i am NOT an anteater!: March 2020

Monday, March 9, 2020

Visiting the Zoo During and After Coronavirus

The Zoo's Newsletter came through email on Friday. Notices from other places I go regularly, the Botanical Gardens and the Park as a whole, followed that same day.

I would have never written about the subject, but after reading this I did have a thought, as well a recent incident to share.

I think it's great for all public spaces to keep reminding people of best health practices. My thought after reading all that was put forth, was information should be posted at entrance, and around the grounds. Not everyone subscribes to the email Newsletter or is on any of their Social Media, and let's face it, these precautions don't come natural to most people. They need reminders. These reminders keep us all safe. The Zoo already has sandwich boards about other stuff, and since this is high level important, there is no reason they can't have some with notices about Coughing and Sneezing into your arm. Not to Spitting on ground. Sanitizing after touching stuff. Washing Hands. ... Maybe they will. Will see tomorrow.

Last weekend when the news put forth more heightened Coronavirus scares one of my first thoughts was about people coughing without covering their mouth while the Chimps were at the fencing. With them being susceptible to the same things we are, I think its a valid concern, but I haven't confirmed that.

Let's be real, people never cover their mouths, and its only gotten worse in the last few weeks. I find that completely nasty and rude. They cough toward people, Animals, and even produce at the market! Hopefully things will get better and people will exhibit better sanitary practices when in public. Unfortunately, I don't have much faith, and frankly I think people's lax attention to hygiene is part of why we are in the situation we are in. Again, I hope this pounding of information sticks and we see a trend of best health practices in the future.

In addition to the epidemic of people not covering their mouths, I also have seen multiple people spitting on the ground recently. Last week, I witnessed the nastiest incident at the Farm. This guy, spit on the ground, where the Animals walk, and then said to his kids, "come on, let's go wash our hands" !!! Are you kidding me? This guy spit his mucous on the floor of the Animals home and then is concerned about his family washing their hands. I can't even with self-entitled attitudes like this.

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Blogger's Statement

"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."

For Full Statement see this post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html

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Sunday, March 8, 2020

SFZoo Re-Names Koala "Burnt Earth" Whaaat?! & Other Naming Disrespects

When I wrote my last post, Oakland Zoo Bans Single Use Plastic. Why Wasn't SFZoo First? dated 2.23.20, I noted that two things had come up the weekend before. I wrote about this, the second thing, in part, but then got bummed out and stopped. I finished it the next day but didn't have time to proof read it. By the end of the week when I did have time, I got word that one of my Farm Friends passed away, and with that sadness and respect for her, I didn't try do any zoo related writing last weekend.

RIP Mole, Bless Your Soul Beautiful Lady. I Love You and Miss You. Hope you have a wonderful afterlife with your Sheep Family who I know are with you.

So, the second thing... As I finished the Plastics post, I was on a semi-roll with working on draft posts, and then this happened.

I knew this was coming, as the Zoo was running a fundraiser to send funds to Australia to aid the fire victims. That said, anyone who knows me or has followed this blog over the years, knows the Animals Names are one of the things that really affect me. The Re-Naming of Animals that already have names, is one of my biggest issues. Disrespectful or awful names just make it worse. This is sadly both.

As I read the name reveal, Cobar, meaning Burnt Earth, I felt sick. This little guy is now been re-named after a tragedy and must carry it around for life? While it seems by their wording that they think its clever, its just not. Its terribly disrespectful and sad.

I literally shutdown and just turned to watching movies for two days to try an not think about. ... It took me as long to ask friends what they thought, just too make sure my personal feelings about the subject weren't isolated.

I know I am hyper-sensitive to everything involving the Animals. I don't see that as a bad thing. We can surely use more people who are. Since I seem to carry a stigma that my opinions are not shared by others, I thought I'd share the comments made by a few friends.

I didn't want to influence anyone's opinion, so all I wrote was, "The Zoo Named a Koala. I have strong feelings about this, anyone else?" These were the replies...

You can see they also attached a second name, Wollemi, that had a much nicer meaning. Why didn't they just go with that? There is no need for a double name and this name at least does not carry the drear if a tragic event.

This little guy came with a name. A cute name. A name he knows. Hopefully the Keepers will still use it and it will remain his official identity in the Studbook.

The re-naming of Animals is out of control. It's like an obsession to strip every Animal of their Identity. It used to be only to raise funds, which always begged the question, Why can't they think of other ways to raise funds? Though, in recent times, there hasn't even been money attached to re-naming, just happens for the heck of it. There does seem to be random meaning behind some of the names, but that doesn't make it right. Re-naming the four Chimpanzee additions, and the two Orangutans, was unnecessary and disrespectful. All but one had money attached. That one, is Qadeer, who is now named Gombus, which is literally another name for the southern dish Gumbo. He is named after food. I guess we can be thankful Big Daddy wasn't attached to it, like poor beloved Falcor who's name translated to Big Daddy Language (Bahasa).

I'm sure the next victim will be Kimani. In case you missed my earlier post, Kimani is the new female Gorilla. The Zoo has yet to even mention her, even though she has been here for several months. Anyway I digress. Kimani, like many Animals, especially Great Apes and Big Cats, have fan bases who like to keep up with their journey. Once the Zoo inevitably changes her name, that will make it hard, for those who knew her since she was born. Thankfully this re-naming nonsense wasn't around decades ago, or no one would even know our Cobby's (Chimpanzee) history.

Here's a couple clips of Kimani from my cell phone. I haven't uploaded camera files in over two months. Once I do there will be more! So, subscribe to my YouTube for alerts.

Welcome Kimani!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=caRCpAapNGw

Monifa and Kimani - Bluff Charging
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0a0dV0fp_E

This is turning out longer than I intended. It's one of those subjects that set me off on a roll. So, let's now talk about the Snow Leopard Cubs, who will be two in June and have never been given official names! What?! So it seems, when the rights to their names were auctioned off, the people who won, never submitted names. Seriously, I think its time they are given names, and those names should be the ones the Keepers gave them when they were babies. Those should be their permanent studbook names that they carry for life. They obviously know those names, and it seems like the logical thing to do. At least to me.

As for the names with money attached. I have said, there are more creative ways, one being a sign at the Animals exhibit saying their care is sponsored by,... That recognition goes further than naming. If naming must happen, and its a re-name, the Animal should retain its original name and be the name the Keepers use, not change it altogether. That is not only disrespectful but awful for training purposes. If newborns, give Keepers guidelines, and those names used. If re-named, should only be used for public purposes, which unfortunately hasn't been what's happened for some.

Then there's this kind of nonsense. The Ballplayer names really irk me. I've written about it before, as we have too many Animals re-named after sports people. Poor Tucker the Hippo has had two names. Belozi the Black Rhino, Raj the Snow Leopard, several Monkeys, one of our Goats, and now another Goat. In my opinion, the only purpose it serves is to get some media attention, if one of the local teams happens to do good. The disrespect isn't worth it.

Again Zoo resorts to re-naming because there is no other creativity. Thankfully the name is not the players full name, but "Wonderkid" isn't a good name either.

Speaking of our Goats. Get this crap. I'm standing at Chimps and three people very close to me are talking. I hear the guy on the end say, "... he's ugly" They were standing in front of Cobby, so I was on the edge of livid. Anyway, he then says, "Fat and blue eyes", making hand gestures I knew it wasn't Cobby, but I knew who he meant. Once I saw a Staff name tag, I couldn't let it go. I had to confirm. He walked away and I went after and light-heartedly asked him if he was talking about a Goat. He laughed and said, "yeah, they named one after me". I asked his name and he said Vitus. Then he proceeded to direct me to the Farm. I had never seen this guy or knew his position. I asked around and was told he was the VP of HR. All I can say is Wow! It's shameful that an Employee of the Zoo would make fun of any Animal.

Photo I made for a tweet.

Blaise is very Handsome!

That all said, there is other bad naming going on. Even some Keepers give disrespectful names. One of the Birds is named Cookie. That was her name when she came here. She got a mate, they named him Monster. Awful. Their babie is named Crumble. There should be some guidelines, and names not given as jokes or in spite, as was also recently done. Unconscionable!

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Blogger's Statement
"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."
For Full Statement see this post:
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Sunday, March 1, 2020

Great Ape Timeline - Updated 11.23.19 - Pinned Post

I will continue to add to this until Triple Grotto is renovated to complete the Great Ape Passage Exhibit.

Moving immediately forward, the Big Question is, when will Triple Grotto be renovated, and or a Temporary Enclosure (as I suggested in my previous blog post) be ready for the Orangutans? With Seven Chimpanzees, they need both the Dayroom and the Yard. Are the Orangutans expected to live in the Skytrails indefinitely?

SFZoo Chimpanzee, Great Ape Passage, and Orangutan Timeline

This is a partial highlight of information in a previously posted Timeline from 1960s-2015, with additions from then to present. For more details on the Chimpanzees, please see original post:

http://savesfzoochimps.blogspot.com/2015/07/san-francisco-zoo-chimpanzee-timeline.html

1960s (mid to late) - Triple Grotto built.

4.24.67 - Tallulah Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.

7.10.68 - Cobby Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.

4.25.70 - Maggie Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.

4.25.70 - Minnie Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.

Between 1976- 1981 Minnie gave birth to four babies with Cobby.

1980s (mid) - Triple Grotto upgrade Landscaping and Structures built ... update > No further upgrades made since.

1997 - San Francisco Residents Vote and pass a Bond for improvements to the Zoo. The Great Ape Forest, a new home for the Chimpanzees and Orangutans.

Using the Chimps and the Orangutans on Posters urging City Residents to vote in favor of $ for the Zoo to make much needed upgrades, a City Bond of $48 Million was awarded to the San Francisco Zoo. The bond was for specific projects, the building of a new home for the Chimpanzees and Orangutans, was one of them. That never happened. Money was misappropriated and never replaced. Last Orangutan was moved to another Zoo and the Chimpanzees remain in the same enclosure with no upgrades in Thirty Years. ... Not one Director during the past Eighteen years has made an attempt to Show the Chimps Some Love.

2003- Last Orangutan, Lipz, moved to Milwaukee Zoo (now a Mom, living at Birmingham Zoo).

2005 - Bond Update showed the Great Ape Forest (Chimpanzee and Orangutan exhibit improvements) had been cancelled.

2008 - News article notates, that over 10 yrs after the Bond was awarded, there were still questions about How the money was spent and Why the Chimps were still living in the "ancient" Triple Grotto.

* Zoo Management already allegedly aware for many years that our Senior group of Four Chimpanzees, should expand, allowing the addition of younger Chimps to create a "Family" group agewise, that would sustain as time goes on, the Zoo still does nothing to prepare for a loss.

January 2013 - Tallulah Chimpanzee passes at age 54.

2013-2015 - The SFZoo is very well aware of the AZA Guidelines in regard to Groups being Four or more. Zoo Management does nothing to ensure that Tallulah's Family, Cobby, Minnie and Maggie are guaranteed a lifelong home at the SFZoo, the place they have called home for 45+ years (as of 2015).

January 2015 - Zoo Animal Advocate and Blogger Kim (me) hears that Zoo Director Tanya Peterson has plans in place to Remove the Zoo's Senior Chimps from the home they have known for the past 45+ Years. "HELL NO!" I said, and launched an online Crusade through my Zoo blog to Save them. A dedicated blog, Petition and Facebook Group followed, along with a letter writing campaign.

2.20.15 - KGO-TV starts airing SFZoo Controversy teaser Commercial after the Oscars. ... I was lucky to make contact with the KGO-TV I-Team and have Reporter Dan Noyes take an interest in the Chimps Story. Over the week prior, I provided all the information to date, as well was interviewed.

2.22.15 - Letter Writing Campaign responses received! It seemed all wrote letters received a form of the same curious statement provided by Zoo Director Peterson, basically denying that the Chimps were set to move.

2.24.15 - Director Peterson writes frantic email to Staff, in an effort to damage control her untruths in the situation and place blame on me, grasping to discredit the information I provided to the Media (KGO-TV).

2.24.15 KGO-TV News Story airs. The issue is covered completely by the I-Team investigation. In addition to myself, I suggested several other interviewees, including, John Alcaraz, the Chimps first Keeper, Steve Ross, the head of the Chimpanzee SSP, and the Director of Lion Country Safari, the facility I heard they were being shipped to. In addition to an awkward Zoo Staffer interview, the I-Team additionally confirmed the plan was indeed in place with information provided by the Oakland Zoo. There is no way Director Tanya Peterson can deny Moving The Chimps was Her Plan.

2.26.15 - Just hours before the Monthly Joint Zoo Committee Meeting, Director Peterson Announces to Members via email that Chimps are staying! ... The News investigation, Exposing Director Peterson's Covert Mission to Kick Out the Chimps, obviously forced her to bow to Public Outcry! We did it! We Saved The Chimps!

2.26.15 - Zoo Director Peterson Announces at the Joint Zoo Committee Meeting that Chimps are staying and Zoo will be moving forward with upgrading the current enclosure, to include additions of Sky Trails, while launching the "largest Fundraising Campaign to date", to raise 10 Million for a new enclosure, the Great Ape Forest. ... Note 9.15.19: I have since come to find out this $10 Million enclosure was an alleged plan mocked-up over a decade ago. It was never something intended to be done at this time. And, there has been no large fundraising effort. If there was, there would be funds for Triple Grotto.

3.7.15 - San Francisco Zoo launches Website Donation Page. --

... Update > Only publicity for it has been the initial Facebook Mention.

3.14.15 - Million Dollar Donation for Chimps! ... News from Zoo is an Anonymous Donor gave 1 Million toward the Triple Grotto Upgrade and Sky Trail addition.

3.26.15 - Upgrades Start!? ... The Rusty and Peeling 1980s structure in Grotto 2, has been sanded and painted! Not an upgrade but hopes for a larger plan of immediate action!

... Update > The excitement ends there. The only other thing to be done is long overdue maintenance to the structure in Grotto 1 and the night quarters.

3.26.15 -

Director Peterson noted in discussion with me at the Joint Zoo Meeting, that the Million Dollar donation was enough to get the initial Sky Trail/Pachyderm Building addition completed.

April 2015 - No answers as to why delays or why Sifaka exhibit being built first. Was told Sifaka completion date eta Spring 2016 and Chimp Expansion Fall 2016.

2016 - New exhibits for Wolves, Sifaka (New Animals to Zoo) and a Flamingo Upgrade open. Not only do the Chimps sit waiting, as another year and a half passes by, but so does the Komodo Dragon, who lives in a terrarium.

November 2016 - At the same time the Expansion was supposed to open, work finally began on it, gutting Pachyderm Building.

February 2017 - Construction begins on Dayroom and Bedrooms for Chimpanzees in Pachyderm Building.

February 2018 - Construction begins on new Yard!

September 15, 2018 - Chimps access the new Skytrails for the first time! Their first time outside of Triple Grotto in fifty years!

October 2018 - New Chimpanzee Qadeer arrives!

November 21, 2018 - Over three and a half years after promised new living space, the Chimps access the new Dayroom for the first time! Dayroom opens to public the next day, Thanksgiving!

2.8.19 - Chimps See their new Friend Qadeer for the first time! First Chimp they have seen in almost fifty years! They see their new Bedrooms too! Super Hootfest!

2.16.19 - Erie Zoo News Flash! Ollie Orangutan is moving to San Francisco!?

The Big Question is "Where is he going"?

March 2019 - Chimps move out of Triple Grotto.

May 2019 - Both Male and Female Orangutans are Here! Occupying Triple Grotto bedrooms.

5.30.19 - Full integration of Chimps successful and the four access the new Yard together for the first time! Another Super Hootfest!

June 2019 - Chimps have random access to Yard. My count is less than a dozen times and that's generous. ... Female Orangutan also has access.

8.15.19 - New Chimpanzee Nick arrives! (From Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa) The Two Females he lived with will follow in September.

July - August 18, 2019 - Chimps have had no Outside access for Seven Weeks. Not to the Trails, Not to the/their Yard.

8.18.19 - I wrote a blog post about what is going on with Chimps, not having outdoor access in seven weeks.

8.19.19 - In tears, The Chimps were given outside access!

9.11.19 - Two Female Chimpanzees, Twiggy and Jamie! arrive from Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa. Total of Seven Chimpanzees now!

9.16.19 - Chimpanzees: All Males Integrated. All Females Integrated. Boy group or Girl group occupy either dayroom or yard.

9.26.19 - The Chimpanzees have thankfully had continuous access to yard since 8.19.19. ... This means that (for the past five weeks) with no other yard, the only access outside of the bedrooms for the Orangutans is the Skytrails.

9.30.19 - The Orangutans touch for the first time! .. Until now they have only made no contact swipes at eachother. Ollie initiated grooming to Amoi.

10.1.19 - The Seven Chimpanzees now have mesh to mesh access to eachother! ... The Boys and Girls can now touch eachother through the mesh. Full Integration is a long process, but hopefully soon!

10.10.19 - This week saw a change in Ollie. Since his grooming interaction with Amoi, he has been out from under his blanket and following her around. This is important to note, as the Orangutans are more active and continue to only have the Skytrails as outside access, for the seventh week.

10.17.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto. The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

10.24.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto. The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

10.31.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto. The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

11.7.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto. The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

11.14.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto. The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

11.18.19 - Full Integration of Chimps starts! The male and female Chimpanzees have been separted since he arrival of the three additions two months ago. The mesh howdy fence was opened today for the first time all seven no have access to eachother!

11.18.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto. The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

HOT TOPIC Posts - Chimpanzees and Orangutans - UPDATED 12.1.19!

7.3.20 Update ... Redated this post to before Shutdown, to keep current situation at top.

This post will be pinned here, for the foreseeable future, using a date in the future as the posting date.

The last post (linked at end) presented the specs for the current areas within the Great Ape Passage (GAP). I used those specs against the AZA Care Manual recommended Guidelines for Chimpanzees and Orangutans. Presenting the facts of sizing, I showed that rotating these two species through the only two available areas of the unfinished GAP project, is not feasible. I also questioned Why the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) would allow a transfer of Orangutans to the San Francisco Zoo, before there was a proper living space for them?

Considering that last post's inclusion in regard to the AZA, I'm going to add two post spacers before this post, for flow purposes. I hope to get to them next weekend, but regular followers know that I procrastinate because I get overwhelmed thinking about these Zoo wrongs. I currently have a spacer for an AZA post I intended to write months ago. Dated 6.23.19, the title of that post, Is The AZA a Questionable Leader in Zoo Animal Welfare? , will probably be bumped into one of the new spacers.

Another post I never got to compiling, this one, HOT TOPIC Posts - Chimpanzees and Orangutans. I meant to add all the links to relevant posts on the current GAP situation. So I will do that here now.

Thank you to all who follow along here, even though I'm not always as consistent or timely as I hope to be.

Previous post referred to:
11.3.19 Week Eleven Orangutan Update ... AZA Habitat Guidelines For Great Apes
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2019/11/aza-habitat-guidelines-for-great-apes.html

HOT TOPIC POSTS Related to Great Ape Passage project being unfinished and how that has and continues to affect the Orangutans and Chimpanzees.

12.1.19 The Future - Orangutan Week Fifteen and Beyond
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2019/12/the-future-orangutan-week-fifteen-and.html

11.30.19 Understanding How The Orangutan Acquisitions Got Approved - Pyramid of Power
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2019/11/understanding-how-orangutan.html

11.30.19 Thanksgiving Words from SFZoo Director - Are You Kidding Me?