SFZoo Orangutan Update Part One - Franklin Park Zoo Plans New Ape Enclosure

Last weekend, I did something I had never done before.  I wrote three blog posts at the same time.  I near finished all of them, so it was quite productive.  I planned to finish in the evenings during the week and publish.  Days ran too long, so that didn't happen. 

This week presented an idea that went with the second half of this post.  So, I have now split the post.  Please look for the post following this one for part two. 

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I've had this sitting here since the announcement a couple weeks ago. 

https://www.zoonewengland.org/zoo-news/2021/march/franklin-park-zoo-announces-new-outdoor-gorilla-habitat/

I understand that this is not directly related to our SFZoo Orangutan situation, but it indeed indirectly does.  This is a Great Ape enclosure.  Same basic design, whether for Gorillas, Orangutans, or another Great Ape species.  This is a new build, while our Triple Grotto is a renovation of an existing enclosure.  This is very modern, with a price tag to match.  

Point is, without any grand modifications, to Triple Grotto (being renovated for the Orangutans), there weren't a group of Zoological Society donors who would fund at the very least netting?  Not even filling in the moats, just netting so we could have avoided the skyscraper bridge eyesore.  And yes, I'm stuck on the netting aspect for the simple reason, if netting was part of this renovation, all that other cement and metal crap would not be necessary.  And yes, I know that there are plenty of Orangutan enclosures that are not netted, but I would bet that most have a substantial amount of topical space, while our existing grotto islands have very little.  

I have written so many things about Triple Grotto and configuration ideas.  One being, netting South Grotto before Orangutans were out of quarantine, so they had a dedicated space of their own from the start.  It didnt even need to be anything more than that.  Just so they had SOMETHING!  At this point, with last week being the two year anniversary of Ollie's (the male) arrival here, with female Amoi arriving two weeks later, at least they would have had a home of their own, two years ago.  Think about that. It's been two years.  Over 100 weeks.  Moving on.  I also have maintained filling in the moat (if net used) would be ideal for optimum topical space.  Even if they went back to their original plan of renovating only one grotto, but that one grotto with moat filled in and netting, that would be better than what they have done.

Another idea, keeping with the use of two Grottos, either initially or in the future, with more funding, or should I say, actual funding, was a walk-in viewing area like at Wolves could have been added in between the Grottos (where they have built the bridge craziness) and made it really nice, for the Orangutans, and visually pleasing to the aesthetics of the Zoo.  Adding an overhang on both sides of a viewing window would have not only provided a shelter area for the Orangutans, but also for visitors during rainy days.

Blue would be Net

Gold Walk-In viewing

Orange Windows

I'm not unreasonable.  I know all Zoos are struggling in the wake of the shutdowns and work with limited funds even before, but when I see basically nothing be done to raise funds for the better part of twelve years, it's upsetting and frustrating.

I have a post in draft about the lack of fundraising so the only other thing I'll say in this one, is a repeat from previous posts.  The San Francisco Zoo Director and Zoological Society decided to acquire Orangutans at the very least six years ago.  At that point, fundraising should have begun.  No excuses. That is what should have happened and it didn't.  Everyone should be asking why.

Yes I realize all this is moot, since the Prison Pit is already done.  I can't keep ideas from flowing, and I'm thankful my brain works that way.  It's good to think about what could have been.  What should have been.  When you do, also think about why this situation is a huge Zoo Fail.

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