ZooFest Letdown - Apparently Party Goers Think The Zoo Is Doing Just Fine

If you've been following my blog, you know I've been noting for a long time now, that I want to wrap-up all my posts in draft.  More succinct, I need to, for my well-being.  I've had a couple+ tough years and have so many things that stalled because I just couldn't do much of anything.  I need to get to all those things, so I can feel less overwhelmed.  So, as last weekend (5.19) came to a close, I queued up the six remaining for this weekend (5.26).  Then I'd be done with Zoo blogging as I know it, with possibly the exception of random outrage.  I really feel that after thirteen years of documenting, which is how I look at this effort of mine, that I have shined bright enough lights on what really goes on at our Zoo.  That I've done enough.  With the Chronicle articles, and the "investigations", curiously being launched by the "shocked" Rec and Park Commissioner and the new Board Chair, I pass the baton for most of it.  You all know I will never be silent, but I have to unburden myself to some extent.  

So, ZooFest, aka party for people who think they are doing a bang-up job in relation to their respective authority related positions within the Zoo system.   Late Tuesday (5.21) night, ZooFest photos came my way (viewable at drewaltizer.com). I scanned through all 400+ and towards the end I got to the presentation part of the event.  The fest theme this year was in celebration of the last Zoological Board Chair, Ed Poole.  Let me first say, when I heard this theme choice, I thought it odd.  I admit I don't know much about the guy, but what I know, is like the two before him, that cover the time frame I've been monitoring the Zoo, he seemed to do a whole lot of nothing in regard to making sure there was oversight in Director Tanya Peterson's management of the Zoo.  So, I'm obviously not impressed.  In addition, I also emailed him when that Petition calling for Peterson's resignation came out last summer.  I asked him for a comment for a post I was writing about it.  I wanted to know whether or not the Board was taking the Petition and it's words seriously?  I got no reply.  

So, when I saw the series of photos of ex-Chair Poole, with Director Peterson, and Mayor Breed, onstage, smiling, laughing, holding a Panda drawing and obviously patting eachother on the back, I was disgusted. The Zoo is falling apart, the media is reporting scandalous issues, Staff has voted No Confidence in Peterson, and these key players are acting like nothing is wrong.  I get that its a party, but it just looks bad from my point of view.  I had hoped at some point the Mayor would be helpful in fixing the Zoo to some extent, not only because there are desperate fixes, but also because I would think she'd want the Zoo at its best for when her Pandas get here, but seeing those photos, it became very clear she is now in the nest of delusion and/or no care with the lot of them now that she's got her Panda Plan.  To me, it all read like the Zoo could crumble, but as long as the Panda enclosure is standing, all is good, and screw all the Animals that already live there, and the Zoo's other Needs. 

I woke up the next morning and for the first time, I felt like it's a waste of energy to even try for change.  I don't want to ever give up on trying to get the Orangutans a new home built, but geez, no key player has cared for the five years they've been here and no one seems to care about anything now, other than Pandas.  And that is not just my feeling.  When talking to some about that state of things, one offered, "We can't have anything, only Pandas."  It's just really sad.

So, where to go from here.  I plan to finish those posts in draft, three article reactions and that damn six year in the making Madagascar one, and then take a breather.  See how the Panda Plan pans out.  Will they actually come or won't they?  See if those investigations produce any results for change in management.  Will Director Peterson be replaced, or won't she?  Because right now, it doesn't look like change is on the horizon for our Zoo.  I hope I'm wrong.

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