San Francisco Zoo FAILS: Bears

Showing posts with label Bears. Show all posts

Thursday, December 15, 2011

one stop synop to all my zoo related sites

i have created a new blog that contains the information below, which is a one stop synop to all my zoo related sites. the direct url is http://mysanfranciscozooexperience.blogspot.com/

i am posting the information here in this post, as i've been told the way the address is linking isn't consistently working. I'm posting here as a back up so those who are interested in the san francisco zoo animals plus ;) will be able to access the blog/site of interest.

thankx for visiting! cheers!

if you've visited any of my other blogs over the past couple years, you know i have alot to say! most of it good, some of it not. all of it in the name of my past passion for the zoo and my forever passion for the animals who call it home.

as a native san franciscan, the sfzoo is a place i've visited all my life. as a young adult until earlier this year, i was a member. in 2008 i lost my kitty of 20 years and found some comfort from my tremendous grief in my zoo visits, which became several times a week. from those frequent visits i became endeared to the animals who live there. i learned more about them in several ways. i read every article in the sfgate.com archive, i read all the minutes from the past ten years of the joint zoo committee monthly meetings and i engaged keepers in conversation.

i wanted to share what i was learning, so i started my first blog and named it after my precious zoo friend, goober.

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

june 20, 2009 - march 20, 2011

goobers sfzoo friends

gooberssfzoofriends.blogspot.com

october 17, 2009 - ongoing

youtube.com/user/leo811sf

the most zoo friend video's anywhere! i try to upload clips after each visit :)

january 16, 2010 - august 2011

goobers sfzoo friends photo site

gooberssfzoofriends.shutterfly.com

i started this photo site as a supplement to the goober blog. i had so many great captures of the zoo friends that didn't fit on the blog and i wanted to share them. i stopped updating this recently, but there are 99 photo albums, with thousands of great photos of all the friends!

august 6, 2010 - march 20, 2011

the big cat nip!

thebigcatnip.blogspot.com

for most of 2010, my friend lee and i were lucky to have the opportunity to make enrichment toys for the big cats and on occasion the bears. it was an incredible experience that provided priceless memories for us, the keepers, the visitors and most importantly the animals! for many months, the big cats had super fun, with tons of toys every saturday! see all the fun here!

november 29,2010

padang's 21!

http://tigerbirthday.blogspot.com/

almost one year ago, female sumatran tiger padang celebrated her milestone birthday when she turned 21 years old! she is believed to be the oldest living tiger of any species in a north american zoo. we wanted her to have a big celebration, so we went all out, so her and all her big cat neighbors could have a birthday blast! read about padang and see some photos here :)

november 29, 2010

padang's party photo site

http://padangsparty.shutterfly.com

see all the photos of padang and all her friends at the party here!

january 28, 2011

ulu turns 30!

bearbirthdays.blogspot.com

female polar bear ulu, also celebrated a milestone birthday in 2010, when she turned 30! making her believed to be the oldest female polar bear living in a north american zoo! with all the bears celebrating birthdays in consecutive months, we asked if we could have a collective bear party in november. so we made toys for all, andean bear wishbone turned 24 on october 25th, polar bear pike turned 28 on november 25th, ulu turned 30 on december 25th and the grizzly sisters kiona and kachina turned 8 on january 1st. there was zoo drama and the bear party didn't happen until january 22nd. no worries as the bears don't care what day it is as long as there's toys! read about there special celebration here, and visit the gooberssfzoo photo site and view each bears photo album from the party!

march 4, 2011 - ongoing

san francisco zoo crime

sanfranciscozoocrime.blogspot.com

sadly this blog marked the begining of my negative posting about the zoo. please note that when i say "zoo" i mean zoo management. after all the positive stuff my friend and i did for the zoo, management turned on us and spread untruths. a week after we reported someone over the barrier at the bear grotto, we both had our memberships revoked. if you want the play by play of this ongoing crime drama, this blog is the place to get it. i will make one more post to this blog at the end of this week.

april 25, 2011 - ongoing

project get wishbone grass

projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com

prior to having my membership revoked i began privately seeking out how i could help get this poor bear some grass. after my membership was revoked i decided to make my crusade public. wishbone lives exclusively on concrete and has for years. this is not only unnatural, its inhumane and disrespectful. i have done alot of outreach and online networking to try and nudge the zoo, but i guess they just don't care. its an outrageous disgrace. you can read about sweet wishy, his plight and my crusade on his behalf on this blog.

may 22, 2011 - ongoing

san francisco zoo FAILS

sanfranciscozoofails.blogspot.com

another post revoke blog. there are many things not right at the zoo. they are all fixable. most were avoidable in the first place, at least that is how it appears to me. i used to pass these observations, suggestions and such on to the director, that was until she took away my membership based on lies. so i started publicly calling out all the things i think are a problem. it kinda bogs me down to do so. believe me, i was much happier when i was just writing the happy goober blog, but times have changed and things just aren't right and they should be. the zoo is not all that it can be, and it should step it up for the sake of the animals. i am trying to taper this blog off and just combine all my observations into one blog. so if you're curious about what i think is just not right at the sfzoo, this is the blog to read.

coming soon

i am not an anteater!

iamnotananteater.blogspot.com

i hope for this to be my only blog as of 2012. i plan to share my visit as i see it. that said, it will be many things. photos and notations about the wonderful zoo friends. curious and ridiculous zoo issues. disturbing and evil visitor behavior. ... fyi its goober that is not an anteater! lol! every visit, there i stand with my bairds tapir friend and someone comes by and calls him an anteater! ???

i wanted to share what i was learning, so i started my first blog and named it after my precious zoo friend, goober.

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

june 20, 2009 - march 20, 2011

goobers sfzoo friends

gooberssfzoofriends.blogspot.com

october 17, 2009 - ongoing

youtube.com/user/leo811sf

the most zoo friend video's anywhere! i try to upload clips after each visit :)

january 16, 2010 - august 2011

goobers sfzoo friends photo site

gooberssfzoofriends.shutterfly.com

august 6, 2010 - march 20, 2011

the big cat nip!

thebigcatnip.blogspot.com

november 29,2010

padang's 21!

http://tigerbirthday.blogspot.com/

november 29, 2010

padang's party photo site

http://padangsparty.shutterfly.com

see all the photos of padang and all her friends at the party here!

january 28, 2011

ulu turns 30!

bearbirthdays.blogspot.com

march 4, 2011 - ongoing

san francisco zoo crime

sanfranciscozoocrime.blogspot.com

april 25, 2011 - ongoing

project get wishbone grass

projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com

may 22, 2011 - ongoing

san francisco zoo FAILS

sanfranciscozoofails.blogspot.com

coming soon

i am not an anteater!

iamnotananteater.blogspot.com

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Animals Upset by Visitors Steps Away from Oblivious Staff

It happens again, OUTRAGEOUS! How will the Zoo deter this behavior? WILL the Zoo do anything TO deter this behavior?

As we turn the corner from the main part of the Zoo and end our visit with the Chimps, we thought we were home free. A visit without seeing misbehavior from humans against our precious Zoo friends. Could it be? Not a chance, unfortunately.

There is always some kind of misbehavior at the Chimps. Always. Humans for some reason feel the need to tickle their armpits and make oooo-ing sounds when they see Chimps. I don't get it, but I don't get the behavior of humans, much less the ones that pay to go to an Animal Park and then mess with the Animals, rather than observing and enjoying them just doing their thing.

I have noted before the desperate NEED at the San Francisco Zoo for more signage, to deter misbehavior. The Zoo continues, just continues to go along its merry little way thinking they are doing a bang up job in all aspects, including protecting the Animals. They are not. WHY can't there be more signage? Are they afraid of how it looks aesthetically? Are they afraid of offending Visitors with too many rules? What is the problem?

As a Visitor who is upset by this behavior and who thinks protecting the Animals should be primary, posting informational signs in a viewable area is a no-brainer. After all, part of the Zoo's Mission Statement is to "educate." So far, I see very little educating going on.

While on that note, I sure hope that the Docent led school tours, Zoo-Mobile Staff and Camp leaders, teach the children they speak to about Respecting Animals.

I must note that the majority of misbehavior is the actions of adults. Take the situation I witnessed yesterday. When I arrived at Chimps, all three females were lounging in the sun. The male (Cobby) was inside. There was a (human) family of rowdies already being loud and yelling things towards the Chimps. Whether this group instigated the situation and/or the rest of the Visitors I don't know, but they were the stand-outs as the loudest and the grandmother was the ring-leader! Ma Barker.

As the crowd got louder with laughter and snickers, Cobby (who was probably watching from the window) rushed out, picking up a book on his way. He was obviously agitated. Since I know his behavior (and that of the humans watching him) I knew exactly how this was going to play out. Cobby displayed his aggravation by rocking and throwing things out at the Visitors who were upsetting him. I video taped most of this, but am unable to upload it at this time.

As Cobby was in action, a larger crowd grew and most from what I could hear while taping, were excited by his behavior. Admittedly before I knew what his rocking meant, I too thought he was dancing, as that is what it looks like, BUT once an Animal throws something out towards the Visitors, regardless of your level of Animal Behavior knowledge, that isn't an action based on just for fun. Something is upsetting to the Animal, so its disturbing to me that Visitors would not only heckle him, but in fact erupt in cheer as a crowd when he threw things (three times).

That said, I again return to signage. At the Chimps there are two signs. One is a universal "shoosh" sign, with a finger up to lips, the other is the Zoo's Respect the Animals sign. One is posted to the far left and the other to the far right, nestled in close to the bushes. Visitors walking up and standing in the front to view, do not see these signs, and the ones who do mostly don't pay any attention. I have seen Visitors yell out to the Chimps while standing in front of the "shoosh" sign. Amazing.

So, we ask, will signs then work at all? I believe more will deter. Since the Zoo will not take other outside the box measures, such as a video on loop at entry village or in the Cafe, we have to go with what little they have already done and that's signs.

Side note on video. There is a new video playing at the Snow Leopard exhibit. The video is on Conservation and Education about the plight of the Snow Leopards. While a great thing, isn't it just as important to Educate and Conservate for the Animals who call your facility home? Again, I would think that should be primary.

I have long thought the necessity of more signage, Zoo-wide, but it is in dire need at the Chimps and Bears. I find that most of the misbehavior happens in these areas AND these Animals are wide-open. It has always been curious to me that there are signs at the Indian Rhino exhibit cautioning about crossing the barrier, but NONE, not one, at the Bears. I have never seen anyone misbehaving at the Indian Rhino, but its a regular occurrence at Bears. AND there is hardly ever Security at Bears. Why are these signs not posted all along the barrier at Bears? WHY??? ... As well these signs should be at all exhibits, along with ones that say not to yell. AND one every window at the Cats, not to rap, tap, slap on the glass.

As for the signage at Chimps, there are several things that need to be noted to alert. Several low placed signs in front of the exhibit would be ideal. Do not vocalize at the Animals (yell, imitate, ect). Do not gesture at the Animals (wave your arms, clap, ect). These Animals are sensitive. If you see them exhibiting motion that looks like dancing, waving Arms, motioning back and forth, that is a display of agitation. Do not encourage, heckle, applaud this behavior. These are Senior Animals and should be kept calm for their health and safety. ... THIS would help the situation tremendously.

I also find it curious, that with the Chimps being right next to the Cafe, that more Staff do not pay attention to what is goign on there. When I'm at Chimps, I see Staff from all levels, going in and out and just passing by. In fact yesterday I witnessed two things that were most disturbing.

Two Cafe Staffers came out and joined in the festivities, adding to the laughter and took photos of Cobby in action.

Five Staffers, including that of Membership and IT, stood about 20 yards from the Chimps, in front of the Cafe, over-seeing the moving of the outdoor seating, in preparation for an event that night. Note photo posted. The Chimps are right beyond these people. There is no way the cheering and laughter was not heard. YET not one Staffer went over to see what the commotion was. INCREDIBLE! I'm so glad that the Staff is alert and aware of their surroundings. Good grief, Cobby could have ran up and goosed one and they wouldn't have seen it coming.

Once again I plead to the San Francisco Zoo, get it together! Do more to protect these Animals! You may not like me, but this isn't about me, its about the Animals in your care who call the Zoo home.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Visitor Dangles Arms in Lion Enclosure! OMG!!!

Once again Visitors misbehave, I witness it and Security basically does nothing. This is one of the reasons I must blog. This is one of the reasons my brain hurts, regarding so much Zoo-wise. I wish it wasn't that way, but I care about the safety of the Animals who live there, in regards to Visitor actions, that I can't help but get upset.

So, here is what happened today. My friend Lee and I were sitting on Tatiana's (Tiger) bench. The bench that was donated by funds raised in her memory by those who loved her and were outraged at the circumstances surrounding her death. I was one of those people. This bench sits in front of the enclosure the Tatiana lived in with her companion Tony. I am sure anyone who is reading this, has knowledge of the events that happened Christmas Day 2007. If not google it.

After those events there were upgrades made to the barrier at the Visitor side, as the drama surrounding the circumstances made it seem as though it was a Zoo fail, that the event could even happen. In my opinion, this was not a Zoo fail. In short, Big Cats had lived there for close to 80 years, without escaping. The issue of wall height was not an issue, as the "recommended height" was NOT "required height". AND the obvious was documented three years later, that she had been taunted (more like tortured to a boiling point). She also did not leap out of the enclosure, she allegedly used some dangling legs as a ladder of flesh.

Knowing all that, why would anyone do the following, and why did I have to witness it? It really amazes me that Lee and I seem to be the only ones who think the behavior we see is bad. Maybe this is why we are witnesses. God knows that we will stand-up for what is right. If the lady who had seem the Dhaliwal's misbehaving at the Lions prior to getting to Tatiana's enclosure had reported it, maybe Tatiana would still be alive today. That is in part, why I get involved.

As we sat there enjoying watching Tunya and Sukari (Lions), a family strolls up. T he father immediately stands on the cement curb and then up on the ledge, body against the barrier glass, dangling his arms over the top, trying to get the Lions attention. OMG!!! I absolutely could not believe what I was seeing. I started taking photos to document it. I have seen alot of misbehavior, its a daily occurrence at the Zoo. I had vowed after the Bear Grotto incident (see blog http://sanfranciscozoocrime.blogspot.com/2011/03/welcomeif-you-are-reading-this-blog-you.html) not to get involved ever again, but when I see something so horrifying, I can't help myself. When a Visitor does something that can put an Animals life in danger, I can not just sit there and watch.

If you are asking how do these actions I write about put an Animal's life in danger, I'll note a couple past events as example. Tatiana, abused by Visitors to the point she got out, hunted them down and killed on of her attackers. She was shot in the head 14 times, because she defended herself, her companion and her home. Two years later a man voluntarily enters the Grizzly Bear enclosure. One of the Bears sniffed him and moved on. Had that not been the the way it played out and one of the Bears went after him, in anyway, even playful, they would have both taken a bullet. So, regardless of the scenario, the Animal will always lose its life.

In the case of today, sure there is a window barrier as such you can see in the photo (in case you have never been to the San Francisco Zoo), but what if there was a fluke and something happened that this guy fell in? One of those precious Lions might have lost their life. I am painting an extreme outcome that I do not believe could happen in this instance, but that is not the whole point. The point is, this behavior is unacceptable. Why do people come to the Zoo, pay to get in and then act the fool all over the place? I don't get it. Until I became hypersensitive to misbehavior, I thought people who visited the Zoo did so because they liked animals. Behavior I see continuously suggests something different.

Even further OMG, this is happening at the same enclosure as the Tatiana event!

Before I go any further with my commentary, I continue with the chain of events.

So, even though I do not want to get involved, I go to the Lion House to ask the Security guard there to call another guard to talk to these offenders. As I walk up, Security guard Gisella bikes in. She played a part in untruths in regard to the Bear Grotto incident, so I would have preferred to not be involved in something she was involved in again, but no choice. I told her what I saw, showed her the photo, she thanked me and off she went. I followed back to the scene to point out the offenders.

When she approached them, she said in a low pleasant voice, " ... for you safety,..." I could not believe it! AGAIN Security basically does nothing!!! Just like when a Visitor threw something at Cobby the Chimp! (see post on this blog, http://sanfranciscozoofails.blogspot.com/2011/05/zoo-management-lets-visitors-abuse.html) OUTRAGEOUS! What is going on? Why does Security make nice with people who are seriously misbehaving? They should be asked to leave, but at the very least be spoken to with a more stern voice and wording. No wonder people run wild in the place. They know they can.

I may be in the minority, but once a Visitor initiates misbehavior, that should void them as a Security priority. The Animals that live there never seem to be the priority concern Security-wise. Its disgusting.

If I was a Keeper and saw how disrespectful Security is in regards to reprimanding Visitors offending towards the Animals in my care, I would be pissed.

I digress. ... The wife of the offender, then says to me, "Are you happy now?" What is that even supposed to mean? Her husband acts the fool, engages in a serious Security action and she is turning my reporting it around? I had not planned to say anything to these people, but she opened a dialog with me first. I responded, "He should not be up there. There are barriers for a reason." Again she says, "Are you happy now." I said, "Don't you watch the News. You must know what happened the last time someone dangled over the barrier." Then I just stopped. To me asking, "If I was happy now", was the most ridiculous thing to say. NO, I'm not happy that your offensive husband is putting our precious Animals at risk with his bad behavior.

So, again proven offensive Visitors are smiled at and asked not to misbehave. Seriously? Man-up San Francisco Zoo, stop being cowards! Do something to deter this bad behavior. Start sending a message. Start educating people about respecting the Animals BEFORE they enter the Zoo. Don't hide behind the signs that are posted here and there, and think they are enough. They are not. Have a video at the entrance. Have a video in the Cafe. Tell people how they are expected to behave once they enter the Zoo. Have docents talk to groups before they enter. Do something, because misbehavior toward the Animals is epidemic.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Teddy Bear Festival, but do you Respect the Bears?

Last weekend the San Francisco Zoo held an event called The Teddy Bear Festival.

I interpret this to be an event that celebrates the Bears that live at the Zoo.

A synonym for the word celebrate is the word honor. To honor, you must respect. To date, Wishbone the Andean Bear, still lives on concrete.

See http://projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com

Above is a photo of a sign that hangs outside the Tropical Aviary, two exhibits over from Wishbone. This signs shows a new exhibit as "Coming Soon." A NEW exhibit, while old exhibits like Wishbone's need upgrading.

Wishbone has lived exclusively on concrete, baring a short time when he lived in the Grotto next to the one with the meadow, to which he had shared access. His living situation goes unrecognized as the Zoo Management hire (read pay) artists to render drawings like the one above to illustrate their future Master Plan.

Wishbone has needed grass landscaping brought into his home for years, why is this not part of the new Master Plan? Why is there no (grass) "Coming Soon" sign on his enclosure? Why, because there is obviously still NO plan to bring grass to Wishbone's home. I guess the Zoo's plan is to let him continue living on concrete for the rest of his life?

The "Coming Soon" exhibit is to provide a new, bigger home for the Squirrel Monkeys. My comments are in no way meant to take anything away from the Squirrel Monkeys, but to show the obvious and that is, whoever is making decisions, does not take the Animals into thought.

The Squirrel Monkeys have a home. Its also a home with greenery. This new home will also include a children's play area. Why is it more important to make a new and better home for a group of Animals who have an adequate home for now, while another Animal lives with a hard surface under his feet? Why is it more important to build a play area for a human, when an Animal lives on concrete? Is the San Francisco Zoo a human playground or an Animal Park?

I completely understand that some exhibits are funded by donor's for specific use. I do not know if that is the case with the money being used for the new Squirrel Monkey exhibit. My issue if this is the case, why aren't donor's approached to fund severely important things like getting grass for Wishbone? Why can't the Squirrel Monkey exhibit be done without the children's play area and that money go to get Wishbone grass? Then both Animals win. Do we really need to encourage more screaming children outside the exhibit (next to the coming soon play area) which houses two blind sea lions?

A further note on the Master Plan. I went to a Guardian Member Reception in November, where Director Tanya Peterson showed slides of this photo and more. I was appalled. I was appalled by two things. First, that there is a Master Plan for new exhibits while old ones need upgrading and second, that there were four! new children's play areas planned, again while existing Animal enclosures need help. I am sorry if those reading this have children and are pro there being more play areas, but honestly as stated above, this is an Animal Park. There is already a huge Playfield with more grass than any one Animal that lives at the Zoo has and Golden Gate Park is laden with playgrounds. When people bring children to the Zoo they should utilize the existing playground or spend their time there teaching their children about the Animals.

Also, note that the drawing for the new Squirrel Monkey exhibit shows white tree' structures?? Where in nature are there white trees? I think even the Director feels a need to sell this as she kept saying "Think modern. Think modern." Why should we think modern? This isn't a museum, this is an Animal Park and Animals don't live surrounded by white plastic looking tree's.

In summary. Creating new exhibits while this poor Bear feels nothing but concrete beneath his feet is a crime, is outrageous, is unacceptable and is disrespectful.

UPDATE 12.8.11

Please view the video on the last post projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com

If you support this crusade, please email San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson - tanyap@sfzoo.org

Thank you!