Why Is Everything Such A Secret?

Last week, when I went to visit Wolf Bowie, I didn't see him. I waited as he is usually doing his perimeter check.  When he didn't come by after a bit, I looked through the bushes to see if he was lounging someplace, and still didn't see him.  I confirmed he was ok, but didn't find out til later he had been moved off exhibit, and new Wolves were here.

This is not the first time an Animal has been moved off exhibit without notice.  I feel like I've written about this before, possibly when Hippo Tucker left without notice.  I knew for two years he was leaving and the Zoo never told anyone.  I had meant to write about it, but never got that far early enough for fans of his to know.  Even if I had, my reach isn't that far, and the responcibility of getting that type of information, out is on the Zoo.  Whether it's an Animal who is transfering out like Tucker, or being moved off exhibit like Bowie,  Condor Claudia, the Howler and Colobus Monkeys, and Snow Leopards Niya, Raj, Anna, and my beloved Friend Rigel, the Zoo should give some kind of notice, both on Social Media and with a notice at the Enclosure.  

It may not be two years like with Tucker, but they certainly know in enough time to let the public, especially Members know that it's happening and to come by and see that Animal before the move happens.   By not putting forth this courtesy announcement, it not only disrespects those who are endeared to the Animals, but very much lends to Zoo management's ineptness at creating a Community that is invested in the Zoo.  Disregarding the importance of having a caring Community is a big fail. 

After Wolf Garcia passed away, I barely had time to think about the future of our Wolves, then Prince passed away.  Their passing, left their Brother Bowie alone.  With Wolves being pack Animals I wondered what would happen next.  I asked someone, as I was worried that he could be transferred out, something that should never be a consideration for a Senior Animal, but doesn't seem to be rule.   It was said that one thing being considered is, Bowie could be transferred out, to be intro'd to a new group, and Zoo would recieve new Wolves.   I was very bothered by this, because if Bowie could go someplace else and be introduced to a new group,  why uproot him instead of having the new group come here and introductions on his turf without moving an aged Animal?  It made no sense.   

As time went by, seeing Bowie alone was sad.  Wolves are pack Animals, and his pack were his litter mates, his Family.  They had never been apart.   I continued to ask, even as recent as the week after Christmas, and was told, it was still being talked about.  Huh. 

When I went by Wolves this past Monday...  the new Wolves were out!  All four new ladies, out lounging in the sun.  You can view these beautiful girls in my video:

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMmRYodyY0w&t=3s

I'm very happy amd relieved that Bowie did not have to move and has a peaceful retirement home here.

I find it curious and irritating that the Zoo does not share information with the public in a timely manner.  It would have been nice to see Bowie, knowing he was moving off exhibit and any visit could be the last.  It was actually helpful with Tucker.  WHY couldn't there have been a sign put up, before Bowie moved, that said... Our Senior Wolf Bowie will shortly be moving to a retirement enclosure off exhibit.  We will be welcoming a new pack of Wolves soon after.  Keep checking back! ...  Additionally, there is no sign there now, that even says there are new Wolves!  Good Grief.  ...  And, was the exhibit vacant last week, creating an illusion that the Wolves just werent visible?   

So, there's another Secret, I've been sitting on for a couple months, that the Zoo really should have been announced by now.  At first, not many were talking about it, so I kept it under-wraps, but now it seems to be talked about more, so I think it's time and it fits with this post.

In my November 7, 2021 This and That post, I noted this...

There will be a new occupants!  So again, WHY hasn't the Zoo annouced this?  For reasons similar to what I noted above,  there are other reasons that should seem clear, but have obviously been lost on the Zoo.  First, Tucker was very popular and people miss him, and miss seeing a Hippo at the Zoo.  We were the only Zoo in Northern California to house Hippos.  I'm sure many are wondering if we will be getting another one.

Second, with Tucker's pool and yard empty, two Big Cat Grottos empty, the obtrusive new Snow Leopard enclosure still empty, and the unused portion of the Black Rhino enclosure, all meeting at that one end, a huge section of the Zoo looks uninhabited.  It's a ghost town. 

The Zoo should have posted a sign and breathed some life into that area... Future Home of Pygmy Hippos! 

That's right!  A species of Hippo is coming back!  I was very excited to hear this would be happening, and I'm sure others will be too.  In one of my Tucker departure posts I wrote that the Zoo needed to acquire Pygmy Hippos or Tapirs for that area, since it is now a guideline that Nile Hippos have more space than that exhibit provides.  Pygmy Hippos would be the obvious choice, considering, that is where Hippos have lived for over 45 years, and there's a Hippo statue in front of the enclosure.

While I like to post in chronological order, my Madagascar posts, that were started three years, still aren't published, which isn't helping with respect to writing about this. That said, most everyone who reads this blog, knows about the Madagascar debacle, so my posts will basically be personal opinion, documenting the saga, with little surprising news. 

Fast Forward (again), unfortunately, while Pygmy Hippos are on the way back (anyone remember the Pygmy Hippos who lived at the Zoo years ago?), who knows if we will be lucky enough to see them.  It's been over a month since I've heard or seen any activity in that Hippo area.  I heard there were some set-backs to renovating the enclosure.  I also hear, the Pygmy Hippos may eventually make their home in the Madagascar exhibit.  WTH?  I'm sorry, but I can't even with this craziness!

More on this when things become clearer.  Til then, my initial issues with this are:

1- We have a Hippo enclosure.  Fix it, to accommodate Hippos. 

2- Pygmy Hippos are not from Madagascar!  Good Grief.  It made me laugh and frown at the same time.  I knew I never heard such a thing, so I researched it.  There were Hippos in Madagascar, they are now extinct.  They were not Pygmy, but Dwarf, which visually were smaller version of the appearance of the Nile Hippo.  

3- If these Hippos are indeed going to Madagascar, and they are not Madagascar Animals, again WTH? 

4- What happened to the Animals that were slated to go there when plans for Madagascar were developed?  

5- If a non-Madagascar Animal was going to go there, taking up a large part of the area, then Why did we even need a Madagascar exhibit?  The Zoo would not have been in aesthetic disarray for three years AND We could have still had Monkeys.

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