Going into last weekend my blog goal was to try and condense posts in draft to figure the quickest way forward and get a post done, which included reiterating the negligence to Our Zoo by City "figurines" (as I now call them), and the Zoological Society, as well the need for mass management Restructuring and Redefining. I had semi-planned a couple ways to go, and then two things happened, one Friday, then Saturday. When I get behind and try to catch-up, it never fails, another something is added to the heap. Procrastination set-in, as I glanced at all my notes, and I abandoned it all.
I finally started one late Sunday night. I fell asleep within minutes. It was meant to be timely, regarding an ABC News piece quote from Mayor Lurie and an Anonymous comment to that last post that came in. I had a reaction to both, so for the sake of keeping current, I still want to put that one ahead of this weeks News stories about the City's Loan to the Zoo. With a couple additions to start, here we go...
My Photos of Tica
First, I want to make a mention to our Zoo going public. Female Ocelot Tica (Zoo name Pepita), has been removed from her home on the North Side of the Lion House.
Par for the course, the Zoo did not give what little endeared community they have a heads-up, but also for the most part typical, there is no sign up at her home with any information. I walked up to see her on Wednesday and all signage pertaining to her is gone. My heart dropped and I thought the worst. Thankfully my sadness was short lived, as I was quickly able to breathe easy when I found out she had been moved to the enclosures at the off-exhibit FCC.
This shouldn't happen. The public should be alerted to departures from sight prior to it happening, and with signage explanation, at an empty enclosure.
I can not say for sure why she was taken off exhibit, but there had recently been signage about health monitoring, as well, at some point she and possibly the Snow Leopards will have to be off exhibit if/when renovations for Pandas absurdly take over the Lion House. I did hear work noise coming from inside, and with every recent news item mentioning Pandas, who knows if there's a connection.
If she can be on exhibit, maybe she can be moved to the Puente enclosure that is vacant since Claudia's transfer. She fits geographically, and with some privacy fencing and foliage coverage, that might be a nice space for her.
Pepita (Safari West Facebook)
The Zoo recently acquired a juvenile Blue Duiker! I heard she was arriving this week, but even though I remembered to stop by the African Aviary during my Wednesday walk, my old brain forgot and I didn't realize it until I was walking to my car. Will look for her first thing Monday!
The above is a video screencap of Pepita at a couple months old. I mention her name, as since the Zoo renamed Tica with Pepita, I assume this little girl will then have her name changed. Unless,...
I have heard recently that the Zoo may be ceasing renaming Animals. If this is true, Hallelujah! Those who know me, know the renaming thing has been a major upset for me for sixteen years. I have been vocal about this endlessly in this blog and in person. After the former Director Tanya Peterson left, I had planned to crusade for any Animal that had their identity stolen by Peterson to have their name reinstated.
While I know that it's tricky for that to happen for those whose rename had money attached to it, there are many who had their name changed with no money attached. I was making a list of all renames and the money factor, but couldn't confirm some. My initial focus was on Our Chimpanzees and Orangutans. The name change of any Animal to me is disrespectful, and hurts my soul. Renaming Great Apes seems even more particularly disturbing. With news Our Chimpanzees were leaving, the only happy take-away was that they would hopefully be given their real names back at their new home.
As for Great Apes, that leaves Our Orangutans, Amoi and Ollie. Amoi was renamed Judy. By all accounts there was no money specifically attached to her name. This was allegedly a Tanya Peterson nod to a donor of the Chimpanzee Dayroom. Stealing identities should not be done at all, and definitely not be done so casually. I could not confirm if money was attached to Ollie's rename of Berani.
If ceasing to rename Animals, there are plenty who need to be on a retroactive list, starting with Amoi. She needs her name back. And if no money attached to Ollie, he needs his back too.
I realize that auctioning names = raising funds, but other than newborns, Our Zoo can do better than disrespecting Animals that already have names. Donors can be given a plaque for their support.
The Mayor - Panda Irritation #1
Last Friday, ABC news did a piece on Mayor Lurie's first international trip. Below is the blurb from that article.
"...with Lurie's trip to Asia in just a few weeks' time, ABC7 Eyewitness News wanted to know if the pandas are still going to be coming.
We caught up with the mayor outside the Asian Art Museum on Thursday.
"We are in dialogue about it. We are making sure our zoo is ready to host those pandas. So we'll have more conversations about that," Lurie said."
With all the financial woe talk associated with Our Zoo, it pisses me off that any Official, but particularly the Mayor, is supporting Our Zoo acquiring Pandas. I applaud him for being instrumental in ridding Our Zoo of Tanya Peterson, but have been disappointed that he has been silent about the Zoo the six months since. More on that in a separate post.
CEO Comment - Panda Irritation #2
An Anonymous "comment" came through email for my last blog post. It was a copy of a full letter apparently sent from CEO Cassandra Costello to Guardian Level Zoo Members. It didn't have a "personal" notation on it, so I assumed it was not an FYI but indeed to be published as a comment. It appears at the end of that March 30th post.
Costello writes,...
"One exciting opportunity ahead is our campaign to bring Giants pandas back here for the first time in over 40 years. This effort represents an extraordinary chance to elevate the Zoo’s global conservation role and create an experience that would thrill and inspire millions of visitors each year. Achieving this vision will require significant philanthropic support for specialized habitat development, animal care and international conservation partnerships. In the months ahead, we will be sharing more about how our community can help make this ambitious and meaningful project possible."
"Guardian Members are among our most dedicated champions. Your generosity provides critical support for animal care, conservation programs, educational experiences for children and families, and ongoing improvements that make the Zoo a vibrant destination for our community and beyond. Your partnership makes this work possible and I am grateful for your support."
My reaction is not meant to criticize Costello, as I do realize the position she has been put in taking on leadership of our troubled Zoo, and I am giving her a chance to save it, but from my perspective after following eighteen years of mismanagement and this Panda fantasy, I certainly have opinions.
I find this irritating because dipping into the Membership community to fund this irresponsible want, is seemingly opposite of where we were all originally told funding for Pandas would come from. It was mentioned many times that funding would come from outside the Zoo entities, which included members of the Chinese Community who supported the acquisition. Asking for funding from within the Zoo Community at this time, for something not related to Our Zoo's current Animal and property needs, which also includes acquisitions to fill empty enclosures, is in my opinion not right. To me, it takes away from the Needs that should be priority to fixing and rebuilding Our Zoo. Things that should be topping the to-do list, but that are seemingly not on the agenda, because the Panda Want is at the front of the line.
Who's going to fund the Triple Grotto reinvention? This year, when the Orangutans move out and into what will be the former Chimpanzee area, a fence will go up around it, apparently indefinitely. Triple Grotto is a focal point in the Zoo, and according to the Zoo, in the most trafficked area. And there is no plan for what's going to happen there. The plan to rebuild on that site and bring back Chimpanzees should be being talked about now.
Additionally, I ended my last post with this...
Soon after, another Mountain Lion Cub was rescued, and at three weeks old, is currently being raised at Oakland Zoo, along with another Cub.
It's unconscionable that Our City and Our Zoo would continue to chase Pandas instead of directing attention to and trying to raise funds for better options for Our Zoo, which in my opinion, includes creating a home for Mountain Lions. This would be a rescue effort Need that's in our own backyard. It is also a conservation effort since this year Mountain Lions in parts of California were given Threatened status due to habitat loss. It is supporting locally, not supporting the questionable conservation effort of Pandas to the tune of millions of dollars each year.
Looking forward to a future that can afford new builds, I am sure I'm not the only one who would like to see the return of Nile Hippos to Our Zoo. Our previous Nile Hippo Tucker's son born at Cincinnati Zoo could one day need a new home, and I'd like to see that be here if possible. Given the option, I would bet our Zoo going public would rather invest in Hippos, than Pandas.
That all said, I am once again going to note, I have nothing against Pandas. I would love to see Our Zoo welcome Pandas, but not at this time or anytime in the near future. There is so much to fix, rebuild, and regain at Our Zoo. There is a documented financial deficit. There is the Loan that will have to be repaid. I'm sorry but I just don't believe acquiring Panda's is a smart move. I hope I'm wrong and Panda's will be the Zoo's saviour, because if they are not, I sadly don't see Our Zoo around to see it's 100th Anniversary in 2029.
Previous Post:
*Future Attendance/Revenue Driven Efforts From CEO, Conservation Presentation, & More
Related Post:
*What I Think Our Zoo Needs - Part One
**The San Francisco Sunshine Ordinance (1999) is a local law ensuring public access to city government meetings, records, and operations. It mandates that policy decisions are made openly and requires city boards, commissions, and agencies to operate transparently, with enforcement by the Sunshine Ordinance Task Force.
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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 , #SanFranciscoZooCEODirectorCassandraCostello , #FormerSanFranciscoZooDirectorTanyaPeterson , #SanFranciscoRecreationAndParksDept , #FormerSanFranciscoMayorLondonBreed , #SanFranciscoMayorDanielLurie , #AssociationOfZoosAndAquariums , #AZA , #SpeciesSurvivalPlan , #SSP , #Animals , #Wildlife , #Nature , #AnimalWelfare , #AnimalCruelty , #AndeanBear , #KomodoDragon , #Chimpanzees , #PatasMonkey , #Fossa , #Orangutans , #Barriers , #PerimeterFence, #Pandas , #Bison
