Recent news reports of redunancies, suspensions, resignation and sacking at the Royal Zoological Society of Edinburgh suggest an institution in disarray. What does this mean for the world-famous Edinburgh Zoo and for the imminent arrival of giant pandas? If you want the long view of panda politics, why not buy The Way of the Panda or follow me on Twitter @WayOfThePanda.
Created by HenryNicholls on May 11, 2011
Last updated: 08/05/11 at 06:11 AM
Tags: Edinburgh Zoo Pandas
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The Chinese will inspect the panda enclosure in October, the last time before the pandas arrive. So they definitely won't be here before then.
http://bit.ly/nPRXHo
Iain Valentine has been cleared of all wrong-doing but is to come back in a slightly altered role. The zoo is keeping schtum about what the allegations he faced actually were.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-14329812
EEN covers the news of Valentine's return.
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/Zoo-chief-to-return-in.6808965.jp
Interim chief executive Hugh Roberts issues a brief and largely uninformative press release announcing the impending return of Iain Valentine after four months suspension. “The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland has completed a disciplinary investigation into Iain Valentine and a full hearing has been held, the details of which are, and will remain, confidential." Is this enough?
http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/news_163.html
Kelburn Estate and Country Centre in Ayrshire press release about its bamboo offer.
"Kelburn has around 35sq metres of Sasa palmata var Nebulosa , a running plant that has thick leathery leaves up to 15 inches long by 2.5 inches wide whose stalks can grow up to 7ft high. It also houses around 12sq metres of Fargesia jiuzhaigou, named after a park in Sichuan where the seeds were collected and 4sq metres of Pseudosasa japonica, a bamboo from Japan with arrow straight culms and large, glossy leaves."
http://www.prlog.org/11592798-kelburn-steps-in-as-bear-necessities-bamboozle-zoo-keepers.html
The Kelburn Estate and Country Centre in Ayrshire has offered the Edinburgh pandas access to its bamboo
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Pandas-won39t-go-hungry-as.6803311.jp
Victoria Raimes is on the case again, raising concerns that the £250,000 budget for the panda enclosure may be exceeded.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Panda-inspectors-due-as-enclosure.6798080.jp
During his state visit to the UK, Chinese premier Wen Jiabao doesn't miss the opportunity to remind assembled media that the pandas are coming.
"I am also delighted that two lovable giant pandas will soon be settling into Edinburgh Zoo. There are many indicators that increasing numbers of people in China and the UK are showing a keener interest in knowing more about each other," he said.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90776/90883/7416909.html
All the upheaval at the zoo seems to have led to a minor oversight. Nobody got the appropriate planning permission to build the panda enclosure.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13671241
Victoria Raimes is digging again.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Charity-regulator-launches-probe-into.6769683.jp
Donald Emslie gives an interview to STV (he was formerly chief of SMG's TV enterprise).
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/249262-the-damage-is-significant-zoo-boss-admits-attractions-reputation-tarnished-after-vote-of-no-confidence/
BBC reports on the EGM attended by several hundred members of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. A motion of "no confidence" in chairman of the board of trustees Donald Emslie was passed. Was he too heavy-handed in his handling of the annonymous, and apparently unfounded allegations?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13373944
Tweet from @madpixie Judy Thomson. "Just home from Edinburgh Zoo EGM, members voted no confidence in Chairman but confidence in the board. Concerns were not allayed. #zoo"
http://twitter.com/#!/Madpixie/status/68795696165289985
Suspended zoo chief executive Gary Wilson is cleared of all allegations levelled at him in what Donald Emslie describes as "a deeply unpleasant and malicious smear campaign”.
http://news.stv.tv/scotland/east-central/248765-director-at-edinburgh-zoo-who-was-suspended-over-anonymous-allegations-cleared/
Scotland's charity regulator has launched an investigation into crisis-hit Edinburgh Zoo, reveals Brian Donnelly in The Herald.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/watchdog-to-investigate-crisis-hit-zoo-1.1099889?localLinksEnabled=false
The BBC says the pandas will be here in July, even though a spokesperson for Edinburgh Zoo makes it explicit that "the date has absolutely not been confirmed for the arrival of the pandas."
But, she goes on, "it is true all parties plan to be prepared for the arrival from July onwards."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13294368
No, says Donald Emslie, Chairman of the executive board. Victoria Raimes is at it again, reporting on leaked minutes of a board meeting held in January in which there was a discussion of leasing the zoo for a ten-year period to Spanish company Parques Reunido.
Did this, in any way, trigger the resignation of Max Gaunt?
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/39We39re-not-selling-off-Edinburgh.6762865.jp
The BBC follows up on the Scotsman story and gives the date for the Extraordinary General Meeting as 12 May.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-13194896
The Scotsman's Brian Ferguson reports that "bosses at Edinburgh Zoo have agreed to hold a crisis meeting with members over the suspension of two senior executives and the sacking of a third."
http://news.scotsman.com/news/Zoo-bows-to-members39-demand.6757828.jp
Alice Wyllie's interview with me (ahead of my Edinburgh Science Festival talk on 21 April) is published in a double-page spread in The Scotsman.
"For every benefit you could imagine that might come from having pandas in your zoo, there is a cost," I say. "It's a high-risk venture bringing a panda to your zoo, particularly in Britain," I add with the smug comfort that hind-sight provides. But it's still true.
http://living.scotsman.com/features/Mad-about-the-bear-why.6755304.jp
Kevan Christie makes the first explicit connection between the management crisis facing Edinburgh Zoo and the arrival of giant pandas.
It is claimed that on the back of the panda news, suspended chief executive Gary Wilson had secured a Fiat panda as a raffle prize. "It's claimed no car ever arrived," writes Christie rather cryptically.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/weird-news/2011/04/15/edinburgh-zoo-chief-suspended-over-missing-panda-86908-23063009/http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/weird-news/2011/04/15/edinburgh-zoo-chief-suspended-over-missing-panda-86908-23063009/
Edinburgh Zoo issues a press release in an effort to dispell "recent press reports and unfounded speculation that Edinburgh Zoo’s Giant Panda Project is in any sort of jeopardy".
The Board of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland offers an assurance that "it is very much business as usual on plans to bring a pair of breeding pandas to Edinburgh Zoo later this year."
How, I am wondering in the current management crisis and under the heat of the Scottish press, can the zoo possibly hope to carry out its business as usual?
http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/news_150.html
Following his sudden dismissal, a disgruntled Anthony McCreavy talks to the Record's Kevan Christie and claims he was axed for raising concerns over how the zoo was being run.
McCreavy echoes my concerns over the arrival of the pandas. ""The Chinese government will be seriously concerned about what is going on at the zoo," he says.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/04/11/edinburgh-zoo-panda-deal-in-danger-of-collapse-claims-ousted-boss-86908-23053726/
In an interview conducted with Alice Wyllie of The Scotsman ahead of my Edinburgh Science Festival talk, I warn that the Chinese will be very concerned about the suspension of Iain Valentine and might call off the panda deal.
The zoo kicked back. "The deal is absolutely 100 per cent. There is no danger of pandas not coming to Scotland.," says a spokesperson.
http://heritage.scotsman.com/scotland/I39ll-be-surprised-if-Chinese.6749506.jp
The Edinburgh Evening News produces a mini-timeline of the main events so far.
http://heritage.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Time-of-departures-from-Edinburgh.6748182.jp
Kevan Christie of The Record goes further than Raimes, saying that Anthony McCreavy was "sacked" for being "in contempt of the board". According to Christie, it is alleged that "Wilson stole building materials and bought a fleet of luxury cars including a Lotus and Audi TT."
Donald Emslie, Chairman of the board, is quoted extensively. "The RZSS board-level investigation, with independent support, into anonymous, serious allegations made against Gary Wilson is now close to an end. We hope to make an announcement on this shortly," he says. "During the course of these investigations, the RZSS discovered matters of a very serious nature which require to be investigated further. One member of staff [McCreavy] has today left their position with the society. Another member of staff [Valentine] has been suspended pending an investigation."
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/04/08/edinburgh-zoo-chaos-panda-man-suspended-and-boss-sacked-86908-23046033/
Victoria Raimes reveals further mysterious goings-on at Edinburgh Zoo. Now, Director of Animals and Conservation Iain Valentine has been suspended following the discovery of "matters of a very serious nature". Meanwhile, Director of development Anthony McCreavy has been "left his post". There is no direct link to the pandas, except that Dr Valentine was the man reponsible for securing the deal and Mr McCreavy for coaxing corporate partners to come forward to sponsor them.
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh/Edinburgh-Zoo-insists-staff-suspension.6748181.jp
Raimes tweets "One boss sacked, two suspended, and quite a few unanswered questions."
http://twitter.com/#!/victoriaraimes/status/56317962763771904
Further digging by Victoria Raimes uncovers that Max Gaunt, the treasurer the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland, "retired" from his post in February. "It is thought that he resigned shortly after the RZSS board had a meeting to discuss the sponsorship of Tian Tian and Yangguang," she writes in the Edinburgh Evening News.
http://heritage.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Panda-deal-finance-boss-steps.6742859.jp
Beneath the title "Monkey business", photographs in the Scottish Sun bring clarity to some of the allegations facing Gary Wilson. “The Royal Zoological Society of Scotland was sent snaps of the extension at Mr Wilson's home in Dunblane, Stirlingshire, and Budongo House,” reports Nick Sharpe. “Among the claims are his extension has a balcony built from metal poles, glass and wood - like one used by visitors to view chimps at the £6million attraction,” he writes.
“The dossier - sent by post anonymously - also claims Mr Wilson, of Dunblane, Stirlingshire, drove a £28,000 Audi car and had boasted online about owning a £40k Lotus.”
Wilson is steadfast. “I'm happy for an investigation to happen. I've nothing to hide,” he says. "I don't have the Lotus any more and my Audi is a lease car."
http://www.thescottishsun.co.uk/scotsol/homepage/news/3492156/Edinburgh-zoo-chief-Gary-Wilson-in-design-probe.html#ixzz1M2X2c58P
Bang! Victoria Raimes, this time writing in the more salacious Edinburgh Evening News, breaks the news that Edinburgh Zoo's acting chief executuve Gary Wilson has been suspended.
“It is not known exactly what is being investigated following the arrival of an anonymous letter around a fortnight ago," she writes. "An internal and external investigation is under way although" - confusingly for many - "the police are not involved.” The story hints a former member of staff - possibly one made redundant since the panda announcement - could be behind the allegations.
A zoo spokeswoman says that three other members of senior management - James Stewart, Iain Valentine and Anthony McReavy - are now running the attraction. This apparently incidental detail is to become relevant all too soon.
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Top-zoo-boss-suspended.6739590.jp
BBC reports on the trip to China made by Edinburgh Zoo staff.
Iain Valentine gives a clue as to the progamme of research that Edinburgh Zoo will carry out on the pandas. "Primarily, our research plan will be looking to provide further insight into the genetic make-up of giant pandas, including the diseases to which they are prone and their choice of food," he says.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12807022
The Daily Record reports on an Edinburgh Zoo team's visit to China. A photograph of keeper Alison McLean with one of the pandas destined for Edinburgh invites some typical panda satire in the online comments. "A lovely couple. I wish them much happiness in their new home," writes @FCB.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/03/21/edinburgh-zoo-staff-fly-to-china-to-say-hello-to-their-new-pandas-86908-23005862/
A leader in The Scotsman (from Raimes' productive keyboard, perhaps?) blames pandas for the impending closure of the sea lion exhibit. "From the sea lions' perspective, you don't have to look far to see what the real problem is and who's getting all the money. It's those fat lazy pandas. No expense is being spared for the arrival of the Chinese lovey-doveys. And what will they be doing to earn their keep? Do they flap their flippers and catch fish? You bet not. All they do is sit round all day chomping bamboo. A few days of that, and the public will get bored."
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Leader-Blackandwhite-case-of-unfair.6732694.jp
Victoria Raimes homes in on one of Edinburgh City Council's concerns: the sea lion enclosure. "Zoo bosses," she reports, "are considering finding a new home for their sea lions, Sofus and Miranda, because they cannot afford the cost of a new pen." For a former employee, it is the pandas that are to blame for taking money away from rennovating the sea lion enclosure.
http://heritage.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Sea-lions-may-go-from.6732310.jp
A snippet in The Edinburgh Evening News outlines the four areas of concern raised by Edinburgh City Council about its zoo. "These include the big cat enclosure, which was found to be in a state of disrepair; the sea lion enclosure where animals were reported to be suffering from eye infections; a main food store infested by vermin; and problems with the zoo's veterinary hospital."
http://news.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Licence-threat-for-Edinburgh-Zoo.6713061.jp
Blogger Christopher Mathew Kerrigan provides a useful summary of the story of the Edinburgh pandas to date.
http://pandasareawwwwsome.blogspot.com/2011/02/story-so-far-edinburgh-zoo-advent-of.html
A Freedom of Information request by the charity Captive Animals' Protection Society makes available a 2010 report by Edinburgh City Council that raises concerns over the zoo's future. Several problems, noted in earlier inspections, appear not to have been addressed. "Unless some of this work is started soon it is difficult to see how the zoo will meet the 2012 deadline and therefore avoid the substantive risk of having restrictions imposed or the licence removed," note the authors of the report.
http://www.scotsman.com/news/Zoo-at-risk-over-animal.6712110.jp?articlepage=1
Stephen Stewart of the Record asks San Diego and Memphis zoo bosses about their experience having pandas. "We are not aware of any revenue coming in associated with our pandas. It is a common misconception about keeping pandas,” says spokesperson from San Diego zoo. This might have come as news to most readers of the Record, but it surely can't have been news to those at Edinburgh Zoo.
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/01/30/scottish-zoo-warned-pandas-are-no-money-spinners-86908-22886470/
As editors look for a new, and controversial, angle on the panda story, journalists begin to stir up trouble. The Herald's Russell Leadbetter reports that "despite hopes of attracting a high-profile backer, no commercial sponsors are yet in place for the pandas." But the ink is only two week's old! Give them a chance Russ.
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/edinburgh-zoo-unable-to-raise-sponsorship-for-new-pandas-1.1081370
Edinburgh Evening News/Scotsman newshound Victoria Raimes reports that "Around £200,000 worth of renovations are set to begin next month so that the old gorilla pen can be transformed into a panda paradise." She gets acting chief executive Gary Wilson to speculate about when the pandas might arrive. "We expect to start working on the enclosure in February and the work will take four or five months," he says.
http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/Pandas-to-arrive-early-if.6700426.jp?articlepage=1
That weekend, Emma Cowling publishes an essentially benevolent piece about with some basic background information about pandas.
http://www.scotsman.com/features/Bear-Necessities-How-to-pander.6692016.jp?articlepage=4
The Daily Record produces a short news story. The comments subsequently posted online are typical of the way that pandas polarise the people. "Cant wait to see them, lovely aimals............" says @pitbull. "just be velly careful of the chinese, these pandas might be spying on us," warns @albageorgia. A comment by @Hammer was removed for taking "a nice story about cute pandas" and turning it into "some mad rant about scottish independance."
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/2011/01/10/edinburgh-zoo-to-be-home-for-first-giant-pandas-to-live-in-britain-for-17-years-86908-22839276/
Helen McArdle covers the panda news for the Herald. With Edinburgh Zoo's press release as her source, she quotes China's ambassador to the UK Liu Xiaoming. The panda loan, he says, "will represent an important symbol of our friendship and will bring our people closer together.”
http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/giant-pandas-find-new-home-in-edinburgh-1.1079088
Gemma Fraser of The Edinburgh Evening News covers the panda story. Edinburgh Zoo's acting chief executive Gary Wilson acknowledges the tight relationship between pandas and gate receipts: "We are cagey about predicting those sorts of numbers because they have been quite colossal and we don't want to get everyone's hopes up."
http://edinburghnews.scotsman.com/edinburghzoo/Visitors-expected-to-double-as.6686417.jp
The BBC manages to get up a well-rounded story the same day, one which accurately captures the politcs of inviting captive pandas to your zoo. Whilst zoo figures and local politicians celebrate the agreement, Ross Minett of the animal charity OneKind says: "In this day and age, the prospect of two animals being transported from their homeland across the world so that the paying public in Scotland can see them in a cage in a zoo raises serious animal welfare concerns and is outlandish."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-12151605
Edinburgh Zoo announces it has signed an agreement with China's State Forestry Administration to bring a pair of pandas to the Scottish capital.
http://www.edinburghzoo.org.uk/news-and-events/news/articles/news_142.html
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