No one can shake me with their opinions and words against me. I do not shy away from confrontation. I am of very strong and confident character, so, I am posting this comment that was made to the previous post I made:
The comment that came in:
> Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Polar Bear Spa? - Lame new "Mist" added to Enclos...":
You might be the most bitter person I know. The Zoo is clearly trying to improve the quality of life of their animals by adding enrichment- why don't you get a life instead of ripping the Zoo for every little decision it makes? Your obsession is at a creepy level. <
I'll admit that when I was writing that post, like a couple others, I did wonder if it strayed too much from my mission, but I have come to post about all things Zoo that I'm moved to. If that is construed as "ripping" then so be it. Believe me, I got opinions about alot more than just the Zoo! So, sure, having a curiously functioning mister isn't going to make or break the Zoo or more important, an Animals life, but to me its curious and there were other things I've seen along those lines that could be better, so I posted such. If I hadn't posted the photo of Detroit Zoo's expanded Bear Grotto, I can pretty much guarantee, this expansion would not have even happened. The Zoo never wanted to give the Andean Bear even a patch of grass. This only happened because they ended up with an extra Grotto and were handed an idea. Otherwise, they would have put in grass for the Andean Bear and when one of the Grottos became available, the wall would have been knocked down and landscaping would have already been in place. So, that said, yea, some are issues that are more severe in feeling than others, but I still put stuff out there.
Aside from the mister issue, which I welcome feedback on topic, I feel sad for the Animals that there are not more people like me who are rallying for their best interests. Am I bitter? You're damn right I'm something of that description. I prefer to call it pissed. I'm pissed that the Animals welfare is not a priority. I'm pissed that money is spent on things for Humans and not the Animals. I'm pissed that new Animals get brought in while longtime residents like the Andean Bears languish in ancient homes. I'm pissed because Animals have died from lack of proper long-term care. I'm pissed that some Keepers can't do their jobs how they know best for the Animals in their care, because they are met with resistance or threat of firing. I'm pissed because so many people that work there and visit wear blinders and everything suffers. Mostly, these things piss me off because the Animals suffer most and that breaks my heart.
People like "Anonymous" must be under the delusion that I am the only one who has these feelings. I am surely not, I'm just the one who's vocal about it. Unfortunately there are many more people who just aren't as sensitive to the same things I see going on. Does that make me wrong? No. Does that put me in the position of being a target for those who don't agree for whatever reason? Sure. Do I care? No. Not everyone has the same opinion. Our opinions are driven by what we feel. I know that I'm true to my soul by speaking my truth always. That said, my truth is based on personal experience and fact.
So, speaking of truths, "Anonymous" do you know me? If so, don't hide behind the Anonymous option, please post your name, or are you one of the many cowards who work at the Zoo? If its the later and you are just afraid of losing your job, come up to me, I more than welcome that, but most people that work there instead choose to talk about me behind my back. ... If you don't know me, then don't claim to.
If you do really know me, or have followed my blogs and posts then your evaluation of who you think I am is very off. BUT you are entitled to your opinion and because such, I am not a coward in anyway and am posting your comment in confidence of that.
That said, I do appreciate when the Zoo actually does something worthwhile for the Animals. I know enough about the Zoo and have witnessed things with my own eyes, that I can identify those things and not wear rose-colored glasses or ignore the short-comings or worse. I do not work there, so in addition to that, I don't have to abide by the gag orders put forth by Management. So, I don't have to fear losing my job in lieu of standing up for what's right for the Animals.
The Zoo has let many an Animal languish with neglect, in care and enrichment. I'm not saying there has not been good things, but there has certainly been things that are definite truth in what I say.
Over the past twenty years the Zoo has never cared to do anything, to make the Bears (Polars and Andean) lives any better, except the Keeper effort of putting in the one Meadow. Not even when they knew the Andean Bears bones were breaking down from living on concrete. ... They kept Inti the Bobcat in a cage for over ten years before making him a proper home to live in. ... They kept a male Sheep penned up like Veal his whole life, forcing him to develop severe Arthritis for lack of daily exercise, that he recently lost his life because he fell and couldn't get up. The first to blame in the fall of Wakoda, are the Vets and Curators over the last twelve years, who should have instituted a daily exercise routine for him. Heartbreaking, both he and Wishbone the Andean would still be here if it wasn't for neglect. ... SO don't bash me for my opinions, as they are backed up by facts.
Now, on the subject of the "Mist" function for Bears. My opinion has not wavered and if you look at the other comments, I am not alone in them. The position of the mister does not apparently add anything "enriching." If I see that change I will post that.
If you want to do a blog about all the pro's that you buy into that the Zoo puts forth, I welcome you to do so. ... I will do my part in documenting things I think are curious, questionable, and of issue. In doing so, hopefully things will continue to change.
Pairing "creepy" with "obsession" is alittle attention grabbing and dramatic.
If even a small percentage of Visitors were more sensitive and fact seeking to things there, it would be a better place.
I will also say that if half the Staff at the Zoo were more "obsessed" about the Zoo, and less about what I'm blogging about, it would be a better place. If everything at the Zoo were on the up and up, they wouldn't care what I wrote.
In closing I will note that although I have no problem defending my opinions on blog posts, it is not the mission of this blog to defend personal accusations. So, any further comments of that nature will not be published, because I don't have the time or energy for doing such posts as this one. It will apply to any future comments of such as well.
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