Why Did It Take Almost A Year For An Effort To Keep The Chimpanzees Covid Safe?

It's been a rough couple weeks, so I'm not really in the mind-set for Zoo blogging, but I thought this update should follow-up the last post, sooner, rather than later. 

The last post, dated July 18th, was a long winded account of the Covid Safety sign saga at the Great Ape Passage.   I didn't even get as far as Tweeting it out as I usually do.  Then I just felt that it really was directed at Zoo management, and I knew they would see it.  It was purely meant to get them to, Get It Right.  As well, additionally continuing my usual purpose of documenting issues in full, which is the reason for the length of that post.

In short, in the sixteen months since the onset of the Pandemic, the Zoo has been open for ten months.  At no point has there been appropriate signage at the outside enclosure that has been used exclusively used for two Ape Species, both vulnerable to Covid.  

I had made previous attempts to suggest appropriate wording, but I guess it wasn't until I actually mocked something up that anyone got it.  I posted this in the previous blog post.  

This was what I finally came up with at the time, yet it wasn't my first or foremost thought.  After seeing this in a window, I had something like this in mind, with the mask graphic first, ...

... but after witnessing so many people walk by the signs the Zoo did put out, I thought about a Stop Sign graphic.  Then I after seeing this on a door leading to the Zoo Education Building, I was a bothered that they chose to use it there, but not in areas where it was much needed.

So, I added it to my mock-up.   I also noted that I thought Mask Graphics should be along fence at Chimp yard, as well as in all other areas where Masks are Required, as reminders.  LIKE the Chimp Dayroom, which has no signage about Mask wearing at all.  

So, my one visit last week was Wednesday.  It had been a week since I was there, so I don't know when this happened, but this is what I saw at Chimps today! 

It was like a dream come true!  Almost couldn't believe it, even though my goal that day was to see if there had been any signage changes.

I was about to write, all I can say is FINALLY!  but you all know that is not all I can, or will say.

When I saw it, of course I was relieved to see it, since the Chimps have been sitting at that fence vulnerable to possibly being infected by people breathing on them for over 1800 hours, but I was also really bothered.  

I immediately had thoughts and messaged them to myself.  These were the blurbs that bounced about in my mind.

*I guess I have to blog about everything to get stuff done at this place.  (This is not the first time).  And obviously make mock-up's of how it should be done. ... I can't be managing the Zoo from this blog.

*It's disturbing that a member of public has to constantly point out faults publicly and shame them, for stuff to get done.

*What's the brain drain, that this could not have happened when they first re-opened in July last year?  

*Why didn't they listen when I suggested it after the first re-opening?

*Why didn't they listen when Keepers suggested it?  Keeper's even made their own that management took down.  

*Why didn't they heed the warning when San Diego Zoo Gorillas got Covid?  

As well on Wednesday the sign at Entry, that I ragged on for being a novel, has been changed to this.

Additionally, in that previous post I ragged about signs taking too long to go up, specifically after the first time I pointed out the need for one at the Chimp yard.  I noted that they have computers, color printers, and laminating machines.  Urgent signs should be done within an hour of the thought. 

It had been over a year since the White Cheeked Turaco moved to the Children's Zoo, and he still had no sign.  He had a sign where he was before so what the problem is I don't know.  This is not the first time there has been no sign for an Animal, for an extended time.  Finally, about a month ago I Tweeted the Zoo and asked when he would be getting a sign.  There was one within a couple weeks.  Point is, ones can be made immediately. 

There's a new exhibit in the Children's Zoo for Yosemite Toads.  I joked, wondering how long it would take to get a sign, considering it was in progress for a couple months and there was nothing.  Wednesday, I saw this.  A sign that looks alot like it was printed out and laminated.  

It really is not my intention to be snarky, but seriously, simple things like these signage issues, should not even be issues, they should just be done.  Done in a timely manner and done right.  I'm sick of the lack of smarts and attention to everything.

It is just inexcusable that there is continued issue with things concerning animal welfare and/or safety.  Whether it's their health, or physical safety and when I say physical safety I'm going back to my decade long tirade about the barriers that people hang over and stand on, which puts the Animals in danger of getting a bullet to the head.  If members of management want to lame around, they should go off and work in places where they don't have lives to be responsible for. If this were that type of place, I wouldn't care what they did, but when you're working in a facility where your responsibility is the lives of those who who depend on you to make their needs priority, you better be on the top of your game and not have all these fails. I know they're going to be like what is she talking about all these fails.  They are well documented in this blog, as well far too many on a simple internet search of  news articles on the Zoo.  

Our Zoo is in desperate need of capable management, because seemingly, there is a great disconnect in getting it right, with too many things.

Related Post:  Why Is Zoo Management Still Taking Risks With The Chimpanzees?

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2021/07/why-is-zoo-management-still-taking.html

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