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Safari Park Plan Raises Concerns About Possible Conflict With Zoo
Tribune photo by MICHAEL SPOONEYBARGER
Lex Salisbury, co-owner of Safari Wild, talks about the 12 patas monkeys that escaped from their island habitat in Lakeland.
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Published: April 24, 2008
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TAMPA - Lex Salisbury's little-known side business gained nationwide attention this week as he spent the last few days chasing a dozen patas monkeys that escaped from his exotic animal park in Polk County.
Salisbury is mostly known for his job as president and CEO of the nonprofit Lowry Park Zoo in Tampa, a position that pays more than $271,000 a year, according to the zoo's most recent tax filings.
But about a year ago he and St. Petersburg veterinarian Stephen Wehrmann bought about 260 acres of land north of Lakeland to create Safari Wild. The for-profit venture will feature safari tours on which visitors will see roughly 400 exotic and endangered animals, including animals from the zoo that needed a break from life on display.
Salisbury sees the park as a way to satiate his passion for exotic animals and provide the zoo with something it doesn't have - a close, cheap place for animals to roam freely. He expects collection highlights to include zebras, giraffes and cheetahs.
Safari Wild will be an interim step until the land-strapped urban zoo can find about 2,000 acres of land it wants for a separate animal park for exotic and endangered animals to live and breed, Salisbury said.
A Conflict Of Interest?
Critics say Salisbury's animal park poses a conflict of interest for the zoo president, and at the very least is an exploitation of exotic animals for profit.
"Lex informs every business decision at the zoo, so this crosses all boundaries," said Jeff Kremer, a former zoo employee who helped form a group called Tampa's Zoo Advocates, which is critical of Salisbury's businesslike approach to zoo management.
"There is a very fine line between educating the public, preserving exotic animals, and making money," Kremer said. "Safari Wild is clearly making a buck by exploiting exotic animals."
A week ago, the yet-to-open animal park made headlines when the troop of monkeys Salisbury rescued from Puerto Rico arrived at the park only to escape a few days later from an island he thought would contain them. By Wednesday evening, none had been captured.
The animal park is hardly a stretch for Salisbury. He lives on a 50-acre ranch in Dade City with an array of domestic and exotic pets, including bongo antelope, which are native to African forests.
Polk County officials will allow Safari Wild to give daily tours for up to 500 people. Salisbury expects only 1,500 visitors the first year, at a cost of $49 a head for adults. By contrast, about 1.2 million people visit the zoo each year.
Salisbury said he paid for the animal park with savings, loans and with help from Wehrmann.
Salisbury and Wehrmann signed a memorandum of understanding with the executive committee of the Lowry Park Zoological Society Board, which runs the attraction, to ensure the two entities won't compete and will work together.
Salisbury would not allow The Tampa Tribune to review the agreement. Wehrmann could not be reached for comment.
To protect against any conflict, Salisbury won't have any say over which zoo animals are sent to Safari Wild, said Fassil Gabremariam, chairman of the zoo board.
Instead, the zoo's director of collections, Larry Killmar, must get approval from the board chairman as to which animals will go to the animal park.
The zoo must transport the animals to and from Safari Wild and pay what Gabremariam called a nominal fee to care for the animals. "Lex is giving this to us as a gift," he said.
Salisbury isn't the only connection between Safari Wild and the zoo. Gabremariam is on the board of the Safari Wild Conservation Foundation, which will be a nonprofit arm of the company that gives the tours. The role of the foundation is still being worked out. He joins Salisbury and Wehrmann to make up the three-member board.
Gabremariam was added to "break any ties," Salisbury said.
An independent audit found no conflict in a review of the agreement between the zoo's executive committee and Safari Wild, Gabremariam and Salisbury said.
Gabremariam wants the entire zoo board to approve the terms of the arrangement before the park's scheduled opening in March 2009.
"This is a very arm's-length relationship," he said. "The board feels this is a necessity."
The problem is that Lowry Park Zoo has outgrown the 56-acre property, Gabremariam and others said.
When Salisbury came aboard as general curator in 1986, the zoo was widely considered among the worst in the nation. Since then the annual budget has swelled to $18 million, up from $200,000, and the collection has grown to 1,600 animals.
It would be ideal if someone gave the zoo 2,000 acres of land in the Tampa Bay area for the park, but so far no one has, Gabremariam said. That makes Safari Wild the zoo's best option.
The proposed 2,000-acre satellite animal park would allow ample space for elephants and other large animals to roam so they wouldn't be confined to their zoo exhibits all year, Salisbury said.
The large-animal exhibits that are often the biggest draws at zoos likely will go away without separate parks to rotate animals, Salisbury said. Elephant exhibits that now encompass 5 acres might require 50 acres in the future.
San Diego Seen As The Ideal Model
Salisbury and Gabremariam point to the San Diego Zoo as the model for the animal park they envision. Killmar, now Lowry Park's director of collections, is widely credited with starting the San Diego Zoo's wild animal park in 1972.
The 1,800-acre preserve is generally cut into 100-acre parcels in which various species of exotic and endangered animals can roam with similar breeds, said Christina Simmons, a San Diego Zoo spokeswoman.
"I want to make Lowry Park Zoo on par with San Diego," Salisbury said. "Safari Wild is agricultural tourism, it's not a zoo. The zoo will always be my first love."
Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668 or bhelgeson@tampatrib.com.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( bleuzman ) on April 24, 2008 at 1:31 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Another story that is much ado about nothing. For crying out loud why can't the man have a business of his own on the side? Why is it that every crybaby in the world can find something wrong with everything. The man was smart enough to do something nobody else thought of, so let him run his business and let everyone else keep their nose "out" of his business.
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Posted by ( whasup ) on April 24, 2008 at 2:31 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I don't see this as a conflict. More of an opportunity. Unless Salisbury messes it up, let him have a chance to do some good with this business. Being for-profit doesn't make him or his business inherently evil. I truly can't believe the ZOO is accusing Salisbury of 'exploiting animals' in his park when they do the exact same thing...at least from the animal's perspective. I'll bet the animals don't care about financial arrangements so much as food, shade and a place to romp.
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Posted by ( triprz ) on April 24, 2008 at 4:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
The zoo ISN'T accusing him of exploiting the animals, a former employee is. And you are correct, the animals don't care. Most of the noise is from people who mind other people's business - without being asked, of course. There IS a need for more space for the animals and Lex has done what is necessary to do that at this time. If a non-profit (any kind) is not run like a business, it fails. That's common sense. What the heck does this Kramer guy expect?
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Posted by ( kjkelly618 ) on April 24, 2008 at 6:14 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I fail to see how this is newsworthy. Not one mention of sex, drugs or guns. The fact is someone has the foresight to start a business so there has to be the obligatory quote from an ex-employee to stir things up. I hope he gets his park up and running and fleeces the tourists at $50 a pop because it means jobs and that’s something that isn't on the upside here in Florida these days. He doesn’t look like the sharpest tool in the shed by letting the monkeys escape, but we all have had a bad day at one point or another. At least our bad days aren’t blogged for all to see.
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Posted by ( JackNelsonSteward ) on April 24, 2008 at 6:16 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This guy is the CEO of a zoo, and he didn't know monkeys could SWIM?!
and, according to another article elswhere, he has plans to bring ELEPHANTS into his little Safari Park?!
Oh, well, at least they'll be easier to FIND than the monkeys.
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Posted by ( JackNelsonSteward ) on April 24, 2008 at 6:48 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
and, they say, he's going to bring in cheetahs.
Hey, doc? Cheetahs can SWIM!! OK?
but ... they WILL give the monkeys something to think about ...
Y'know that Green Swamp is really pretty boring up there with all that water and trees and stuff. Some elephants and cheetahs and monkeys and stuff would spice the place up a bit, don't you think?
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Posted by ( RobKay ) on April 24, 2008 at 6:52 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey people wake up! Lowry Park Zoo is a non-profit organization, and they are paying this guy $271,000.00 a year to run it? Sure looks like he knows what he's doing where animals are concerned doesn't it? Maybe they should hire that troup of monkeys who outsmarted him to run the zoo instead. Personally I hope the monkeys make it out in the wild on their own. They can repopulate the state after the rest of us leave.
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Posted by ( robertj1954 ) on April 24, 2008 at 7:45 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
RobKay - Funny for so early in the AM
You are right, it’s a non-profit and the City of Tampa is his employer. His business plan is to use animals from his non-profit organization, namely Lowery Park Zoo to populate his for profit business. That is not a conflict of interest??
I think your right the monkeys must have gotten wind of this poorly thought out plan and figured they were guilty by association and wanted nothing to do with it. This monkey escape comes at a good time with our legislature still in session. They still have time to pass a “Monkey Around Tax” a new revenue source for them.
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Posted by ( ad ) on April 24, 2008 at 7:51 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This story is nothing but another futile attempt by the media to whip the public into a frenzy. These is no substance, so we have to have a story making some loose and rescued monkey's, normally well cared for, akin to "the world is coming to an end and criminals are among us molesting our children". all this over a guy's private business and some monkey's. Way to go Tampa Tribune.
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Posted by ( guitarteacher ) on April 24, 2008 at 7:53 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
This guy was hired to run the zoo. He is not an elected official. And even elected officials can continue to own their businesses. If he wants to invest in a business, and he keeps his employer informed, he should be able to do so. This is America. If people want to work harder, they can benefit from their hard work.
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Posted by ( petagirl ) on April 24, 2008 at 7:54 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
we do not need more zoos.
animals belong in their natural
habitat. humans need to stop building
commercial prisons for animals and calling
it entertainment. they can't take care
of themselves much less wild animals.
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Posted by ( rman ) on April 24, 2008 at 8:07 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Comments like unless Salisbury messes it up and he has the foresight to start a business, and why can’t the man have a business on the side crack me up. Salisbury did mess up that’s why he is in the news, and if he had foresight he would have known how to contain the monkeys. Now he wants to bring in cheetahs. The cheetahs can get out to eat the monkeys, and maybe we can get hyenas to eat the cheetahs.
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Posted by ( johndoe154 ) on April 24, 2008 at 8:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Are you guys blind? This guy is using animals payed for with tax payer money to make a profit. It is a clear conflict of interest. He can't be expected to oversee the same funds that will be used for the zoo and the funds that he will pay to himself in a private business. Duh! And $270K salary, for a sideshow attraction is riduculous and another waste of taxpayer money.
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Posted by ( jassack ) on April 24, 2008 at 8:27 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
271 grand isn't bad considering the zoo generates revenue and the quality of the product has improved drastically over the last 20-plus years. Bleuzman is right. Why take a whiz on this mans entrepreneurial spirit just because he pulls down pretty good jack already. Sounds like wealth-envy. He wields a pretty mean 12-gauge too.
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Posted by ( showpig ) on April 24, 2008 at 10:17 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
petagirl has it exactly right. it's nothing more than prisons for profit. zoos ought to be outlawed.
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Posted by ( animalwelfare2007 ) on April 24, 2008 at 11:45 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Okay, so let's outlaw the zoos. close them down. Where are the zoo animals to go? You want to close down the sanctuaries too, they are also prisons. We can't ship the animals to their natural habitat, they have lost a part of their natural instinct. The majority of them have been raised by humans, to ship them to an unknown land, is a death sentence. They have become dependent upon humans for their welfare. SO the only other recourse, is to murder them? you do not want them in zoos, you do not want them in sanctuaries, you want to ship them overseas to die, so why don't we just kill each one now? be done with it! Let's give in to those who have no love for the animals. Who do not want to teach their children about animal welfare thru zoo educational programs. Let's continue to build homes, stores, factories, until we kill the earth and murder all the innocent animals.
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Posted by ( animalwelfare2007 ) on April 24, 2008 at 11:51 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Oh my! now I know where Peta donations go to, and I thought it went to saving animals.
PETA Puts Up $1 Million Reward For Lab-Produced Meat.
PETA received millions of dollars each year from donations such as yourselves, but do you know that they buy stock into companies so they can control over what you eat and what you wear? do their funding really save the animals? or is it control over the human population while screaming against inhumane treatment of animals? what idiots we are, we are totally brainwashed into their beliefs - no more than an occult.
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Posted by ( Iorio_Basher ) on April 24, 2008 at 1:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Good to see that folks are awake.
He should have faced criminal charges when he killed the tiger.
Why won't it surprise me when we find he's a member of a big-game hunt club? That's so sporting and manly for those who participate.
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Posted by ( Iorio_Basher ) on April 24, 2008 at 1:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
OMG the animals DON'T CARE? Yeah that's why one put her baby on her back and FLED.
Did you see ONE THING THERE for a monkey to DO?
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Posted by ( leopard1 ) on April 24, 2008 at 3:03 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Petgirl is partially right about natural habitat, however there basically is no more "wild" for a lot of animals because of us overpopulating the earth and destroying their natural habitat. Thousands of acres of rain forrest and jungle are destroyed every day for building materials, grazing land for cattle and fuel. Costa Rica is now paying cattle farmers to plant trees instead of raising cattle so the island can be reforrested. When today's elementary school kids are parents the only place their kids will be able to see a lot of large animals will be either in a zoo or online because some animals are expensive to house and there won't be any natural habiat. If the monkeys hadn't escaped 99% of the people in this area wouldn't have known he had this place. It'll be interesting to see if he's cited by FWCC for improperly housing the monkeys. $271,000.00 for a City of Tampa employee to be around animals all day, where do I sign up?
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Posted by ( TampasZooAdvocates ) on April 24, 2008 at 6:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
It is inspiring to see such interest and dialogue regarding this important issue. As founder of Tampa's Zoo Advocates (www.TampasZooAdvocates.com) our groups mission has always been that of advocating for the welfare of the animals, staff and visitors of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.
Rest assured that our group has no issue whatsoever with Lex or any person embarking upon a business venture for profit. It is only when someone in business begins making decisions that compromise the welfare and safety of animals as well as humans that it would be a disservice not to hold them accountable for their actions.
As a native life long resident of the Tampa Bay area I have a personal interest in seeking nothing but the success of our community's zoo. Our group holds nothing but the highest regard for our zoo friends entrusted with providing for the "comfort" and "quality" of life of their animal family.
So too however do we believe it continues to be our responsibility to empower ourselves and the public with factual information regarding the welfare of animals in our community.
While the topic of "ethical compromise" is one of the focuses of this wonderful Tampa Tribune article, you'll find that there are other important issues that our group is seeking to address, such as:
1) The pattern of animal escapes at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo as well as Wild Safari
2) The close relationship between Lex Salsibury, Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo, the Zoological Association of America (ZAA) and the exotic animal trade.
3) The welfare and safety of the animals, staff and visitors to the organizations guided by Lex Salisbury.
4) The fact that we as taxpayers own the land that Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo sits upon as well as continually contribute to its fiscal operation.
We encourage you to visit our groups website at www.tampaszooadvocates.com so that you can make educated decisions regarding this important issue involving the welfare of animals within our community as well as around the world.
With warmest regards,
Jeff Kremer
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Posted by ( Iorio_Basher ) on April 24, 2008 at 8:17 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
thank you Jeff Kremer.
Very good of you. I will pay a visit and support you.
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Posted by ( whasup ) on April 24, 2008 at 8:27 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
iorio-basher wrote:
"OMG the animals DON'T CARE? Yeah that's why one put her baby on her back and FLED.
Did you see ONE THING THERE for a monkey to DO?"
Apparently you didn't read the whole sentence. I didn't say 'the animals don't care'
I said: I'll bet the animals don't care about financial arrangements so much as food, shade and a place to romp.
Now I know how politicians feel when their quotes are taken piecemeal out of context.
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Posted by ( serenitynow ) on April 24, 2008 at 10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
There's a huge problem with Salisbury's actions to build his own park. As the leader of the non-profit Zoo he must have the best interests for his organization as his top priority. If it's that important for the Zoo to have a resting area for its animals, then he should have pursued it as part of the Zoo, not as a revenue stream for himself. There's a clear violation and conflict of interest. He should instead have created the Lakeland venture as part of the Zoo operations, raised funds, and expanded the organization he after all represents.
From a strict non-profit leadership perspective he has failed miserably and hiding behind his board should not be protection enough - he should resign and a leader passionate enough to focus on the Zoo be put in his place.
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Posted by ( Iorio_Basher ) on April 25, 2008 at 12:30 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Dear WHASUP hope you read this !!!
THIS is the comment I referred to:
(I agree with YOU completely)
Sorry for misunderstanding.
Enjoy your day.
Here's the comment from above that I referred to
Posted by ( triprz ) on April 24, 2008 at 4:25 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
The zoo ISN'T accusing him of exploiting the animals, a former employee is. And you are correct, the animals don't care. Most of the noise is from people who mind other people's business - without being asked, of course. There IS a need for more space for the animals and Lex has done what is necessary to do that at this time. If
end of snip
Sorry should have been more exact.
IB
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Posted by ( bigcatkeeper ) on April 26, 2008 at 1:13 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
If you really are interested in an expose uncovering the behind the scenes dealings of Lowry Park Zoo, as well as the network of other AZA approved zoos in this country, please pick up "Animal Underworld: Inside America's Black Market for Rare and Exotic Species" by Alan Green. It is one of the best books I've ever read and is at all the major bookstores.
Also, is anyone above Lex Salisbury questioning his management ability in containing captive wildlife? He shot Tatiana when she wandered innocently into a construction area and now he puts a troop of monkeys on a barren island (no one sees the inappropriateness of putting all those monkeys - obvious intelligent primates -on an island with no enrichment, little shelter, and nothing to do?) and has to go "on vacation" in order to round them all up? It's time for a change of leadership. For $271,000, we should expect more!
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Posted by ( floridapotter ) on April 27, 2008 at 9:29 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Thank you Jeff Kremer and "serenity now" for bringing some logic to this discussion. What a well paid non-profit zoo director is doing.... creating a FOR PROFIT attraction to offer the zoo animals "respite" is beyond me!? This is "Florida logic", it reeks of cronisim. With no real habitat or enrichment constructed for these "rescued" monkeys from PR, I dread thinking of how he will provide for all the other members of his imprisoned personal menagerie. As animals can not advocate for themselves, I have no problem seeing humans debate intelligently about this issue.
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Posted by ( Emesge27 ) on May 2, 2008 at 7:36 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
I have been watching developments at Lowry and Safari Wild as well as the Advocates website for some time. As someone who works at an AZA organization in New England (that is American Zoo & Aquarium, NOT the organization Salisbury has founded), I am quite concerned with what is happening there. I'm interested because I am moving to Tampa Bay and started extensively researching positions in the area which lead me to all the news stories and websites mentioning Lowry Park over the past few years. I would strongly encourage all of you to keep tabs on these developments and make your thoughts known to your local lawmakers. There is something clearly amiss. Even the inference of conflicts of interest to this degree warrants monitoring and investigation. While this may not be the best example, let me try this comparison - Everyone would be up at arms if Mr. Salisbury were the owner of the only City Owned Bar in Tampa and he became to CEO and chief investor in the State's only brewery. From a business point of view it would not be tolerated. Now you have to add the moral obligations of dealing with live, often endangered species.
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Posted by ( TampasZooAdvocates ) on May 3, 2008 at 7:43 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Thank you Emesge27 for your thought provoking perspective.
The members of our grassroots organization truly believe that "knowledge is empowering".
Our continued hope is that animal lovers like yourself will empower themselves regarding the facts regarding this important issue and help to effect positive change within our community's zoo.
With warmest regards,
Jeff Kremer
Tampa's Zoo Advocates
www.TampasZooAdvocates.com
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