Editing Queens Zoo (section)

==== 1980s takeover agreement ====
[[File:Queens Zoo dome outside jeh.jpg|thumb|The aviary's exterior]]

By 1980, the city government was again negotiating to hand over control of the three municipal zoos to the New York Zoological Society.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Leahy |first=Jack |date=January 25, 1980 |title=Zoo Takeover Deal Confirmed |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-zoo-takeover-deal-confirmed/154003937/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=677 }}</ref> The society had wanted to take over only the Central Park Zoo, but the city government insisted that the group also take control of the two other zoos.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Murray |first=Alice |date=September 21, 1981 |title=Better Days at the Zoo Promised on Takeover |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-better-days-at-the-zoo-promis/154006640/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=117 }}</ref> Mayor [[Ed Koch]] and the New York Zoological Society signed a fifty-year agreement in April 1980, wherein the Central Park, Prospect Park, and Flushing Meadows zoos would be administered by the Society.<ref name="Duggan 1980">{{Cite news |last=Duggan |first=Dennis |date=April 23, 1980 |title=Queens Zoo: New Management |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-queens-zoo-new-management/154003170/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |pages=7 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=April 22, 1980 |title=Prospect Park Zoo in Takeover |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-prospect-park-zoo-in-takeover/154003509/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=319 |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=April 23, 1980 |title=City's 3 Zoos to Be Taken Over By New York Zoological Society |url-access=limited |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/04/23/archives/citys-3-zoos-to-be-taken-over-by-new-york-zoological-society-citys.html |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref> As part of the takeover, the Society planned to implement an admission fee, and it would spend $4.5 million renovating the zoo and adding animals.<ref name="Duggan 1980" /> Queens borough president [[Donald Manes]] requested that the city provide $2 million for the zoo's renovation in its budget for fiscal year 1981.<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 15, 1980 |title=Manes: '81 Budget Good, '82 Better |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-manes-81-budget-good-82-bett/154004937/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |pages=6, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-manes-81-budget-good-82-bett/154005005/ 18] }}</ref> Negotiations continued for another year and a half, and the New York City Council and [[New York City Board of Estimate|Board of Estimate]] had to approve the admission fees as well.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Arena |first=Michael |date=September 18, 1981 |title=Queens Zoo to Improve Under New Operator |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-queens-zoo-to-improve-under-new/154004221/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |pages=19 }}</ref> The zoo received four sea lions in 1981,<ref name="Banner 1981" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Pugh |first=Thomas |date=July 1, 1981 |title=It's Pure Puppy Love as Seals Arrive at Zoo |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-its-pure-puppy-love-as-seals/154006024/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=469 }}</ref> and it also received a lion cub despite having no lion enclosure.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dallas |first=Gus |date=October 15, 1981 |title=New Den Floor for Cub to Li-On? |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-new-den-floor-for-cub-to-li-o/154006442/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=172 }}</ref>{{Efn|The lion was later moved to California.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Edward |last=Kirkman |date=February 4, 1982 |title=Feline Fine, Takes Shine to California, Vice Versa |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-feline-fine-takes-shine-to-c/154007338/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=171 }}</ref>}}

The Zoological Society signed an agreement in October 1981 to manage and renovate the zoos.<ref>{{cite news |last=Giordano |first=Mary Ann |date=October 15, 1981 |title=Society Takes on Taming of the Zoos |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31198250/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230905235229/https://www.newspapers.com/article/31198250/ |archive-date=September 5, 2023 |access-date=May 2, 2019 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |page=11 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Arena |first=Michael |date=October 16, 1981 |title=Zoo Pact to Be Weighed |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-zoo-pact-to-be-weighed/154004792/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |pages=6 }}</ref> Although the Board of Estimate approved the agreement that month,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sulzberger |first=A. O. Jr. |date=October 23, 1981 |title=Board Approves Leases for South St. Seaport Plan |url-access=limited |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/10/23/nyregion/board-approves-leases-for-south-st-seaport-plan.html |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |last=Rabin |first=Bernard |date=November 23, 1981 |title=Boro programs receive funding |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-boro-programs-receive-funding/154006946/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=122 }}</ref> the society was not scheduled to take over the zoo immediately.<ref name="McKelvey 1981">{{Cite news |last=McKelvey |first=Gerald |date=October 23, 1981 |title=City OKs Tax Break in Project for Aged |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/newsday-city-oks-tax-break-in-project-fo/154005484/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |pages=21 }}</ref> As part of the agreement, the three municipal zoos were to be renovated.<ref name="McKelvey 1981" /> The Flushing Meadows Zoo was originally planned to be renovated between 1984 and 1985 for $5 million,<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Giordano |first1=Mary Ann |last2=Butler |first2=William |date=October 19, 1981 |title=$5M Will Be Freed for Repairs at the Flushing Park Zoo |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-5m-will-be-freed-for-repairs/154005332/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=115 }}</ref> though designs for the renovation were incomplete at the end of 1981.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Strum |first=Charles |date=December 6, 1981 |title=Follow-Up On the News; Zoo Stories |url-access=limited |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/06/nyregion/follow-up-on-the-news-zoo-stories.html |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref> The zoo launched a program the next year, in which it showed exotic animals to children across Queens.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McKenna |first=Ken |date=August 13, 1982 |title=Zoo Parks the Animals Where Kids'll See Them |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-zoo-parks-the-animals-where-k/154007159/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=101 }}</ref> NYC Parks began promoting the zoo in 1985 after finding that many Queens residents did not know about its existence.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ain |first=Stewart |date=February 25, 1985 |title=Queens Zoo Will Be in Parks' Spotlight |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-queens-zoo-will-be-in-parks/154008098/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=151 }}</ref> The same year, NYC Parks formed the Friends of the Queens Zoo group to oversee improvements at the zoo.<ref name="Rabin 1985">{{Cite news |last=Rabin |first=Bernard |date=May 5, 1985 |title=Crowd to Roar at Annual Fest to Benefit Zoo |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-crowd-to-roar-at-annual-fest/154008227/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=476 }}</ref> By then, the zoo had 200 animals.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Caldwell |first=Jennifer |date=June 9, 1985 |title=City Almanac |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-city-almanac/154008405/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=228 }}</ref> Following a mauling at the Prospect Park Zoo, signs and fences were installed around the bear enclosure,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kramer |first=Marcia |date=May 29, 1987 |title=Warning on Bears at Zoo in Queens |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-warning-on-bears-at-zoo-in-qu/154055180/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=197 |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |date=May 29, 1987 |title=Council calls Queens zoo dangerous |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/mount-vernon-argus-council-calls-queens/154050457/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=Mount Vernon Argus |pages=18 }}</ref> and security at the zoo was increased.<ref>{{cite news |last=Liff |first=Bob |date=June 26, 1987 |title=Problems Nothing New for City Zoos |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |page=19 |id={{ProQuest|277886890}} |postscript=none}}; {{Cite news |last=Barron |first=James |date=May 22, 1987 |title=Officials Weigh Tighter Security at Zoos in Parks |url-access=limited |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1987/05/22/nyregion/officials-weigh-tighter-security-at-zoos-in-parks.html |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331 }}</ref> In addition, the zoo still experienced power shortages,<ref name="Dallas 1988">{{Cite news |last=Dallas |first=Gus |date=August 7, 1988 |title=Such Captivating Captivity! |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-such-captivating-captivity/31231386/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=158 }}</ref> and a U.S. federal inspector raised concerns that the zoo's clinic lacked consistent electricity.<ref>{{cite news |last=Liff |first=Bob |date=May 25, 1987 |title=Problems Nothing New for City Zoos |work=Newsday |issn=2574-5298 |page=4 |id={{ProQuest|285362604}} }}</ref> The aviary also reopened {{Circa|1987}}.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 20, 1987 |title=At a Glance: At the Park |via=newspapers.com |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/daily-news-at-a-glance-at-the-park/154055265/ |access-date=August 26, 2024 |work=New York Daily News |issn=2692-1251 |pages=320 }}</ref>