San Fran Zoo Policies Under The Scope
A new team of national experts, including specialists from the Bronx and Houston zoos, will review the emergency and safety policies and procedures during a visit to the San Francisco Zoo on Saturday, officials said.
The peer review was called last month after a Siberian tiger escaped from its grotto on Christmas Day and attacked three people, killing a visitor and injuring two of his friends before being shot and killed by police.
The seven-member group includes architect Keith Larson with Jones & Jones Architects, who specializes in zoo design, Pat Thomas, general curator at the Bronx Zoo, and Rick Barongi, who leads the Houston Zoo.
“I hope we review everything from A to Z to make sure nothing like this ever happens again and we have the best zoo in the world,” said Larry Martin, the president of the city’s Recreation and Park Commission, during a meeting Thursday. The city owns the zoo and its animals, but a nonprofit group operates it.
The zoo has completed the first phase of improvements, including the extension of the concrete moat walls in the big cat grotto. The walls, which now measure 19 feet, exceed the minimum guidelines of 16.4 feet set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Hot wire, which emits electric shocks to animals that contact it, has been installed along the moat walls; new lighting and cameras will be added in March.
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