After decompressing from three long days out, I had an important Zoo effort that I wanted to finish this evening, but instead I got involved with listening to the RecPark Commission Meeting. I shouldn't have, because I needed to prioritize that other effort, that has been in my minds motion for two months and it's becoming time sensitive. But, here we are, and instead I've now spent over four hours on this post.
I just listened to the Zoo's Monthly Report given to the Park Commissioners by the Zoo's CFO Jeff Pace. What a joke. I'm sorry, I don't know this guy, he may have drunk the juice and believes what he's saying, or is just one of Zoo Director Tanya Peterson's minions, or both. Director Peterson continues to think she is above attending this and the Joint Zoo Meetings regularly. So, Pace was the face of this month's report. This presentation continues the Zoo's scramble for back-pats, amid obvious and mass mismanagement that has and continues to take place under Tanya Peterson's Directorship.
A Video of the Meeting is viewable here:
https://sanfrancisco.granicus.com/player/clip/48429?view_id=91&redirect=true
Pace's focus was to applaud themselves for the Madagascar project, which has been a shit-show since day one, and a singular example, of Peterson's and the Zoological Society's style of mismanaging Our Zoo. Their personal Wants have taken priority over the Needs of Our Animals and Our Zoo. The Lipman Family Madagascar Vanity Project is the epitome of that.
I will, as I have before, note that I appreciate the generosity of the Lipman's who have donated alot of money to the Zoo over the years. Their funding created the Lemur Forest, and enclosures for the Sifaka and Komodo Dragon. That said, the Madagascar Project was fast-tracked above necessary Needs, and that may not necessarily be their fault, but it is a thorn to all of us who care about the Animals Needs that have been grossly overlooked.
While touting glorious illusions about the Mad Project, Pace states, "We have created an upper walkway, that allows visitors to traverse from the Lemur Boardwalk to the dual level Fossa habitat". Again I'm sorry, but is this guy delusional? That upper walkway was built in 2002 when the Lemur Forest opened. Good grief. Is it delusion or flat-out lies? That said, the RecPark Commissioners have no idea about the Zoo, so probably bought what he was selling. Another major issue in Zoo mismanagement has been and continues to be, the lack of interest and attention to the Zoo from the RecPark, resulting in them having no idea.
Pace also states, "We the Zoo have invested over $7.75 Million", (to the Madagascar Project). As I have understood the funding for this project was soley Donor funded. At first it was rumored ten million, then seven million. I think this is creative wording to create yet another ray in the Zoo's illusion of sunshine. The Zoo should not have put any money into this project.
Since I continually roar about the issue with the Orangutans, I will note that this Mad Project, coincided with Director Peterson chasing the acquisition of Orangutans. Once successful, Orangutans arrived with no dedicated enclosure, and their only outdoor access for eight months straight, but not limited to, was the caged tubes of the overhead trails. Shameful that there has never been any funds for them and they continue to languish in an ancient enclosure, with no change in sight.
Additionally, Rosemary B., the Finance Chair for the Zoological Society, rose to the occasion, and took the opportunity to boast about the Society's monetary support in the last twenty-four years, also reporting that the Lipman's have contributed and additional $400,000 to the project. This is surprising as I heard last year they were allegedly not happy with it and threatened to pull their funding. Not hard to believe that rumor as fact considering what the outcome has and will be. It certainly is not what I have imagined could have been done with the space. It's a complete waste of an enormous amount of money.
The design has changed a few times, but aside from the Fossa and Insects, has never included actual Animals from Madagascar. I don't even get what it's supposed to be. The Fossa area in my opinion should not have been built where it is. The ground level design is ridiculous. So far it has some kind of interactive presentation area, where the poor Animals will be forced to interact with visitors, which Pace says is "Awesome". Not for the Animals. Anyway, I hear I'm not the only one who calls it the BBQ Pit. Another Zoo eyesore. The next phase was noted in the design and confirmed in todays presentation, to include a pond for Pelicans, and two Tortoise enclosures. Pelicans aren't even native to Madagascar. I'm assuming that the recently re-acquired Pink-Backed Pelicans will be moved from upper lake to this smaller and sure to be inappropriate housing. Pink-Backs reportedly bred on the island at some point, but are no longer found there. No idea what Tortoises they plan to put there, as the Radiated Tortoise which is from Madagascar, has been recently introduced to the Sifaka enclosure.
In my opinion the ground level (referred to by Pace as the Basin), is a huge disappointment. Sad that this substantial area of space was not better utilized, and that we lost four species of Primates for this disaster. When this project first arose, I thought that the Fossa would go in the main area. I thought the main area was going to be filled with Animals from Madagascar. They could have created two, two level enclosures to house both the Fossa's (one is off exhibit) and a large indoor/outdoor enclosure for the Aldabra Tortoises on the ground level and a separated space for Madagascar birds above them. The Tortoises are currently happily living at the Farm, but will continue to grow, and could have used a permanent enclosure to accomdate their eventual size. There would probably have even been space to acquire additional smaller Madagascar mammals, like Fanaloka and/or Tenrec's. Funds should also have been used to update the Nocturnal Gallery to bring back Aye Ayes, which we used to have and are native to Madagascar. That was a great exhibit, and a visitor favorite. ... I think my vision is far better than their outcome.
I apologize for not including a better photos of this area. I took one this week, for future use, I didnt share from my phone to tablet, as I didn't think the future was this soon. So below I have a photo from before the BBQ Pit was constructed and a aerial view from Google maps. Both show the size of the area. The non-map photo, actually is shorted, there is more room beyond the bottom of the photo.
Another thing this final plan shows, or shall I say exposes, is Director Tanya Peterson's lie to the public. After the horror of Maki the Lemur's kidnapping (in 2020), Peterson created a fundraiser to allegedly, "build Maki a new home". By all accounts, my own and staff, this was allegedly completely made-up.
In a blog post at the time, I wrote... "I get that its a fundraising thing, but I think it's in very poor taste to use Maki's traumatic experience in this way. They aren't creative enough to come up with other ideas, so they pimp out this poor guy's kidnapping? I can't even with this lack of conscience".
I was hurt by this. In my opinion this took Peterson's disrespect for the Animals to another level. Using what Maki went through in this way, was beyond disgusting.
Pace's concentration on the Baobab Tree is comical. There is a Baobab tree in the Sifaka, that has been there for six years, and never has been talked about to the extent it was in this presentation. Highlighting the larger version that is an eye sore, is just padding to the illusion of their own faux greatness. There has been more attention spent on that damn tree than on the Animals. Unfortunately that is nothing new. Director Peterson favors art installiations, gardens and other non-Animal related ventures, more than the Animals. Tanya Peterson has no care or compassion that the Zoo is an Animal Care Facility. Our Zoo Needs a Director who does.
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I used to use (search) labels, but too often forget. I started noting "Hot Topic" in title, but fell lax on that. Now I'm just going to add labels, keywords, etc., here at the bottom with hashtags. Does it help in searches, who knows.
#SanFrancisco , #SanFranciscoZoo , #Zoos #SanFranciscoZoologicalSociety , #SanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #SanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed ,
#SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie
#AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees , #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas #Bison
