Ten Years Since Tatiana - Are the Zoo Animals Any Safer?

For years my Holiday routine included a Zoo Visit.  I have had a Membership most of my Adult life, but it wasn't until the following year that my passion for the place and its residents would escalate and I would learn more about the Animals as individuals and be endeared to each one.  That Christmas Day in 2007,  I visited the Zoo Animals, even though I didn't know their names, I was thankful to be in their presence.  

I had two places to go that day.  I debated which to do first and chose the Zoo.  When I got home at 5:30p, I would learn that the Tiger in this photo was Tatiana.  Taken at 2:48p, probably that last photo of her.  By 4p, another visitor had seen the three evil delinquents who caused her death, harassing the Lions and didn't say anything to them or notify Zoo Staff.  By 5p, Tatiana was dead.  I would forever know the name of a Tiger I would never really know.  Her companion Tony would become one of my best Zoo Friends.

RIP Tatiana  Bless You and Precious Tony.  Thank you for trying to protect him and your home from Evil Delinquent Bullies. 

Hard to believe its been Ten Years.

Every Holiday Season since 2007, the Media has dredged up the tragic events of that Christmas Day.  Every year I'm pissed about it.  I think they do it just to have a sensationalized story.   Unless there is a new reason, there is no reason to keep bringing it up. So, as someone who hates when this story resurfaces, why am I bringing it up?  Its been ten years.  In my opinion not much has changed to keep the Animals who live at the Zoo, safe in their home.  Why is that?

If you read my last post, then you will understand why I feel this way.  While the exact circumstances are not the same, a barrier was breached, by both Tatiana the Tiger, and the Delinquints who led her to her death.  

It seems the media continues to focus on the height of the wall, which may or may not have played a part, but was not in violation of any guideline.  I had never participated in comment banter before this, but spent many nights up late reading every sfgate comment on every article and responding to many in the Zoo's defense.  All I knew is, if that exhibit had re-opened the next day, I would feel safe in front of it.  I figured the Zoo had been open almost 80 years and a Tiger had never escaped before, there couldn't be an issue with containment.  I thought that Tatiana gained super strength from rage toward her tormentors, and was able to use their legs as a ladder to exit the enclosure.  That said, in recent years I have learned from different sources that Zoo Management has allegedly known for over forty years, that the Big Cats could get out and as far back Visitors had reported seeing a Tiger's head peek out of the bushes that lined the top of the enclosure.  So many years ago, those instances didn't involve Tatiana.  In the summer of 2007, one person relayed that she heard rustling in the bushes and saw a Tiger's head pop up for a second.  That may or may not have been Tatiana, but it was one of the Zoos Tigers, showing that they could get out if they wanted to.  Even a Keeper said a Tiger could easily jump out.  So, in hindsight, not so sure I'd go and stand in front of that same enclosure.  

The point is, that even though entry to the enclosure was not the catalyst for that tragedy, unsecured barriers played a part.  All those years went by with different administrations coming and going and not one ever thought to put more secure barriers on exhibits that held Animals that could jump.  Just like today, people hang their kids over barriers, but I guess not until one falls in will the Zoo add a deterrent to prevent such a thing.  I pray all the time that never happens and the Animals stay safe. 

Even though I now know, an escape is possible, I had never felt and don't currently feel an Animal could get out.  My concern is that a Visitor could get in, most likely accidentally.  

I also want to say something about misbehavior.  I've written endlessly on this as well, but the barrier breaching is just part of bad behavior that is allowed at the Zoo.  Too many instances that parallel what happened to Tatiana, still going on today and the Zoo doesn't even give these offenders a reprimand.  One incident in which Visitors threw rocks at one of the Tigers who was sleeping, because they wanted it to get up.  You would think that person should have been thrown out, not only because of the action, but because of the direct reflection to the Tatiana tragedy.  Nope.  Zoo Management allowed those offenders to continue on with their day at the Zoo. Outrageous.

The way Visitors behave, breaching barriers, throwing things in enclosures, heckling the Animals, Howling at the Wolves, banging on windows, pounding their chests at the Gorillas, its all disgusting., harassment and bullying of the Animals in their home.  The Zoo Staff most often says nothing to these people, in fact they barely notice.  I've had Zoo Staff stand right next to me while people hang their kids over the barrier.  Security zoom by on their bikes with blinders on.  And if you do call in something, offenders are never ejected.  In fact I've witnessed Security and Management when they do talk to offenders and often they are so causal about it, I see them laughing.  Personally I don't think putting the Animals in danger or harassing them is funny.  I've stopped doing that because its a waste of energy.

How many more years do we have to wait for these issues to be taken seriously?  

HOT TOPIC! - Barrier Abuse at Bear Cubs Continues - Why? ... Update.

Hope everyone is having a Wonderful Holiday.   I wanted to post this by yesterday but didn't get the chance.  I have a post done for today, but this one needed to be posted first.  So, I take a bit of time this Christmas morning to finish it up and post.  One of the best things I can do for the Holidays is to finish all the posts that I have in draft, a gift to my Animal Friends, who when I don't post, I feel I let I let down.  I have long felt and it seems to be accurate, that I am one of the only ones, if not the only one, outside the walls, that is a voice for the Animals.  I'm not saying that to be pompous, but its the truth.  This blog is the only place you are going to hear about Zoo issues.  Its been a weight on me, six years now, but I do it for the Animals.  I don't want to, I don't like to, it often makes me physically sick, but my passion for their well being forces me to.  Anyone who thinks I have another agenda, doesn't know me and more important doesn't care about the Animals.

So, unfortunately I've had to write too many posts already on the subject of Barrier Abuse.  More than a few about the enclosure at Bears that was once home to the Andean Bears, then Polar Bear, and now Black Bear Cubs.  The barrier at this enclosure has been an issue point as long as I can remember.  Let me bring up the incident at Grizzly Bears in 2009.  This same type barrier, that runs along both Bear grotto enclosures, was breached by a man who entered the exhibit.  The end result was the Zoo's Target Team pointing rifle's after the Bears with shoot to kill orders if either of the Bears made aggressive moves toward the man.  Thankfully our Bears knew better and went to their night quarters when called.  They could have easily lost their lives.  That would have been on the Zoo for not having secure barriers or proper staffing monitoring the enclosures that are vulnerable.  

Hopefully I don't repeat myself too much from what I've written in previous posts, but I do also like to have each post as a stand alone, so sometimes its unavoidable.  That said, let me lay out the situation very siimple.  There are two ways someone can end up in an Animal enclosure, Voluntarily or Accidentially.  Both ways result in the Animals vulnerable to losing their lives for reacting naturally to a foreign object in their home.  Guns will come out, and Animals will be shot.

Someone entering an enclosure Voluntarily is something that happens rarely.  Unless enclosures are enclosed in glass, they are not going to prevent these situations, perpetrated by sinister minds.  We'd all like to see open air exhibits, but the truth is, these days, its a gamble each day whether the Animals will be safe.  In my opinion if you put Human lives above Animals, and that's the priority in the Zoo world, then all Code Red Animals should have fool proof barriers. ... Someone entering an enclosure Accidentally is something that happens multiple times a day.  These accidents are preventable with simple deterrents both ON the barriers, in signage, with verbal instruction by staff, and with serious reprimands (ejections).  Each one of these deterrents are not being put forth at the San Francisco Zoo.  ... The SFZoo will never glass in all Code Red exhibits, to prevent voluntary entry, but at the very least they can do something about preventing accidental entry.

In recent years, for varied catalysts, some physical improvements to barriers have been made.  The Anteater and Bobcat barriers finally got a jagged bamboo addition to prevent people from themselves or more often their kids, standing on or sitting hanging over the barriers.  This as simple as it is, I think is the best alternative to glassing in the enclosures, that I've seen so far.  I started blogging about the Anteater barrier issue years before they put this in.  Only when their AZA accreditation inspection was impending was something done.  ... I blogged about the breachable points of entry at Chimps years before anything there was done.  Only after a kid fell into the Gorilla enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo, that resulted in the death of their Gorilla Harambe was anything done at our Zoo.  Barriers at Chimps and Gorillas were reinforced and extended, apparently to avoid any copy cat type situations? There were some points to fix, but they were not the most vulnerable.  ... Next up the most recent barrier addition has been to the Asian Rhino.  A ridiculous metal strip was added to the barrier railing to prevent? people from sitting on it.  It was flat and posed no discomfort, so did absolutely nothing.  Now, there's not really an accidental entry threat, so adding the same type of barrier as at Anteater would have been the better option.  Curiously, they recently added an eye-sore barrier that I can't figure out and is frankly seemingly ridiculous as well.  Huge poles with metal wiring across it.  People still stand and sit on the barrier.  It looks bad and the same achievement could have been met with the jagged bamboo. ... A metal addition was also put at Hippo, that again did nothing to deter.  Hippo is a major hot spot for people hanging their kids over barriers, but at least there is a secondary barrier, to keep the Hippo in.  That doesn't mean its not a vulnerable spot, but it would take a bit of extra effort and rolling on a kids part to make it in, but it could definitely happen! The neighboring Black Rhino is another story.  I've endless posted photos about the barrier abuse there and nothing has been done.  There is no secondary barrier, if a kid falls over, one bounce and they are in the enclosure.  The same type of barrier is at Bears.

Anteater

New at Asian Rhino

Ugh

Constant calling attention to the barriers at Hippo, Black Rhino, and Bears, has done nothing.  Why is that?  The Zoo Management reads this blog.  Are they resistant to do anything because its me pointing these things out?  Selfish. OR  Do they really think that there is no threat to their Animals?  Stupid.  This is a real problem.

This past year I started tweeting photos of people over barriers as I saw them, both to the Zoo and to the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums).  I stopped for a bit after no response, and when I started up again, the AZA responded and requested I contact the accreditation department with concerns.  I played by doing so, but knew nothing would come of it, because I have contacted the AZA on two other occasions and nothing happened.  First time was when the Zoo did nothing to provide the Andean Bears with comfort, keeping them living on concrete exclusively and literally letting them pound their bones to death.  I called out the Zoo on this, alerted AZA, and wrote letters to Board Members, Donors, and the City Rec and Park.  There was no response to me or the issue. Wishbone the Andean Bear died from injuries to his bones that prevented him from being able to walk.  He died with no other medical issues and full mental capacity.  Euthanized because he couldn't walk. The Zoo's neglect to provide this Soul with a proper living environment, killed him.  ... I contacted the AZA with a long list of issue points they should check out during their Accreditation Inspection.  None of those things has since been attended to.  Its been two years this Fall.  The Chimps still live with lead paint peeling off their house.  I understand if a full paint job while they are still in that enclosure is not possible because of the toxic mess it would cause, but painting over those peeling spots to seal them at the very least should happen.  I have seen the Chimps reach at peeling spots, put their fingers in it and then in their mouths.   

So, you can see why its understandable that I don't have any faith in the AZA when it comes to pushing for necessary improvements.  I don't think they do anything that would really threaten any revenue they may get from a Zoo.   That said, I did contact the AZA as they requested, they responded to the barrier information that I sent them, which was basically a letter pointing out that I've contacted them in the past, ect. and including links to blog posts with photos of the abuse.  They said they would look into it and contact the Zoo if they thought there was an issue that didn't fall within AZA enclosure guidelines.  They included the guideline document.  I intended to read it, but never got to it.  Frankly, I don't think its on me to read through a document to see what's acceptable.  I'm not blind or stupid, I can see that people hanging kids over barriers is not right and that it puts the Animals in danger of losing their lives.  As I write this I guarentee there is someone hanging their kid over the barrier at Bear Cubs and the AZA and all non-Animal Staff at the SFZoo don't give a crap whether they fall in and our Cubs get killed while they retreive the kid.  Well, I care.  

I also know that the Keepers who care for these Animals care.  I think we are all curious why this is such an obstacle to get rectified.  Any Keeper (in any Zoo) that has insight to this, please comment.  Remember you can chose to comment Anonymously.

So, what's the point of this post?  I wanted to update on the correspondence with AZA and I also feel its necessary to keep this issue relevant, until something is done.  This barrier needs at the very least the same jagged bamboo addition that was put at Anteater.  This barrier must be made impossible for someone to stand on, sit on or hang over.  This must be done sooner than later.  

So I am again calling out the San Francisco Zoo to make the barriers not only at Bears, but at Black Rhino and Hippo, safe for the Animals and the kids who are put on barriers by their self-entitled parents.  

I am also sending this to the AZA and calling them out, as an authoritive leader of North American Zoos to make barriers in all Zoos impossible for people to stand on, sit on, or hang over, with a solid barrier at least waist high, so no kid can crawl through (Harambe) specifically at Code Red Animal enclosures.  If this was in place already, so many Zoo Animals in AZA Zoos who have lost their lives needlessly would still be alive.

If anyone wants to be a voice, 

you are welcome to do so 

by using the contact links below.  

Thank you.

San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson

tanyap@sfzoo.org

San Francisco Recreation and Park

 recpark.commission@sfgov.org

AZA

azaaccreditation@aza.org

Animals Crimes - Trump's Order Regarding Elephant Trophies

I seem to always start my posts with apologies and reasons why I've not posted in too long.  Last week I got one on my list checked off, next up was to write something about another event that disabled me from my momentary ambition to post.  

It was the weekend that our diabolical President put for the Executive Order that would reverse the Ban on Importing Elephant Trophies. Like most of us, my Soul is continually trampled by all the Crimes Against Animals every time we access the internet.  Those of us who often avoid the News, used to be able to protect our Souls from time to time, but anyone using Social Media knows, there is no escape.  On Facebook alone, there are dozens of awful Animal stories everyday.  The Abuse toward Domestic Animals, the torture of Farm Animals, and seeing the Smiling Evil Ugly faces of the Demons who Hunt down and Murder Animals for Fun, are only a few on a long list of Offences Humans inflict on these innocent non-Human Beings, who instead we should all be Thankful and Amazed that we get to share our life and planet with.

With all the Crimes Against Animals, we know the numbers of perpetrators is out of control.  Its not just the Trophy Hunters who are the most skewered on the Internet, but its down to the teenager you see with a Raccoon Tail Keychain on their back-pack, who doesn't care an Animal was alive when they chopped off its tail, because, "it's soft".  The people you see who know how Palm Oil is sourced and yet will still buy products because they got to feed their cake hole with that one Girl Scout cookie regardless of the fact that Animals were burnt alive to make it.  I know these things for a fact, because I have personally stopped people in these two exact situations and tried to educate them.  

That said, we should be able to look to people with forums to educate on a grand scale to help save these lives and put an end to these crimes.  Instead we have self-centered good for nothings like the Kardashians putting forth how cool it is to wear that Raccoon Tail and having the legions of celebrity ass-kissers run out and buy them.  You have top named entertainers like Blake Shelton, praised with a TV Show, Awards, ect. and he's a big-time Animal Murderer.  Its all so disgusting and the list of names is so long, People just don't care about anything but themselves.  And at the other end of the fame forum we have our President and other World leaders who allow Crimes Again Animals for whatever self-serving reason, when they should be enforcing the protection of all Beings.  

Even before Donald Trump became President, it was evident that this person was not one of compassion for anything other than money.  He and others like him, have no use for our Earth, unless its making them money.  Once he took office, he proved that with so many allowances that destroy our Land and its non-human inhabitants.  Anyone who would allow Hunters to Murder Hibernating Bears and their babies, is pure Evil.  But, what would anyone have expected from someone who spawned these Demons...

So let's get back to that weekend when news broke of Trumps support in the Murder of Elephants and allowing Demons to bring home trophies like the psychopathic serial killers they are.  Like the majority of us who have compassion and empathy, I was outraged and disgusted, sick and frustrated with the feeling of helplessness under the reign of someone out of control with these attacks against Animal lives.  The continued support of barbaric actions, by too many, including our pathetic joke of a leader, is getting to be too much to handle.  Thankfully that Order is on hold, but that doesn't mean it won't be back on, and it also doesn't help the Bears, Wolves, Bison, and other Animals who are losing their lives legally, to the Joy of Hunters and our Country's Administration.

So, as I sit holding my tablet reading Social Media all weekend about the Elephant situation, via email I get the San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson's words regarding this.  While her words were against the Order, it bothered me to hear them.  I wrote about this once before but for those who missed it, buried in one of my posts, back in January, someone told me that Peterson wrote in a staff email after Trump took office, Welcoming him, and hoping he takes care of our Wild Things.  My ears pulsated when I heard this.  Anyone who cares about Animals could see way before he was nominated, that this was not a person who was going to do good for any wild thing.  I'm sorry but anyone who cares about Animals would not have supported having him and his Spawn in the House, by writing something like that.  Did she really believe that was possible out of this guy?  even as wishful thinking, in my opinion someone who is the face of an Animal organization, should have let that one slide without a mention.

In addition to Director Peterson's words, she noted the Zoo's special exhibit Red Ivory.  She made it seem like the Zoo was doing some major Education with this Film and their Pledge, both supposed to make a statement against the Ivory Trade.  In my opinion, neither does anything to help the plight of Elephants.  If I didn't know what the subject matter of the film was supposed to be, I wouldn't have come away from it any wiser.  I felt is was just an artsy showcase for one of Peterson's friends.  As for signing the pledge, I highly doubt Ivory importers are Zoo visitors.  Its not even a Document that will be sent to the President.  I just didn't get the whole thing.

Someone in management recently asked me if I saw Red Ivory, because its ending.  I said yes, I saw it the first day.  They asked what I thought.  I told them artsy and no real message about the plight.  I said, Animals are in real crisis and messages need to be stronger. I don't think its bold enough.  This person basically replied this in gist,  the Zoo has to be soft, so people aren't offended.   Well, I'm offended that any forum and this one being a Zoo where masses of people interested in Animals, come through the gates, opening themselves up to learning about Animals, isn't using that outreach opportunity to be blunt about the tragedies as they really are.  There doesn't need to be posters at the entrance with Elephants and Rhinos with their faces cut off, but having a PG rated exhibition area for those who are under a rock and don't know what's really going on, to be educated, I don't think is a bad thing.  The message needs to be wider, and the Zoo has the facility and forum to educate.  Geez, its part of their Mission.  Education. Conservation.  Well then take a real stand!  

The Zoo has only in the past few years done anything for Animal Awareness Days.  It was a slow grow and still not fully bloomed.  I'll use World Rhino Day for instance.  In 2011 I made this video of Our Beloved Precious Elly.  https://youtu.be/wvqA6PXZlPI

It would take two more years for the Zoo to even put up a sandwich board with a bit of info about Rhinos.  It was only a few years ago that they had an actual event for the occasion.  As well that of Lions and Tigers.  Yet at none of these events are Visitors actually painted a picture of how tragic the Wild is for these Animals.   Its tragic for me that thousands of people walk through the gates on these Awareness Days and don't really learn what their plight is about.

Maybe after this Offensive Order by Trump, our Zoo and others will be more vocal about the plight of all Animals.

Holidays at the Zoo - Animal Enrichment Video Links and Reviews

For those who follow this blog regularly, I apologize for the delay in follow-up to the last post about the Barrier Abuse at the Bear Cubs.  As well I have other Hot Topic posts including one very important to me that I've had in the works for over a year about the Komodo Dragon.  

I usually don't post my photos and videos to the blog anymore.  I used to sometimes, add in good stuff with cranky stuff, but since I don't have the time or energy to write about cranky stuff in a timely manner, when I do, the posts have been mostly concentrated on issue points.  If you aren't familiar with my Zoo related social networking sites, and want to see all the happy Animal stuff, please check out my youtube channel.  I'm not too timely with that most of the time either, but I do post alot of the fun stuff I see on visits to the Zoo Friends.  I usually Tweet out the links, so you can follow @leo811 on Twitter or Subscribe to leo811sf on youtube if interested.  

For this post, I am including all the links to my Boo at the Zoo Animal Fun here.  I try to do a post on this event annually, as there have been changes to it through the years, and one topic I like to pick at is what is being given out at the treat stations.   As I said, because of limited energy for posts (the Animal issue ones are just too upsetting to do most of the time), I want to concentrate on those Animal related..  That said, I didn't get all my Halloween videos Tweeted out, so I figured I'd do this post with good stuff, before trying to finish the bad (more accurate would be sad) post catch-up.  

You will see that the date on the Bear Cub video recent, when all the rest are timely to Halloween.  I spent over an hour with those cuties, who were getting Pumpkins for the first time.  There was too much cuteness and I ended up with hundreds of files to go through.  

Hope you enjoy all the Fun these Friends had!

From Boo at the Zoo Weekend

Chimpanzees - Minnie, Maggie and Cobby ... video

https://youtu.be/y2EH6rrNQB0

Chimpanzees - Cobby, Maggie, and Minnie ... still photos

https://youtu.be/_bNfY_yOUJA

Nile Hippo - Tucker

https://youtu.be/h0lysSWfgEE

Great Hornbill - Hercules, 

Grizzly Girls - Kiona and Kachina, Wild Squirrel

https://youtu.be/9xzkC5F_ZZ8

Lemurs, 

Sifaka - Max and Mina

https://youtu.be/zSajrsOLuCQ

Mandrills - Banjo, Lulu, Pandora, and Angie

https://youtu.be/_9fLh6OiOJM

Wolverines - Kiwi and Rocky

https://youtu.be/zGBcFXZD8vM

Anteaters - Evita and Angelo

https://youtu.be/xUrUqvU96LA

Black Bear Cubs - Valdez and Juneau ... video

https://youtu.be/-7Xztr9u0So

Black Bear Cubs - Juneau and Valdez ... still photos

https://youtu.be/261VEafpPKM

From Halloween Day 

Domestic Cow - Slider Happy Birthday!

https://youtu.be/9eCGEZpisIs

Komodo Dragon - Falcor 

https://youtu.be/MA08V39AgeU

I'm trying to stick to Animal related issues, but as I noted I usually post about the treats that are given out at the Halloween Event.  Every year for past several or more, I have noted my disappointment that the Zoo would give out treats that contain Palm Oil.   I assume anyone reading this knows why that is an issue.  Despite me posting about it for years the Zoo continued to give these Animal Murdering treats out.  Well, I was happy and surprised to finally see a change this year and no Palm Oil treats were given out, and I didn't see the Cliff Bar (another Palm Oil user) people there either.  So Thank you to the Zoo for not supporting companies that support Murdering Animals.  Took long enough.  Sad.

I've been coming to the Halloween Event at the Zoo for over fifteen years.  I love Animals and Pumpkins and seeing them interacting is a wonderful thing!  Its always been a favorite time and these special treats led me to learn about Enrichment.  You will see in my videos there was lots of fun times for the Friends!  The only thing I'd like to see is more varied Pumpkin Enrichment options.  This is just a personal thing, but some of the Animals are given uncarved Pumpkins and some of them show no interest.  Some like them uncarved so they can dig at them with their claws and its great for them and super fun to watch, as you will see in the Bear Cub video.  That said, (yes I realize I say that alot), some of the Animals ignore the uncarved Pumpkins, so maybe giving two Pumpkins would be a good option for them.  Example.  Hercules Hornbill only had an uncarved one, and didn't show it too much attention, preferring to eat the treats from his regular feeding ball.  If there was a carved Pumpkin with his treats in it, that would have been a different Enrichment for him.

Thanksgiving

For those who don't know, on Thanksgiving Day, the Turkeys at the Family Farm are given a Holiday Feast on a silver platter!  I love this!   Its sometimes a roll of the dice whether they go for it or not, but its a lovely gesture by the Keeper and we sing my Happy Turkey Day song and Celebrate these awesome Friends.  ... This year the Chickens had a special meal too and the Turkeys shared their Yums with some other Friends! 

Thankful For These Friends!

https://youtu.be/0fbZJBBxbds

Happy Thanksgiving Farm Friends!

https://youtu.be/qgmpBLFp1NQ

Christmas

Five years ago the Zoo finally caught up to other Zoos and started doing a Light Event.  First year, while some of the event lights were knocked out, I actually thought it was awesome and gave it a thumbs up.  Here's a cool video that was made and donated.  Not sure why my video doesn't have sound, there was great music to go with it, I can still hear it. Weird.  Anyway, cool and something, unfortunately that wasn't shown past year one.

Zoo Lights Light Show

https://youtu.be/ujfePdhxdU4

The following years have all been a fail for the most part in the Light aspect of it.  There just aren't enough lights is my constant complaint.  I just think if you're going to have a Light event you can't go light on the lights!  Unfortunately the Zoo never goes all out or strives for much more than medicrity, which while complaint, is sad.

So, I've posted in the past that the Event area is too big.  I've suggested (in posts) concentrating it to a Entry Village to Cafe to Playground barrier.  I even think extending to Farm and having a Nativity Scene would be cool.  Last year lights started going up a couple months in advance, this year not until last week.  I've been told the area has been reduced, barriers as I thought would be good, with the extension to the Primate Center and Giraffe Barn.  The Primate Center will now host Santa.  I had a brief moment of glee anticipating the concentrated area would be doubled up on lights then!  Nope.  Also not happening this year are the vendors.  Three years ago they started having craft vendors in Entry Village which I thought the Holiday Gift Bazaar (my title for it) lite was a great idea.  That was gone last year.  A few vendors at the Lion Fountain last year were decent, but stuck in the back like that didn't create a Holiday Shopping vibe which is nice and near the Zoo Store is a more ideal location. Anyway I was told No vendors this year.  Curious as they could even do only in-house booths.  Docents could sell their buttons, even turning them into Ornaments very easy by adding a red ribbon and small bell attached to the pin back.  Another could be for the Adopt an Animal Program. That all said, the Wood cut-out Deco's I've seen are nicely placed, but I'll have to wait for someones report on the rest, as I don't plan to haul my cookies out in the cold night to see Holiday Lights lite.