Today has been a zoo (no pun intended) with all the phone calls from the media about this incident. I am glad to be of help and am amazed at the volume of calls. Just a few additional notes…
Zoos that meet the mandatory accreditation standards are required to maintain safety and emergency protocols that go beyond federal, state or local requirements. San Francisco Zoo is accredited by the AZA through 2011.
Why were the police called?
This is best answered by zoo personnel but in crisis situations there are usually specific protocols that are followed. In crisis situations, memorandums of understanding usually exist between multiple agencies which allows them to come in quickly. Police and fire are usually dispatched to crisis situations.
Police would provide additional backup and human management and they are astute in the use of fire arms. Usually there is a crisis management team on site. The team is usually zoo keepers and zoo animal management personnel. Contingency plans and mitigation are part of the accreditation process for zoos. However, I am not familiar with the current SF Zoo’s practices of team training or protocols.
If you are looking for stats related to zoos the best source is the Association of Zoos & Aquariums.
What about my consultaiton at the SF Zoo?
This took place in 1996 when I was invited to visit by the curator. As a favor, I traveled up to the zoo to assess Tony the tiger (Tatiana’s mate). The assessment/recommendations were published in the Journal of the American Association of Zoo Keepers in May of 1996.
Could the animal morph into a super tiger and leap over the moat and enclosure walls?
To my knowledge this hasn’t happened before, however adrenelin and other circumstances could contribute to an unsual escape, but there is probably a more mundane explanation.
Links of interest:
