The Zoo Director Wants Pandas - The Want Over Need Priority Is Killing Our Zoo

Wants over Needs has sent Our Zoo spiraling the past sixteen years.  The most recent Want of Pandas, over the Needs of the Orangutans, in my opinion encompasses the largest aspects of cruelty in recent history.  

Many Members of the Public, and a good amount of Zoo Staff, have been following my blog for a long time.  The same have been following News articles propelled by Staff provided information, and unfortunately also hearing the sensational words of Activists. All sources documenting the mismanagement of Our San Francisco Zoo under the Directorship of Tanya Peterson.  

I started my documentation almost fourteen years ago.  My documentation was based on my personal experiences.  My information came from what I saw and learned.  I have documented what I originally tagged, the good, the bad and the curious, but unfortunately grew into covering the increasing number of offenses Director Peterson perpetrated against the Animals and the Zoo.  Creating Animal Welfare issues is her biggest moral crime.  Her lack of care and fundraising, is a long list that has held the Zoo back farther and farther away from thriving, with every day that passes.

While Tanya Peterson has wreaked havoc throughout the Zoo, she isn't alone in bringing it to it's current desperate state.  The negligence of the San Francisco Zoological Society and the San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission, have allowed her free rein, as neither care to be involved with what actually goes on at the Zoo. 

The Zoological Society was given the responsibility of managing the Zoo.  The Park Commission, the same in some unclear capacity.  Both are supposed to take part in being an oversight entity, neither have.  Outside the useless Joint Zoo Meeting,  Society Board Members only come to the Zoo when there's a cocktail party and Park Commissioners can't even be lured there with liquor.

This year San Francisco's (now outgoing) Mayor London Breed, decided bringing Giant Pandas to Our Zoo was a fantastic idea.  What it was and is, is fantastical.  In a better version of the state of Our Zoo, Pandas would be great, but not til then.  

I'll give the benefit of the doubt, and assume Mayor Breed entered into this fantasy not knowing anything about the Zoo.  She bought the illusion, that there was a planned out Asian Conservation area with a designated space for Pandas, that Director Peterson sold her.  Then she sold it to China.  Now, that's the assumption.  If she indeed knew that was untrue, and knew anything about recent acquisition issues in the Zoo, then shame on her. 

Mayor Breed continued to chase Pandas, even though there is no way she wasn't enlightened along the way.  I know my efforts to inform her, reached her inner circle, as well as the Board of Supervisors, and Park Commission. That combined with concerns voiced in the media, there was no way she could escape the facts.  I am very clear with my words and presentation, very thorough in my networking and very tenacious.  If she is still uneducated about the Zoo, it's because she has chosen to remain ignorant.

The list of facts as to why Our Zoo should not acquire Pandas at this time is way too long for this writing, but I will say one word and expand on it.  In my opinion, this one word encapsulates the almost all that is wrong with the venture of bringing Pandas here.  Orangutans.

In 2014, Director Peterson put her plan to acquire Orangutans into motion.  First step in her plan was to kick-out our senior Chimpanzees.  She had no Empathy or Compassion for our three aging Chimpanzees that had lived at the Zoo for near fifty years.  No care at all, she wanted their enclosure for Orangutans.  I've documented this story well in this main blog and a separate blog dedicated to my crusade to save them.  Thankfully I was successful and our Cobby, Minnie and Maggie never had to set foot in the transfer cages that I heard being built.  They got two new enclosures, and accessed them via overhead trails that led out of Triple Grotto to their new home across the path. They moved into the Dayroom Thanksgiving Day 2018.

In 2019, as the Chimps new Yard was nearing completion, word that Orangutans were on the way came out.  I think I might have been the one to break the news.  I happened to read about it, as the Zoo our male was coming from posted about his departure.  I was shocked.  Zoo Staff who I asked about it, were shocked.  No one seemed to know, and we all had the same question, Where are they going?  What I read had the male seemingly on his way very soon.  Triple Grotto was the only place, but in no way an appropriate enclosure for Orangutans.  The AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums) had deemed the over fifty year old Triple Grotto so ancient that they refused to send the Zoo any additional Chimpanzees.  Without a complete renovation, How can they then be sending Orangutans?  

By the end of May, two Orangutans were being housed in the old Chimp House at Triple Grotto, and their only outside access was the overhead trail.  Aside from occasional periods of time, that the female (only) got access to the Chimps new Yard, the Orangutans lived exclusively in those caged tube trails for eight months straight.  I have well documented in my blog this cruel horror every step of their plight.  There were many tears shed by myself and others, including staff.  It would be near two years before they had access to their own enclosure.  Unfortunately, while happy they finally got out of the cages, their enclosure is not a happy place.

Director Peterson chased Orangutans for at least five years before getting her hands on them.  At no point did she fundraise to renovate Triple Grotto FOR them.  She claimed there was No Money.  What was done, was a disgrace, and not one thing FOR them.  All alterations to keep them imprisoned in that ancient pit, because No Money for netting, which would have expanded their topical area and provided climbing material for their natural behavior.  

Tanya Peterson made no effort to raise a penny for the Orangutans, yet she has gone an raised near her goal of $20 Million for Pandas.  Animals that don't even live here, while the Orangutans languish on tiny concrete islands. 

Let's take note of the probable scenario if/when Pandas get here.  

First let's note that it's almost certain that Mayor Breed and Director Peterson, both wanted Pandas for selfish reasons.  They both faced job uncertainty earlier this year, and thought Pandas would save them.  Thankfully Breed was not re-elected as she is the one to blame for the literal Pandemonium.  It is well rumored among staff that allegedly Director Peterson had planned to retire months ago, but decided to stay until Pandas got here.  She is delusional if she thinks having acquiring Pandas on her resume will outshine the damage she has done to the Orangutans and other Animals who suffered because of her.  

Now let's talk about the $20 Million.  Since Mayor Breed couldn't raise a dollar and won't be in the picture after January, her promise that The City and private Donors would fund the Pandas, is a moot point.  How long will that $20 Million last with Panda rental fees, enclosure work, dedicated staff, extra security and flying in Bamboo?  Tanya Peterson will walk away from the Zoo, leaving it with a hefty annual bill just for Pandas, without looking back, except to blame the next Director when the Zoo has to send the Pandas back because they can't afford them.  

If Tanya Peterson wants to do the Zoo a solid after all the damage she's done, she should concede to the reality of what having Panda will cost the Zoo, not just financially, but in regrouping after her reign.  If Peterson ever cared about the Zoo, she needs to consider the Zoo's Needs, over her Wants, and LEAVE the Zoo with that money she raised, so the next Director can use it to fix the Zoo.  Then, maybe Pandas can be a welcomed addition to the Zoo for it's 100th Anniversary in 2029.

Related Post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-change-thats-needed-to-save-our-zoo.html

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For Full Statement see this post:

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html

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I used to use (search) labels, but too often forget.  I started noting "Hot Topic" in title, but fell lax on that.  Now I'm just going to add labels, keywords, etc., here at the bottom with hashtags.  Does it help in searches, who knows.  

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