Where Are The, ... A PS Post

After thoughts to yesterday's posts.

Someone reminded me of a point I was going to make in reference to the maps that showed Animal enclosures that were in use in 2010 versus now.  

That point was regarding size.  The Zoo always touts it's 100 acres, which while factual, also gives the illusion that it is 100 acres of Animals.  

Compare the stats in regard to size and collection with San Diego Zoo that is 100 acres as well. 

San Francisco Zoo, 2,000 Animals, 250 Species

San Diego Zoo, 12,000 Animals, 650 Species.

Justifiably, they also charge more than double SFZoo does.  That said, SF needs to be conscious that when there aren't that many Animals to begin with, we literally can't afford to have empty enclosures.

I'm not saying we need to be like San Diego Zoo.  We couldn't be.  We don't have their money or community, but at the same time, we can't lose Animals and then leave enclosures empty.  Visitors are not going to come to the Zoo to see no Animals.  From that perspective alone, the Zoo will not thrive.  I've even heard Members say they will not renew and go to Oakland instead.

Note the two words I used in the previous paragraph.  Money and Community.  Two things that go hand in hand, and both I have written about over the years.  It was in 2009 that I mentioned to Director Peterson the need for building a community.  Obviously she found no value in that, as her administration has wasted twelve years, not building one.  What does not building one mean?  It means the Zoo has not created a core of caring members and visitors.  Not having that directly relates to raising funds.  A few posts back, I hinted at this equation, but left the variables blank.  Sometimes, things just need to be spelled out.  I'll do more spelling out in my future post about the Zoo's lack of fundraising.

The Zoo's lack of fundraising is directing related to the attention that has not been given to the Zoo's Needs.  In light of that, SF needs to think like a small Zoo, and not think grandiose, like with the Madagascar project.  It's great to have dreams, but building brand new exhibits while ignoring Needs is not the way to do things.  I also include the Snow Leopard Expansion, in with a Want over a Need.  Yes the Snow Leopards need a bigger enclosure, but the Orangutans needed an enclosure PERIOD!  before that project even started.  The Zoo started the Great Ape Passage which included the Triple Grotto renovation for the Orangutans.  They just ignored finishing that project, and what would be the Needs of the Orangutans they had planned for over six years to bring in, in favor of Wants.  Imagine if the Donors who gave to the Snow Leopard Expansion, gave to the Orangutans, what their home would look like.  Surely not the ancient concrete prison pit with a fallen skyscraper they are living in now.  

The Zoo needs to concentrate on Needs.  There are enclosures that need upgrades, both for exisiting Animals, and to be able to house new Animals.  I shouldn't have to even say this, but apparently Director Peterson and her crew of accomplices, either don't think of Needs, or just completely ignore them.  The Zoo's priority should be, getting all the upgrades done, before starting on new projects.

I've said before, I don't like to give the Zoo suggestions, because they pay people think, but when that doesn't happen, I feel obligated to help them out, for the better of the Zoo.  So, here are some of the things that I consider Needs...

*Anything FOR Orangutans.

*Netting the Prairie Dogs and Meerkats to protect them from Predators. 

*Finish Netting at Flamingos.

*Extend Great Hornbill enclosure.

*Remove solid fence at west end of Sand Corral at Farm, replace with open air fence and add solid fence barrier to back Pasture to create an area that public can view.  Essentially making it part of the Farm instead of an off exhibit area. 

*Add Deterent Barriers at Black Rhino and Bears.  ... Coincidentially in the Topeka Zoo video linked in my previous post, they have the jagged barriers I've suggested be put in front of ours.  They were put at Anteater to prevent people sitting, standing etc.  I then blogged they should also be put at Bears, Black Rhino, Hippo.  That was six years ago.  

*Renovate Children's Zoo Pond to safely accomodate an Aquatic Species.  I'd like to see Beavers!

*Acquire Animals for Walk-a-bout.

*Acquire Pygmy Hippos or Tapirs for the Hippo enclosure.  Even though Id love to see Tapirs, I'd go for Pygmy Hippos (who I love too!) since we have a Hippo statue there and people are used to seeing a Hippo. ... Having an Acquisition Animal in place for this space and the two empty Big Cat Grottos should have been a priority, before they were vacated. 

*Clean-up FCC 

*Clear out South Gate and make enclosures habitable.  Move Bongo's there so the male and female can live side by side in decent sized spaces and both be visible.  Acquire other Hoofstock species for space available.

*Create space for Condors (side of Tropical as planned?)

*Create a universal enclosure that could temporailly house Animals in need (rescues) or others off exhibit (like the Fossa could have had). Maybe that space between One Horned Rhino and Komodo.

... That's just my starting list.

Additionally, NO more areas that cater to Humans!  The Zoo is an Animal Care Facility.  People come to see Animals.  

I had also done a map that included blacked out areas that were for Humans rather than Animals.  The ones with X are either closed or used by Staff.  The ARC houses many Animals, most not viewable to public on a regular basis.  Together with the dark blue closed animal exhibits, that's a good portion on the Zoo.

I looked at the Joint Zoo Documents to find where the Emperor Tamarins went.   I didn't find that info.  What I did find was the confirmation to a rumor that the Black Howler Monkeys were being transferred out.  That leaves the Zoo with two species of Monkeys.  BIG Fail!  

I was hoping at some point the Howlers would get a home back in the main Zoo.  They are a personal favorite, but also favorites of so many.  Like the Langurs, they are very active and people love that about them.  If the Zoo was smart, they would have taken that garden area between the back side of Langurs and the path to Mandrills and made an Aviary style enclosure for them.  Then there would be a specific Monkey area.  Even better would have been to move Langurs to FCC temporarily, reinvent those cages and current indoor holding to accommodate both, and then create a space for both on that  garden site.  

Sad the Howlers will soon be gone.  I have always felt a connection to them ever since I saw Mama Baya, the day she was born.  I'd been on babie watch for a couple weeks, and got lucky one Thanksgiving morning.  Her Mama Diamond brought her over to the fence and turned to show me her babie.  She was named Baya, which means Berry in Spanish.  Berry having a connection to Thanksgiving.  Hope this sweet lady and her two daughters have a wonderful life at their new home at the Brevard Zoo in Florida.  Information showed her son already moved to Gladys Porter Zoo in Texas.  Hope he has met a nice lady friend there and is happy. 

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