SFZoo Slated For January Accreditation Inspection By AZA

I have written about what I consider fails by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) and Species Survival Plan before.  I also had started another post about it since.  I abandoned that when I narrowed down the posts I felt contained more important stuff to document.  My disgust for so many things that the AZA/SSP have done over the past decade plus that I have been monitoring the Zoo, came to a head when they allowed San Francisco Zoo to acquire Orangutans.  For those who haven't been following along, two Orangutans were sent to SFZoo without there being a dedicated outdoor space for them.  The AZA/SSP knowingly let them be a victim to a cruel and severe Animal Welfare situation.  A situation that two and a half years later, is in my opinion, still not appropriately resolved.

The reason I've chosen to write about it now is because San Francisco Zoo has their AZA Accreditation inspection in January.  There have been several Zoo's in the past month or so that have also been up for renewal, and did not get re-accredited.   Columbus Zoo was the first one, and it shocked me.  I started writing about it, but than decided to wait to post until the week of SFZoo's inspection.  Now, more Zoo's have not passed inspection, and something curious has happened at SFZoo that I think I'd like to include, before the subject matter snowballs any further.

Without rehashing all the fails at SFZoo, there are two things I want to note in relation to some of the Zoo's who did not get accreditation renewed.  

In a previous blog post, I referenced the Santa Ana Zoo failing to get re-accredited in 2017.  Here is a screencap from that.  For further reading, you can search this blog for "Santa Ana Zoo" and "Squirrel Monkeys".

That reasoning, by the AZA is similar to the reasoning repeated in news articles for a couple Zoos who recently lost their accreditation.  I have no further knowledge of the state of enclosures the inspection team took issue with, I only take note because of the enclosure our Orangutans are living in. 

Again for those not following along, our Orangutans, have only been given a dedicated outdoor space a few months ago.  This is the space that was "renovated" for them.  Not one thing was done for the Orangutans.  This enclosure is a small island built in the mid 60s.  The structure was built in the 80s.  The addition of more concrete and the metal bridge was put there in 2021 to provide access for Keepers, in lieu of filling the moat and adding containment netting, something that would have negated the need for more concrete and metal, plus it would have upgraded size with more topical space.

For more on the Orangutan situation, search this blog for "Orangutans" or "Triple Grotto".

These words by the AZA are heavily repeated in all news articles and on their website, in regard to Accreditation.

Based solely on the Orangutan enclosure, it will be very interesting to see what the AZA has to say about the SFZoo Orangutan enclosure. In my opinion, it does not appear to be "modern" in any way.  

The Columbus Zoo was denied accreditation based on misappropriation of funds by previous management.  This of course made me think of the $250,000 that was donated specifically for the Squirrel Monkeys to have a new enclosure built for them after their arrival at SFZoo in 2013. I've asked over the years what happened to that money and no one can tell me.  Additionally, some of those poor Beings, who came to SFZoo from a Stanford University research facility, ended up living in a concrete room with no outside access for over four years.  That certainly is not in line with "modern" standards.

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/squirrel-monkeys-havent-been-outside-in.html

Chahinkapa Zoo, which I had never heard of, had an interesting situation.  Part of why they were denied was because they have a lone senior male Orangutan and AZA said he should not be alone.  This sparked so many questions for me, mostly ones I've already asked here in this blog, but also about exactly what the relationship is between the AZA and the SSP. 

I have written about Animals I thought had been or could have been jerked around by the AZA/SSP, as well curiosities about why they allowed Animals to come here with no dedicated space (not just Orangutans).  After our Hippo left, and his departure shined a light one that fact that Hippos live in large social groups, I have wondered Why? they allowed him to remain in SF alone for ten years.  It made me think of Ndume Gorilla who I wrote about extensively a few years ago.  The AZA/SSP/Cincinnati Zoo all left him to live alone for twenty-seven years, at the NON-Accredited facility The Gorilla Foundation.  

In addition to the SFZoo Orangutan situation, which I find to be the current core example of all that is wrong at the Zoo, all these circumstances led me to think the AZA is not the leader they claim to be.   Now, with the AZA failing Chahinkapa, I had to wonder if I even really knew how the AZA and SSP worked.  My understanding was that the SSP was a part of the AZA.  So how is it that the AZA can ding a Zoo for housing a lone Orangutan, when the SSP controls who goes where?  Surely the SSP knew that this Orangutan should have a companion.  Were there no non-breeding females available to introduce him to at some point over the years?  Chahinkapa Zoo posted this, which even furthered my curiosity about the AZA and SSP.

I asked around and evidentially they are not part of the same organization?, which the above letter seems to reflect.  Yet, this from the AZA website, either confuses things or I'm missing something.

The Salisbury Zoo, had "no Vet on staff" listed as one of their reasons for not getting accreditation renewed last year.  San Francisco Zoo had no Vet on staff for two months in 2017.  They had per diem Vets scheduled most days, but from what I was told the issue with not having a Vet on staff is, if a medication was needed that was not something regular that was kept on premises, those non-staff Vets could not write prescriptions.   So, we are damn lucky that no Animal was in dire need of medicine during that time.  

And talking about going without, what about when the SFZoo Lion House didn't have heat for six months?

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2015/01/heater-in-lion-house-out-for-six-months.html

So many disturbing offences happen, and what, because it's an off year for inspection, there's no consequences?  AZA inspection is every five years.  In my opinion that's a very long time for there to be no checking in with facilities.  There is supposed to be a USDA inspection every year, who knows.  All I know is what I see and I see bad stuff too often.  If the AZA is the "gold standard" they claim to be, they need to do a damn better job at monitoring on so many levels than they do.  Annual inspections should be a must.  ON site could be every five years, but there should be updated paperwork and virtual tours annually.  Otherwise all kinds of wrong continues, and Zoos like SF seemingly do things as accreditation approaches, only to appease the inspectors.

The last thing I want to note is something I find very curious timing.  Actually suspicious.  Last year the SFZoo's former VP of Animal Care David Bocian was brought back specifically to handle the accreditation process, including filing paperwork, and getting the Zoo ready for inspection.  With the exit of the Deputy Director in early summer, Bocian was named Deputy Director.  He resigned after holding that position only a few months, and many months before the Accreditation inspection.  Why would somebody give up a promotion with hefty pay, and even more curious, before they follow through with the job they were hired to do?  I had to wonder if he was jumping ship for some reason?  Did he have a premonition?  Time will tell.  His exit directly leaves Director Tanya Peterson holding the bag if SFZoo fails their accreditation inspection.  With all the wrongs over the years and specifically in regard to the Orangutans, it would be rightfully so. 

It's gonna be a very interesting next couple months at our San Francisco Zoo.

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