My Zoo Outtings Synopsis - Sunday February 9, 2014

> February 8, 2014 -  Another curious thing is when I made my Year of the Horse post featuring our wonderful Farm Friend Ben, I checked the Zoo's site and neither the banner or the Calendar had a mention of a Lunar event this year.  I thought they just weren't going to do one this year.  Maybe they weren't?  Who knows.  Anyway the Zoo posted to their Facebook page a few days ago.  It will be tomorrow.  In anycase, I must every year post about this because I feel strongly that the Chinese New Year traditional Lion Dance should not be a part of this event.  The sound volume is too loud for most of the Animals.  I have witnessed this several times, yet it seems that having it be a part of the event continues to be a priority over Animal Wellness.   Please read my extended post 

http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2014/02/chinese-lunar-new-year-event-2014.html

> February 8, 2014 - Zoo Friend Birthday Celebration!? ...  Very interesting and curious I must say!  The Zoo rarely recognizes, let alone Celebrates the Birthdays of the Zoo Friends.  In the post on my other blog, http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2014/01/happy-birthday-gladys-cincinnati.html  I wrote a bit about the SFZoo's history in regard to this, as well publicly put it out there as a <hint> that they should do one for Jillian the Tiger Cubs First Birthday on Feb 10th.   Did I shame them into it?  Who knows, but stop by the Zoo on Monday morning at 10:30a as they give her some special Birthday Treats!

> February 7, 2014 - Zoo Friend Birthdays Today!

Happy 11th Birthday Miss Chipotle!

Happy 11th Birthday Jahari!

> February 6, 2014 - Zoo Friend Birthday Today!

Happy 12th Birthday Hercules!

> February 5, 2014 - Zoo Friend Birthday Today!

Happy Birthday Nikos!

> February 4, 2014 - Zoo Friend Birthday Today!

Happy 6th Birthday Nataani!

> February 3, 2014 - Visited the Zoo today and got this snap :)  Family Farm Intern Katie got crafty awesome and made a banner in Honor of Celebrating the Year of the Horse!   Yay! Ben!

> January 31, 2014 -  Wow farthest behind I've ever been, my apologies!  Will try to remedy this on the weekend.  Til then, here's a wonderful photo of  my Family Farm Friend Ben  :)  ... 

Happy Year of the Ben :)  aka ...

New Giraffe Girls Are Here, but Where Are The Dukier Girls?

Yesterday the Zoo finally released news that there was a Giraffe Birth.  I knew Carolina (Kristen) was pregnant and had given birth last week, so it was great to finally see photos of the new calf :)   I have suspected the other female Bititi to also be pregnant, but there is no confirmation, because unlike other Zoo's the SFZoo doesn't like to confirm pregnancies, which I find curious.  ... Look forward to seeing the new babie!  Congratulations Carolina!

 Tuesday I spied Carolina looking out of the Giraffe Barn :)  

Bititi had come by to say hi

but I missed the capture of the ladies having a visit.

Welcome Amani! 

This is the new addition, who recently came from 

Albuquerque Bio Park Zoo 

 At two years old, she is a bit smaller now
but once she grows she
will be identifiable by the little marking on her neck 

that to me most looks like a bird :)

You can see photos of Carolina's calf in this news article, but I wouldn't pay much attention to the text as reporter Raji didn't take the time to actually fact check and when mentioning the Tiger Cub refered to it as male.  UG.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/SF-Zoos-Newest-Member-a-Baby-Giraffe--209427421.html

SO the BIG question is, since Amani is in the Coral and Carolina is in the Barn, where is Lily (Duiker) and her babie girl?  They had been penned up and separated from Erik the father (another curiosity)  in the corral since the birth, so where have they shuffled them off to now?   ... There was no one around to ask, and even if there was who knows if I'd get a straight answer.  There seems to be a big hush these days where I'm concerned.  Curious since I only write about stuff I see or hear first hand and my own opinions.  It is my opinion, that this shouldn't be an issue if everything is on the up and up.  So, that does beg the ? why is everyone so afraid of sharing information, if its the truth?  If they'd stop being so preoccupied with being so secretive, there would A: there would be signs explaining what is going on and B: be someone to ask,   so that, A: people are informed  and B: assumptions would not have to be made.  The assumptions in this case are that the poor Disrespected Duikers have once again been moved and or separated to other places in the Zoo where they aren't on view.  Like their son Houdini who lives in seclusion alone behind the old Eland exhibit and poor Pokemon (Blackbuck)who we will probably never see again, despite him loving the company of visitors, yet is being housed in an area off the Savannah that is boarded up so his view is of wood instead of other beings.  OK i've digressed a bit, yet its related.

If you're interested you can read more here:
http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2012/06/disrespected-dukiers.html

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Contact the San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson

if you want your voice heard.

tanyap@sfzoo.org