Facilities

Most injuries to people involving captive wildlife occur because of one of two factors, human error or facility flaws and/or mechanical failures. It is imperative to establish a cooperative, inclusive design team whenever new exhibits and/or new species are added to a facility. This team should take into account current species standards, as well as the composition of collections and possible future needs. A review of current events both in the facility and in similar facilities may reveal potential problems that could be corrected before becoming an issue at the zoo. When doing facility reviews, particular attention must be given to shift doors, gates, staff access points, staff and animal visibility, and exhibit barrier dimensions and construction. Visual access to all animal holding areas and shifting areas should be reviewed to try to eliminate areas with blind shifting or access to areas that cannot be visualized. If staff cannot see where an animal is at all times without putting themselves in danger, the facility should review how to minimize the risks (e.g., incorporate two-person shifting protocols, develop an alert system when entering areas that may be blind). All service exit doors must be clearly marked and in good working order, and all locks and shift doors must be maintained at all times in good working order.

Facility review should also take into account possible overhanging plants, dead trees or compromised trees in exhibits, older mesh or fencing, or potential for other changes that could lead to an animal being able to breach containment. Public barriers to exhibits provide the first line of defense in protecting the public from the animals. Inspection and immediate repair of any public barriers also needs to be part of facility maintenance plans. Any breach of public barriers should be documented so that if recurring issues involving one particular area develop, it may be addressed in a timely manner. Some solutions include increasing the height or distance of the barrier, planting thorny or irritating plants between the barrier and exhibit, or installing alarm systems that notify staff if a breach occurs. Obviously, if a person gets all the way into an exhibit with an animal, all responses should follow the predetermined dangerous animal response and recovery plan.

All areas housing venomous animals or animals that pose a serious threat of catastrophic injury and/or death must be equipped with appropriate alarm systems and/or have protocols and procedures in place that will notify staff in the event of an injury, attack, or escape from the enclosure. These systems and procedures must be routinely checked to ensure proper functionality, and periodic drills must be conducted to ensure that appropriate staff members are notified. Alarm systems may be elaborate notification systems such as panic buttons, radio alert systems, or loudspeaker activation, or may be as simple as fog horns or blinking lights that can be activated in emergencies. Whichever system is used, it is critical to make sure that it is operational, staff knows what activation means, staff members are aware of how to use system, and the alarm may reach intended responders. For example, activating a fog horn inside a building that cannot be heard outside the holding area may not be useful as an alert system. All containment areas must be maintained and inspected on a predetermined schedule. All fencing should be closely examined daily before animals are placed into exhibits. Perimeter fencing should be separate from all exhibit fencing or other enclosures and be of good quality and construction. All facilities must be enclosed by a perimeter fence at least 8 feet high or by a viable barrier.² The fence must leave no gaps anywhere, including gates that would allow entry to the grounds by feral or wild animals or permit the egress of a collection animal in the event of an escape from a primary enclosure. Although these requirements are sufficient for trying to prevent escapes or entry through the fence, most zoo animals that may be considered dangerous could easily scale an 8-foot fence. A goal during any escape is to keep the animal on zoo grounds, avoid contact with the perimeter fence, and prevent animal escape outside the property.

Communication

The key to success with any plan is good communication and practice. Staff should always be reassured to err on the side of safety. It is better to inform staff that a dangerous animal is out and have it be false than to wait and lose precious time in responding. Areas of concern that have been noted in many zoological institutions after adverse animal events include repeated interpersonal conflict, ineffective and inappropriate communication, and poor staff morale leading up to the incident. Personality conflict, significant differences in opinion, and an inability to work together in a productive manner undoubtedly contribute to poor performance and poor team mentality.⁸ In the case of dangerous animal escapes, this could lead to tragic outcomes and must be addressed by management as part of a comprehensive risk management plan. Some tools to try to address poor communications and morale issues include regular staff meetings, using consultants who may be able to act as team builders and negotiators, and encouraging professional development. When developing a response team, all these factors should be taken into account by management to try to avoid interpersonal conflict that might result in carelessness and unprofessional behavior.

Planning the Response (see Chapter 11)

Dangerous animal response and recovery plans should be in place and designated personnel well trained and rehearsed before any event occurs. All staff should have a role and know what that role is, even if it is to stay in one place and not respond. Every situation will be unique. It is impossible to write a plan that will address every situation that might arise. A well thought-out plan does, however, provide guidelines and best practices that can be used in most situations and modified as needed. Detailed plans need to outline all aspects of the response to an animal escape or emergency involving a dangerous animal. Plans should include details on chemical immobilization, lethal weapons, communications and public relations, protection of public and employees, and incident command structures (see later). These plans need to be reviewed on a regular basis and also reviewed after each incident and/or drill to see if areas of improvement could be made. Any time plans are changed, staff must review and sign off on those changes. All staff needs to be familiar with the overall plan for response in the event of an emergency involving an animal, but it also helps to break the plan down into smaller subsections that are area and/or job specific. By doing this, people are not as overwhelmed by the potential lengthy procedures outlined in the facility plan and may concentrate on their specific role. This may help in maintaining training and compliance with required reviews of the plan across all staffing levels. It is advisable to have assistance from contractors, volunteers, interns, and visiting scientists who could review at least the portion of the plan that would pertain to the area of the facility in which they will be working.