San Francisco Zoo San Francisco Zoo News 2024
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Blackleopard207
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To name a few issues, the zoo should be working on creating the lives of their current animals better before taking on new challenges such as giant pandas. Many habitats are in need of renovation, animal care could be improved, so there's a lot to be done.
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Panda_Fan
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As the user SnowLeopard has mentioned, the Okaland zoo wanted to be a holder to giant pandas but the chinese goberment said no to the offer.
Panda_Fan
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Also, I think the Columbus zoo wanted to have them at Asia Quest, but they were told no.
Columbus is kind of a mystery as to what happened, from what I understand. They were interested, but it was rumored that the AZA was against it at the time. I would not be entirely surprised if they got into them in the future, however.
Panda_Fan
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TheImmigrant1
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In a similar vein, the Los Angeles Zoo was working towards an agreement to obtain Golden Snub-Nosed Monkeys but was denied.
That deal did not go forward for totally different reasons (there simply was no surplus golden snub-nosed monkeys in People's Republic of China at the time - so studbook and species program related -).
For what it is worth (aside over all the discourse over business administration and zoo financial exploitation issues): I do think there are some positive outcomes in the giant panda loan agreements:
* for in situ conservation in giant panda loans with land area under conservation vastly improved as are the monitoring programs and giant panda numbers (I do think the 1,800 IUCN estimate may well now be an underestimate).
* for ex situ management the knowledge and standards for captive husbandry have been greatly improved and have allowed for part to demonstrate that natural breeding and rearing can be achieved with modified animal management scenario's. An off-shoot has been that the Chinese have for part switched to more advanced animal breeding arrangements or holding facilities and social groupings. The most important part has been in my view also the very fact that the cooperation and knowledge transfer and sharing has allowed for tentative giant panda reintroductions into the wild and that is has gone beyond the first trial and errors.
With captive numbers at an all time high, the reservoir ex situ population of giant pandas for restoration and recovery of giant panda populations in PR of China and the focal point of captive facilities inside PR of China, across international borders and overseas for conservation education and improving best practice and provide guidelines for zoo and wildlife management for the species promoting its recovery over the 2,000-2,500 numbers and a vision for beyond that....
Panda_Fan
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The pandas arriving at the zoo has a lot of positive things that could help the zoo, but I have my concerns.
I think the zoo thinks that the number of visitors that go to the zoo to see the pandas will pay the price that these bears have, but this is not all true. I has been proven that when zoos obtain these animals, the number of visitors rises. But after some time the number of visitors will go back to normal and the zoo will not catch up the price of these animals, causing the zoo to enter a state of debt.
In all due respect, I would say the zoo is aware of how the visitor and dollars spent adds up or becomes a deficit. The thinking behind it and the numbers are all pretty well available these days, and they have more information than any of us do.
Personally I believe that this is a big win for the zoo. It will bring investment in a new panda area as well as a brighter light to the zoo in the metro area, which can only be helpful.
I feel a lot of people are underestimating the amount of visitors this will bring. Yes, the hype will die down but if they have any intention of breeding the hype comes right back each time a cub is born especially if it's twins who both survive.
Panda_Fan
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I think the pandas is the best thing it could have happened for the zoo, from an economic point, but I'm a little worry on how the habitat and the pandas welfare is going to end.
Panda_Fan
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A possible thing, but we have to consider that not all zoo's manage to have cubs, like Memphis or Edinburgh, let alone twins. Zoo Atlanta was the only zoo in america to have twin cubs that survived. (correct me if I'm wrong).
Nile Hippo Expert
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Very true, Giant pandas are an instant hit to visitors! Zoos that have pandas (especially cubs!) will certainly greatly increase the attendance numbers by a massive amount. For many people, pandas are the sole reason that they go to the zoo for.
Panda_Fan
Well-Known Member
Depends on the zoo if you ask me. For example the SDZ has a massive collection, so the pandas didn't felt like the stars of the zoo, on the other hand, the pandas at the National zoo did felt like the star attraction of the zoo.
Broadly it seems the zoo attendance spikes massively for the first year or so that pandas are in residence and then goes back to more or less normal attendance. Atlanta seems to have a bump recently partly due to going out of panda soon and currently being the only zoo with them in the USA .
This phenomenon has been discussed time and time again ... with the same net result, it is well ... undisputed IMPO. It is quite clear that purely from a financing and business administration point of view the zoo exploitation is favourable in the first 1-3 years maximum and after that it levels down to the original zoo attendance level.
My remarks are purely based around painting out the conservation education, knowledge transfer, expertise sharing and in situ support benefits that have been thoroughly beneficial to both zoo regions over the Pacific Ocean.
BTW: I don't particularly appreciate nor subscribe to the frequent PR of China bashing by some forum members that is both on and over the line (and quite disrespectful of a good deal of our Asian forum members) ... that sometimes takes center stage vis a vis giant panda loans by PR of China to third countries.
POST SCRIPTUM: Whereas the subject was for a time quite relevant, I do think the various arguments vis a vis SF Zoo management have run their natural course. I really don't think it is even helpful to continue making the case for the same arguments for or against and POV's Fore and Against here and there. Perhaps we might want to go back to regular SF Zoo news going forward again?!?
Yeah, it probably makes sense. It's not like the SF Zoo management even sees all of our opinions.
Back to news as normal.
Omaha Zoo had plans to get pandas, but it feel through. Part of the elevator plan was for a pathway to a panda exhibit. They have made good use of the space since:
Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium
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