Safety Update - Why Was The Covid Safety Sign At Great Apes Taken Down?

One of the posts I have in draft is an expanded version of this, an update to safety issues I had.  For the purpose of Chimpanzee and Orangutan Safety,  I'm fast tracking this, as the next couple months might put them and the rest of us in the most vulnerable position.

Yesterday Mayor Breed announced that San Francisco was now at the purple level, the highest in Covid ranking.  While the City initially patted themselves on the back for a job well done by Residents, as that's what the numbers reflected, I was surprised because I don't see good behavior from the majority of people.  From what I've witnessed, the masses are mostly made up of self-entitled No Maskers who have kept this Pandemic in motion.  I am not surprised at all, that we are in the position we are.  With this in mind, and the probable middle finger given to gathering and traveling over the Holidays, this weekend through January in my opinion should be the time that those who do the right thing because they want to stay safe,  need to really ramp up your self protection.  Double Mask, please do not rely on a cloth mask, bandanna or gaiter to protect you.  Wear an N95 or surgical mask under your cloth covering, or add a filter.  Make sure you are handling your mask properly and washing cloth covering after each use.  Stay Safe people!

Ok, now for my Zoo related issues.  There are two.  One is Animal Safety and one is Visitor Safety.  

In my posts dated, August 11th (2) and 14th (1),  I wrote about my concerns for the barrier area around the Chimpanzee yard.  I was concerned when first news of Covid was out in March and the Zoo was still open.  Then the Zoo closed, and word was that path around the yard was closed to even unauthorized Zoo Staff.  I expected it to be closed when the Zoo ReOpened, and was surprised and upset that it wasn't.  After seeing visitors continually taking off their masks or not wearing properly, I waited to see if there would be any additions to safety in that area, after three weeks of none, I spoke with the person who has since allegedly been bumped to " Head of Safety".  I expressed two things.  One was that this was even happening considering the fact that there were portions of the perimeter where visitors are less than six feet from a Chimpanzee or Orangutan sitting at fencing. 

An effort was made to eliminate that issue, but frankly I found it ridiculous.  You can see their solution in the earlier blog posts mentioned.  Second, I suggested signs at both ends of the path, that noted that Chimpanzees and Orangutans are vulnerable to Covid just like Humans.

Since people are breathing on the Animals, as the minutes pass, I expected this simple and logical deterrent to be done by the next time I visited three days later, if not that day.  It was not.  The following week, I was happy to see signs, though not at the path entrances.  Signs saying similar were put up by the Keepers at the barrier fencing in two different places.  I thank them for taking the initiative, since Management didn't see it as a priority.  Curiously those signs went missing the following week.  Allegedly no one in Animal Staff removed them, so I ask Management, Why would you remove those signs?

To me it would seem that keeping the Animals as safe as possible from visitor mis-behavior would be a priority.  It often hasn't in the past, but during a health crisis, one would hope things would be different.  Unfortunately they are not.  So, I ask Management. Why would you not want to keep the Animals, especially the Apes at this vulnerable enclosure, as safe as possible?

Since the ReOpening July 13, the stream of people removing their mask for no reason, for eating and drinking, wearing it Pinocchio style, has been steady, Zoo-wide, but especially at this concerned area where the Great Ape yard is.  Members of the Public should not have to constantly call the ER line to report this.  Keepers should not have to, yet I hear their calls go out over the radio.  Management needs to do more to protect all the Animals, but again, especially these vulnerable Ape species that can just as easily contract the Covid virus as Humans.  Do more!  Do better!

The other thing that is in my opinion a big problem is the eating and drinking situation.  I wrote about this upset before, and I'm not the only one who has an issue with it.  First, people should not be able to eat and drink unmasked while walking around.  Staff says its not allowed, yet there is no signage that says otherwise and it's a constant sighting.  I understand needing to take a drink of water for hydration purposes, but even then, people should be instructed to at least move away from people and not facing others.  People now are just walking talking, drinking, eating, blowing possibly asymptomatic particles into the air.  I'm sorry, don't mean to sound nit picky, but I personally don't like walking into someone elses aerosol stream.  This also applies to those breathing on the Apes.  One woman recently was actually blowing them kisses unmasked.  

In addition to the walking about unmasked to stuff their cake holes, that whole area along the path of the cafe and other points in the Zoo with random tables, again, should not be allowed.  Just walking through there with people unmasked on both sides, facing out to path of people, feels like contamination alley.  Alot of the time people aren't even eating, just talking with others or on their phone.  In my original post about this, I made the suggestion in a blog post of having a designated dining area away from other visitors.  I suggested the area used by the Depot, which is the perfect location.  That area has remained unused. There is also another area that is unused.  I ask Management, Why is having a designated area not a viable option for those who are taking their masks off to eat and drink?  Contain them, so the people who keep their masks on and are trying to stay safe can walk the paths without being health assaulted.

Another suggestion, since people can't seem to follow rules, and are given too many warnings to do so, Rules should be posted and called attention to at check-in window.  Visitors agree to them at check-in and when they aren't following, out they go.  ... These are rules I'd like to see.

*Masks required at all times.  

*Eating only in Designated dining areas.  

*No walking and eating or drinking. Removal for quick drink, and away from other visitors.

*Maintain Distancing from other visitors. (Which no one does.)

So yea, in addition to the upset by the self-entitled No Maskers outside the Zoo, we got plenty inside.  It's so rude and disrespectful that people can't even follow rules and have any sense of right, at the very least in a controlled environment.  That said, the Zoo needs to do more to control these mis-behaviors, by posting signs at Apes and making designating dining areas. The check-in agreement is a good idea.  I have confirmed that there are other Zoos doing this.

We are over four months into this, the issues should have been identified and fine-tuned by now.  Instead in my opinion things have gotten lax.  I rarely see Security patrolling, unless they are called.  And calling the ER line still often goes to voicemail.  

This all said, the Zoo, is not any more unsafe for visitors than the Park, or other outdoor spaces.  Certainly more safe than any store, but that does not mean that things can't be safer for all.   Especially the Chimpanzees and Orangutans, who don't know there is a Pandemic and aren't wearing Masks.  Both species are smarter than Humans and if they did know, they would be Masked Up!

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