WHEN WILD ANIMALS ACT WILD...

I've been thinking a lot about writing this post since those tragic events unfolded at the San Francisco Zoo. Lives have forever been changed and like it or not we have only ourselves to blame.

I am a huge supported of zoological parks and facilities. Not only do they provide hope for the survival of our planet's endangered species, but are also an excellent source of public education and awareness regarding animal behavior and the preservation of the environment. Unfortunately many people are lax around wild animals at zoos. They tend to think of the lion, tiger and bear in the cage as domesticated...oh my how wrong can that be! As a result, those who are bored turn to harassing the animal behind the cage or exhibit without thinking or looking about what they are doing. They forget wild animals are wild and will act as such. And to make matters worse, the administrators and staff at our nation's zoos also suffer from a lax attitude about the well being of the animals in their care and saftey of the public.

I witnessed first hand such an attitude while volunteering at a local acqurium. Millions of dollars were being spent in the construction of a new exhibit but when I asked about upgrades to the seal habitat I was told that it met "minimum zoological guidelines". It was discovered that this was also the case at the San Francisco Zoo. The investigation revealed that the height of the tiger's enclosure was within minimum standards and posed no serious threat or concern. Here is what I told the acquarium I volunteered with and feel this should be the case at all zoological facilities: Why meet minimum standards? All monies and resources should be spent in exceeding standards for the well being and saftey of the animals and public.

It is my belief that in order to insure the saftey of the public when in close proximaty of wild animals at zoos, keep the animals safe by keeping people away from them at all costs! If such an attitude was taken at the San Francisco Zoo, lives - human and animal - would have been saved.