And Furthermore... Another Reponse From Rec And Park

Well, all I can say is Thank You Mother Nature.   She cried some tears onto the Bison Paddock the last few mornings.  Hopefully it will see some new sprouts this coming week.

I got a follow-up reply to my last response to the Rec and Park's nonsense that the Zoo is responsible for the enclosure.  I'm sorry, I know it sounds bitchy, but if a PR department is going to make a statement in regards to department policy, they need to get their facts straight before doing so.  I have zero patience for incompetence at most  levels, but especially at that level or any other when dealing with Animal issues.

Here is the most recent exchange, and possibly the last.  I think I'm done for now.  Gotta move on.

Their response to my last reply...

Again the Rec and Park have worded their statement to make it seem like this is on the Zoo.  It is not.  

My reply...

At this point, I feel that I have done all I can do to bring public awareness to this issue.  I have written about this issue, I have contacted all the appropriate entities in the Rec and Park and City, and I have made a Petition.  It is now up to the Zoo to make sure the Rec and Park hold up their part of the agreement.  Let's see if RecParkSF Manager Phil Ginsburg and RecParkSF Commission President Mark Buell can manage to do that.

I do not for one moment believe that this "irrigation" issue is new.  This is a long standing issue.  The Paddock has been left to dry out the majority of the last many years, with exception of those few months during the 150th celebration for the Park.  

Here is a video I took in October 2021

https://youtu.be/QCYKAn18Bhc

As I noted in my previous post, the sprinklers in the back meadow are working just fine.  So, Why haven't they been on daily to reinvigorate that dried vegetation?  The Bison are rotated to that meadow, so that meadow needs attention as well.  If there is an issue with "irrigation" in the front meadow, then that back meadow should have been consistently maintained with green vegetation, so the Bison had something to graze on while the "irrigation" in the front meadow is fixed.  The negligence is clear.  The ass-covering is clear.  

The Rec and Park need to fix the current issues, and stay on top of any future issues.  Not wait months, or even years to show it attention.  And not wait for the Zoo to call attention to it.  They have Gardeners who should be attending to both meadows in the Paddock at the first sign of dry-out.  

At this moment in time, those sprinklers, front and back need to be on daily to rectify this dry-out until green is restored.  Additionally, with the climate warming more each year, moving forward, the "timer" system needs to be adjusted to reflect that hydration need.

When I drove by Thursday morning, I saw a gardener going into the Paddock.  I don't know how long the Zoo has been in talks with the Rec and Park about this, but the timing of my efforts and this now being given attention is curious.  The question on my mind is, How long has the Zoo been asking the Rec and Park about the no watering issue?   The Paddock has been consistently dry for over a year.  Has the Rec and Park been questioned for that long?  They have certainly been ignoring the Bison Paddock needs, have they also been ignoring requests to fix this issue?

Bottom line.  The San Francisco Recreation and Park Dept, needs to pay attention to the Bison Paddock as much as they do the rest of the Park.  They already shirk their "management" responsibility to the Zoo (which I'll detail in a future post), as if it is not part of their Department.  The Bison are actually IN the Park.  The neglect to the Bison Paddock has not drawn the attention of just myself, everyone has seen the dry-out for years.   It is Shameful.

Original Post (contains link follow-up posts and to Petition)...

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2022/06/petition-to-rec-and-park-city-of-san.html

Park Sprinklers Flood Path - Not A Drop For The Bison - Fans Speak Out!

I monitored the Bison Cam all day yesterday, and didn't see sprinklers.   Today I've done the same, in addition to going by twice.  No Water for the Bison Paddock?  YET there was a row of nine sprinklers on Chain of Lakes between MLK and the Horse Corral.  Grass there is sure a hell of a lot greener than in the Bison and Rec/Park kept them on to the point where they were flooding the path and into the street.  This is the main point of this post.  

This is the kind of shit that pisses me off.   

I do want to reiterate that this is a supplemental vegetation issue, that is the responsibility of the SF Rec and Park.  The Rec and Park are required to maintain the enclosure, which means keeping the vegetation healthy.  The Rec and Park control the sprinkler system.  This is solely on them. ... The Bison are healthy and well taken care of by SFZoo Animal Care Staff.  They are fed daily and given extra food to compensate for what they are not getting from grazing.  They are not going hungry.  That said, they do need that green vegetation, not only for extra intake and but because grazing is part of their natural behavior.   It's what they do and that needs to be replicated in a captive environment.

The Sprinklers in the Bison need to be on everyday till there is green in that whole meadow.  I noted previously that a gardener told me the sprinklers were on a timer.  I don't care what time they go on, my question is What day, week or month can the Bison Paddock expect some attention to this situation?  The Rec/Park need to be transparent with the sprinkler schedule.

I have not heard back from anyone in the Rec and Park system.  I contacted a few other City Officials and asked, What can you do to help the Bison?  .... I'm waiting.

When I think about the Park Commission, I think about the Joint Zoo Committee Meetings I used to go to.  There are three Commissioners on that panel.  One time that has forever stuck in my mind is when I saw Zoo Director Tanya Peterson, and a Commissioner, literally patting each-other on the back.  If Tanya is so buddy buddy with the Rec and Park, I sure hope she is trying to remedy this vegetation situation.

The Petition is gaining some momentum.  If you haven't signed yet, please do!   Public outcry, speaks volumes.  Remember you can sign "name withheld".   

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/361/945/132/demand-san-francisco-rec-and-park-provide-bison-with-healthy-grazing-vegetation

Here are some Fans of our Beautiful Bison Ladies being a Voice for them!  Thank you to all who have signed.

Related Posts...

Sun 6.26.22

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2022/06/petition-to-rec-and-park-city-of-san.html

Mon 6.27.22

https://iamnotananteater.blogspot.com/2022/06/update-city-official-contacted-me.html

Great Ape Timeline - Updated 11.23.19 - Pinned Post

7.3.20 Update ... Redated this post to before Shutdown, to keep current situation at top.

This post will be pinned here, for the foreseeable future, using a date in the future as the posting date.

Scroll down archive list for most recent post.  New Updates will be listed by date and highlighted.

I will continue to add to this until Triple Grotto is renovated to complete the Great Ape Passage Exhibit.

Moving immediately forward, the Big Question is, when will Triple Grotto be renovated, and or a Temporary Enclosure (as I suggested in my previous blog post) be ready for the Orangutans?  With Seven Chimpanzees, they need both the Dayroom and the Yard.  Are the Orangutans expected to live in the Skytrails indefinitely?  

SFZoo Chimpanzee, Great Ape Passage, and Orangutan Timeline

This is a partial highlight of information in a previously posted Timeline from 1960s-2015, with additions from then to present.  For more details on the Chimpanzees, please see original post:

http://savesfzoochimps.blogspot.com/2015/07/san-francisco-zoo-chimpanzee-timeline.html

1960s  (mid to late) - Triple Grotto built.

4.24.67 - Tallulah Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.  

7.10.68 - Cobby Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.  

4.25.70 - Maggie Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.  

4.25.70 - Minnie Chimpanzee arrives at the SFZoo.  

Between 1976- 1981 Minnie gave birth to four babies with Cobby. 

1980s (mid)  - Triple Grotto upgrade Landscaping and Structures built ... update > No further upgrades made since.

1997  -  San Francisco Residents Vote and pass a Bond for improvements to the Zoo.  The Great Ape Forest, a new home for the Chimpanzees and Orangutans. 

Using the Chimps and the Orangutans on Posters urging City Residents to vote in favor of $ for the Zoo to make much needed upgrades, a City Bond of $48 Million was awarded to the San Francisco Zoo.  The bond was for specific projects, the building of a new home for the Chimpanzees and Orangutans, was one of them.  That never happened.  Money was misappropriated and never replaced.  Last Orangutan was moved to another Zoo and the Chimpanzees remain in the same enclosure with no upgrades in Thirty Years.  ... Not one Director during the past Eighteen years has made an attempt to Show the Chimps Some Love.

2003-  Last Orangutan, Lipz, moved to Milwaukee Zoo (now a Mom, living at Birmingham Zoo).

2005 - Bond Update showed the Great Ape Forest (Chimpanzee and Orangutan exhibit improvements) had been cancelled.

2008 - News article notates, that over 10 yrs after the Bond was awarded, there were still questions about How the money was spent and Why the Chimps were still living in the "ancient" Triple Grotto.

* Zoo Management already allegedly aware for many years that our Senior group of Four Chimpanzees, should expand, allowing the addition of younger Chimps to create a "Family" group agewise, that would sustain as time goes on, the Zoo still does nothing to prepare for a loss.

January 2013 - Tallulah Chimpanzee passes at age 54.

2013-2015 - The SFZoo is very well aware of the AZA Guidelines in regard to Groups being Four or more.  Zoo Management does nothing to ensure that Tallulah's Family, Cobby, Minnie and Maggie are guaranteed a lifelong home at the SFZoo, the place they have called home for 45+ years (as of 2015).

January 2015 - Zoo Animal Advocate and Blogger Kim (me) hears that Zoo Director Tanya Peterson has plans in place to Remove the Zoo's Senior Chimps from the home they have known for the past 45+ Years.  "HELL NO!"  I said, and launched an online Crusade through my Zoo blog to Save them.  A dedicated blog, Petition and Facebook Group followed, along with a letter writing campaign.

2.20.15 - KGO-TV starts airing SFZoo Controversy teaser Commercial after the Oscars. ... I was lucky to make contact with the KGO-TV I-Team and have Reporter Dan Noyes take an interest in the Chimps Story.  Over the week prior, I provided all the information to date, as well was interviewed.

2.22.15 - Letter Writing Campaign responses received!  It seemed all wrote letters received a form of the same curious statement provided by Zoo Director Peterson, basically denying that the Chimps were set to move.

2.24.15 - Director Peterson writes frantic email to Staff, in an effort to damage control her untruths in the situation and place blame on me, grasping to discredit the information I provided to the Media (KGO-TV).

2.24.15  KGO-TV News Story airs. The issue is covered completely by the I-Team investigation.  In addition to myself, I suggested several other interviewees, including,  John Alcaraz, the Chimps first Keeper, Steve Ross, the head of the Chimpanzee SSP, and the Director of Lion Country Safari, the facility I heard they were being shipped to.   In addition to an awkward Zoo Staffer interview, the I-Team additionally confirmed the plan was indeed in place with information provided by the Oakland Zoo.  There is no way Director Tanya Peterson can deny Moving The Chimps was Her Plan.

2.26.15 - Just hours before the Monthly Joint Zoo Committee Meeting, Director Peterson Announces to Members via email that Chimps are staying! ... The News investigation, Exposing Director Peterson's Covert Mission to Kick Out the Chimps, obviously forced her to bow to Public Outcry!   We did it!  We Saved The Chimps!

2.26.15 - Zoo Director Peterson Announces at the Joint Zoo Committee Meeting that Chimps are staying and Zoo will be moving forward with upgrading the current enclosure, to include additions of Sky Trails, while launching the "largest Fundraising Campaign to date", to raise 10 Million for a new enclosure, the Great Ape Forest. ... Note 9.15.19:  I have since come to find out this $10 Million enclosure was an alleged plan mocked-up over a decade ago.  It was never something intended to be done at this time.  And, there has been no large fundraising effort.  If there was, there would be funds for Triple Grotto.

3.7.15 - San Francisco Zoo launches Website Donation Page. --

...  Update > Only publicity for it has been the initial Facebook Mention.

3.14.15 - Million Dollar Donation for Chimps! ... News from Zoo is an Anonymous Donor gave 1 Million toward the Triple Grotto Upgrade and Sky Trail addition.

3.26.15 - Upgrades Start!? ... The Rusty and Peeling 1980s structure in Grotto 2, has been sanded and painted!  Not an upgrade but hopes for a larger plan of immediate action!

... Update > The excitement ends there.  The only other thing to be done is long overdue maintenance to the structure in Grotto 1 and the night quarters.

3.26.15 - 

Director Peterson noted in discussion with me at the Joint Zoo Meeting, that the Million Dollar donation was enough to get the initial Sky Trail/Pachyderm Building addition completed. 

April 2015 - No answers as to why delays or why Sifaka exhibit being built first.  Was told Sifaka completion date eta Spring 2016 and Chimp Expansion Fall 2016.  

2016 - New exhibits for Wolves, Sifaka (New Animals to Zoo) and a Flamingo Upgrade open.  Not only do the Chimps sit waiting, as another year and a half passes by, but so does the Komodo Dragon, who lives in a terrarium.

November 2016 - At the same time the Expansion was supposed to open, work finally began on it, gutting Pachyderm Building.

February 2017 - Construction begins on Dayroom and Bedrooms for Chimpanzees in Pachyderm Building.  

February 2018 - Construction begins on new Yard!

September 15, 2018 - Chimps access the new Skytrails for the first time!  Their first time outside of Triple Grotto in fifty years!

October 2018 - New Chimpanzee Qadeer arrives!

November 21, 2018 - Over three and a half years after promised new living space, the Chimps access the new Dayroom for the first time!  Dayroom opens to public the next day, Thanksgiving!

2.8.19 - Chimps See their new Friend Qadeer for the first time!  First Chimp they have seen in almost fifty years!  They see their new Bedrooms too! Super Hootfest!

2.16.19 - Erie Zoo News Flash!  Ollie Orangutan is moving to San Francisco!?

The Big Question is "Where is he going"?

March 2019 - Chimps move out of Triple Grotto.

May 2019 - Both Male and Female Orangutans are Here!  Occupying Triple Grotto bedrooms.

5.30.19 - Full integration of Chimps successful and the four access the new Yard together for the first time!  Another Super Hootfest!

June 2019 - Chimps have random access to Yard.  My count is less than a dozen times and that's generous. ... Female Orangutan also has access.

8.15.19 - New Chimpanzee Nick arrives!  (From Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa) The Two Females he lived with will follow in September.  

July - August 18, 2019 - Chimps have had no Outside access for Seven Weeks.  Not to the Trails, Not to the/their Yard. 

8.18.19 - I wrote a blog post about what is going on with Chimps, not having outdoor access in seven weeks.

8.19.19 - In tears, The Chimps were given outside access! 

9.11.19 - Two Female Chimpanzees, Twiggy and Jamie! arrive from Lowry Park Zoo, Tampa.  Total of Seven Chimpanzees now!

9.16.19 - Chimpanzees: All Males Integrated.  All Females Integrated.  Boy group or Girl group occupy either dayroom or yard.

9.26.19 - The Chimpanzees have thankfully had continuous access to yard since 8.19.19. ... This means that (for the past five weeks) with no other yard, the only access outside of the bedrooms for the Orangutans is the Skytrails. 

9.30.19 - The Orangutans touch for the first time! .. Until now they have only made no contact swipes at eachother.  Ollie initiated grooming to Amoi.

10.1.19 - The Seven Chimpanzees now have mesh to mesh access to eachother!  ... The Boys and Girls can now touch eachother through the mesh.  Full Integration is a long process, but hopefully soon!

10.10.19 - This week saw a change in Ollie.  Since his grooming interaction with Amoi, he has been out from under his blanket and following her around.  This is important to note, as the Orangutans are more active and continue to only have the Skytrails as outside access, for the seventh week. 

10.17.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto.  The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

10.24.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto.  The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

10.31.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto.  The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

11.7.19  - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto.  The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

11.14.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto.  The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

11.18.19 -  Full Integration of Chimps starts!  The male and female Chimpanzees have been separted since he arrival of the three additions two months ago.  The mesh howdy fence was opened today for the first time all seven no have access to eachother!

11.18.19 - This week ended with there still being no renovation in Triple Grotto.  The Orangutans only outside access remains the Skytrails.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
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
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Joint Zoo Committee Meeting Information

I have long had it planned to post this link for those who are interested in learning more about the Zoo.  When I first started researching the Zoo to learn all that I could, this was one of the resources I used.  I read every monthly entry, which dated back many years.  I want to say ten, but I'm not sure now and actually upon checking for the purpose of this post, I see it only goes back two years now.   I started in 2008, and at that time there was an extensive archive.

At this link you will find three tabs, Agenda, Minutes and Documents.  

http://sfrecpark.org/about/recreation-park-commission/joint-zoo-committee-documents/

Note that although information is supposed to be posted to this promptly, it sometimes takes time and even if you contact them, it doesn't happen in the 24 hours it says it will.

Agenda:  I believe is submitted prior to the Meeting, as it sometimes posted even when a Meeting is postponed or cancelled.

Minutes:  They tend to cover what is discussed only in part.  I have found this to be incomplete, as I have been to Meetings.   I wish there was a Stenographer or better yet a Video taken, much like what is done at the City Hall Commission Meetings.  

Documents:  These tend to be the more lengthy presentations by Zoo Staff, that are presented using a Power Point Presentation.

Posted in the Agenda and Minutes you will find a list in regards to Animal Updates.  Each month a list of Acquisitions and Dispositions is provided.   It is for the previous month than the Meeting.  These details are very important to anyone who is invested in the Animals.  I find this most useful because there are many Births and Deaths you don't hear about.  Since the Zoo itself does not note some of these events, (in my opinion for fear of scrutiny), having this information is valuable.  As well, even when I have known about events, the info I get these days is not confirmed because many of the Staff doesn't talk to me anymore.  

That said, one must also keep in mind that all information is provided by the Zoo Staff.  In regard to Deaths, there are no outside autopsies done, so we are at the mercy of the Zoo Staff for cause of deaths.  It has been my experience both in person at Meetings and via stuff I have read online, that information presented to the Commission has at times been questionable in accuracy.  But at least this provides general information.  ... In regards to Deaths, there never seems to be a follow-up on the ones noted as "pending".

Since this post was to provide the public of this resource, I will leave you with the latest Animal Update as an example.    This update is included in the May Agenda.  

 The notes for the May Agenda are:

Note that if certain Staff wasn't so paranoid and secretive, or full of vitriol for me, I would just ask these and other questions, although even then the information I'd probably get would be the "formed" story, which may or may not be the truth.

So, in reading these two items,  the things that are curious to me are that the Female Lion Tailed Macaque passed away (RIP Suana) in April, so now in May they have made the decision to transfer out the Male?  What's wrong with that you may ask?  Well, this species of Monkey has a life expectancy of twenty -thirty years.  This Animal was born at the SFZoo in 1989, so at nearly Twenty-Four years of age (considered a Senior) and the only place he's ever lived, I think he deserves to live out his life in the only home he's ever known.  If they want him to have a companion, bring in a Female.

The other entry of interest is that yet another Fishing Cat Kitten has died after only days after being alive.  I use the word yet, as this also happened in November (2012).  The anticipation of the first birth was evident with the cameras positioned at the nest box. I had seen her as a Kitten and looked forward to her being a Mama.  Very sad outcome.  I feel awful for Goldfish (Female Fishing Cat) and hope for her sake the Zoo does not keep trying to breed her and, if they do try again, they give her some time.