Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge Museum of Natural History Great Plains Zoo News

The article doesn't state where the exhibit is located in. Where is it, using the zoo's current map as reference for example?

 

The Lorikeet Landing exhibit is within the previous Flamingo Aviary, the Kangaroo and Wallaby exhibit is in the same space, the Emu exhibit is in the same space, the Singing Dog exhibit is in the former Reindeer exhibit, the Bactrian Camels are in the former Guanaco exhibit, and the Sheep are in the former Rhea and Galapagos Tortoise exhibits. Also, the Kookaburras, Black Swans, Nicobar Pigeons, Crested Doves and Australian Wood and Whistling Ducks are featured in the large aviary directly adjacent to the current Sheep encounter. I hope this helps, and I'm currently posting photos on the GPZDM media page to help as well.

 

I'm fairly enticed with it; I think the exhibit brings some color and vibrance to this particular area of the zoo which is quite old, as well as some (for lack of a better term) organization to this area, as it previously included a random variety of species from across the planet, and is now more regionally focused in Australia, which I think helps to set a better theme and sense of immersion. Additionally the inclusion of several new interactive experiences for visitors is fantastic, and that too will really help to connect and inspire people to care about all life and the need to preserve it. Perhaps my only nitpick of the exhibits themselves is the Singing Dog exhibit, and while it is a decent size and the animals clearly receive world-class care, the chain-link fence (while necessary) does obstruct views to a degree, and while Singing Dogs are related to Dingos (as noted on the exhibit signage), the minimalist, sandy exhibit doesn't particularly cater to the dogs' lush jungles in New Guinea.

 

From looking at the photos, and being one of the very few ZooChatters that has actually visited the zoo (2012 and 2018), I appreciate your updates. The zoo essentially came up with a brand-new area (Walkabout Australia) without building a single new exhibit...an extraordinary bit of marketing genius! Although, as you correctly point out, a hodgepodge assemblage of random species are gone and in their place is a much more cohesive, Aussie-themed zoogeographic area. Overall, it is obviously yet another boost to a zoo that has improved greatly over the past decade and that is a positive thing for locals.

 

Updating this home-zoo of mine is one of my most enjoyable hobbies, and gaining praise from such a legend as yourself is endearing to say the least. This area did indeed infuse color and cohesiveness into this previously less regionally-organized area of the zoo, and though some aesthetic issues with the Singing Dogs exhibit and some other minor flaws are still present, the zoo did say that this exhibit is permanent, and I expect to only improve with age. I find it equally impressive that the zoo was able to pull off this renovation (although it wasn't a fullout remodel) while still raising funds for the future $8 million 'Building a Community Pride' Campaign!

 

Elizabeth Whealy became the president and CEO of Great Plains Zoo in 2005, back when the establishment was struggling to maintain its accreditation. Over the course of 15 years, Whealy oversaw many significant projects (Children's Zoo overhaul, Rare Rhinos of Africa, Snow Monkeys, new entrance, Fortress of the Bears) and the zoo's attendance doubled along with the animal collection.

Suddenly, Elizabeth Whealy has dramatically resigned from her position and the zoo now needs a new leader. The link below contains quite a bit of information if one continues to scroll down to the bottom and it seems as if Whealy apparently utilized a "bullying management style".

Great Plains Zoo CEO out after 15 years on the job, board says

 

It is a rather shocking situation. According to other articles, the zoo board will temporarily manage the zoo until a new CEO is found. The zoo is invoking the help of the Pennsylvania-based Zoo Advisors to find a new CEO.

 

What shocks me are 2 issues:
A. An Anonymous complaint a few weeks back: just the one. No mention of an inestigation or even a fair due diligence whether these are facts or hearsay cum jealousy or axe to grind personally.
B. Mrs. Whealy has a phenomenal track record to have turned a dead end zoo into a succesful operation. The Board itself mentioned it required a strong leader. Damn, it seems to me that she well was! No credits for her leadership? What backbone has the Board then .... one might wonder?

How will this go from here? Anyone, specifically if a Dakota operation hire a non local firm from East Coast Penn.?

 

When I was job searching a few years back, this zoo was always on job boards (I actually was interviewed for one there). Another article I read talked about a lot of turnover. That is usually a sign of poor management. There’s probably a lot we don’t know about in this situation behind the scenes. Even if the zoo has made great progress, it doesn’t always mean everyone is happy or things are perfect behind the scenes. And even if the article mentions only one anonymous complaint doesn’t mean there wasn’t more. Some things maybe just weren’t reported. I’m going to give the benefit of the doubt to the board as they probably have just as much to do with the zoo’s recent successes as Whealy did.

 

I do agree that Elizabeth should be credited with the many improvements brought to the zoo during her 15 year tenure. This is a developing story, so if any information about an investigation is leaked, it may be soon to come. I did find several other complaints on facebook posts about the news article with similar complaints about Whealy. One who claimed to be a former employee said this: "Well seeing that AL deleted my comment on their article...disappointing piece seeing that instead of reporting on the investigation they write and credit her with all these improvements. As a former employee who left because of her and the BS we had to deal with at the expense of animal welfare I am disgusted. She made almost $200 000 a year. How about you look into what the people doing the actual hard work in all 4 seasons of weather were paid (we all are required to have a 4 year degree). How about looking into her turn over rate? We were bullied to be silent during AZA inspections and any inappropriate things when it came to animal welfare. She is a manipulative person who thrives off of degrading people for money and status. She broke welfare policies for her rich friends and personal pleasure. As usual she has friends at the AL so we just brush over the actual story and print the BS she spewed and numbers printed on paper.
The credit should go to the animal keepers and vet staff and those in the office who dealt with her BS."

 

Sources do indicate a high turnover rate, as one of the articles mentioned that VP of Operations Dan Simon was at least one of the confirmed executive position to have left within the last year.

 

I wish that the media would report on the issues at hand. It would be best if the facts would come out so the zoo and staff can move forward

 

Female Pallas' cat born April 26, 2020.

 

This happened a while back but it hasn’t been reported on yet so... the zoos penguins finally have an outdoor exhibit again. It was made out of an old waterfowl pond.

 

The Great Plains Zoo has announced that Keesa the Amur tiger has tested positive for COVID-19. Additionally, their other two Amur tigers, Callie and Zuri, and their two snow leopards have exhibited symptoms and are awaiting their test results.

A tiger at the Great Plains Zoo tests positive for COVID-19

 

One of the Snow leopards has sadly died:

A Great Plains Zoo Snow leopard died of 'respiratory illness'

 

Snow leopard at Great Plains Zoo dies days after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms | KELOLAND.com

Just to add on to what @Zoofan15 said. The snow leopard is believed to have died from Covid-19

 

One correction to my earlier initial post on this story. The male Amur tiger's name is Yuri, not Zuri.

I found another article on Baya's death which includes some comments from the Great Plains Zoo CEO, Becky Dewitz. I actually found them concerning, specifically this:

"Testing big cats is not as simple as the nose swab used for humans, Dewitz says. Staff must immobilize the big cats, transfer them to the medical center, anesthetize them, and then examine them for the virus."

It's my understanding that zoos have been using fecal samples to test animals, especially recently, so her remark about needing to anesthetize any of the cats in order to test them makes me wonder how competent their facility is as far as caring for the animals there. (As an aside, the Virginia Zoo used nasal swabs to test their Malayan tigers earlier this year when they tested positive and there's video showing how they did it while they were awake, so she's even wrong about that.)

Snow leopard dies, five remaining big cats have COVID-19 symptoms at Sioux Falls zoo

 

My guess is Dewitz is not informed well on the procedure and spoke without knowledge. She is not a vet. I am guessing they use fecal testing, as I would assume that is the way the labs are designed to assess for the virus.

Is this the first zoo animal death from COVID? I know the National Zoo in DC had some critically ill cats, but I think they have all survived to date.

 

I believe it's the first zoo animal death in the United States from COVID (assuming it's confirmed that Baya's death was due to COVD-19). There have been some zoo animal deaths outside the United States, I believe most recently two Asiatic lions at Vandalur Zoo in India.