This is really outrageous!
I walked into the Lion House last month and it was freezing! This was at the tail end of the real cold snap we were having, so it wasn't even as cold as it probably has been.
I asked the Security Guard if he knew what tempature the LH is supposed to be. I knew he probably didn't know, but because I couldn't get a clear photo, I was trying to find out if he could check the thermostat for me. He didn't have authorization to get to that area, but did say its been freezing in there since he started working there. I asked how long that was and he said six months.
I had only been inside the LH a few times over the past several months, and because it wasn't during the cold snap, I guess I didn't notice the low temp. In hindsight, the Lion House had always been pretty warm, in fact sometimes, steaming up my glasses.
I happened to see a non-zoo maintance worker, so I questioned him a bit and found out that he was there to install a new furnace. SO, it wasn't that the temperature was just low, apparently/allegedly there has been NO Heat in the Lion House for 6 Months! Are you kidding me?!
My concerns not only are that the Cats are in there freezing at night, but that when the "bedrooms" are washed down each day, they aren't drying and the Cats are then sleeping on wet floors.
AND the Zoo aquired Animals for the Tropical Building, even though at the time they aquired them the renovation on that building was over a year away. They built a small exhibit to house them in the LH. I have an issue with the size of this "home" but thats another story. My concern is, these are Tropical Animals, which means they need a certain temperature. The Zoo knows this and they don't fix a building heater for half a year? Out-fucking-rageous!
So, the Toucan was there in the freezing cold. There was a mess of extention cords on the side, so I assume there is some heat going into the Anaconda's water? Yet, the heat lamps above her were unplugged? The Sloth was not in there, having been moved to the Hospital to keep it warm.
I seriously am losing words to express the things the San Francisco Zoo does/doesn't do, that aren't just a string of swear words. I'm so frustrated at the lack of attention to the Animals. But hey, the City Officials thinks everyone is doing a bang up job there. Animals get killed (and not just Kabibe the Infant Gorilla). There is no Heat and for some Animals not even proper shelter during the Winter. Animal homes go without Landscaping. Enrichment is near non-existant for many of the Animals. All this and the City Officials don't question anything or anyone. There is a list of Staff who should be under the microscope in regard to whether they are qualified and are doing the job they are being paid to do.
I saw the Director the same day I was there takinig in the disgrace of the Lion House and she was coming out of the Gift Shop with a coffee in hand and laughing it up with people. I'm sure the Sloth wasn't laughing it up as it was freezing.
Furthermore, in my opinion, again, when an Animals Safety or Health is of issue, what is the Animal Staff Management doing? The Carnivore (Cats +) Curator Corinne MacDonald and Dominic, the Curator for the Tropical Animals, and the Curator above them, who I believe is still David Bocian, should be the driving force to have made sure there was heat for these Animals.
I repeat, the lack of Empathy and Compassion, that goes on at the Zoo really saddens me. The Zoo is Home to Wondeful Beings and could be a great place if it weren't for all these people bringing it down, with laziness, bad descisions, and personal agendas.
