Keepers relayed their concerns about threats to animals’ health

The Honolulu Zoo’s failed application for reaccreditation included internal memos from animal keepers expressing concerns about how shortcomings at the Waikiki attraction were endangering the welfare of its inhabitants.

While the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Commission unanimously voted in March to deny reaccreditation, its inspectors, who visited the facility in November, concluded that the zoo animals are healthy. Still, some zoo observers contend leadership and financial problems noted by AZA could extend to animal care.

Ted Otaguro, former Honolulu Zoo Society executive director, said current Honolulu Zoo Director Baird Fleming has “a lot of confidence in his staff” and is the “right guy to run a zoo.” But Otaguro said he fears that lack of resources “could become an animal welfare issue.”

Animal Rights Hawai‘i President Cathy Goeggel, who once served as president of the zoo’s support organization, said it already has.

“The city doesn’t have enough money and they’ve downgraded projects. The animals don’t have enough space to run around like they would in the wild,” Goeggel said. “Construction drags on. The noise is stressful. What you have are inadequate enclosures that play a large role in animal stress, especially since these exhibits are open to the public.”

In an August 2014 letter to zoo officials, an animal keeper called for an improved ostrich shelter, and cited stress as a factor in earlier ostrich and hippo deaths. The keeper said Madi, a 19-year-old ostrich, died on Nov. 12, 2013, after exposure to rain, mud and standing water.

The ostrich died of liver failure, according to a necropsy report. But the examiner noted adrenal changes, which “can be seen with chronic nonspecific stress” that were “severe enough to have contributed to the animal’s illness and death.”

The keeper urged zoo managers to build a storm shelter for the ostrich enclosure.

Zoo officials told the keeper in September 2014 that they would upgrade the shelter, construct a new vehicle entrance into the holding pen and trim banyan tree branches.

Rosey, a 24-year-old hippo, was found dead on July 18, 2014, while the zoo was building a filtration system for her exhibit to address concerns raised by AZA inspectors in 2011 and 2012. An examiner could not determine Rosey’s cause of death. However, the necropsy report noted that she had been “exposed to construction” and said “environmental stress” was “one possibility to consider.”

On April 17 of this year, the zoo euthanized 25-year-old Djelita, the oldest living Sumatran tiger in captivity. In March 2015, an animal keeper sent a note to zoo officials expressing concern about the tiger’s weight loss.

“‘Busy with AZA accreditation’ is really not a good excuse” for allowing the tiger’s condition to worsen, the keeper told top zoo managers. “Truly there is no excuse to allow this animal to deteriorate in this manner. Also, please don’t jump the gun and decide to euthanize her because I am making a repeated complaint.”

Zoo officials told the keeper they would monitor Djelita’s eating habits and offer more of her favorite foods. They also planned monthly weighing to determine dietary changes. In a recent interview, Fleming told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser that AZA “thoroughly reviewed” Djelita’s situation and “were absolutely happy.” The tiger gained weight for a time, he said.

Fleming also said the zoo has addressed any animal care concerns raised by AZA inspectors.