City Supports Dallas Zoo Leaders and Safety Plans

After weeks of bad publicity around the world, Dallas Zoo, On Tuesday, city council members praised zoo leaders for how they handled the crisis.

Zoo staff shared what could be made public about new security plans designed to address repeated violations, including the theft of two monkeys.

Emperor tamarin monkeys Bella and Fin which were stolen from their habitat, put back on display at the zoo after recovering from their misfortune.

Behind bars Davion Irvine a man accused of stealing monkeys a few weeks ago.

He is also accused of interfering another enclosure earlier that released a clouded leopard at the zoo for a day.

Death of a rare vulture in the zoo remains under investigation.

“The media collaborated to help, DPD, the city, community members, we had so many people coming together with hearts for these animals,” Councilman Chad West said.

When the Dallas City Council Quality of Life Committee heard a briefing from zoo officials about the events, council members also supported zoo officials in how they handled it all.

“I think it has given not only peace of mind to me, but to the general public about what the Dallas Zoo is doing,” said board member Omar Narvaez.

Zoo officials have expressed remorse for what they call unprecedented events.

“This is unacceptable, the criminal acts that took place. It is also unacceptable to me that these multiple layers of security have broken down somewhere in these two and a half weeks,” said Dallas Zoo COO Sean Green.

Officials said the new security improvements include reinstalled security cameras, new towers with solar cameras, more lighting, more security patrols hired by zoo workers, as well as Dallas police and more security consultants.

Council members supported the measures, but said they wanted the zoo to remain a family place and didn’t want it to look like a barbed-wire prison.

“If you can focus on more discrete site security measures, I think that’s the right direction,” council member Paul Ridley said.

Zoo officials said additional perimeter fencing to keep out intruders would look like the fences next door.

Council member Caroline King Arnold represents the area immediately surrounding the zoo.

“I know there have been some skeptics saying, ‘What’s going on at the zoo? Should we change our personnel? Absolutely not,” said Arnold. “I just wanted to let you know that I believe this team has been working, working really hard to respond.”

The Dallas Zoo has been operated since 2009 through a public-private partnership with a board of directors that includes former City Councilwoman Lois Finkelman, who also appeared at Tuesday’s meeting.

Green said safety and technology at previous zoos have improved in recent years along with attendance.

Green said that prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the zoo had 1.2 million visitors a year in 2017, about double the number in 2007.

Attendance on Presidents’ Day Monday was so great that the zoo was completely filled.

People from the Lancastrian church gave advice that helped the police find the stolen monkeys in an abandoned house.

Zoo officials said they are still considering whether the $25,000 reward that was offered for the return of the animals will be given.