Dec 14 2008
Really cute pictures of the baby gorilla, and update on the not-so-cute Dhaliwal brothers
If you’ve been reading or watching the news, you’ve heard about the baby gorilla at the S.F. zoo who had to find a surrogate mother. Here he is …. with a stuffed toy gorilla. Awwww. That picture is from the zoo, and they have lots more of him drinking from his bottle, and cuddling with his toy and with his human friends.
I don’t know if the baby gorilla will be anyplace where the public can see him soon, but there are plenty of other things to do at the zoo. And in keeping with the theme of this blog, yes, there is a way to get into the zoo for free — at least for San Francisco residents, who get free admission on the first Wednesday of every month.
Where and When: The zoo is on Sloat Boulevard by the Great Highway (right near the beach). You can take the L Taraval Muni Metro, or if you drive, park in their lot ($8/day) or for free on the street. Free admission days for S.F. residents are the first Wednesday of every month, 10 to 5. Bring proof of residency (driver’s license, ID card, or local bill sent to your house) for the free days or for a resident’s discount on all other days. The zoo has tradtionally been open every day of the year, but this year it will be closed on Christmas (presumably because of the memory of the, um, unpleasantness last Christmas).
Speaking of which, just this week, one of the Dhaliwal brothers who had been attacked by the tiger pleaded guilty to public intoxication and resisting arrest, and was setenced to 10 days in jail. The other brother had already been sentenced to 16 months in prison for his misdeeds. The brothers’ lawsuit against the Zoo is still pending, and the parents of Carlos Sousa Jr, the boy who was killed, plan to sue the City this month.
Zoo visitors today don’t have to worry, because the tiger cage has been massively reinforced. Not that it’s possible to ever completely stop idiots from trying to tempt fate — as was demonstrated a few days ago, when someone actually climbed into the rhino cage!
For more info on visiting the zoo: See their website.
You know even without the restoration when this happened last year I still cannot fathom how the tiger jumped over that moat even with a running advance. And, you unfortunately will always have idiots tempting fate. What is interesting is that they are closing the zoo on Christmas this year which I believe has never been done.
On a lighter note I love that little baby gorilla