Letters from the Issue of July 17-23, 2003

Squawk: Millions

for What?

Parrot Jungle is just another scheme with a theme: Judging by other newspaper articles and descriptions from friends who have visited the new Parrot Jungle, Humberto Guida could not be more correct in his appraisal (“For the Birds,” July 10). I am truly sorry to learn that this is just another moneymaking scheme with an animal theme. Twenty-five million dollars [from taxpayers] for a great new Parrot Jungle would have been wonderful, but not for just more liquor-licensed meeting rooms.

I visited the old Parrot Jungle many times back in the Sixties. It was a wonderful haven and truly a wildlife preserve. This is South Florida; plant a telephone pole and it will sprout leaves. Lush vegetation would have been so easy to attain. Why did they not just move most of the plants from the old location to the new one, or have it professionally landscaped? That many millions of dollars should accomplish just about anything.

I do hope Humberto will do some investigative reporting on the spending of that taxpayer money, which should make for an interesting article.

Paula Richards

Miami Beach

Squawk: Greed

Wins Again

City officials should be ashamed, but of course they’re not: Parrot Jungle Island, which is not an island, not a jungle, and only minimally about parrots, proves again that the so-called public servants at the City of Miami do not know, or care to know, how to serve the public. In the great debates over land usage and economic development, it is only the sleazy developer and slick zoning attorney who have sway down at city hall. The thoughts and protests of ordinary citizens are ignored, while harebrained schemes like the mess on Watson Island get special clearance and millions of the public’s hard-earned dollars. As a final and especially cruel insult, the place is far too expensive for most Miamians to afford.

Bern Levine [Parrot Jungle owner] is not the real culprit here. It’s not surprising he would fill that tiny slice of land on Watson Island with concrete and with metal cages, and even try to pass the place off as some kind of park or jungle. After all, he tried the same thing in Pinecrest. What’s surprising is the incredible lack of foresight and due diligence on the part of the City of Miami. Once again some highly placed staff and elected officials put the wishes of the greedy and well connected ahead of those of the people.

Shame on them all.

Michael L. Carlebach, director

Program in American Studies

University of Miami

Coral Gables

Squawk: We Want Our Money Back!

Fake foliage pushed us over the edge: Congratulations to Humberto Guida for telling the truth about the deplorable substitute for the original Parrot Jungle. A trip to Pinecrest provided something for every member of the family at an affordable price. The new venue, however, should be named Exploitation Island.

It was obvious from my first visit, before opening day, that they were not ready for the birds or the public. Their idea of indigenous foliage is to paint faux trees on the back of the birdcages. The large aviary affords no tree canopy to protect the exotic creatures from the brutal Florida sun. There was a long line of angry guests requesting refunds on opening weekend. When a friend complained to guest services about the lack of shade, she was told it was the same as in Peru! But in the rain forests of Peru, birds can fly under a tree for protection. At Miami’s embarrassing theme park, they can only be subjected to cars, sun, and sand. How very sad.

Judith Berson-Levinson

Miami Beach

Squawk: Parrot People Not Pleased

Impulse buyers, poor nutrition, air pollution — this is compassion? I am outraged at Humberto Guida’s description of the new Parrot Jungle. If the allegations are true, the possibility of encouraging the abuse of parrots is, ironically, greatly heightened by the construction and practices of this new enterprise.

Though not mentioned in “For the Birds,” apparently a major goal of the new Parrot Jungle is to sell birds to the public. What is so wrong with that? Trying to sell animals at theme parks or circuses or roadside markets encourages the impulse purchases that have led to the current epidemic of abandoned or mistreated parrots. It is simply not sufficient to hand over a beautiful and amusing animal to an enchanted buyer under these circumstances. It takes (at least) months to investigate and opt to accept a lifetime commitment to these highly intelligent and needy animals. A few weeks or months after the buyer brings home this creature, he or she often must give it up because of its noise, biting, or other problems — and so is created another throwaway bird.

When I previously visited Parrot Jungle, one could buy sunflower seeds for 25 cents and feed the larger parrots. Apparently this practice continues. But if the birds are gorged on low-nutritional seeds throughout the day, how can they be expected to eat a diet adequate in nutritional value “between customers”?

The reports of noise and air pollution at the new site suggest that the birds will suffer. This is unacceptable husbandry, especially because the lungs of canaries and parrots are especially sensitive to airborne pollutants. Such a facility will not resemble the parrots’ homeland by the act of painting forest scenes on their cages (which, by the way, is frowned on by the parrot community).

Although the new Parrot Jungle is supposed to be the pride of Miami, it is rapidly becoming its shame. For a facility with “parrot” in its name, it seems to display disturbingly little compassion for the parrots themselves, according to New Times‘s published description.

These issues should be discussed openly with knowledgeable and caring “parrot people,” and appropriate changes made as needed to assure the long-term well-being of the parrots. The reputation of such a facility, once lost, is very difficult to regain.

Stewart A. Metz

Bellevue, Washington

Squawk: Can You Say Concrete Jungle?

In Britain we’d call it medieval: I am absolutely appalled and disgusted at Bern Levine’s “Concrete Jungle.” What was he thinking by creating this alien environment for tropical and subtropical animals? Has this man no shame, no compassion in allowing the cruel chaining of birds, whether it is to trees or any other apparatus? This is something out of the Dark Ages, and thus is not conducive to conscious consideration for animal welfare in the 21st Century!

When I visited Parrot Jungle in 1997, I was disgusted with the conditions and lack of knowledge on parrot care. I took photos of small, barren aviaries and cone-shaped cages too small for parrots to flap their wings. Did I complain? Most certainly, as I found such treatment both ignorant and appalling. Would I revisit? Not on your life!

Julie Hamilton

New Life Parrot Rescue & Helpline Service

Cambridgeshire, United Kingdom

Squawk: Get With the Program, Dude

Parrot Jungle will be here long after you’ve been forgotten: Hey, Humberto: Nice journalism. Great creative way of using the word “suck.” Dude, what do you expect? The place is barely open, it’s under construction, and Miracle-Gro just isn’t fast enough. Instead you take cheap shots at Miami’s newest tourism venue (the word “new” should mean something in the tourism industry) and badmouth something that will be around a lot longer than your burgeoning career.

Remember, they are not going to make money on locals (the past doesn’t lie). They’re after meetings and incentives and conventions — people who would pay the right price to enjoy a venue you think sucks.

Grow up and start being accountable to your community instead of thinking you’re cool because you use the word “suck.” How did your editor miss that?

Tim Brigham

Coconut Grove

Editor’s note: Regarding the word “suck,” Mr. Brigham is referring to a cover “tease,” written by the editor to highlight Humberto Guida’s article. It read: “The new Parrot Jungle is just like the old Parrot Jungle except for one little thing: It sucks.”

The Public Life

of Private Parts

More evidence of our great decline: In his “High Anxiety” column, John Lombardi reports that Americans now want designer vaginas and penises (“Designa Vagina,” July 10). If that is true, then this country is in trouble.

Desiree E. Perkins

Miami

The Sound of

One Cop Venting

Yes, I’m pissed off — and with good reason: Are you people at New Times out of your minds? Who wrote the article “Miami’s GoodFellas” — reporter Francisco Alvarado or one of the men featured on the cover — Manny Diaz, Joe Arriola, and John Timoney?

No offense against Mayor Diaz, he hasn’t done anything wrong. But give credit where credit is due. He is reaping the benefits of plans put into effect long before he became mayor. The city manager? All I can say is that there are more good people at the city administration building sweeping up after his mistakes than you have room for on this page. And Chief Timoney, this is an honest appeal to you: There are more problems now at the police department than before you came here. Morale is at an all-time low. I would beg you to come to roll calls alone if you truly care about what is going on. I’m not speaking for old-time veterans like myself; I’m speaking for a variety of officers, young and old, who truly are feeling disenfranchised. Don’t ask the officers who are there just to pick up a paycheck. Ask the officers who care, who once felt proud to be a Miami police officer.

If I sound disgruntled and pissed off, I am. I was recently removed from a unit I proudly served for almost twenty years — for doing nothing more than what was in the best interests of the unit and my officers. This department could be so much better than it is today. Officers cannot get computers, people are calling in sick at unprecedented rates, and morale is worse than ever. If you think incompetence was rampant before, rest assured it has only gotten worse.

GoodFellas! You’ve got to be kidding.

Timothy Fell

Miami

Erratum

Owing to a now-unfulfilled yearning to keep basketball player Alonzo Mourning in this city, assistant calendar editor Juan Carlos Rodriguez mistakenly included information for past years’ Zo’s Summer Groove Mega Groove Concerts in the “Night & Day” and “Concerts” sections of last week’s paper. New Times regrets the errors — and Mourning’s decision to play in New Jersey.