DALLAS — More cameras, greater security lighting with motion detection and additional fencing.
Those are just a few of the things Dallas Zoo officials said they’re implementing in the wake of several mysterious incidents at the zoo over the span of two and a half weeks. This included a daylong search of Nova, a clouded leopard who escaped through a cut in her enclosure; a similar cut in a langur monkey exhibit; a suspicious death of a lappet-faced vulture; and the nabbing of two emperor tamarin monkeys.
Zoo officials gave the first public update to city officials at Dallas City Hall Tuesday morning on the series of events that’s impacted the zoo and the measures they’re taking to respond.
“It’s unacceptable the criminal acts that took place,” said Sean Greene, the Chief Operating Officer of the Dallas Zoo, to the council’s quality of life, arts and culture committee. “It’s also unacceptable that one of those security layers somewhere broke down in the last two and a half weeks.”
Greene told council members few security details beyond what the zoo has already shared previously. He said the zoo has brought in outside security experts to conduct a 30- to 45-day assessment report on safety, security and risk.
Those experts started their work last week, he said. Beyond that, the zoo has added cameras with motion-detected features and alarms. Zoo officials are also evaluating the zoo’s long-term security provider and extended nighttime patrols with its security company and Dallas police.
The zoo has also fortified its perimeter fencing, Greene said, showing photos of barbed wire and wood fencing on a slideshow presentation. He said it’s a balance of making sure the zoo looks aesthetically pleasing while still making sure people aren’t going to climb over barriers.
“Multiple barriers were crossed to do some of these acts,” Greene said.
Davion Irvin, a suspect arrested in connection with the string of incidents, told investigators in arrest-warrant affidavits when allegedly nabbing the tamarin monkeys, he waited until dark and then jumped a fence on the Clarendon Drive side of the zoo, an affidavit says. Irvin is not currently connected to the death of the lappet-faced vulture, Pin, which is still an ongoing investigation.
He also told police after getting the monkeys out of their enclosure, he took rail transit before walking to a vacant Lancaster home where he stashed the animals, according to an affidavit.
Through a presentation, Greene walked the committee members through the string of incidents and how the zoo responded. Before the incidents occurred, he said the zoo had over 100 cameras throughout the 106-acre campus, but did not share where they’re located.
After the incidents involving the leopard, the langur monkeys and the lappet-faced vulture, Greene said the zoo doubled its organized security and added more cameras, including ones on trails to monitor the park. Dallas police also gave the zoo solar-power surveillance towers to expand the zoo’s coverage.
Greene also shared some new details about the January death of the vulture Pin. He said staff members found Pin had a fatal puncture wound when they did their routine checks.
Since the animal is endangered, he said the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is continuing to investigate the incident along with Dallas police. He did not share much other than to say there is still some forensic testing being done at the federal level.
‘Control what can come in and out’
In an interview with The Dallas Morning News, Dallas Zoo President and CEO Gregg Hudson shared that the security focus is “to really control, especially at nighttime, what can come in and out of here and to have as much electronic surveillance as possible that will help us be able to monitor those.”
There is no final tally on how many cameras the zoo will add, spokesperson Kari Streiber said. Following the last two and a half weeks, she said the zoo has added about 50 cameras, making its total about 150.
The zoo has made changes to its perimeter before. When the Texas Department of Transportation was working on the Southern Gateway project, it created new bridges, entrances and exits along I-35 right in front of the zoo, Streiber said.
While transportation officials were completing the project, they built a sound wall along the perimeter of the zoo. But Hudson said the wall and the zoo’s perimeter fence weren’t attached, creating a gap in between where people would linger.
So, the zoo worked with the department to add panels to connect the sound wall to their existing perimeter fence, Hudson said.
The zoo is also working on constructing chain-link fences on each end of Cedar Creek that runs through the property, Streiber said. Previously, the zoo had breakaway panels to secure the area, but debris would knock them down during times of severe rain.
‘Gives me confidence’
Council members overwhelmingly lauded the approach the zoo has taken in recent weeks in their approach to be transparent and increase its security.
Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn King Arnold said city officials are committed to the partnership with the Dallas Zoological Society and that the events that took place do not reflect poorly on current management.
“You know you have some folks who get up every morning and their job is to figure out how to break the law or how to do some type of instability,” Arnold said.
Councilmember Adam Bazaldua, the chair of the committee, echoed that claim, adding that it’s “about how you react.”
“What you presented today gives me confidence that you’re prepared for something like this happening,” Bazaldua said. “The next 15-20 years there will be another incident and it’s how you react as an institution that matters.”
Bazaldua said his children, ages 5 and 7, were also concerned about the situation and were relieved the monkeys came back to the zoo.
Councilmember Paul Ridley cautioned the zoo about making improvements that are intrusive to the visitor experience. Security experts told The News it’s a balancing act to ensure safety while keeping the interactive zoo experience for visitors.
Greene said the zoo will continue to do a security assessment on a yearly basis at a bare minimum. “I think what we’re going to be doing here over the next month and a half is going to be significant from a technology standpoint.”
Zoo officials have not outlined how they plan to pay for additional security measures. The city is committed to supporting the Dallas Zoo for security funding through the general fund or through the bond program, said Ryan O’Connor, the city’s assistant director of the parks and recreation department.
Funding is always going to be part of the discussion as the zoo discusses security enhancements and as the city discusses plans of a potential $1 billion bond program in 2024, Bazaldua said.
Looking at the costs, Hudson said the zoo has set aside cash reserves to help them with unprecedented situations like this.
“We’re not worried. We’re doing what we have to do,” he said.
