Click on image to enlarge.
The report you see above is a State of Maryland Necropsy Report on an animal that had died some time ago at the Salisbury Zoo. If you look about 3/4 of the way down the page you'll see the following. "OTHER: Gizzard full of glass and a penny and an un-detonated 22 cal shell." It goes on to say more, but the 22 cal shell is of interest. What is even more interesting is what is happening or not happening with the Zoo's ISIS, International Species Information System.
A little bird told me that there hasn't been anything coming in about the collection at the Salisbury Zoo. Are they going to claim there have been no deaths or acquisitions? We all know that isn't the case since the "new" male Jaguar died not that long ago and that the Red Wolfs are on site.
Perhaps things are backlogged because of being short staffed or perhaps there is no one watching the troops. You know that saying about when the cat's away, or is it dead? Regardless of what the excuse might be, the Zoo is already going to be scrambling to prepare for re-accredidation without a Director in place. If the AZA catches wind that the Zoo is MIA with their record keeping, who knows what the AZA could do?
I know the Salisbury Zoo has NOT reported ANY information in more than 6 months. "They have not submitted any records (or at least the ones I have pulled up) on their collection to ISIS (International Species Information System), in at least the past 6 months if not more. This is a critical aspect that both AZA and others look at. If the records are not kept up to date then the information could be questioned."
"If you have the ISIS program (www.isis.org) and pull up general information searches for a particular species, it then lists all institutions with said species. As I was doing so today I noticed a Salisbury animal coming up late and check on a few other species for the zoo and it all showed the same (Red)
The system shows you how currently the information is, as animals can die between downloads. Greens are current w/i the last 3 months, Yellow is currently btwn 3-6 months and Red shows that it has been over 6 months that the information was sent."
So what does all this mean? It means the Zoo will fail its AZA Accreditation in more ways than one. It means the Mayor is again, still doing NOTHING to manage that facility professionally. Yes, Salisbury News has its own COEIU, (Crack Offshore Electronic Intelligence Unit) Agent in the field who has access to all this information.
Read all you want in Letters to the Editor and or Grapevine plugs for the Salisbury Zoo, you people are not being truly informed. I also blame Gary Comegys who is also on the Zoo Commission for this failure as well. Back when my Wife worked at the Zoo, this was a vital part of a Zookeepers job, many did not fill out their daily reports and the Zoo got in trouble for such, (the "laundry List") from the AZA.
I truly do not understand what Mayor Tilghman is doing but obviously they are trying to fly under the radar and get away with things the AZA should be acting on immediately. That being said, the final fault lies on the AZA NOT doing their job as well.
It's not looking good for the Salisbury Zoo and the Staff there.
9 comments:
Why don't they just hire Gary Muir. He is great person and is very knowledgable about the zoo.
Gary is the interim Director. Gary has failed to lead the Zoo the way it should be run and he is NOT a fan of the AZA. Therefore he must be replaced if there's to be ANY accountability.
THAT IS SHOCKING NEWS ALRIGHT! I think it is far past time that the city officials involved (read Zoo Commission too) be brought to task for this obvious lack of leadership control. The really bad part is that such a disclosure indicates to me that the animal care there has to be lacking badly these days! What say you Mayor Barrie ands Mr. Campbell?
A. Goetz
Donations are collected at the gate to provide food for these animals, supposedly. Why is a bird kept in an enclosed exhibit being fed broken glass, pennies and a live .22 caliber round? This must be the new method of recycling at the zoo, instead of sweeping and picking up they just put it in the exhibits and let the animals eat it. How did these items get inside of an enclosed exhibit? My, my, my the things Barrie Tilghman and company have done and continue to do to this town.
Joe, don't just blame Gary. Isn't there a whole crew there of some 14 people and then add in all the Commission people with responsibilities for the animals and the zoo grounds. They're all derelict in their duties!
By the way in my last post a few minutesa ago, I included the name of our new PW Director wrongly as Mr. Campbell, instead of Mr. Caldwell. Sorry about that.
A. Goetz
ART You know they cannot comment unless it goes thru WWTP BARRIE.
So where did the quote come from in the middle of this Post? You gave no credit to anyone.
"They have not submitted any records (or at least the ones I have pulled up) on their collection to ISIS (International Species Information System),......."
Joe this report system is not mandatory. ISIS is heavily used as a means of communicating better and keeping track of animals as they move from zoo to zoo. It also helps with sharing information.
AZA likes to have an accredited zoo using this program and I can't think of one that doesn't off the top of my head (although I am sure that a few of the small zoos may not have ISIS). More importantly they want to see tangible records, as well to see what is going on with health and management of the collection. This is easier with ISIS/ARKS and why they encourage this for of record keeping.
USDA does reguire that records be available for inquiry if asked, but who is to say what information makes it in and not. Not to suggest a cover up, just sometimes a sleeping, pacing, drooling thing, may or may not be something. So with that you have individual interpretation as to what is important to put down in the reports. I myself have to screen through lots of information to determine what truly gets put into the ISIS/ARKS (animal record keeping system)as a "life event" that could mean something to someone down the road as oppose to "it looks funny or not normal". Hind sight is always 20/20 and I am sure that Jennifer saw things that may not have been anything at first.
With all that said, this does hint to a lack of accountability and effort made by those still remaining and mostly in charge.
Gary Comegys sits on the Zoo Commission. What did HE know and WHEN did he know it?
If he didn't know anything, and all the other Zoo Commission members say they didn't know anything, then what the hell do we have that commission for?
And then there is the mayor who claimed the only thing holding us back from reaccrediting by the AZA was the sick animal building.
Accountability? Not in Barrieland, as your friend calls it...and certainly none from Louise Smith!
Somebody ought to just shut this city down for all the lies and cover ups and mismanagement.
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