Zoo Tampa at Lowry Park Zoo Looses AZA accreditation

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okapikpr

Well-Known Member
I made an earlier post about this and it has not quite received the attention I feel that this story deserves...so I'll make a new thread for this.

Yesterday, the Lowry Park Zoo's AZA accreditation was temporarily suspended along with the director and animal collection manager's individual AZA membership due to some shady dealing with the zoo director's private animal enterprise.

Suspension Includes Zoo Chief

For some background information regarding how this has developed, please read the following thread:

http://www.zoochat.com/22/monkeys-disappear-into-florida-swamps-16706/
 
The president of the zoo needs to get kicked out on his ass, his shady dealings are dragging one of the USA's finest zoos through the mud, if he had a shred of decency he would do the honourable thing and resign.
It is shameful that Lowry park is being treated like this.
 
I am always still suprised, just how much 1 person can get away with in a public office position.

Surely people had concerns for a long time.It must have been frustrating for them.

Hopefully it will all be sorted by march.

Why does he recieve full pay while suspended. I hope he has to pay it back when/if found guilty.
 
The zoo director position at the Lowry Park Zoo is not a public office, he/she is not elected to the post. In fact, the zoo director of Lowry Park Zoo is not even a public employee. The city and zoological society have an agreement that allows the private society run the zoo that is owned by the city. Thus all zoo employees are employed by the zoological society, not the city.

Also, Lex Salisbury, the zoo director, has had his AZA membership suspended. For the past few weeks, Salisbury has taken voluntary paid leave (aka vacation time) during the AZA's and other organizations' investigations. He has not been suspended by the zoo.
 
I would have thought that the city giving fianvial support to this zoo. Made it a public office position my mistake.

Why would the zoo not suspend him? Good on him for taking paid vacation leave. On his pay! I am sure he is comfortable! Dont Americans only get 2 weeks per year as a rule?
 
American get a minimum of 2 weeks of vacation per year, the more time you work with a company usually they give you more weeks. And sometimes, you are allowed to accumulate the paid leave.

As for the zoo suspension of Salisbury, the zoo's board does have to approve transactions and contracts with other companies and organizations. They have known about the zoo/wild safari relationship all along. Salisbury has done nothing under their noses that they do not know about.
 
zooman said:
Surely people had concerns for a long time.It must have been frustrating for them.

QUOTE]

Is this a sign of self obsession:p to quote myself

So if everybody who was anybody was aware of what he was doing was he actually doing that much wrong?? Or does he have a forcefull personality that may cause people to not want to complain?
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Whereas I find the Tampa mayor's offices' response somewhat overbearing in the face of evidence that it had full knowledge of some of the trade deals the Society and senior collection management at Tampa were involved in.

What I DO find disconcerting is the fact that individual animals that are part of Species Survival Plans or Population Monitoring Programmes - subject to AZA's regulations on trade and transfer - have been sent out to non-member Safari Wild without prior and full acknowledgement by the respective AZA Species Coordinators nor that any information has been supplied to them on the form and function of the trade-offs between Lowry Park and Safari Wild.

I hope the current investigation by AZA Board and Inspectors will been full and thorough and come up with much needed new terms for dealing with non recommended transfers, institutions that do not fully comply with regulations and improving the outlook for SSP and PMP programmes in general among AZA participating institutions. This will no doubt affect the outcome of the Lowry Park-Safari Wild deals and senior collection management at that institution.

What I furthermore hope and urge AZA to come up with is a plan to ensure that in case individuals/species - whether within or outside any coordinated species programmes are transferred to institutions outside the regulated AZA network terms and conditions are set prior to transfer. This would ensure that no debacle as with the Lowry Park SSP white rhinos nor the complete disbandment of Bill Gruenerwald's rare equids outside the control of species programmes nor the hunting for financial gain of internationally endangered species emanating from respected AZA institutions can ever occur again on US/Canadian soil.

I know full well the implications and repercusions of such an intended move on the part of AZA, but it would send a strong signal to non-accredited institutions or commercial ranches to abide by a set code of conduct on managing exotic animal species and in particular endangered taxa. AZA and USFWS should be the regulators for implementing this policy nationwide.

It would also have to emphasize moral and financial support for those institutions like CI/NYZS St. Catherine's, White Oak, The Wilds as well as notable ranches like Fossil Rim, the Oregon Wildlife Foundation, Mountain View et al and ranches within the framework of the Exotic Wildlife Association and other conservation minded rancheros who make an active contribution to species survival, conservation breeding and wild animal management by sound management practices.

I would be interested to have other peoples' opinions on the above ..., especially our US/Canadian forumsters!
 
Well said Jelle...

but I would like to make a few corrections:

*the Canyon Colorado Equid facility was not a member of the AZA and only voluntarily participate in studbooks and some captive breeding programs (onager, kiang, somali wild ass)
*St Catherine's is no longer operated by the Wildlife Conservaiton Society (for some time now) and is on the verge of also closing. (many of their keepers are looking for jobs) They however are a member of the AZA.
 
Wow, they have a flume ride and they breed white tigers! That's my kind of zoo :rolleyes:
 
The Lowry Park Zoo has certainly been in the news a lot lately, and it has recently been overshadowed by Miami Metrozoo, Busch Gardens, Jacksonville Zoo, Seaworld and Disney's Animal Kingdom in Florida. Erasing this scandal and winning over public affection with so many other more famous and notable zoos surrounding it will be a tough slog...
 
Im my opinion the place is sort of run-down except the Safari Africa area. The Florida boardwalk has peeling wood and bird crap covering almost every inch of it. The primate world yards are all way to small and lack naturalism. The Asian Area is so-so. The Tapir exhibit has the worst viewing I have ever seen for a zoo. The tigers are in an exhibit that is below-average, but with a nice large wading pool. The Safari Africa is not spectacular but above average as it has a nice elephant and white rhino yard. The okapi yard is nice, the pygmy hippo exhibit is average and I am shocked at how small their night quarters are, and they don't even have water to submerge in, all it is is a tiny low shed that is not even suitable for chickens!
Its no wonder this zoo is under so much controversy.
 
Im my opinion the place is sort of run-down except the Safari Africa area. The Florida boardwalk has peeling wood and bird crap covering almost every inch of it. The primate world yards are all way to small and lack naturalism. The Asian Area is so-so. The Tapir exhibit has the worst viewing I have ever seen for a zoo. The tigers are in an exhibit that is below-average, but with a nice large wading pool. The Safari Africa is not spectacular but above average as it has a nice elephant and white rhino yard. The okapi yard is nice, the pygmy hippo exhibit is average and I am shocked at how small their night quarters are, and they don't even have water to submerge in, all it is is a tiny low shed that is not even suitable for chickens!
Its no wonder this zoo is under so much controversy.
 
The zoo's controversy has nothing to do with the physical plant of the zoo, but its ethical practices. Namely those of its director and animal collection manager.
 
okapikpr said:
Lex Salisbury, Director of the Lowry Park Zoo, resigned today.

Great news,


Oh, and his wife has also been charged with animal cruelty.
]
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Not suprising really.

So now Safari Wild. It is open to the public? a good zoo for the animals?
 
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