Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium Pittsburgh Zoo News 2013

The exhibit that used to house the Komodo dragons will be extended toward the rhino exhibit and it will be separated into two separate exhibits - one for Xia (our new red panda) and one for the Komodo dragons. The flamingos are getting a new building that will allow visitors to see them when it is too cold for them to be outside.
 
The wild dogs are officially out at the zoo. Four have already left for their new homes. Two more are to go soon and the remaining four will be gone by fall. Too bad the dogs and the public have to lose out all because of a tragic accident. Im sure they are making the decision for the best of the dogs but its too bad they have to move simply because they were wild dogs just doing what they naturally should do.

Pittsburgh Zoo Giving Away Painted Dogs In Wake Of Tragedy CBS Pittsburgh
 
TZFan said:
The wild dogs are officially out at the zoo. Four have already left for their new homes. Two more are to go soon and the remaining four will be gone by fall. Too bad the dogs and the public have to lose out all because of a tragic accident. Im sure they are making the decision for the best of the dogs but its too bad they have to move simply because they were wild dogs just doing what they naturally should do.

Pittsburgh Zoo Giving Away Painted Dogs In Wake Of Tragedy CBS Pittsburgh
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Kinda saw that coming sadly...
Wonder what zoos they've gone to. mostly out of curiosity since I don't think they're a super common zoo animal.
 
According to an interview with the zoos director they are looking into cheetah's as one possibilities to replace the wild dogs.
 
I honestly dont think the zoo will say. Another article I read about the dogs leaving said that the zoo and the dogs had recieved threats after the incident. Its likely they wont reveal the destinations for their own safety. Although Im guessing with a little work on zoochat and you could probably figure out where they went. I mean how many wild dogs will need to have been transfered between the accident and now?
 
I was just at the zoo and noticed they had the shark exhibit blocked off, and I didn't see the sharks in there as usual. Anyone know anything about this? Could they finally be getting their walrus?
 
gallacus said:
I was just at the zoo and noticed they had the shark exhibit blocked off, and I didn't see the sharks in there as usual. Anyone know anything about this? Could they finally be getting their walrus?
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They were just doing maintence to the exhibit. Dont expect walrus coming to the zoo anytime soon though.
 
The parents of the little boy killed by the wild dogs last fall are suing the zoo claiming they zoo had ample warning people were putting the kids on the railing. What is wrong with these people? You ignore the rules, you endanger your own child, and you blame the zoo for your actions. Sure people ignore the rules all the time. Blaming the zoo for not doing every little thing to protect people from their own stupidity is not the answer. Maybe people need to step up and accept responsiblity for their own actions. Maybe people need to follow rules. Whats the zoo to do? Put us all in glass tubes so we cant do stupid things that put our own lives and the lives of our innocent childrent at risk. I still firmly believe the mother deserved to be charged with something. Yes she has to live with the guilt but it was her decision that lead to her son's death. Her son would still be alive if she followed the rules. Cruel as it sounds, its true. She put her son on the railing over looking a dangerous animals pen without anything but her arms standing between him and tragedy, when there were signs telling people not to do it. She wouldnt have walked him up to the fence to pet the wild dogs so why would she think letting him sit on a narrow ledge overlooking the pen would be a good idea? I hope the judge does the right thing and just throws this stupid case out of court. The zoo doesnt deserve all of the blame. Mom is 90% responsible because she did wrong. Only reason I give any blame to the zoo is that all zoos should assumed complete and utter stupidity on the parts of their guests these days because so many people believe the rules apply to everyone but themselves. Could the zoo have made it safer? Sure. Should they have had to? Nope. People should do ask they are asked to do when they are a guest at the zoo because their lives can depend on not crossing barriers, sitting on railings, jumping into exhibits with animals, ect.

Parents sue Pittsburgh Zoo in boy's mauling death
 
This reeks of another SF Zoo tiger saga / debacle. It underlines what misconceptions exhibit and how some individuals are hell bent on blaming their own defaulting on others, perversely ignoring their own role in the entire affair.

It is like climbing on a chair, breaking your back over it and then blaming the manufacturer that he / she should have forewarned you and for failure to do so is the culpable operative. Simply despicable. :(
 
TZFan, you have some major gonads to say something like that! But I agree 100%. This will be a difficult case in court IMO simply because of how sensitive this is. Hopefully the zoo won't get hit with a bad reputation when they fight this.

~Thylo:cool:
 
Just read the news that the parents have decided to go for the money grab. It probably shouldn't surprise me in today's over-litigious society, but you have no idea how much this infuriates me. Was this a horrible, abhorrent tragedy? Absolutely, but I echo the remarks of TZFan above. I am the parent of a three-year old boy and six-year old girl who was at the zoo a week before the tragedy. I cannot even pretend to imagine the pain and grief that the mother feels, but this accident was due to her negligence; she should've been charged with child endangerment or more. This was poor decision-making on her part and she should be responsible for her actions, not blame the zoo. Would mom prop her son upon the fence overlooking the river atop Niagara Falls? Would she set her son on the railing of a third-floor hotel balcony to enjoy the view? Signage indicated the park rules and mom chose not to follow them, but you think common sense would've prevailed. Rules are apparently just guidelines that pertain to everyone else but me and nobody is responsible for the consequences of their own actions.
 
wyldjaguar, I absolutely agree with what you bring to the table. It is exactly the attitude of some that seem to think their responsibilities lie elsewhere. Raising (a) kid(s) is not a parttime activity, it is plain hard work (and it cannot be learned) and requires on the parents guidance for their kids and telling them what's right from wrong and protecting them from ills and dangers that might befall them. It seems to me that some folks really cannot see that line and feel welcome to transfer their responsibility unto the unsuspecting general public.


BTW, as a zoo volunteer I regularly see people do stuff that clearly is endangering themselves or their kids. Often it is just plain ignorance and when calling people out politely they excuse themselves ever so politely ... I did not know that. However, there is a percentage of people that upon telling them ever so politely, they feel welcome to bring out the redneck monster (mind you ... in a zoo :)) in them and or play the ignorant unsuspecting brat technique on you ... (there is no sign or whatever bland empty excuse ..) and these may be difficult to handle .. at times. Calling security is then the last - least desired - option.
 
Wow, Im glad I didnt get slammed for my opinion. Honestly thought I might. Everyone is right though, people just refused to use their brains and assume if they do something stupid then they will just sue. I wouldnt want to have the guilt that mother does but blaming others isnt the answer. Accept responsiblity, deal with the grief and be a better parent to any other children you have or might have. Its too bad the zoo will probably get slammed in court.
 
TZFan, indeed ... I suspose most of us are a measured and down-to-earth lot. True, we may respect the feelings of the parents for the irreparable damage the loss of a child can do to them (it is so against any laws of nature in the generation game). But it stops there.

I hope when it does come to court that the public authorities / judiciary do not make any anthropomorphic judgements, but simply on the basis of the events and esp. the difficult questions parents' role and animal enclosure design requirements (in the latter case I hope they call in recognised zoo experts and not the animal welfare fraternity with pseud "knowledge" posing for reality and truth).
 
TZFan said:
Wow, Im glad I didnt get slammed for my opinion. Honestly thought I might. Everyone is right though, people just refused to use their brains and assume if they do something stupid then they will just sue. I wouldnt want to have the guilt that mother does but blaming others isnt the answer. Accept responsiblity, deal with the grief and be a better parent to any other children you have or might have. Its too bad the zoo will probably get slammed in court.
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You are ABSOLUTELY correct! The problem in our American legal system, where everyone wants to get rich quick via lawsuit. Hey, parents, I grieve for you, but is winning some big bucks from the Zoo going to bring your little boy back? Sadly, the US legal system is not going to change until one particular political party stops being wholely in bed with the trial lawyer society.

I'm over here in Europe right now, and a week ago I was at Pairi Daiza zoo in Belgium. I watched their birds of prey flight show with amazement as the trainers literally had the big eagles and vultures landing in among the crowd. Everyone was delighted (if not scared). When I talked to one of the trainers about it, he laughed and said, "You could never do that in America -- because of your legal system." He's right. When I go to all of these great European zoos, more than half of them now have wonderful walk-through lemur exhibits. Yet, only one (Omaha) American zoo is willing to risk the potential lawsuits from having lemurs and people interacting.
 
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