I visited the Zoo on Sunday and was happily surprised to see that Pike the Polar Bear had access to the meadow in the Grotto adjoining her's!!! She had a bounce in her step and a smile on her face! However this came about, SUCCESS!!!
Admittedly since my Membership was revoked, I am not at the Zoo as often as I had been, once a week opposed to three times, so I obviously can't keep track of as much as I used to. I think that was part of their grand plan. That said, the times I have been there, and prior to the revoking, I haven't seen Pike have access to that meadow since October 2010, with the exception of a Media event for a Snow Day in December. That is approximately 210 days (to my knowledge) she has gone without anything under her feet but concrete.
The Mission of this blog is to bring Grass to Wishbone the Andean Bear's Grotto. The description above is as horrifying, BUT there is a solution to Pike's plight that is as simple as opening a gate. Why has this Bear gone so long without a regular rotating door policy? That would be a question for not only the Animal Management Staff, but the Carnivore Curator. It is my experience that the Keeper's follow the orders given to them by these two branches of Management.
In a newspaper article dated 3.9.10, http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/zoo-tries-avoid-bear-blues , it is the expressed concern and desire of the Joint Zoo Committee chair-members Sally Stephens and Dr Spinelli, that the (Polar) Bears be rotated between exhibits. That would give all the Bears access to Grass and other surroundings for Environment Enrichment.
I have been behind the scenes and have seen the set-up, and it looks like it would be a chore to rotate Wishbone to the meadow, but honestly, I don't know how big a chore that would be OR how hard it would be to make adjustments to make it less difficult. What I do know, is that it is no effort to give Pike access.
The meadow sits with two concrete Grotto's to each side. Ulu, had regular access, yet Pike (and Andy, her companion at the time) had limited (I'll say since I'm not there every day). There was a time frame when Pike and Andy had what seemed like regular access, in hindsight I don't remember that time frame, but it may have been around the time that article came out. Why this access (seemed to have) stopped I don't know.
What I do know, is that Pike was a "new" Bear on my visit Sunday. I visited her four times over almost two hours, while at the Bear area and she rarely was sitting down. When she did it was only for a couple minutes! Normally she is sitting in her one spot, and usually napping. Not Sunday! She was up and about, having a great time! She was in the meadow, then back in the meadow, in the pool, she fished and played with her toys! It was joyous to watch!
The Zoo gets a kudo for this, but why now? Why hasn't this Bear been allowed to have Environment Enrichment for so long? I know its the same question, posed different ways, but there is a big WHY hanging over the Bears and I want it to disappear and I want Grass for all the Bears!
Pike MUST have regular daily access to this meadow
AND
Wishbone MUST have Grass added to his Grotto!!!
There is no reason logically for these two NEEDS to not come to fruition.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
Admittedly since my Membership was revoked, I am not at the Zoo as often as I had been, once a week opposed to three times, so I obviously can't keep track of as much as I used to. I think that was part of their grand plan. That said, the times I have been there, and prior to the revoking, I haven't seen Pike have access to that meadow since October 2010, with the exception of a Media event for a Snow Day in December. That is approximately 210 days (to my knowledge) she has gone without anything under her feet but concrete.
The Mission of this blog is to bring Grass to Wishbone the Andean Bear's Grotto. The description above is as horrifying, BUT there is a solution to Pike's plight that is as simple as opening a gate. Why has this Bear gone so long without a regular rotating door policy? That would be a question for not only the Animal Management Staff, but the Carnivore Curator. It is my experience that the Keeper's follow the orders given to them by these two branches of Management.
In a newspaper article dated 3.9.10, http://www.sfexaminer.com/local/zoo-tries-avoid-bear-blues , it is the expressed concern and desire of the Joint Zoo Committee chair-members Sally Stephens and Dr Spinelli, that the (Polar) Bears be rotated between exhibits. That would give all the Bears access to Grass and other surroundings for Environment Enrichment.
I have been behind the scenes and have seen the set-up, and it looks like it would be a chore to rotate Wishbone to the meadow, but honestly, I don't know how big a chore that would be OR how hard it would be to make adjustments to make it less difficult. What I do know, is that it is no effort to give Pike access.
The meadow sits with two concrete Grotto's to each side. Ulu, had regular access, yet Pike (and Andy, her companion at the time) had limited (I'll say since I'm not there every day). There was a time frame when Pike and Andy had what seemed like regular access, in hindsight I don't remember that time frame, but it may have been around the time that article came out. Why this access (seemed to have) stopped I don't know.
What I do know, is that Pike was a "new" Bear on my visit Sunday. I visited her four times over almost two hours, while at the Bear area and she rarely was sitting down. When she did it was only for a couple minutes! Normally she is sitting in her one spot, and usually napping. Not Sunday! She was up and about, having a great time! She was in the meadow, then back in the meadow, in the pool, she fished and played with her toys! It was joyous to watch!
The Zoo gets a kudo for this, but why now? Why hasn't this Bear been allowed to have Environment Enrichment for so long? I know its the same question, posed different ways, but there is a big WHY hanging over the Bears and I want it to disappear and I want Grass for all the Bears!
Pike MUST have regular daily access to this meadow
AND
Wishbone MUST have Grass added to his Grotto!!!
There is no reason logically for these two NEEDS to not come to fruition.
MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
UPDATE 12.8.11
Please view the video on the last post projectgetwishbonegrass.blogspot.com
If you support this crusade, please email San Francisco Zoo Director Tanya Peterson - tanyap@sfzoo.org
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