Above, Jack Hanna in 1983 with a Columbus Zoo elephant.
Animal expert: Mountain lion attack rare (click on)
Jack Hanna is never hestiant to speak his mind about these issues. It has been a more than tragic year for animal handlers, including Steve Irwin, perhaps we need to take a step back from the enthusiastic track we are on once again and realize these are innately wild animals with instincts that go beyond the ability to bond with their environment. Perhaps we need to examine the dangers more closely and find answers to handler safety in better enclosures that insure safe approaches to all the people involved.
I feel as though there was something more to the death of this young zookeeper. What if the walkway to the public side of the enclosure was left open as well. Where would we all be?
Zoos have become important to people. They are important to preserve species with breeding programs that reintroduce animals back to their habitat. We need to look at how zoos are coping with budgets that are too small and the corners they are cutting to maintain client interest. At this point, we need to be less concerned about the aestetics of the public side of the exhibits so much as the enclosures and their security including the safety of the zookeepers and handlers. In keeping the public informed of changes occurring behind the scenes to insure the safety of all involved which will provide a better encounter with the public in the long term, supporters and visitors will continue to come to the zoo.
I can't help but believe there needs to be standardized measures in safety for accreditation beyond what is currently regarded as sufficient. This is a tragedy that must be avoided in the future. Being a zookeeper can be a dream come true for someone like Ashlee Pfaff. These folks are irreplaceable in many ways. Years of love and study aren't to be ignored in this loss. We need to do better.
