The Moral Crime Of Bringing Pandas To Our Zoo

Got to admit, that last post wore me out.  Rehashing those heartbreaking details of disrespect to innocent Beings, really affects me emotionally, in addition to really f*cking pissing me off.  

It's mind-boggling that not only with the awareness of the complete financial irresponsibility, disregard for both current Animal Needs, and Zoo fixes, plus the absolute injustice to the Orangutans, that a post like this even needs to be written.  Yet, here we are.  The same broken record playing.  Maybe Someone With Authority to put an end to the Panda Plan, will hear the tune, step-in and Save Our Zoo, from the greedy, misaligned clutches of Director Tanya Peterson and the Zoological Society Board.  What say you, Mayor Lurie and/or the RecPark Commissioners?

Anyone who supports bringing Pandas to Our Zoo at this time, is just plain selfish.  Pandas are a Want, not a Need.

So yeah, I have already mentioned the Orangutans.  Their situation is probably the single most irk I have about bringing Pandas here at this time.  Let's make no mistake, that irk is quickly followed by the plan to house Pandas in the Lion House, throwing that whole area of the Zoo into chaos, and foremost, displacing the Lions.  Then, using funds to build a new enclosure for Lions.  The Lions have a home, in the Lion House.  The logic of it all is insanity.

It makes no sense to build the Lions a new home, when it's the Orangutans that desperately need a home.  If you have read my previous post, and still think it's justifiable, after being confined to caged tubes for a total of a year, and then being banished to live on tiny islands for eternity, then there is seriously something wrong with anyone who doesn't think this is morally criminal.

Tanya Peterson should not be allowed to bring in her next new shiny toy, while her last ones still live on small ancient concrete islands.

Peterson's habit of acquiring Animals with no appropriate place to house them, misappropriating funds for non-Animal projects, and general Wants over Needs has to stop.  Starting with putting the Panda Plan on hold indefinitely, and possibly revisit it once all the Needs for current Residents and Zoo fixes have been met.  It's not rocket science to see what needs to be done to Save and Fix Our Zoo.  Yet no one with Authority has the balls to do it.  Panda's will not Save Our Zoo.  New management will.  Until that happens, righting the wrong that was done to the Orangutans, and not rewarding a Cruel Animal Welfare Offense, by allowing the acquisition of Giant Pandas, a large costly Species, should be the example of Caring set forth.  

The Zoo has been under immense scrutiny the past year, the right steps forward need to be taken.  Care and attention to current Animal and Zoo Needs, is how you do that.  Not obsessively focusing on bringing in a Species that is outrageously costly, while the rest of the Zoo suffers.

The Zoo has used "Economic Growth", as one selling point.  I have a problem with this hypothetical in general, as I know funds have been used for non-Animal Wants, ignoring Animal Needs.  That and other factors make it clear, that there is no guarantee that the current Needs of the Zoo will benefit from any influx of funds from a spike in attendance.  A spike I will add, will most likely not last long and definitely not through the lease.

For one, and this is a big one, it was reported that US Zoo's hosting Pandas do not benefit from additional revenue.  Rebecca Snyder,  Chair of the Giant Panda Conservation Foundation, is quoted, "Snyder said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which administers permits to zoos,... does not allow them to keep any profit from pandas. Instead, it expects extra money to go to back to panda conservation in China."  A recent financial breakdown of sorts, reported such a kick-back.

The news article that broke-down the alleged budget outline noting an estimated $8 million to renovate an existing Lion exhibit for the Pandas, $7 million for operational expenses, and $10 million in “conservation gifts” to China.

So, the largest chunk of the funds raised is being kicked back to China, in addition to the $2 million annual rental fee.  That is not a "gift", that is an additional payment.  Way to waste money that could be put to better use.   That money could do wonders for Our Orangutans and other Animal Needs.   These costs are obscene.

If Tanya Peterson had not spent the last seventeen years mismanaging Our Zoo, and actually done her job, maybe the Zoo would be in the position to build an dedicated enclosure for Pandas, and one that doesn't take away the home of current Residents (Lions), or from the Needs of current Residents (Orangutans).  At this time, it is not.

After Maggie Chimpanzee passed away, the thought came to mind... Would, rather could (because she is certainly capable of it), Tanya revisit her plan from ten years ago, and try to kick out the three remaining Chimpanzees, to free-up THEIR HOME for Orangutans?  There has been no word of our Chimps future, whether they will stay or whether the Zoo will acquire additions to their troop.  I wrote about this in a blog post, but I bring this up again, here and now, as I put exclusive pressure on regarding the Need for the Orangutans to have a new enclosure built, in the light of the Panda Plan, and the proposed new Lion enclosure.  

If this Chimp transfer notion were to come up, I'm sure Tanya would see this solution as a win.  Tanya should not be rewarded for not building an appropriate home for the Orangutans.  She should not be rewarded for not fundraising for the Orangutans.  She should be required as part of her job to build them a new home, by any means possible.  If she can raise funds for Pandas who don't live at Our Zoo, and displace, building new for Lions, she can raise funds for Ollie and Amoi, who have waited six years for a new home to be built for them.  Their Needs matter.  They matter.

Furthermore, Shame on anyone who would Donate what I assume would be locked funds to Pandas and Lions, while the Orangutans wait.  

And, if Donors don't know there are desperate Needs, that is what the Oversight of the RecPark Commission is SUPPOSED to be for.  They should be aware (but aren't) of everything going on at the Zoo, to make sure Tanya and the Society Board do not step-on and over Needs, for their Wants.  Which is What has been happening for seventeen years, and Why Our Zoo is in the state it is.

This has been part-two of a series of four.  There is a method to my madness of continued Orangutan/Panda Outrage.  

In the next two posts, I will continue to illustrate why I think the Panda Plan is a bad idea.

*What Will Happen If the Panda Plan Goes Through ... This post will outline what the Plans are, what they means for Our Zoo and current Animals, plus what can go wrong.

*What's The Alternative To Pandas In The Lion House ... I still believe the Panda Plan should be shutdown, but if it continues to be sought after, in my opinion there is a better location option. 

Previous Post:

*Timeline Of Great Ape Disrespect - Highlighting Orangutans

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2025/05/timeline-of-great-ape-disrespect.html

Related Post:

*Are Our Chimpanzees At Risk For Leaving?

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2025/04/are-our-chimpanzees-at-risk-for-leaving.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.

#SanFrancisco , #SanFranciscoZoo , #Zoos #SanFranciscoZoologicalSociety , #SanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #SanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed ,

#SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie

#AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees ,  #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas #Bison