Re: S.F. Zoo's history of mismanagement

There also may have been a culture of taunting animals that arrose
around the zoo!

http://www.expertclick.com/NewsReleaseWire/default.cfm?Action=ReleaseDetail&ID=19409

Solution for tiger attack in San Francisco

Dallas, TX 75230 December 30 2007


Samson and me

The tragic accident at the San Francisco zoo was most likely
precipitated by agitation on the part of visitors. The cat had to have
had motivation to decide to leap out of the enclosure and focus on
specific visitors.

This reaction to taunting and teasing on the part of the public has
caused other incidents at other facilities, however none of them have
led to the death of visitors before. Therefore, they have been
overlooked.

I have been advocating for some years that docents/volunteers be
stationed at specific key points in zoos and other facilities that
display wild animals. They should be particularly placed near
enclosures that house big cats, primates, bears, and other potentially
dangerous, sensitive, and intelligent animals that will forcefully
react to agitation.

It should be a quick and simple solution to reactions such as that at
the San Francisco zoo. It could be implemented quickly, and it would
give the public immediate reassurance that changes were being made.
The docents would keep any visitors from in any way agitating the
animals without ruining the appropriate positive experience visitors
should enjoy.

Additionally, the reinforced lack of such taunting would give the
animals housed at the zoo a much better quality of life and relieve
their stress level. It would also help teach the public that respect
for wild animals is a preferable way to share an experience with them.

Louis Dorfman (louisdorfman@xxxxxxx)
Animal Behaviorist
International Exotic Animal Sanctuary
9909 Preston Road
Dallas, TX 75230
Phone : 214 696-4425
Fax : 214-696-1758
=======================

This seems like a reasonable and do-able solution - for zoos everywhere. Art
museums have volunteers (I assume) standing around preventing damage to
paintings, wouldn't common sense say the same caution and protection would
be required of living beings?? Hope this Dorfman person gets listened to.

As for the taunting, yes, take some action to prohibit/diminish it, by all
means. But in this particular incident, and the tiger heading for the
cafe... and, well - it's a CAFE for Gawd's sake. How long you think
Tatiana-the-Tiger's been smelling those burgers?! I doubt taunting had
anything to do with anything by the time she got there. Seriously.

jc


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Relevant Pages

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