
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 25, 1990                   TAG: 9007250402
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A/8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

ZOO'S PLAN FOR TIGER UTOPIA IS TOO AMBITIOUS

THIS LETTER is written with controlled anger about Mill Mountain Zoo's plans for Ruby, the Siberian tiger they assumed ownership of. They are asking Roanoke for something it is obviously not prepared to give.

After nearly two years of campaigning, they've raised only one-tenth the amount needed to build their tiger habitat, complete with multiple viewing areas, breeding program and "Zoo-Choo." When will Beth Poff and the Blue Ridge Zoological Society's dream-weavers realize that their plan is too ambitious for this town at this time?

How many more times will the tiger have to endure surgery before they realize her cage is too confining? You'd think the tiger's perpetual limp would do the trick; obviously, something else must be done to convince them.

The zoological society has $60,000. Use some of it to build a temporary habitat so the tiger will have some freedom fo movement. Think about the tiger's needs. Get Ruby an efficiency apartment; you can move her into the Waldorf when you get rich.

And those of you who have generously donated to the tiger fund: Continue to donate, but tell the society and Mill Mountain Zoo you want Ruby out of the porcupine cage and into decent quarters now. Tell them you're angry that their cost estimate was $400,000 low. Tell them you're tired of empty promises.

Tell them it's time to change the plan. Build Ruby a bigger place with some of the money that's already been raised, and think about Tiger Utopia when you've got more support.

IAN M. DANIELSEN\ ROANOKE

by CNB