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Lowry Zoo Boss Has Accrediting Agency Inspect Operations

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By STEVE ANDREWS | News Channel 8

Published: October 16, 2008

A team from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums is sifting through information gleaned from records and the examination of operations last week during a 2 1/2 day visit to Lowry Park Zoo.

The zoo's chief executive officer, Lex Salisbury, requested the visit after news reports of connection between the zoo and Safari Wild, an animal theme park Salisbury owns and is developing in Polk County.

Zoo records acquired by News Channel 8 and The Tampa Tribune show that in the past 20 years, Salisbury and the zoo exchanged 201 animals, mostly for breeding. In the past three years, the records show, animals were shuffled between Safari Wild and the zoo hundreds of times.

AZA spokesman Steve Feldman said reviews such as this are not standard. This is an effort by the zoo to address concerns raised by the media, Feldman said.

One agreement between Safari Wild and the zoo, according to the records acquired by the media, would have turned over to Salisbury a rare newborn white rhinoceros calf in exchange for Safari Wild housing three of the zoo's adult rhinos. That deal didn't go through.

Feldman said a three-person team with years of experience was dispatched to Lowry Park Zoo last week. The team looked at the zoo's operations, animal husbandry and veterinary services.

"It's a great zoo that's doing important work in conservation efforts," Feldman said. "We're looking at anything that relates to our standards."

Feldman said the inspectors received good cooperation from the zoo and will be gathering further information to help them prepare a report. He expects the report will not be ready for several weeks.

"We don't expect to receive any feedback for some time," said the zoo's director of public relations, Rachel Nelson.

"They will submit a report to the AZA's president and CEO, then to its board of directors," Feldman said of the crew. The board will evaluate the report and decide whether any action needs to be taken.

The report then will be shared with Lowry Park Zoo, and the zoo will decide whether it will make the findings public, Feldman said.

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