The Dallas Zoo saga serves as a reminder to stay vigilant, nationwide accreditor : NPR

Weeks of unusual happenings on the Dallas Zoo ended on an excellent notice this week — at the least for now. Two emperor tamarin monkeys believed to have been taken from the Texas zoo have been recovered by police unhurt.

“We’re happy that video from our surveillance cameras – which we shared with DPD – appears to have been vital in producing a tip that led to the restoration of the tamarins ,” the Dallas Zoo shared.

The monkeys’ disappearance was the fruits of a sequence of suspicious occasions on the zoo in latest weeks.

In January, Pin, an endangered male lappet-faced vulture, was discovered lifeless with a suspicious wound in his enclosure. Earlier than that, Nova, a 25-pound clouded leopard, went lacking for hours after her mesh enclosure was tampered with, the zoo reported. The leopard was later discovered and returned. On the similar time, investigators found the enclosure for the zoo’s langur monkeys was reduce, however not one of the animals escaped.

Police are saying these occasions are possible associated. After the restoration of the 2 emperor tamarin monkeys, the zoo announced it is growing the reward for data on the particular person, or individuals, accountable for these incidents to $25,000.

Although zoos are usually extremely protected and well-designed, these latest occasions function an essential reminder “that all of us should be vigilant in defending animals in zoos, in nationwide parks, in nature,” Dan Ashe, president and CEO of the Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums, informed NPR. It reveals that these issues can occur even at a spot as well-designed and well-managed because the Dallas Zoo, he mentioned.

Latest occasions on the zoo replicate a little bit of a microcosm of what conservationists see taking place with wildlife poaching, trafficking and the persecution of animals (like within the case of the loss of life of the lappet-faced vulture), Ashe mentioned.

The Division of Homeland Safety experiences that illicit wildlife trafficking is estimated to be between a $7.8 billion and $10 billion yearly.

These very critical points “are a few of the main causes which can be driving many of those animal populations towards extinction,” Ashe mentioned. “We all know how troublesome it’s to guard nationwide parks and the animals inside nationwide parks and guarded areas from trafficking and persecution.”

Previous information of the Dallas Zoo

What’s occurred on the Dallas Zoo, and the repeated points there, is tragic and strange, Ashe mentioned.

“We typically have animals escape from their displays. It is not widespread, but it surely does occur,” he mentioned. “I’ve by no means skilled an occasion the place somebody has damaged into an exhibit to steal the animal. Dallas has been working their method by a fairly tragic and unprecedented scenario.”

These carefully monitoring the occasions in Dallas have questioned the zoo’s safety measures.

The power has not been in hassle within the latest previous with federal authorities, nevertheless.

A U.S. Division of Agriculture inspection report from 2014 reviewed by NPR mirrored one non-critical compliance concern that yr. This report mentioned a keeper error allowed a feminine lion to flee her enclosure in August of that yr. “This animal was contained inside a hallway nevertheless sedation was required to maneuver her again into her major enclosure,” the report mentioned.

The USDA’s final inspection within the facility seems to be Oct. 26, 2021, and no points have been reported then, in accordance with the company’s database.

The Affiliation of Zoos and Aquariums, which is accountable for the accreditation of zoos and aquariums, put out a press release this week in assist of the power. The Dallas Zoo is accredited by March 2023 and the AZA mentioned that accreditation just isn’t in jeopardy.

“Dallas Zoo and its animals are victims of acts, presumably meant to take animals for private causes, or worse, to be trafficked. AZA and its whole member neighborhood stand squarely with Dallas Zoo and condemn these acts of violence towards the Zoo, its animals, and your entire Dallas neighborhood,” a press release attributed to Ashe says. “We’re anxious for the perpetrator or perpetrators to be apprehended and stopped, and we applaud and assist the work of regulation enforcement professionals who’re main these investigations.”

This second is a chance to be taught, Ashe says

Different AZA members have not reported any form of related incidents to what’s been going on the Dallas Zoo, Ashe assist.

“They’re well-prepared by nature and as ACA accredited members, security of the power and the animals that stay there are a precedence, and we’re hoping that what we have seen at Dallas is an remoted occasion,” he mentioned.

He did notice {that a} non-AZA accredited facility in Louisiana has skilled the lack of 12 squirrel monkeys final month. The power, Zoosiana, mentioned a person focused that enclosure and the amenities of different primates there.

The Dallas Zoo is prone to put collectively a report on what’s occurred thus far and what went unsuitable for the AZA’s accreditation fee, he mentioned. “There will be a chance to evaluation what occurred. What have been the vulnerabilities that led to this?”

That is essential for the zoo and the AZA’s membership to be taught what could be carried out to forestall this from taking place sooner or later, he mentioned.

“It’s going to positively be a chance for us to revisit safety and see if there are some further issues that that we are able to do to even higher shield the animals that stay in our member amenities,” he mentioned.

Many questions stay unanswered with the Dallas Zoo’s saga. Within the meantime, the power is celebrating the return of Bella and Finn — the emperor tamarin monkeys.