when I can.  That's my new motto in my life in general.  I'm working within my priorities, which are peace and personal productivity.  After what is now nearing five years of a rough time for me, I'm working to declutter as much as I can, in every aspect.  Without putting unproductive pressure on myself, I'm hoping my efforts these next few months are going to make a difference in alot of areas of life, as I do what I can, when I can.

Since last August with the hallelujah exit of the former CEO/Director (Dictator, Destroyer), and the appointment of an Interim CEO team, I have been keeping close watch for changes.  Changes that I have felt have not been what I had hoped, or expected to see, both in swiftness and abundance.  I expand on the aspects of this in one of my draft posts.  As the months ticked on, myself and staff I've talked to continue to be optimistic, with a some staffers offering that the Interim's hands might be tied, and/or they are just keeping the Zoo going, until a new Director was found.  Last month, the sixth month in the wait, Co-Interim Cassandra Costello, was appointed to the permanent position of CEO/Director.  Something else I still plan to cover in a post, if I can ever catch-up.  I also still haven't read any press coverage regarding that announcement.  Will do, when I get to that point.  

Over the month since Costello taking lead, I have been watching for changes and waiting for tangible progress of a bright future for Our Zoo.  In the Part One to that Part Two, I list a few of those things, as well as in other posts in draft.  

In a two-parter from last October titled, The Change That's Needed To Save Our Zoo, I not only focus on what I think should be done by any new CEO/Director, as one had not yet been named, but also by The Mayor, Rec/Park, and the Zoological Society Board.  As I wrote in those posts, a Restructuring and Redefining of the Management Entity duties and Pyramid of Power, is an important need to the future of Our Zoo.  Neither has been addressed since the former Director's exit.  

During each of my visits, I look for visual  changes.  I've noticed things here and there that make a difference, one of note from this week, was the Bird Deterrent Window Decals on some enclosure windows.   

Seen at Snow Leopards

With the heat, I limited my walk, and did not cover the entire grounds, so next week I hope to see they are on every necessary window.  I wrote about this dire issue several years ago, after seeing yet another Duck fly into the glass at Flamingos.  The following week, I arrived at Flamingos as decals were being put up, but only there.  Sadly, I saw a Sparrow dead from a window strike, on it's back, footies up, laying at the window at Gorillas a couple months ago.  A tragedy that may have been prevented if Decals had been on all windows.  The thought of how many Birds may have lost their lives because of the lack of attention to something so simple, is upsetting.  One life lost is too many.  Hoping to see they are now everywhere, and that the Zoo will continue it's attention to this.  Two larger scale things that I thought might indicate more to come, have been the work to bring life again to our beautiful Lion Fountain, and the attention that was given to the perimeter fence.  I was really encouraged by the later, as a definite show of care, but was let down by the end result.  More on that in another post.

Also new for this week, not from my visit, but from my thoughts.  I've mentioned many times the abundance of ideas I've had over the years, some I've shared that have gotten done, and some I've just written about, but many I haven't.  All for the betterment of Our Zoo.  I thought once there was a new Director, I would share all my ideas, even with an Interim, but unfortunately that time frame coincided with the Zoo still chasing Pandas.  It's no secret I have been against acquiring Pandas from the start.  So, I have went back and forth about sharing money making ideas, because I don't want my ideas to make money for Pandas, while current Animals have needs.  I just don't believe that funding for Pandas won't dip into the General Fund.  Maybe I shouldn't be thinking that way, but I'm being honest about how it feels to me.  If it's ever official that the Panda Plan is no longer, I'm all in for sharing ideas.  

So, enough of my preamble ramble.  Let's get to what prompted this post to come before that Part Two.  

I made the mistake once again of looking at email after dark.  It was nearing 10p and I just sat down with dinner, and email was open on my tablet.  Someone had sent me the latest from the Anti-Zoo Activist at SFZoo Watch...

"EXCLUSIVE: Panda Deal Dead, Fiscal Emergency Declared, Staff Out the Door ... SF Zoo Declares Fiscal Emergency to Staff. Animal Care Staff Fired and Escorted Off Premises. Layoffs coming."

Good grief, no peace while eating, because of course I couldn't wait a second longer to see what this was about, because this all sounded like it came out of nowhere.  I was there Tuesday, engaged with staff as I regularly do, and there was no inkling of any of this rumbling.  

After reading this, the Activist's take? on whatever information he is basing his post on, I have a hard time believing his interpretation.  My opinion of this information, including his spin on it, is that this guy may be sensationalizing, because it sounds really grim for Our Zoo's future, and I don't believe we are at that point.  At least not yet.  Until I can confirm any of it from my own sources, I don't believe this to be an actual portrayal, but a narrative he is trying to sell, to ignite doom and gloom, specifically to further his Close The Zoo agenda.

Since my Google News Alert for "San Francisco Zoo" hadn't yet generated for the night, I did a search, and nothing current came up.  That said, a bit ago I broke from this for a snack, and saw that page had regenerated to include a Chronicle article published seemingly sometime within the hour before midnight.  Titled, "S.F. Zoo to cut jobs amid financial pressures."  I just read it, and of course, as I predicted, it is not as The Activist has portrayed.  More in a following post.

Before starting this post I also checked yesterday's Joint Zoo Meeting Agenda notes (Minutes aren't published same day), and watched the Full Rec/Park Commission video.  While there was no mention of Pandas or Staff Firings, there was some encouraging offerings.  I'll put those in a separate post.

I'm ready to wrap this up. I've dozed off three times in the last half hour, four plus hrs into writing this.  I need a nap.  I noted in many instances that I would continue with more in future posts.  I do not mean that as teasers, I just know I have more words about those topics, either already in past drafts, or current thoughts circling in my mind.  This post is already long and the later would most likely make it too lengthy.  So, spacing it out is best.

Previous Post:

*Other Zoo's New Builds vs Our Zoo's Future Build Status

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2026/03/other-zoos-new-builds-vs-our-zoos.html

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#SanFrancisco , #SanFranciscoZoo , #Zoos #SanFranciscoZoologicalSociety  , #SanFranciscoZooCEODirectorCassandraCostello , #FormerSanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #FormerSanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed , #SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie , #AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees ,  #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas , #Bison