WHAT is up with Big Cat Grotto B?!!!

When I arrived at Big Cat Grotto B yesterday I almost cried and now pulling photos of reference is making me feel sick to my stomach.  As you can see there is a major difference in how this Yard now looks. 

 Taymor standing in front of the Bamboo

The wall the Bamboo formerly lined

From my perspective, this is just another way the Animals are disrespected.  This Yard has been home to Taymor, the Zoo's recent addition male Sumatran.  He has been out of quarantine just over a month and seems to be doing very well in his new home.  I have witnessed it take others longer to get comfortable, and think he has progressed much faster.  That said, he still does like to seek refuge in the Bamboo that lines one of the walls.  That was until it was slaughtered and removed!  WHAT?  is going on?  

From the distance and from photos, other than some dryness near the bottom, there does not seem to be anything wrong with this Bamboo, so why it was removed is among all the other curious things the Zoo does.

I have been noticing the past few weeks there are many areas in the Zoo that are overly dry and wonder why they aren't being watered and kept up.   This was not one of them.  In fact after seeing this yesterday I took photos of many other Bamboo plants in worse shape that are still intact.  

I will also note that after the passing of Padang (Tiger) the Zoo put up a ridiculous sign proclaiming an existing Yard as and "Enrichment Yard", and noting that the Bamboo there created a forest, yet soon after the sign went up, about a third of that enriching "forest" was cleared out.  

http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2012/04/natural-living-space-enrichment.html

So now we have a new Tiger who has by many actions has claimed the Bamboo in his new home as an area of security, and now that secure comfort zone is gone.  Awful.  Note to Zoo Staff, this is what Tigers do in the wild, so you have also taken away something that is an Environment Enrichment.

Taymor, seeking security of a sheltered forest.

Is this one of the new Visionist's vision?

OR is this the vision of the Animal Management Staff?

After a few years the Lion House has recently changed what happens while its open.  It is open from 1-4p daily, and until recently there was most often one of the Cats inside not only out of necessity (lack of yards for number of Cats) but so visitors can see the Cats up close.  There no scheduled feedings but sometimes you could catch a training session where incentive treats are given.  Now, no Cats are inside except when the Keeper Talk (Summer only) is going.  I have heard that having no Cats inside is allegedly because "of complaints about them being in cages."  This seems ridiculous, because they don't live in cages, and that's obvious to anyone with half a brain.  Visitors do come in and I've heard them make comments about the caging, but again half wits who don't put together the whole picture that this is the inside) night quarters and they have access to the Yards thru the doors right there in the caging.  These perceptions could all be settled with a well made video stating as such, and more.  A video about the Lion House History, thru the years and the procedures in place there now, in addition to a bit on the current residents and respectful behavior.  This would go along way, in the Lion House as well other areas (I've suggested similar for the entrance and cafe). There is a TV already sitting unused for seven months.  Providing information would help the Zoo in so many ways, but they seem to be afraid of doing so for the much needed things, while alluding that they do by giving instead puttng forth carefully worded statements.  That said, this reasoning sounds a bit curious and I have to wonder if its not just another untruth to get at what they really want and that is to force the Animals to always be on display.

Note, that at the front entrance there is a sandwich board which states "All Animals have access to inside areas."  This is not true, otherwise many of the Animals did not get that memo.

That said, there was a time a couple years ago when Goober, was not allowed access during the day and sometimes it would be could and drizzly and he was out (with a compromised health issue).  I constantly complained about this until he finally got access all the time.  BUT at one point a Keeper told me to complain to Management because "They want him on exhibit."

So, I have to wonder, because Taymor is new and he has been hiding in the Bamboo, did they deliberately rip out his comfort zone so he would have no choice but to "be on exhibit"?  

Anyway you slice it, this is awful.  There may be a "reason" for this,  but to the Visitor and someone who keeps close watch on things there, what I've written is how it looks to me.

I surely hope they have some fresh new Bamboo ready to plant there, but who knows, they had almost a dozen nice Banana plants that were left to die and still in their dying state sit by the train tunnel.  Ironically, Wishbone once got a Banana leaf and loved it, but not once was one of these trees ever brought over to him.

New Bobcat Home!

Inti's new home was open yesterday (Saturday).  Information given was that he moved down from the ARC on Thursday.  He was camped out in his night quarters, so I didn't get to see him.  Hopefully soon!

Here's a photo of his new home,  the team that built the landscape (which I have been told was outsourced) did a great job!  It echo's that of the recent upgrades to the adjacent Anteater (Angelo) enclosure.  Man-made trees and rocks make the landscape more natural looking.

I'm happy for Inti as his living condition would have been my next crusade, if this didn't come to fruition.  No matter how or why, I am grateful he is no longer living in a series of cages, that had been his home for almost a decade.  Although I have heard that moving him was in theme with the Zoo's Master Plan of creating a new North American area.  I can only hope this happened because it was the right thing to do and not the later.  

This will be a big change for him, I only hope not too big a change and that he adjusts okay.  I hope his Keepers from the ARC are still able to take care of him.  I think one in particular raised him since a cub.   .. Read more about Inti  http://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2012/05/inti-zoos-precious-bobcat.html

Note to Zoo.  Please put a "quiet" sign up there.  Inti has lived in relative calmness with not many people around for so long, he should be allowed to continue that.  Yesterday (Saturday) was too busy and loud with screaming wild children about, its no wonder he was not even peeking out.

Can't wait to see you in your new home Inti, I hope you enjoy it!

I wish something similar could have been done for Wishbone (Andean Bear).  He would have thrived on a non-concrete surface, and would have loved a tree to climb on, maybe with a hammock :)  I miss my Wishy friend, and my heart still hurts that he was so disrespected in his living conditions.

Natural Living Space = Enrichment?

I've had this photo for a couple weeks now, just wasn't sure in what way to post it.  I've been working on a post regarding the Zoo's "Enrichment" efforts, so I'm just going to post this as a stand alone post that will precede the other one.

I noticed this sign less than a week after Padang's passing.  This was the grotto/yard she lived in.  The Big Cats sometimes rotate yards for Enrichment.  It gives them a change of scenery and the enriching opportunity to smell the other Cats.  Padang was a part of this rotation, until it was necessary for her to live in a yard that was modified so she could no longer have access to the moat areas, for safety reasons in connection with aging.

The modification made was adding a fence that ran along the edge of the upper surface.  Aside from that all the yards have basically consisted of the same landscaping for almost twenty years, possibly longer.  There is also one other yard that has bamboo as part of the landscaping.  

These grottos prior to adding natural landscaping, mirrored how three of the Bear grottos still look today.  Point is, the landscaping was added to update concrete living spaces, to create  a more natural environment for the animals to live in.  

I have two things to say about this sign.

1. It appears that the Zoo now trying to say that an already established living space is now being "exhibited" as an Enrichment?   I've read alot about Enrichment and providing a captive animal with a natural living space is not Enrichment, its humane. 

I feel like they have done this to make the public think they are doing more Enrichment than they actually are. 

2.  In my crusade to get the Zoo to recognize that Andean Bear Wishbone needed grass (a natural surface to live on), I once wrote in a post that adding grass to his home would "enrich" his life.  So, even though I think touting this yard as Enrichment is malarky, going with the basic premise that YES a natural living space is enriching, why did the Zoo never add such "enrichment" to Wishbones's home?  Instead letting his bones pound to death literally on concrete?  Why has no one of authority ever green lit upgrading those Bear grottos in the past two decades?

UPDATE 4.29.12

So, the Zoo caught my tweet in regard to this post and tweeted back.

from @sfzoo:

@leo811 Regular rotation of exhibit space is "environmental enrichment"; one of the most powerful/natural forms. eg: Denver's Predator Ridge

I replied:

@sfzoo its not the rotation i refered to,its calling that particular yard "enrichment" after all these years as if something different now.

then they further offer:

@leo811 Not sure when the last time the Lions were in that yard, so very different for them, which then makes it different for the Tigers.

@leo811 Thus creating what is referred to as "environmental enrichment." Just one of many different enrichment strategies.

I replied:

@sfzoo You are missing my point, but it doesn't really matter. ... As well I understand what enrichment is, I research it constantly.

I can't bat the issue back and forth with people who don't get what I'm saying.  Regardless of whether they think my opinion is wrong, they just don't get the point of the post.  They can justify what they do, but I maintain the opinion I have in regard to this issue. They must have missed the part that I wrote "The Big Cats sometimes rotate yards for Enrichment." Obviously I know this. The Big Cats have been on yard rotation for years, that's why I noted it.  The point is, the yard is not new, so to "tout" is as such to make it seem this individual yard is an "Enrichment" yard, is worded as such for public perception. If anything, the sign notes bamboo "forest" and the forest is less than it was a few weeks ago when Padang was still living there. The only other change made is to the walk way, an area that allegedly was a problem area and how Padang injured herself prior to her passing.

I appreciate they had a response.  After all the things I've blogged about for over a year, this is the first time they've had anything to say.  Interesting that they choose to be defensive about this.  What about the kid that was laying across the barrier at the Anteater.  I tweeted them a photo about that but they had nothing to say about that or any of the other Security issues I've noted.  It appears something is a brew in the Enrichment "department."

@andiecattt added the comment:
@leo811 exactly right, nothing has changed. It's just a lazy way to not have to be creative and really come up with excitement for the cats

I replied:
@andiecattt the main issue is nothing has changed. rotation/not new - yard/not new. i think a couple keepers try to be creative.

additionally, Penguin Keeper Anthony Brown responded.  I am posting his posts as I not only like to keep the subject fully detailed, but I think what he says on Enrichment is informative to those who aren't familiar with it.  I was going to post a breif Enrichment guideline in the original post, but decided not to because educating about Enrichment really wasn't what the post was about, but, via the twitter exchange, its become that in part.

from @anthonybrown:
@leo811 @andiecattt What you're missing, is each day that the Lions enter an exhibit that smells fresh of Tiger, it's very new for them.

@leo811 @andiecattt Enrichment doesn't have to be "new" to us to be effective - it needs to be "new" to the animals.

@leo811 @andiecattt Studies have shown that animals will interact with objects they've encountered as much as "new" ones after only 2wks.

@leo811 @andiecattt So if an animal loves a boomer ball, reintroducing it every 2 weeks creates "something new" for them.

@leo811 @andiecattt With that said, some individuals love certain toys, and will engage with them everyday - ie: Gauhati and his ball/keg.

I replied:
@anthonybrown @andiecattt anthony, i know & understand all that you've said. I'll also note that i always appreciate your comments.

@anthonybrown @andiecattt my issue is that in this particular situation, it seems written for the sake of appearance, not education.

Friday March 16, 2012 - Zoo-ing in the Rain pt two

My first venture back and three things bothered me.

A few weeks ago Walter the Maguari Stork was moved from one area in the Puente Al Sur exhibit to another area.  I've had an issue with this since day one.  He had lived for at least a few years in an area that not only had a little stream where he ate his fish from, perches he liked to sit on, but most important there was access to shelter.   He was displaced so two Crowned Cranes could move in.  When I first saw this, poor Walter was staring across the path at the new tenants in his home.  I felt horrible.  I felt even worse when I looked at his new area, which had a plastic tub taking the place of his stream, no perches and the only shelter he had was a piece of tarp about a square yard to cover a corner.  Oh and his sign was just thrown on the ground, a few feet from a "Respect the Animals" sign which I found ironic in this disrespectful situation.  Now, if you are in the area you know that we have had alot of rain in the past few weeks, and that said, poor Walter has had no shelter from it.  A piece of tarp to cover a small area at the top, does not keep you warm and dry on the other sides of your body.  

I was told Walter was soon moving to another Zoo, to meet a girlfriend :)  At the time made me sad because he is an adorable friend who always greets you, but now I wish he was there already as they probably have a home with shelter for him.  ... The right thing to do would have been to wait til he had gone to his new home to make these changes or put the cranes in the "holding pen", not shuffle around the current resident.

Sweet Walter drenched in yesterdays down pour :(   

you can see his pathetic "shelter" in the background

Precious passed Orkney, not gone but two weeks and already his area re-vamped and the Black Swans moved in.  The bigger bother in this is that the ground is covered with a natural covering, yet Wishbone lived on concrete for 4 years exclusively.  When the Zoo wants to move quick it does.  ... Just waiting for the big shoe to drop when they rush in and re-do Wishy's home, something they couldn't do for him.

A ramp from the meadow to Pike's enclosure.  Does Pike now have mobility issues as well (as Wishbone did)?  A couple things.  Why is there now a ramp option, yet Wishbone, even after suffering a fall from his shelf bed, still had to climb concrete stairs (with a previous addition of wooden block stairs)?  If there is a problem with Pike's mobility, will other "stepping" modifications be made to accomodate her?  

Pike is another Bear at the San Francisco Zoo who lived most her life on concrete and still lives more than 50% of it on concrete, as does Ulu.

I'm not going to re-hash my views and opinions on the Bear situation, I'll post links and you can view them as you like.

http://projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com/2011/07/grass-update-polar-bears.html

http://projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com/2012/03/rip-wishbone-sfzoo-bear-dies-after.html

I just wish the San Francisco Zoo Management and San Francisco Zoological Society had the humane consciousness to have added some natural surface landscaping to these three Bear inhabited grotto's in the past couple decades so these Bears wouldn't end up with mobility issues.  It is my opinion living on concrete lead to the premature death of Wishbone and his companion Annie.

UPDATE:  I have visited the Zoo a couple times this past week and I have learned and heard a couple things in reference to points I made in this blog post.

I have heard that there are "ideas in the works" about what to do with Wishbones grotto.  So, it seems my fears of them rushing in to make this area something different in hopes of putting another animal there is on the horizon.  This is heartbreaking to me, as I just wish they would have had the heart to do something for Wishy that may have saved his bones and his life.

I could make a guess and say that they will update it with landscaping and try to get another Bear.  There are plenty of Bears that need rescuing, and I'm all for saving lives faced with being euthanized, but at the same time doing such an upgrade to me would be a slap in Wishbone's face.

I learned (and remember hearing in passing) that Pike has some arthritis issues, most often chalked up to association with aging, which may very well be the case.  The ramp shown is a sort of trial to make sure she will use it, which so far she isn't fond of it.  I agree with what I heard in that it would be worse if she chose not to use any modifications made, which avoiding them would pose her being vulnerable to injury by choosing to go around them.  I trust the Keepers to make these calls.  I may have originally posted a bit rashly, but from my experiences there are curious things and the situation with Wishbone's concrete life has made me hyper-sensitive to how the minds of Zoo management work and their motives.