Jillian Gets a Mate! - Meet the Zoo's New Sumatran Tiger Teddy!

Sadly a couple weeks ago our precious big handsome guy Bronevik (Amur Tiger) has left the Zoo.  I love this guy and sad he's not here.  I sure will miss him!  Very sad when I learned he was leaving.  Thankfully the Universe was good to me and the best case scenario happened, he has moved to the Omaha Zoo, which is one of my friends home Zoo!  So, I will get updates on him, and how he and his new lady like each other.  Babie Bronies are in the future!

Last year after Jillian (Sumatran Tiger) came back home to SFZoo, I had some thoughts.  Thinking to the future of our Sumatran Tigers, as well our Lions,  the logical thing for them to do was to keep Jillian and Jasiri (3 yr old Lion) here.  Both sets of Parents are considered Seniors,  Tigers - Skylar/Leanne (16 in July  ) and Taymor/Larry  (*13 in November)  Lions - Sukari (17 in June) and  Jahari (16 this month)   Keeping their offspring at this point, and bringing in mates for them in the future seemed like a probable plan.  There wasn't enough space for all that right now, and then the sad news about Bronevik leaving came.  

In the early days of Jillian's return, I asked about this idea, in reference to her, and only got, I don't knows.  Well, half of my thought has come to fruition and the Zoo recently acquired a male Sumatran for Jillian.  

Jillian's new boyfriend's name is Teddy.  He sure is handsome!  

Screencap from San Diego Zoo

Teddy was born April 22, 2004 at Fort Wayne Zoo.  At almost 15 years old, I feel bad that as what is considered senior age, he was transferred out of San Diego.  SDZoo should have been his retirement home.  Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to getting to know him, but I just don't think Seniors should be a part of the breeding program, which make them eligible for alleged mandatory transfer, if the AZA/SSP recommends it.  SFZoo better be his forever home. 

That said, I had hoped with this development (a mate for Jillian) the AZA/SSP would stop allegedly (what I last heard, almost a yr ago) forcing the SFZoo to breed Jillian's Parents, Skylar and Taymor.  For one, as noted above, Sky is almost 16, and although at *12 yrs old, Taymor is still borderline to be considered senior, he has had previous health issues and keeping him here and happy should be the priority.   These two both warm my heart and have broken it.  When they were mating before Jillian was conceived, they really seemed to enjoy each other.  Then, Skylar got pregnant and they were separated.  Pregnancy time, plus the four years Jillian remained here with Mama, equaled near five years that Skylar and Taymor remained apart.  When Jillian left to Sacramento Zoo, they were put back together and have been together the two years since.  These two really enjoy each other, and shouldn't be separated ever again.

Here is a recent video I took of them, I call it the Courting Dance.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=60n71QxcnBY

Unfortunately, as I understand it, the AZA/SSP guidelines dictate housing specifics.  In the case of Sumatran Tigers, they are housed separately unless they are an active breeding pair.  So if the Zoo decided to not breed them, and let them continue to live together outside of that breeding recommendation, I don't know what that would mean for either of them or the Zoo.  Would the AZA/SSP allow them to stay here and be housed together?  Or would the AZA/SSP then transfer them to other Zoos?  Do they threaten revoking accreditation if the doesn't want to comply?  

I certainly hope Skylar and Taymor can exit the breeding program, and be allowed to retire here together.   They should put Skylar on birth control if possible, to ensure this.  Separating these two again at this stage of their life would be cruel. 

In my opinion, as Zoo goers we are force fed what Animal behavior in the wild is.  And while it is great to learn about the Animals natural instincts, these Animals are not in the wild and their housing should not be dictated by a "parent" organizations generalized guidelines, but by the individual Animals behaviors and needs.  The priority should be what works best for them. 

 *~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ten Years Since Tatiana - Are the Zoo Animals Any Safer?

For years my Holiday routine included a Zoo Visit.  I have had a Membership most of my Adult life, but it wasn't until the following year that my passion for the place and its residents would escalate and I would learn more about the Animals as individuals and be endeared to each one.  That Christmas Day in 2007,  I visited the Zoo Animals, even though I didn't know their names, I was thankful to be in their presence.  

I had two places to go that day.  I debated which to do first and chose the Zoo.  When I got home at 5:30p, I would learn that the Tiger in this photo was Tatiana.  Taken at 2:48p, probably that last photo of her.  By 4p, another visitor had seen the three evil delinquents who caused her death, harassing the Lions and didn't say anything to them or notify Zoo Staff.  By 5p, Tatiana was dead.  I would forever know the name of a Tiger I would never really know.  Her companion Tony would become one of my best Zoo Friends.

RIP Tatiana  Bless You and Precious Tony.  Thank you for trying to protect him and your home from Evil Delinquent Bullies. 

Hard to believe its been Ten Years.

Every Holiday Season since 2007, the Media has dredged up the tragic events of that Christmas Day.  Every year I'm pissed about it.  I think they do it just to have a sensationalized story.   Unless there is a new reason, there is no reason to keep bringing it up. So, as someone who hates when this story resurfaces, why am I bringing it up?  Its been ten years.  In my opinion not much has changed to keep the Animals who live at the Zoo, safe in their home.  Why is that?

If you read my last post, then you will understand why I feel this way.  While the exact circumstances are not the same, a barrier was breached, by both Tatiana the Tiger, and the Delinquints who led her to her death.  

It seems the media continues to focus on the height of the wall, which may or may not have played a part, but was not in violation of any guideline.  I had never participated in comment banter before this, but spent many nights up late reading every sfgate comment on every article and responding to many in the Zoo's defense.  All I knew is, if that exhibit had re-opened the next day, I would feel safe in front of it.  I figured the Zoo had been open almost 80 years and a Tiger had never escaped before, there couldn't be an issue with containment.  I thought that Tatiana gained super strength from rage toward her tormentors, and was able to use their legs as a ladder to exit the enclosure.  That said, in recent years I have learned from different sources that Zoo Management has allegedly known for over forty years, that the Big Cats could get out and as far back Visitors had reported seeing a Tiger's head peek out of the bushes that lined the top of the enclosure.  So many years ago, those instances didn't involve Tatiana.  In the summer of 2007, one person relayed that she heard rustling in the bushes and saw a Tiger's head pop up for a second.  That may or may not have been Tatiana, but it was one of the Zoos Tigers, showing that they could get out if they wanted to.  Even a Keeper said a Tiger could easily jump out.  So, in hindsight, not so sure I'd go and stand in front of that same enclosure.  

The point is, that even though entry to the enclosure was not the catalyst for that tragedy, unsecured barriers played a part.  All those years went by with different administrations coming and going and not one ever thought to put more secure barriers on exhibits that held Animals that could jump.  Just like today, people hang their kids over barriers, but I guess not until one falls in will the Zoo add a deterrent to prevent such a thing.  I pray all the time that never happens and the Animals stay safe. 

Even though I now know, an escape is possible, I had never felt and don't currently feel an Animal could get out.  My concern is that a Visitor could get in, most likely accidentally.  

I also want to say something about misbehavior.  I've written endlessly on this as well, but the barrier breaching is just part of bad behavior that is allowed at the Zoo.  Too many instances that parallel what happened to Tatiana, still going on today and the Zoo doesn't even give these offenders a reprimand.  One incident in which Visitors threw rocks at one of the Tigers who was sleeping, because they wanted it to get up.  You would think that person should have been thrown out, not only because of the action, but because of the direct reflection to the Tatiana tragedy.  Nope.  Zoo Management allowed those offenders to continue on with their day at the Zoo. Outrageous.

The way Visitors behave, breaching barriers, throwing things in enclosures, heckling the Animals, Howling at the Wolves, banging on windows, pounding their chests at the Gorillas, its all disgusting., harassment and bullying of the Animals in their home.  The Zoo Staff most often says nothing to these people, in fact they barely notice.  I've had Zoo Staff stand right next to me while people hang their kids over the barrier.  Security zoom by on their bikes with blinders on.  And if you do call in something, offenders are never ejected.  In fact I've witnessed Security and Management when they do talk to offenders and often they are so causal about it, I see them laughing.  Personally I don't think putting the Animals in danger or harassing them is funny.  I've stopped doing that because its a waste of energy.

How many more years do we have to wait for these issues to be taken seriously?  

News Article - Looking Back at Tiger Event Christmas 2007

I woke up this morning to this article via a Google News Alert email.

 

http://abclocal.go.com/kgo/story?section=news/local/san_francisco&id=8931297&status=ok

 

I commented on the ABC site:  (Note that my comment was split into parts and ABC deleted all but the first part.  So I requested them delete the full post, since I find censoring public News forums in violation of the Constitution.)

 

As someone who is a frequent Zoo Visitor I remember this day well.  I was there.  Unfortunately not at the right time, as maybe I'd have seen the Dahliwals taunting the Animals and I would have said something that might have made them stop before this tragedy they allegedly caused.  I went a if route that day and was there earlier, possibly capturing the last photo of Tatiana at 2:48pm.  Happy and lounging in the sun with her companion Tony.  .. Yes the Zoo made changes to the Big Cat Grottos, but there is no such sign to not taunt the Tigers.  As well there are many other exhibits that leave the Animals vulnerable to Visitor harassment and stupidity, the later which could result in an event much like the one last month at the Pittsburgh Zoo.  In my opinion, the SFZoo and Zoo's in general have not made any changes in the past five years that keep up with the mounting acts of misbehavior of Visitors. 

 

Additionally, I will say in referenece to what is reported in this article, there are no specific signs that say not to taunt the Tigers.  In fact I recently witnessed a kid about to throw objects at one of the Tigers.  There are generic signs that request Visitors "Respect the Animals".   Althought these signs have become more plentiful, they are still not enough both in quantity and in words.  Visitor misbehavior is rampant, both in harassing the Animals and breaching barriers. 

 

As well, to my knowledge the only tribute to Tatiana at the Zoo is a bench that sits in front of the grotto she shared with her companion Tony.  The bench was purchased by a small group of her friends who were heartbroken that she lost her life defending her home and companion, because of alleged, yet apparent Visitor misbehavior.   That said, neither of the bronze statues at the entrance, are not of Tatiana, they are not even of Tigers.   I'd like to know where this rumor got started, as I've heard this before.  Writers these days do not seem to do any investigative reporting.

 

There's more I could say but won't.  Its Christmas and I'm sure there are innocent people who were affected by the acts of these three boys. 

 

 

RIP Tatiana

 

December 25, 2007  2:48pm

 

Two hours later Tatiana was dead.   Remember when visiting any Zoo, Act with Empathy.  Do not harrass, heckle, throw stuff at, mimic, or otherwise taunt that Beings that live there in captivity so that we can enjoy their beauty and learn about them.  As well, please report any misbehavior you witness and if you are able to, tell people yourself not to behave in such a way.  You might save a life.  There was reportedly a woman who saw the Dahliwals harrassing the Lions prior to the Tigers.   Tatiana might still be alive if she had reported this.

Happy Birthday Shastyuh! - Tiger Bday!

Shastyuh turns 12 today!
~ August 1st ~

Happy Birthday Shastyuh!

My Fluffy Girl!