Governor Newsom Accelerates Phase 3 - What Does This Mean For The Zoo?

I finally had time to read Governor Newsom's latest Update, dated Fri June 5.

At this link you can scroll the section, June 12... in the above screencap and choose the highlighted Zoo hyperlink which will take you to an eleven page pdf document on guidelines.

http://www.oesnews.com/california-public-health-officials-provide-covid-19-update/

While I directed most of my frustration about the Zoo not being allowed to Re-Open to Governor Newsom, the final decision seems to be carried by local Government.  

Based on this and other recent research it seems the Re-Opening Protocol is that each State Governor forms their Timeline based on CDC (Center for Disease Control, a National Dept) Guideline.  Then as the Governor allows entry into the next Phase, a County Timeline comes into play, mandated by Local Mayor's who are taking queue from local Health Departments.

Curiously, in this June 5 Timeline Update Governor Newsom announced California could enter Phase 3, a full two months earlier than noted just over a week before.  Why the change? Who knows.

With Zoos being in Phase 3, what does that mean for the San Francisco Zoo?

As noted the final decision will come from local Government, so we must continue to wait for Mayor Breed to give the word that the Zoo can re-open.

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Blogger's Statement

"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."

For Full Statement see this post:

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

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Re-Opening Updates and Curiosities

As I continue to read about what other Zoo's are doing in regard to Re-Opening, I also try to learn and understand the position of California Government that puts Zoos in such a delayed category.

One thing different I learned this week, was that at our local level, there is a concern in regard to the Transmission of Covid, by and to Animals.

This was the first time I had heard this as a reasoning, so I inquired with several people I know from other Zoos.  Two out of State and one in CA.  This new reason, is noted as coming from the CDC, as well as local Government.  One of the reasons I find it curious, is that other U.S. Zoos have opened, and if it was a concern from a National department, then how could other Zoo's have opened?  

I'm not saying this isn't a valid concern, I'm just curious if it is a concern that factors in regard to re-opening.  The two out of State said it was not a factor in re-opening.  All said it was a concern, while noting that most exhibits have a distance of six feet from visitors, or are behind glass.  

I mentioned in a previous post that I had a concern for the SFZoo Chimpanzees from the moment this pandemic started.  The new yard allows people to be very close and I immediately thought the path needed to be blocked off.  Of the Zoo Animals, I would assume that of most concern are the Great Apes, being closely related to Humans, and Big Cats, because of the ones at Bronx Zoo who contracted Covid.  I would also assume that any Animal exhibit that is not a six foot distance, would have the barrier pushed back.  That all said, if these steps are taken, would that not be enough to protect the Animals? 

I would never be on the suggesting end of a rush to open if the Animals were in vulnerable positions.  My main concern with delayed re-opening is the continued financial hardship.

If this information carries any weight to the reasoning, I wondered if the Petition was even worthy, because a "transmission" issue was never brought up as a concern for re-opening.  I decided to stop networking the Petition.  I still think based on the information that is out there, the complete disregard for  distancing at mass gatherings, and the comparison made to the re-opening of the Botanical Garden, the Petition is valid.  It didn't catch on within California, and that was what I wanted.  It did bring awareness, get some good comments from signers, and provided a place to spell out the contradictions as I saw them, and send them to Governor Newsom.  

Petition Comments. 

Thank to those who signed 

and left Comments.

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Blogger's Statement
"Personal Opinions and Facts presented publicly are Not against the law or any rules. ... Censorship and Retaliation Actions in an attempt at Suppression are frowned upon by Healthy Societies."
For Full Statement see this post:
https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2018/09/my-zoo-status.html
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