The sting of Wishbone's death is still painful. It hurts even more when I see stuff like this. When I say stuff" I directly mean the hard proof of money being spent to create new areas in the Zoo, when Animals who live there, especially Wishbone, are living in exhibits that could use upgrading. A majority of the Animals have decent homes, but there are some that need upgrading, and in Wishbone's case, could have used upgrading decades ago and everyday since then.
The Zoo Director and Management Staff do not fundraise for upgrading, they fundraise for new areas, new Animals. I have written in prior posts here and on my Wishbone blog (projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com) about the Zoo's Master Plan that includes a new North American area that will bring in new Animals and about the new Playgrounds for humans. So, new Animals and humans, get bright , shiny, new and modern areas, while current Animals continue to live status quo.
I personally can not imagine being someone of authority in the Zoological Society and being able to sleep at night knowing I was forging ahead with plans that did not include helping the Animals that already live there, before anything else. Leaving an Animal like Wishbone, (with known back issues) living exclusively on concrete, pounding his bones with every step he takes, is unconscionable at the very least. ... Anyone who thinks this is okay, does not care about Animals and has no business running a Zoo or visiting one.
So, here we are, two weeks after the death of an Animal that was forced to live exclusively on concrete, I am force fed this display of the new children's Playground, newly on display in the Lion House. The sight of it disgusts me. There is absolutely no need for money to be spent this way. The Playground already there is sufficient. There is enough playground for the amount of playing that should be done at the Zoo. This is an Animal Park, not Great America. AND the ironic thing is that there is an artic looking area that is more natural than the Polar Bears actual living space!
The current playground. Its sufficient. Its a playground!
As well there is a huge grassy area behind it.
More grass than an Animal living there has, that's for sure!
