I love Birthdays! Everyone has one. For the Zoo friends, sometimes its their actual day of birth, sometimes its their arrival date and the facility they first came to from either the wild or as a rescue. As I became endeared to the San Francisco Zoo Animals, I wanted to celebrate them, by celebrating their Birthday! Again whether the actual day or the estimated day, every Animal has one and if they don't they should (bad record keeping) and that date or any date, at least once a year should become their special day!
The Zoo has no interest in honoring these awesome beings on their Birthday, but I was lucky enough to befriend the Big Cat Keeper who cared enough to share my interest. Because of her, I was lucky enough to do something special for the Cats and Bears birthdays during 2010. Now I just go and wear something festive and sing them Happy Birthday :)
Here are some dates that might be of your special Zoo Friend's special day! ... If not or any other info needed, please contact me, I am always available to provide what I know about the Zoo Animals.
OH almost forgot. While compiling this list, I had to laugh, as I noticed one of the Zoo's famous blunders. They have Lulu the Mandrill's date listed in July of 2008, and her mothers passing date as January 2008. Amazing!
January
1/1971- Elly/Black Rhino
1/1982- Sureshot/Eagle
1/1987- Olive Oyl/Anaconda
1/2003- Grizzly Sisters
3/1998- Monifa/Gorilla
4/1997- Amanzi/African Lion
February
6/2002- Hercules/Great Hornbill
7/2003- Jahari/African Lion
7/1993- Margie/Llama
20/1991- Pelican
March
1/2002- Trent/Otter
16/1980- Boomer/Emu
18/1989- Cleo/Mandrill
25/2001- Wakoda/Navajo Churro Sheep
April
4/2008- Nataani/Navajo Churro Sheep
9/1992- Bosco/Black Howler
13/2002- Kristin/Giraffe
16/1994- Rigel/Snow Leopard
24/1959- Tallulah/Chimpanzee
25/1969- Maggie/Chimpanzee
25/1970- Minnie/Chimpanzee
(Chimp info taken from Studbook/differs from Zoo info)
(Chimp info taken from Studbook/differs from Zoo info)
May
10/2002- Inti/Bobcat
11/2003- Bititi/Giraffe
14/1988- Sauna/Lion Tailed Macaque
18/2003- Tucker/Hippo
25/1995- Gauhati/Asian Rhino
31/2001- Spice Kids (Basil, Nutmeg, Paprika) Nigerian Dwarf Goats
June
10/2001- Paddy Nigerian Dwarf Goat
10/2001- Paddy Nigerian Dwarf Goat
11/2002- Sam/Giraffe
14/2003- Goldfish/Fishing Cat
28/2002- Sukari/African Lion
July
10/1958- Cobby/Chimpanzee
10/2003- Skylar/Sumatran Tiger
13/1980- Bwang/Gorilla
13/1994- Slash/Cassowary
19/2003- Lupe/Black Howler
21/1989- Jesus/Lion tailed Macaque
22/1999- Pokemon/Blackbuck
24/2008- Lulu/Mandrill
31/1989- Jonesy/Gorilla
July/2008- Belozi/Black Rhino
July/2008- Belozi/Black Rhino
August
1/2000- Shastyuh/Amur Tiger
2/1998- Eric/Duiker
12/1994- Goober/Bairds Tapir
September
5/2005- Tiki & Kai/Kune Pigs
5/2005- Tiki & Kai/Kune Pigs
8/2003- Lily/Duiker
13/1981- Zura/Gorilla
14/2005- Razzleberry/Nigerian Dwarf Goat
19/2007- Jesse/Mandrill
14/2005- Razzleberry/Nigerian Dwarf Goat
19/2007- Jesse/Mandrill
23/1998- Nneka/Gorilla
October
26/1998- Angelo/Anteater
29/1989- Diamond/Black Howler
30/2001- Snickers & Milky Way/Nigerian Dwarf Goats
30/2003- Wasabi/Rooster
30/2003- Wasabi/Rooster
November
25/1982- Pike/Polar Bear
December
19/1980- Ulu/Polar Bear
Thank you so much for posting these birthdays. It's a crime in itself that the zoo doesnt think this is important. It's important to the visitors, the memory of the animal, something to learn from. It's disrespectful to not have these milestones visited. I don't think the zoo cares that the public loves this. Even if they looked on this at a business standpoint, they are lacking in creativity and bringing in the visitors. They should have birthdays at least celebrated once a month. By this list alone, they could celebrate all of the animals for the month on possibly the first Saturday of the month? Thank you for your tireless efforts on bringing this wonderful info to us and showing you love for the wonderful animals at the sf zoo.
ReplyDelete@Lee- Thank you for your comment. Your welcome. I know there are others who feel the same way about celebrating the Animals as we do. I wish others were as vocal ;) Regardless, the Zoo still wouldn't do things geared toward what the Visitors actually like. AND yes they could do a monthly celebration. In fact I suggested this to the Zoo Director Tanya Peterson over three years ago now. Put up signs at the Birthday Friends enclosure that says, my bday is... And then have a fun celebration once a month. They can't even do that. I just don't get it. Its disrepectful, but then again we have a Director who makes off color remarks when refering to an Animal that's passed. Its also uncreative, and lazy. Don't they say they do Enrichment daily? So, what's the problem celebrating an Animal who dedicates its life to the Zoo?
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