HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 7261 INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS No. 7261
�a4,Qft To the Mayor and Members of the City Council February 16 , 1988
W-4
0011- :Z
X
Subject: ANIMAL TRANSACTIONS AT THE FORT WORTH ZOO
'oil
The Fort Worth Zoo has a yearling male giraffe that is surplus and as such was
listed for sale or trade last September for a value of $3,500 under the old
rule that animal transactions under $5,000 need not go to the City Council .
On 24 January, 1988, Mr. Jergen Schultz confirmed the purchase of this animal
with the zoo staff. The disposal of this specimen will cause a slight
decrease on the animal food budget and the keepers time to care for the
animal . It is imperative that he be moved soon as possible as the adult male
is fighting the younger one; plus , we are expecting the birth of two more
offsprings this Summer.
Additionally, the Zoo staff is exploring the possibilities of obtaining a pair
of black rhinoceroses from Zimbabwe, Africa. This species is much beleaguered
in the w-ild. There is a world wide attempt to develop a captive breeding
program through several conservation organizations. The Fort Worth Zoo has
been chosen to be a recipient of a male and female if the necessary Federal
permits can be obtained . Individual members of the Fort Worth Zoological
Association have agreed to fund the cost of bringing these animals to the Fort
Worth Zoo.
00W Presently, the Zoo exhibits a pair of white rhinos which would be put on loan
to another institution to make room for the black rhinos. Upon completion of
a new exhibit for both species , which is due to occur in the first phase of
the Zoo Master plan, the white rhinos would be returned to the Fort Worth Zoo.
The overall master breeding plan for this sub-species of black rhinos is to
import as many as ten animals and to locate them as close as possible together
i.e. two at Fort Worth, two at Dallas, four at a ranch near McAllen and two at
another Texas facility. Keeping the animals close to one another would ease
the problem of moving animals from one group to another for breeding purposes.
Hopefully our program would result in a self-sustaining captive population
with the prospect of reintroduction into the wild if called on to do so.
Unless otherwise directed, staff will proceed with both of these transactions.
ouglas Harman
City Manager
:vj
000-
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER FORT WORTH, TEXAS