A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS GETTING
CLOSE TO THE STATE, AND WE'RE
GOING TO BE SEEING VARIABLE
WINDS THROUGH THE WEEKEND.
TRADES HOPEFULLY RETURNING BY
TUESDAY.
THE HONOLULU ZOO HAS A NEW
DIRECTOR.
AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE HER IN
STUDIO THIS MORNING.
WE WELCOME IN LINDA SANTOS,
WHO'S HERE TO TELL US ABOUT HER
PLANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ZOO
AS WELL AS THE FIRST COUPLE OF
STEPS AND CHANGES THAT ARE GOING
TO BE MADE.
GOOD MORNING.
Kelly: CONGRATULATIONS.
THANK YOU SO MUCH.
Kelly: SO EXCITED TO HAVE
YOU.
YOU'VE BEEN THERE FOR A WHILE.
TALK ABOUT YOUR BACKGROUND.
I HAVE.
I'VE BEEN AT THE ZOO SINCE 1986.
I THINK I'VE ALMOST DONE EVERY
ANIMAL POSITION AT THE ZOO.
Kelly: MORE THAN A LITTLE
WHILE.
THREE ATTACK -- DECADES.
IT'S BEEN EXCITING.
A LOT OF GROWTH AND CHANGES.
THE CHANGES ARE GOOD BECAUSE
IT'S ANIMAL WELFARE BASED.
AND WE'RE HOPING TO DO MORE
GUEST EXPERIENCES.
Kelly: AND YOU KNOW THE
ZOO.
YOU'VE SEEN IT GO THROUGH
DIFFERENT CHANGES.
YOU KNOW WHAT WORKS, WHAT
DOESN'T WORK AND WHAT THE ZOO
NEEDS.
NOW THAT YOU'RE IN CHARGE, WHAT
ARE GOING TO BE THE FIRST THINGS
YOU WANT TO DO?
I WANT TO COMPLETE ALL THE
PROJECTS THAT WE'VE STARTED.
SO OUR DEFERRED MAINTENANCE IS
COMING TOWARDS THE END OF DOING
THE MAJOR REPAIRS.
AND THAT GIVES US ROOM TO DO
MORE EXCITING THINGS LIKE
STICKING TO WHAT WAS IN OUR
ORIGINAL MASTER PLAN.
TO DO HAWAIIAN ISLANDS SHOWCASE
THAT.
BIG ONE IS THE COMPLETION OF THE
REPTILE COMPLEX.
WE'RE HOPING TO BE OPENING IN
THE NICHE -- NEAR FEATURE.
Kelly: THAT WOULD BE
OPENING FOR THE FIRST TIME.
FIRST TIME.
Kelly: AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT EVERYONE WANTS TO SEE.
YOU GO TO THE ZOO TO SEE
DIFFERENT CREATURES.
LET'S TALK A LITTLE ABOUT -- THE
BIG THING IS THE CHIMPANZEE
EXCAPING.
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT SAFETY?
WE HAVE EXHIBITS THAT WE
BUILD, AND WE USE DESIGN
COMPANIES.
WITH OUR CHIMPANZEE, IT'S
UNEXPECTED.
IT WAS A SURPRISE.
WE'RE PRETTY CONFIDENT THAT THE
FIXES WE HAVE IN PLACE SHOULD
CONTAIN THEM GOING FORWARD.
SO THAT'S ALMOST GOING TO BE
OPEN.
RIGHT NOW THEY'RE WORKING ON THE
FRONT HALF OF THE EXIT, WHICH IS
THE PUBLIC VIEWING AREA.
Kelly: WONDERFUL..
THE BIG THING, ACRED ACCREDITATION.
ARE YOU HOPEFUL?
IT IS.
WE'RE GOING TO PUT OUR BEST FOOT
PLACE NOW.
WE'VE GOT ALL OUR PROJECTS IN
LINE, AND WE'RE UP TO SPEED AND
WE'RE WORKING WELL WITH OUR
DIFFERENT PARTNERS THAT HELP
SUPPORT THE ZOO.
WE'RE HOPING TO GROW AND MOVE
FORWARD, AND I THINK WE'RE IN A
REALLY GOOD PLACE.
Kelly: WONDERFUL.
THE ZOO, I THINK IT'S SUCH A BIG
PART OF THE ISLAND, A BIG PART
OF THE STATE.
WHAT DO YOU THINK IS SO
IMPORTANT ABOUT HAVING THE
HONOLULU ZOO HERE IN THE
COMMUNITY?
I I THINK IT'S A GREAT PLACE
FOR FAMILIES AND PEOPLE OF ALL
AGES.
THE KIDS, OBVIOUSLY, LOVE THE
PLAYGROUND.
THAT'S A BIG ONE.
BUT THEY ALSO ENJOY LOOKING AT
THE DIFFERENT AN HAL -- ANIMALS.
IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY FACILITY.
WE'RE ALL ABOUT CONSERVATION AND
EDUCATION, SO WE'RE TRYING TO
PROMOTE MORE OF THAT TO BRING
AWARENESS.
AND IT'S A GREAT PLACE FOR
PEOPLE TO SEE DIFFERENT ANIMALS
THAT YOU DON'T GET TO SEE
NORMALLY.
Kelly: I AGREE.
I'M A BIG FAN OF THE ZOO.
I LOVE SEEING THE TIGERS AND
ELEPHANTS, MY FAVORITE.