lion.photo.JPG

In this 2013 photo, a five-week-old African Lion named Sampson gets some fresh air with John Lewis, director of The Zoo in Forest Park. Sampson was on loan that summer.

(File photo / Michael S. Gordon)

SPRINGFIELD - Two area companies made significant donations of equipment to the Zoo in Forest Park this week, aimed at improving the safety of exotic animals following the January deaths of two small monkeys.

The donations were made after news surfaced last week that the exotic monkeys died after their shed's heating system shut off during the overnight hours, unbeknownst to zoo officials until the following morning.

A standby generator, complete with installation, is being donated by Chris Robare, owner of Alternative Generator in Southwick, said Meghan Rothschild, a board member of the Forest Park Zoological Society, which operates the zoo. The generator will automatically turn on if the heat goes out, whereas a current generator has to be turned on manually, she said.

In addition, Northeast Securities Solutions Inc., of West Springfield, donated a low-temperature monitoring system, including installation, that will activate if the heat shuts off

"We are very excited, so appreciative," Rothschild said of the two donations. "The community has been so supportive."

The corporate donations were unsolicited, she said. Further details of the security equipment and their use was not immediately available, pending a formal announcement of the donations expected Wednesday.

In related news, Zoo Director John Lewis said Tuesday that the monkey deaths were a "fluke accident," and being addressed with the community's help.

Lewis was making his first public comments on the deaths, having been out of state last week for his daughter's wedding when the news of the deaths were learned by Park Department officials and The Republican and Masslive.

"It was a tragic mistake," Lewis said. "An accident happened. It was just a pure electrical surge somewhere, somehow."

The private, nonprofit Forest Park Zoological Society operates the zoo at Forest Park under a long-term lease with the city, paying the city $1 a year. The zoo is closed during the winter months but the animals continue to be housed there, taken care of by staff and volunteers.

Lewis is a city employee who is assigned to oversee the zoo operations. His annual salary is $52,879, described as being on long-time loan to the zoo.

Lewis said that community financial support for the zoo is critically needed and appreciated.

"To get the support from the community and the public will help get precautions in place," Lewis said.

Operating the zoo "is not an easy task," he said.

Lewis, asked if it is appropriate to have exotic animals in a New England zoo with very cold weather, said "we have the fundamentals" to take care of the animals, and that the loss of the heat in that shed was a "fluke accident, and it just wasn't noted" until the following morning.

Rothschild said the temperature in the shed never dipped below 60 degrees, but that it was too cold for the exotic monkeys, coupled with both monkeys being senior in age.