Zoo Visit 4.25.15 - Chimp Girls Non-Birthday, Broken Barriers, ...

I'm going to be posting many Visit reports.  I have done this in the past.  They are basically my thoughts as I navigate through the Zoo.  I used to include some of my (good) Animal photos, but I think I'm changing course in my blog and only posting on issues from here forward.  I don't have alot of time or energy to do everything I want these days and my efforts here are best spent documenting things that in my opinion aren't right and hoping that in doing so there will be change.  

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I usually don't go to the Zoo on the weekend because there's more People and the same Security presence as on Weekdays, which for the most part is two Security Guards.  One in the Parking lot and one to cover the whole grounds.  Not sure how it works when the Lion House is open and one is in there.  Maybe there's a shift overlap.  Regardless, I rarely see any Security the whole time I'm there.

I went this Sunday because it was the Precious Chimp Girls 46th Birthday and I wanted to be there to wish them a Happy Day.  I've posted many times about how the Zoo doesn't celebrate the Animals Special Days, unless it somehow benefits them.  The only exception to this is the Family Farm.  The Keepers there like to acknowledge the Birthdays and most often there is a Celebration.  This day, for the Chimp Girls, no surprise, there was no party, there was no evidence of anything special to mark the day.  This is really Shameful.

 Happy Birthday Maggie!

Happy Birthday Minnie!

There was maintenance being done in their house, so they were outside all day in the South Grotto (3). Note, the work being done was not associated with any upgrade, but long overdue and allegedly neglected upkeep.   This Grotto path is closed to the Public, but when they are in there you can see them from the fence.  Cobby and Maggie looked while I sang Happy Birthday to them. 

The only time the Zoo has ever given the Chimps a Birthday Party was for Cobby in 2009.  Even then it was only because they were shamed into it. ... Link to my post about it.  

http://gooberssfzoofriends.blogspot.com/2009/07/happy-birthday-cobby.html

Curious (well not really), that the Zoo would not think to do something special to highlight their Day, considering they were recently part of a News Story.  People like the Birthday Parties.  Making an Event of it, might have drawn in some Donations for the Upgrade. 

When I got to Big Cats I was pissed.  There has been a portion of the roped barrier at Grotto B, broken, stake down and rope just laying there, for over four months.  Now the other side was broken and two girls were at the fence Meowing and calling Kitty Kitty to the Lions.  I'd really like to see the Animals scare the shit out of Zoo Shitheads.  Oh wait, we already had that and no one learned.  Not the Zoo, not the Visitors.  I most often don't say anything to these people anymore, because the Zoo doesn't seem to care and I usually end up on the wrong side of things.  So I continued on.  Then the same two girls went to Grotto C and did the same thing to the Tiger in there.  Walking back to Lions I then saw this couple. 

A Security Guard was about to breeze by on his bike and I stopped him to note about the people at the fence.  Ongoing issue is that Security is always on a bike whenever you see them.  They are not looking at Visitors and basically only react to the problem they have been dispatched to.  So, they peddle past people over barriers, verbally teasing the Animals, ect, because they don't hear or see anything while in motion.  Anyway, this SecurityG stopped and went over to tell them to get back behind the barrier.  He tried to lift the broken stake and I told him its been broken for four months.  Why no one has seen this to date is beyond me. I take a photo of it every week.  So, he puts his bike across it and then radio calls it in.   So NOW its something they want to attend to.  Geez.  

As I make my way down to Grotto A, I see those same girls at the Window.  I go down there and sure enough they are banging on the window at the Tigers.  I went back up to the SecurityG and said, .... and he basically said he was waiting in regard to the barrier.  I said, you need to toss these girls as they are going to each Animal and harassing them.  He told me they had to have three offences!!! WTF?  I said, well I told you about Lions, Tigers and now different Tigers so that's three.  He looked at me like nothing was going to be done, so I just had to throw my hands up and move on.

Animals and their safety are not a priority at the Zoo.