Business as Usual for Animals, Visitors : Zoo: Director’s sudden resignation has little impact, although most employees believe he was unfairly treated.

The elephants were busy bathing, and the anteaters weren’t talking--but they rarely do. Aside from occasional sightings of zoo employees conversing in hushed tones about director Warren Thomas’ sudden resignation, it was business as usual Friday for animals and visitors alike at the Los Angeles Zoo, where a lazy, peaceful atmosphere prevailed.

Up along Bison Boulevard, Rhino Run and Gorilla Lane, few signs were evident of the controversy swirling around the Griffith Park facility, which is home to more than 500 species of mammals, birds and reptiles.

Thomas announced his retirement Friday amid allegations by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the zoo had failed until three months ago to correct long-standing deficiencies such as inadequate sanitation and housing for the animals. The federal agency threatened to fine the city and revoke the zoo’s license, and city officials launched their own probe into zoo management.

Thomas was unavailable Friday, but city officials said that the 16-year veteran resigned because the allegations of poor management were “denigrating” to the zoo and to himself.

Several zookeepers, who spoke to a reporter on the condition that they remain anonymous, said that Thomas’ abrupt resignation angered many of them, who believed he was unfairly maligned. Only one keeper said he welcomed Thomas’ departure. All, however, were emphatic on one point: Contrary to the allegations of dilapidated gorilla houses and dirty refrigerators for polar bear treats, the animals were doing just fine.

The controversy “doesn’t affect them,” said Arlene Lettau, nodding toward Ollie and Lady, the two anteaters she tends daily. Friday was like any other day for the long-nosed mammals. Lettau nudged them awake at 9:30 a.m. Then they waded into their private pool to perform their daily constitutional and just generally scratch around in the dirt until feeding time.

Anteaters generally “don’t say much,” except when they’re under stress, said Lettau. And on Friday, as on most days, all was excellent in anteater alley. They chowed down on a lunch of avocado mash, “bird of prey” hamburgers, cottage cheese and dog kibble. Ants and termites were for dessert.

Next door, the elephants appeared equally unruffled. Ron and Dina Hall, antique dealers from Orange, were among the 1,100 visitors expected Friday. They leaned lazily against a rail, watching the elephants play a spirited game of toss-the-tire-over-the-moat.

“Oh, my God, listen to this!” said Dina as Billy and Becky, two of the zoo’s Malaysian elephants, squealed at the sight of a rubber tire, retrieved from their moat by Lettau. They huddled around the tire, wrestled with it, curled their trunks around it, and heaved it first over the side and later into their swimming pool.

“They remind me of my two sons when they were little,” Dina said.

Taking refuge from the noon heat in a snack area was Ken Lichti of Camarillo, an amateur photographer who said he visits the zoo twice a year to take portraits of the animals.

Like most visitors queried on Friday, Lichti knew little of the problems at the zoo and said he saw nothing to justify concern.

“I’ve been in zoos a lot worse” than this one, he said. “This is not the San Diego Zoo”--considered one of the world’s best--”but it’s a good zoo. It’s easy to get at and see most of the animals.”

Families leisurely strolled the grounds, unfettered by the large crowds of the past summer. Few complaints were heard, except about the seemingly omnipresent bees around the snack stands--and about the scarcity of snack bars that were open.

“The food is horrible, as usual,” said Leslie Frischer of Santa Monica, who was heading out after a morning of animal watching with baby Kimberly strapped to her back and daughter Laura in a stroller.