PURPOSE
This website was created in response to a near death experience with the female lion I had at the Idaho Falls Zoo in June of 2024.
The purpose of the website is to memorialize the report which documents the management failures that led to the event, as well as many other poor management actions; and to facilitate the dissemination of this near fatal incidence to a wider audience so that other zoos can learn from this incident.
“Safety dies in Darkness.” "Let there be light!"
Objectives are to remind the public of their need to know just how safe and well managed their zoos are; serve as a springboard for other people and entities to improve the apex predator safety at their zoos worldwide and create a forum where interested parties can share their “tales about tails” i.e. safety related experiences so that improvements can be made.
Biography
Began volunteering weekly at the Idaho Falls Zoo in the spring of 2011 until June 9th of 2024: over 3 thousand hours (primarily in Area 4 -lions, tigers, snow leopards, sloth bears, red pandas, servals, camels, fennec foxes…); Served on the TPZS board for several years during the “Bring Back the Bears Campaign”, the Penguin outdoor pool and during the reign of Bill Gersonde; served on the Mayor’s Parks and Recreation Citizens Review Committee - lead author on the chapter on the zoo; Currently a two-term member of the Idaho Falls Parks and Recreation Commission