What will tomorrow bring? I suppose that is a question we might all like the answer to. If we could prepare for the eventualities of tomorrow, life might be easier, or would it ruin our plans for today? Too deep for this article? Probably, but there is a point. Change is coming to the Zoo and across Roosevelt Park over the next few years as part of the flood mitigation project but there are still a lot of unknowns ahead.
There is a good understanding of the plethora of moving pieces that make up the project. The hard part is sorting out the timetable for all those pieces, both large and small, that will ultimately make up the overall project. So, without a crystal ball, we are all at the mercy of the unknown and just have to be ready when the time comes. After years of working in a zoo, hurry up and wait, somehow becomes normal, so until we can find a crystal ball, we remain at the mercy of the unknown.
Without sight into the future, the day-to-day will have to be enough for now, but there is plenty to keep us all busy until it is time to address what we can’t control. Over the next few weeks, the zoo is preparing to welcome new staff that will need much of our attention to learn the ropes of their responsibilities before the inevitable changes begin to take shape. But still, in the end, everything we do and everything we are, is and must be about the animals and their wellbeing.
In the coming weeks staff will be working on several animal transfers. Some of these will be the result of the upcoming physical changes to the zoo while others are tied to the recommendations made by the various Species Survival Programs (SSPs). As a part of these programs, the zoo is able to acquire animals from other accredited zoos. The steering committees also decide what institutions are allowed to breed as well as what animals need to be moved from one zoo to another. Animal management has continued to evolve as more information is learned and by keeping up to date with the modern zoological practices, the Roosevelt Park Zoo will continue to grow and improve.
Change is on the horizon and there will be some rough roads ahead and that is for certain. When all is said and done, the new facilities will create a new era for the zoo and a brand-new experience for our guests.
Sometimes the vision of what’s to come is so vivid, it becomes difficult to be patient. But until the vision becomes reality, we wait. We take care of business each day and try to focus our energy on making changes that when the project is ready to move forward, the zoo and staff will be ready. In the end, it is the support of the community, the dedication of the staff, and belief of a bright future that will help us get through the next few years, even without a crystal ball.