I tried to use a word other than Bullshit, but there was not one that covered everything that has been present in what has brought Our Zoo to today's financial position, and in my opinion, lack of working toward a better future.
The past eighteen years has seen mass mismanagement on all levels by former Zoo CEO/Director Tanya Peterson's Leadership, gross negligence by the Zoological Society Board in their sought task to Manage Our Zoo, gross negligence by the Recreation and Park Commissioners in their City tasked duty of Oversight of Our Zoo, and non-existent involvement by City Officials, including all Mayor's and Board Of Supervisors. I include the BOS as over the last year, they are seemingly the only entity that has actually stepped-up to try and sort out some of the destruction caused by the lack of care and ignoring by every other entity. Too bad they didn't act sooner.
And the boo-hoo by all, regarding former leadership using $12 mil in funds without approval... Well, this is what happens when there is no oversight or monitoring, just blind ignorance. Unscrupulous goings on were documented and reported over many years. No one cared to listen. So, no shock to those of us who have cared and watched it happen.
Supervisors
For the sake of as brief as possible (but really no way possible) description of issue, I'm going to leave out the Supervisors, since as I said, they seem to be the only ones with any sense, balls, and knowledge. In my opinion, they should take over all Oversight duties from the completely useless Rec and Park Commissioners.
Mayors
Working backward from my list, is now Mayor's. I credit Daniel Lurie in being instrumental in ridding Our Zoo of Peterson. That said, it took him way too long to get involved, and other than his selfish Want of Pandas, he seemingly really could care less about Our Zoo. The later also applied to his predecessor, London Breed. Where is she now with all her Panda love and fundraising enthusiasm? No where, no care. Prior to her, these fine folks <cough> were at the helm of Our City, Mark Farrell, Ed Lee, and Gavin Newsom. Alleged friends of Peterson, who along with her friends on the Society Board, blindly supported her mismanagement, because they didn't care about Our Zoo.
Rec and Park Commissioners
I have never experienced a group of "leaders", that combined could not be more inept. Over the years watching the nonchalance from the Department's Representatives that sat on the equally inept and useless Joint Zoo Committee, was a real head-shaker. Just utterly disappointing. So many instances I can bring-up, all documented in this blog. The culmination reading Commissioner Larry Mazzola's statement in the press expressing his astonishment at what was being reported about the mismanagement of Our Zoo under Tanya Peterson, and hearing him take offense to the backlash RecPark was receiving, because "they have no authority", over the Zoo, claiming they are "Advisory". Advisory is useless. The RecPark represents The City as the Owner of The Zoo. They are present at Joint Zoo and are tasked with approving Animal Acquisitions and other Items. They are an Oversight entity, except I guess when the going gets tough. Many times Animal Care Staff brought up issues and were shot-down and demeaned by Commissioners and other Joint Zoo Members, including the Zoo's own Board. If Mazzola or any other Commissioner not present for that, that's on the collective, as all should have been informed of these grievances, but no one cared. Just like no one cares that the Bison Meadow continues to be dried out, yet another Summer, even though RecPark claimed the sprinkler was working a year ago. It's evident in the lack of compassion for the Bison to have a healthy grazing habitat, that allows them to engage in their species natural behavior.
Additionally, I'll note here that I passed the buck about my Bison Meadow concerns to an appropriate Zoo Staffer, who seemingly agreed on the issue presented. In the follow-up on that, I was told they ran it up the flagpole and allegedly the flagpole didn't think it was necessary to pursue. So, having a healthy landscape to graze on, is not necessary for grazing Animals? This determination from inside the Zoo.
Continuing on, I have long said the RecPark Commissioners, and certainly former General Manager Phil Ginsburg, really have no care for Our Zoo. I have long said repeatedly that the RecPark treats the Zoo as if it's not part of their department. Among several things, it's evident in the simple exclusion of the Zoo in their email newsletter that lists Events. They have recently posted about the Bison, which is possibly the first time since the Parks 150th Anniversary in 2020, when the last group of Bison arrived. More recently there has been no mention of the Zoo's Summer Events, Dinos Rule or Sunset Fridays. Their support for Our Zoo is no where to be seen.
Lack of Care from this outside the walls entity, was a main contributor of Our Zoo's downfall. The Lease agreement alone is relative to note. It is grossly out of date, most importantly and certainly relevant to the Zoo's financial crisis, is the lack of increase in the Management Fee paid to the Zoo. The RecPark (The City) should have taken the initiative, considering the Zoo Board never did, to adjust the management fee to include a Cost of Living increase. The $4 Million the Zoo received when the Lease was signed in 1993, with compounded yearly increase is estimated at $9.44 Mil by today's standard of purchasing power. The back pay on that is est at $78-85Mil. If Zoo leadership manages to keep it together til the Loan is paid off, the City should put forth a bond for minimum $80 Mil, to make-up for it, so the Zoo can move forward on the long list of upgrading.
If The City had paid closer attention to Our Zoo, and the group they allowed to manage it, coupled with Cost of Living increases, it would certainly not be in the position it is today.
While on the money factor, let's note, the blame for no Lease amendments over time, does solely lay on the Zoo Board. No alleged attempts has allowed the City to get away with letting the Zoo fall into despair, and taking no responsibility for it. The Lease notes the Zoological Society is basically responsible for everything, including all repairs, upgrades, and new builds, and that is just the notation for Animal enclosures, not City owned buildings like the Mother's Building, which is a Historical Landmark, and the City has ignored it's mounting repairs for minimum sixteen years since I first heard about the crusade for renovation by an interested historian. We must all ask, how, over the course of thirty-three years, How is that even doable, with the inflation over the last twenty-six since tech moved in? Expecting Board Members to foot that bill, I consider pulling a fast one. But, again, the blame is on the Board for not revisiting this agreement. Again we could all ask, Why didn't they? In my opinion, I think the Board was happy not to have the City involved in what they were doing. I have always said, they think they own the Zoo, and treat it like their private club, and we are all just allowed to visit.
Apologies for the last two paragraphs, they were not part of what I planned for this post, but is all relevant, and contain info from multiple draft posts, I discarded yesterday. So, if I'm not moving forward with individual posts, inserting here seemed best for documentation.
Zoological Society Board
While Tanya Peterson was the Zoo's main evil, she was left to run wild destroying Our Zoo, by the Zoological Society Board. They supported her mass mismanagement, misappropriation of funds, lack of fundraising, committing Animal Welfare Offences, and terrorizing Staff. The Board is made-up of many successful business men and women, how they think the hands-off approach was going to be an appropriate way to run Our Zoo is beyond me. Additionally, how they thought over the course of thirty-three years managing the Zoo on a yearly compounded below cost of living management fee was going to keep Our Zoo updated in anyway, is either delusional or negligent.
Last August Our Zoo was finally rid of Tanya Peterson, and new Leadership has taken over the CEO position, yet as far as I can tell, nothing else has changed. All the same uncaring, useless entities are status quo. Where are the Board Members? Why are they always background players? At this time in Our Zoo's desperate history, they should be visible, and doing something to help the Zoo and it just isn't showing. Why aren't they doing something to keep Our Lions? They tout themselves the Fundraising entity, where are those efforts for Our Lions? No where, that's where.
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This post is one of a trio publishing today.
They mark the end of my blogging as it has been.
Please leave a comment or send a personal note on one of these last posts. Would much appreciate the thoughts and feedback.
This is where I usually post Related links and my Blogger's Statement. Related links (with the exception of the last three), are now up to the reader to search for. This blog has 1000+ posts, covering most keywords for your interest. Use the search box in the upper left corner.
Thank you to all who have taken time to read my words. Hopefully you will return for any one-offs I may post, which I'm sure there will be some. I haven't stopped caring, just need a break in documenting.
Cheers,
Kim
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The other two of three...
*Lion Fundraising That Will Never Happen - An Idea And A Rant
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2026/08/lion-fundraising-that-will-never-happen.html
*Pausing My Documentation and Interest Overwhelm In Our Zoo's Future
iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2026/08/pausing-my-documentation-and-interest.html
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