San Francisco Zoo loses major donor in pursuit of $25 million panda project
As the San Francisco Zoo moves forward with its panda exhibit project, one donor said he will be pulling back on funding the zoo until changes are made.
"Until we have a new administration at the zoo, we are going to withhold contributions," longtime donor John McNellis told CBS News Bay Area.
McNellis is a real estate developer and philanthropist who has been donating to the San Francisco Zoo for the past 20 years.
"In the late '60s, I think I went to the zoo for the very first time and I fell in love with it," McNellis remembered. "We've become one of its most major donors."
In addition to his personal enjoyment, he saw that the zoo allowed people to see wild animal in person without expensive travel to remote areas.
"Not everybody could afford to go to Africa, or to Alaska to see big game. And these animals are disappearing at an alarming rate. So my hope -- and I think the hope of a lot of people -- is that zoos create this bond with wild animals," he added.
But over the years, McNellis said the zoo has become even more run down and is in desperate need of refurbishment. When he found out that the zoo got the green light to fund a $25 million panda project, he was disappointed by the zoo's direction.
"The Yelp rating is 3.4. I think we all know that that's a D-. I looked at some of the comments and one guy, I think he nailed it. He said, 'This is the most run down and dilapidated zoo I have ever seen,'" McNellis said.
Bringing the giant pandas to the San Francisco Zoo was one of former mayor London Breed's passion projects.
"Any number of exhibits that are empty. Any number of future exhibits that are promised -- and have been promised for years -- there are fewer animals there now than there used to be," he said.
McNellis is confused as to why instead of allocating funding to refurbishing the infrastructure, the zoo is focusing on bringing in a multimillion-dollar project.
Zoo officials said that they are in the process of working to bring two pandas from Chengdu to live in an exhibit next to the lions.
"China wants to, I would say export these pandas to learn how to conserve them. They are an endangered species," former San Francisco City Administrator Bill Lee told CBS News Bay Area.
Lee was speaking on behalf of the zoo. He said that pandas will boost the city's tourism.
"[In] 1984, the pandas that were here for three months generated 1.4 million visitors. The highest ever in the history of the San Francisco Zoo," Lee said.
The zoo is owned by the city and run by the San Francisco Zoological Society. Lee said that the city has been providing the zoo with $4 million every year to fund its facilities.
"The city has basically been starving the zoo for the last 20 years. The zoo administration is in a tough position. They don't have enough money to absolutely run the zoo as it should be," McNellis said.
He added that instead of funding the panda project, the resources should be allocated to refurbishing the zoo's infrastructure.
"Needs to be spent on sidewalks, buildings, bring up the landscaping and all the overgrown trees. The poor zoo looks shabby, frankly," McNellis said. "Bringing in pandas today to our zoo would be exhibiting the Mona Lisa in an old, cracked, leaking barn."
The San Francisco Zoo has had its fair share of hurdles. Most recently, the Leaping Lemur Café on site was shut down in January after reports of rodent infestation.
Last October, the zoo came under fire after an audit report compiled by the San Francisco Animal Control and Welfare Commission called the facility outdated and unsafe for animals and visitors. They also added that with the exhibits nearing 94 years old, it would be unethical to move forward with the panda project until the facilities are improved.
On the other hand, zoo staff sent CBS News Bay Area a recent USDA inspection report from early January, showing that the zoo complies with federal standards.
"There are a lot of infrastructure issues, but really hasn't, not a lot to do with pandas. I believe with the pandas coming, there will be more funding they can spread out to all the parts of the zoo," Lee said.
He also added that the donations provided by McNellis are not funding the panda project. Information has not been released as to how much the zoo has raised for its $25 million goal.
"This funding for the pandas is separate funding and it's coming from different sources," Lee said.
Despite understanding that McNellis will no longer be donating to the facility, zoo officials said they will be moving forward with the project.
There is no confirmation yet as to when the pandas are expected to be brought to San Francisco.
