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Zoo Loses Agency's Approval

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By BAIRD HELGESON

bhelgeson@tampatrib.com

Published: December 6, 2008

TAMPA - The nation's premier accrediting agency for zoos and aquariums has suspended its endorsement of Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo.

The action means the Association of Zoos and Aquariums no longer sanctions the zoo's animal practices, so it cannot exchange animals with other members of the association.

The suspension also jeopardizes the zoo's lease with the city, which requires the complex to carry the endorsement of the association.

It also comes as a blow to one of Tampa's signature attractions, which boasts on its Web site it has been rated "No. 1 Family Friendly Zoo" by Child magazine.

"This does not affect the zoo's daily operations, the high quality of animal care or operating standards employed by the zoo," the zoo said in a statement late Friday. "Our zoo upholds the highest standards of animal welfare and care."

The zoo's leadership and board will review the findings and determine whether policy changes are necessary, according to the zoo statement.
Zoo board chairman Bob Merritt said he received the association's report Thursday.

"It does nothing," he said. "We all have to understand that. It's a voluntary organization. We had some technical deficiencies, and we will address them."

He declined further comment. The zoo wouldn't release the report, which was addressed only to Merritt.

The association's Web site no longer lists Lowry Park Zoo among its accredited members. In September of last year, the Tampa zoo did appear in the online list, accredited through March 2010.

The Web site says only about 10 percent of the nation's 2,400 federally licensed animal exhibits have earned the association's accreditation. Tampa's Busch Gardens and The Florida Aquarium are among them.

The suspension comes about three months after the zoo asked the association to review any purchase, sale, trade, loan or donation of animals.

An association team visited after news reports that zoo president Lex Salisbury bought, traded or borrowed more than 200 animals for his personal Dade City ranch and for Safari Wild, a for-profit exotic-animal park he wants to open in Polk County.

Most of the animals Salisbury borrowed came with an agreement that he could keep some of the offspring, fueling criticism he was using zoo resources and animals to build his African safari-style attraction.

Salisbury has said he never profited from the arrangement.

The zoo's executive committee severed all ties with Safari Wild in June after the first concerns arose about the possible conflict of interest.

"I hope the board and the leadership take the issues very, very seriously," said Santiago Corrada, the city's representative on the zoo board. "It's imperative that the zoo keeps its accreditation."

Corrada said he has not seen the association's report. He said Merritt did call him about its findings, saying the association had several main concerns, including animal acquisition procedures and trading animals with centers it did not accredit.

Salisbury's ranch and Safari Wild are not members of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

Corrada said Merritt told him the association could reconsider the zoo's suspensions in March.

The zoo has been an association member since 1989. It passed its most recent accreditation renewal in 2004, the zoo said.

Corrada and Merritt declined to comment on whether the suspension signals problems with management by Salisbury and his top staff.

The association did not return messages this week.

Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at (813) 259-7668.

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