Less and Less Space For The Orangutans - Another Triple Grotto Update

Not only is there less and less space, I have still not seen one thing that is FOR the Orangutans.

As with my previous post titled,  Disgust At The Triple Grotto Renovation - Our Poor Orangutans, I was not going to do another Orangutan/Triple Grotto update until this joke of an enclosure opened, but I missed something in that post that really needs to be pointed out.  

The situation is getting worse, and I'm not exaggerating when I say this makes me physically sick.  It's hard to even go by there, just looking at (or thinking about) it makes me want to cry.  Tears are welling as I type this, with visions of this sick plan and the life Ollie and Amoi will be stuck with in this disturbing offering of a home.

So, the only new thing for this week, is the prison wiring went up, to keep the Orangutans from accessing the roof of the night quarters building. ... Hard to see in this photo, but it looked like a few rows of probably hot wire, around the roof of the building.

Additionally, what is worse is something I never even considered was permanent, when I saw it last week.  The huge box that holds and I assume acts as a stopper for the skyscraper bridge, is there to stay.  It's obvious that it is permanent, but like I said, never crossed my mind last week, as I'm pretty sure I was distracted by the whole bridge and platform monstrosity. 

The box, which is in both grottos, looks to be about 3.5 ft square cube.  Not only are they an additional ugly-ass eyesore, that is alot of space being taken up when you think about how small the topical part of the island is to begin with.

To get an idea of how these boxes, even further shrink the topical area. ... The islands are outlined.  They are approximately the same size as one quarter of the Chimp yard, as shown.  The red boxes on the islands show actual size, as the one that has two includes the twigging mound that is similar in size.  

It's hard to believe that this falls into any current aka modern guideline the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) has for housing Orangutans, or any other Animal.  But it's also hard to believe that the AZA and their SSP (Species Survival Plan) breeding program would send the Orangutans here without a dedicated enclosure.   But, they did. 

Two years later and I would still like to know what transpired between the AZA/SSP and our Zoo Director to make that happen.  It's truly shameful, yet neither party seems to think so. 

That all said, I personally don't have any faith in the AZA doing the right thing in many circumstances, so I'm not entirely surprised.  I started a post in early December 2019 titled, Is The AZA a Questionable Leader In Zoo Animal Welfare?  It was born out of a specific situation, but that was just a culmination of too many questionable instances put forth by the AZA/SSP that I've either known about at our SFZoo or read about in other Zoos.  

My draft list had gotten too lengthy for me to ever have the energy or the time to get to, so I narrowed it down to what I felt most needed to be documented, and that AZA post didn't make the cut.   That said, there are some very relevant points that come to mind that I'm going to include in this post. 

The first time I approached the AZA with a concern, I was told to send it to the Accreditation department.  Note that anytime you contact them, they usually do not respond.  You put forth your concern and it either gets attention or doesn't, and you never know what, if any action was taken.  

After years of ignoring my shares via Twitter to them about the breachable barriers that put Animals lives at risk, they contacted me and asked for more information.  Yet, of course when I sent it, there was no response.  There was also no action, as those breachable barriers are exactly the same years later.

Barrier issues is just one issue point.  Other's include, transferring and/or housing of Animals, when in my opinion it's not been in their best interest.  This includes, like with the Orangutans, acquiring Animals that have no place to live or have been hoarded away to inferior housing.  

One example that was disgusting, is the Zoo housed Squirrel Monkeys in a concrete room, with no outdoor access for more than four years.  Either the AZA didn't know about it, or didn't care, but what is curious is that the Santa Ana Zoo got it's accreditation yanked for the way they housed small Monkey species, that actually had an outdoor area.  There just seems to be something not quite right with the things that are allowed to happen at SFZoo.

An article about the Santa Ana Zoo accreditation issue.  Noted in the article is the reasoning.  Here's a screencap. 

https://www.ocregister.com/2017/06/09/outdated-monkey-exhibits-lead-to-loss-of-accreditation-for-santa-ana-zoo-but-officials-have-appealed/

Yet, the AZA has no issue with sending Orangutans, to live at a Zoo that has no dedicated enclosure for them.  It will be interesting to see what they think when they see Triple Grotto!  Still outdated, and now surrounded in concrete. It surely is NOT modern!

So, I don't know what they consider good or bad. It seems to be fluid, depending on what Zoo you are.  We certainly seem to get passes in situations that seem disgraceful and in the current (yet, not only), case of the Orangutans, cruel.

San Francisco Zoo accreditation is this year.  Will the AZA think this shit-show at Triple Grotto is an acceptable housing situation for Great Apes in the the year 2021?

Related post and video

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2021/03/disgust-at-triple-grotto-renovation-our.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ykFLabiXrs

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"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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AZA Habitat Guidelines for Great Apes - Orangutan Update Week Eleven 10.28.19

Let me start by making this statement.  I personally can not understand how the Director of an Animal Care Facility, such as the San Francisco Zoo, can consciously and morally allow Animals the size of Great Apes to sit day after day in a five foot high tunnel and not take immediate action to make their life better.  Where is the Empathy and Compassion, as the Orangutans end the Eleventh Week with the only space available to them outside their bedrooms, is the Skytrails?  

If I am missing something, Director Peterson needs to put out a statement about this, because I'm not the only one who is wondering what her thought process is on this.  Over the past two weeks, it seems that other regular visitors are also finally taking notice.  I have heard them talking within their own group, as well as ask Animal Staff, if the trails is the only (outside) place they have.  

I mentioned in my.previous post that there was a notation in the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) Orangutan Care Manual, about the need for room to "stretch" and "climb".

Here is a photo of Amoi moving through the Skytrail, which by my estimate is approximately 5ft in height.  Her body and limbs bend as she moves through it, I don't think I've ever seen her stretch full length while inside the trail.

Here is a video of Ollie, trying to climb the trail mesh when he saw Chimpanzee Maggie climbing.  It was heartbreaking to watch.  This is the only time I've seen him do this.  He obviously can not climb in the trail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fm2LKZcnF9M

I'm sure the Orangutans are able to fully stretch in their bedrooms, but I doubt there is any place for them to climb, and if there is, it is not a proper set-up as intended by these guidelines.

Top and Bottom Screencaps from AZA Orangutan Care Manual in regard to housing.  No link to provide for this, but full document is available via Google search, that will immediately download PDF of Manual.

The guideline for space for Orangutans, was not as clear to me as it was for Chimpanzees.  Using the Chimpanzee recommended guideline, (I converted the measurements) it is notated that for up to five Chimps 2000 Sq Ft is required, adding an additional 1000 for each additional Chimp.  By my calculations that is 4000 Sq Ft for a group of Seven Chimpanzees.  According to signage, the Dayroom is 1240 Sq Ft, the Yard is 2600, for a total of 3840 Sq Ft.  The Bedrooms are 1000 Sq Ft.  Using these calculations, it clearly shows that for a group of Seven Chimpanzees, there is no feasible way to rotate the Chimpanzees and Orangutans, within these two spaces.  A Third space, that of an additional Yard in Triple Grotto is necessary.  ... So again, WHY is there no third space?  WHY was there no third space constructed before the Zoo acquired Orangutans?  Why did the AZA allow these Orangutans to be transferred to a Zoo that had no proper place for them?  WHY is there no third space in the process of being constructed?  WHY is there no temporary yard being constructed?  HOW long do the Orangutans have to live in the trails?

Screencap from AZA Chimpanzee Care Manual in regard to housing.  No link to provide for this, but full document is available via Google search, that will immediately download PDF of Manual.

The Chimpanzees are still separated into two groups, as introductions are still in progress. The Official Statement by the Zoo is that once the Chimpanzees are fully integrated, they will rotate the Yard and Dayroom with the Orangutans.  I do not see how that can happen on a regular basis.  Maybe a one off here and there, if there was construction started in Triple Grotto, but there is not.  A regular rotation would by my thought, have to have one variation of these scenarios.  ... Chimps in Dayroom, with access to bedrooms and possibly long trail.  Orangs in Yard, with access to short trail and bedrooms.  OR  Chimps in Yard, with access to short trail, but locked out of their bedrooms.  Orangs in Dayroom, with access to long trail, and bedrooms.  The first scenario, logically does not provide the space for Seven Chimpanzees, as the Dayroom alone, is less than half the recommended size.  ... There needs to be a third Yard, and NOW!

So, I noted above how I've overheard visitors talking about the space where the Orangutans have to live.  I've noted the Zoo's Official Statement.  And by this recent news article from Ollie's hometown, what the Erie Zoo has reported to press, even before he left, has been a bit curious. At the time they noted that SFZoo had a brand new enclosure for him.  So I don't know who's selling the illusion, who's buying the illusion, but those of us who are there in person, can certainly see, info from all sides does not add up to what the reality is, or what it should be.   

The news article from Erie:

https://www.goerie.com/news/20191026/former-erie-zoo-animals-thrive-in-new-homes

Screencap of portion regarding male Orangutan Ollie.

I think this whole cruel situation with Ollie and Amoi is wearing me down.  Again I posted a video and forgot to make it public, as I intended to do a post update sooner.  I did Week Ten yesterday.  It should have gone in there.  Anyway, posted last week, I made it on 10.14.19, the start of Week Nine.  Sadly, the story remains the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watchv=vPqpRznYkk8&t=4s

Last week, this news was reported.  I found it ironic, since San Francisco Zoo can't even spring for a renovation in Triple Grotto.  A two island yard to complete their Great Ape Passage and a net over one island for an immediate temporary yard.  Happy for the Orangutans in Toronto, even Sadder for ours here in San Francisco. ... I'll just leave this here.  

You can read the full article here:

https://toronto.citynews.ca/video/2019/10/24/toronto-zoos-6-million-orangutan-conservation-plan/?fbclid=IwAR1ar1-q7RTYfhlSQcrHkWaLqGnCDQS8nPQH4zmIhIOaPHmrIlxY53F5w5k

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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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