On Safari (In Search of Pests)

Almost four million people visit Busch Gardens Tampa Bay each year to enjoy the amusement park, botanical grounds, zoo grounds, restaurants, shopping stores and live entertainment attractions. Florida’s mild climate means the park is open to visitors 365 days per year, creating an environment ideal for many pests.

Making sure pests don’t interfere with all the fun is the job of Pest Control Supervisor George Tenhagen and his team of six full-time technicians. A day’s work means cockroach, spider, ant and rodent control. It also has included donning scuba gear to catch a large water snake that just emptied a wave pool, evicting opossums from a waterfowl nesting box, and chasing down stray dogs that dug their way into the park.

Tenhagen and his team’s greatest satisfaction comes from being entrusted to handle all the pest control in the Busch Gardens Tampa Bay zoo, a world-class facility with 3,000 animals, including more than 500 large African animals.

“Our work in the zoo area makes us a unique pest control team,” Tenhagen says. “In most zoos, animal keepers perform their own pest control — they are the only ones with the expertise to work closely with exotic animals. By teaming up with the animal keepers, we serve as zoological pest control specialists.”

Tenhagen joined Busch Gardens Tampa Bay in 1980, two years after an in-house pest control department was established.

Previously, an outside pest control service had handled the primary work with employee help. When this program did not get results in the zoo area, an in-house pest control department was formed.

The past 16 years prove that pest control professionals can be full working partners in even the most sensitive sites, Tenhagen says. Five steps have been critical in establishing an effective and customer-pleasing program.

STEP 1: BE THE PEST CONTROL EXPERTS

In the highly-sensitive zoo environment, pest control has to be site-specific, Tenhagen says. Technicians cannot follow one standard control program. Instead, each specific site must have its own program based on the animals’ needs, the pest problems and the physical facility.

To handle many unique situations, more than 200 pesticides and formulations have been reviewed and approved for use at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Tenhagen and his team are constantly watching for product label changes, new products and new formulations that can help add to their options.

For example, when Catalyst™ insecticide replaced Safrotin® insecticide, the new formulation was reviewed. The lower odor characteristics of Catalyst helped in the tiger holding area, for example, where the odor has to dissipate before the animals can be let back into it.

“We’re using Catalyst for cockroach and spider control in animal holding areas. We treat these areas at least twice a month, depending on the time of year. Animal holding areas must frequently be washed down with 40 to 60 psi hoses,” Tenhagen says.

“Zoo environments are tough on insecticides. In the rhino area and elephant area, the urine will hit the wall and bounce up. That urine will eat through concrete, epoxy, everything. Based on our experience, Catalyst is the best product we’ve found in terms of residual and effectiveness in that environment.”

New application techniques are also investigated. The pest control team at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay employs Actisol® machines, thermal foggers, baiting applicators, dusting applicators, and even a modified 30-gallon termiticide application rig for large insect control jobs.

“We review the product and the application technique alone and in combination,” he says. “We consider each product, application technique, animal species and site as unique. This means we might rely on one product in the bird area, but not use it at all in the reptile area. Each situa-tion is different.”

STEP 2: USE AVAILABLE EXPERTISE

Working with animal experts gives you an appreciation of the complexity of such an extremely sensitive area, Tenhagen says.

“In typical pest control situations you have products that you can use in certain ways and you don’t have to worry about it,” he says. “Here you have to consider all the possible effects of the products you can use. For example, you have to think about how an insecticide might affect a rhinoceros pair. If it’s breeding time, and the insecticide might affect the male’s sense of scent, we cannot risk using that product. Or, if we are going to treat the ceiling of an animal habitat where an animal spends 12 or 14 hours a day, we have to factor in that length of exposure in evaluating whether to use it or not.”

To answer these questions, all chemicals brought on the property — including cleaning chemicals, printing ink and pesticides — undergo a screening by the Chemical Management Committee. Pesticides and chemicals to be used in and around animal environments must be further cleared by a zoological veterinary committee. This process takes weeks to months to complete.

Beyond this, the animal keeper is deeply involved in the type of application used, application timing and any other matter that could affect the safety of the animal or the pest control technician doing the work.

“We work to have good communications with all the curators and animal keepers. Whenever we want to go do something, we inform them first. We also maintain computer records of every application and they appreciate having that information.”

STEP 3: CONSTANTLY IMPROVE

Prevention of pest problems is the goal whenever it is possible, Tenhagen says. With a bakery, nine full-service restaurants and many food stands throughout the park, prevention of pest problems is a priority.

To maintain a zero tolerance of pests in food processing and serving areas means utilizing a number of tools, including Gentrol® IGR (insect growth regulator), baits, flushing agents, Catalyst insecticide for residual, sticky traps and monitoring.

“I stress that there is no one method that will take care of the problem,” Tenhagen says. “We are in each restaurant every other week. We use baits, a flushing agent, and like to use the Actisol machine with Gentrol IGR for crack-and-crevice applications. We apply Gentrol IGR once every three months in the restaurants.”

Like many private pest control companies, the in-house team at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is moving to more of a bio-rational pest control program that favors long-term, lower toxicity products. “Outside pest control companies have to be concerned with getting the job done quickly. We also want to get it done quickly, but as safely as possible. We are looking at a longer-term pest control program, one that may use slower-acting and least-toxic pesticides.”

STEP 4: SAFETY COMES FIRST

Many of the animals Tenhagen and his technicians work around are dangerous and even life-threatening. Because of this, the number one rule at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is that if there is any doubt about what you are going to do, don’t do it. Technicians also never enter an animal area alone, but always use the buddy system.

“Whenever we enter an animal display, whether it’s a lion, an elephant or a zebra, your first instinct is to stop and look. Where are the animals? Is everything locked? And when you leave, everything must be left just like you found it,” he says. “If a hose was coiled two feet over to the left, it needs to be there when you leave. If you move it, the animal might be able to reach it and ingest it.”

In working with animals, the routine is important, he adds. The animal gets used to individuals, vehicles, clothing worn, scents, the time of the visit and the actions taken. Animal keepers help technicians understand the key points and establish the working relationship with the animals and the work protocol.

To learn the proper protocol, an experienced technician always trains a new technician in each area of the zoo. Technicians at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay rotate to work in different areas, but they try to keep technicians in an area for at least one year. Efforts are made to keep the clothing, personnel, vehicles, routines and even scents consistent.

STEP 5: SERVICE IS THE BOTTOM LINE

Tenhagen says visitors are sometimes surprised to learn that six full-time pest control employees are able to handle the entire theme park. It is possible because the team follows a definite schedule and works to prevent problems, not just treat them.

“We work a basic 40-hour week, although during the busy season we may put in 50 or 55 hours,” he says. “The important thing is that we all assume responsibility to get the job done. I’m the supervisor, but all my people are supervisors of their own time and each others’ time.”

Customer satisfaction standards are high. Whenever a pest complaint is called in, someone from the department is required to respond in person within 15 minutes or less. “Busch Gardens Tampa Bay is a place where people come to be entertained, have fun and relax,” Tenhagen says. “Our job is to make sure their fun is not ruined by a pest problem.”

Roger Stanley is a writer based in Milwaukee, Wis.