Mopie was a beautiful gorilla. I don’t think he’s alive anymore. He was sent back to National Zoo I believe because he was on loan from them. But Mopie, it wasn’t Mopie’s fault, we had a malfunction of a spring loaded locking device that we invented in San Antonio and… Read More
But Mopie did, he was frightened badly, so was the keeper, but Mopie did do some damage. He bit, as gorillas do, they bite in every joint, you know, arms and behind the knee and things like that. How they know that you can immobilize another gorilla, one gorilla can… Read More
Attendance rose for a short time, because everyone wanted to see the gorilla that got out. Read More
Yeah, always the best time. Read More
Can you tell us about the Mopie incident and how did that affect the zoo attendance, keepers?… Read More
What was it?… Read More
It was extremely important. It was an old sea lion performance lake. And it couldn’t be used for that anymore because we didn’t keep the sea lions in there. We now have to keep them in salt water and that wasn’t salt water. So I, and I knew I had… Read More
What was the nicest time when the zoos, before the visitors come in, after they leave?… Read More
So you have to breed them while you can. Read More
How important was the Everglades exhibit?… Read More
The Everglades exhibit?… Read More
They’re gorgeous. I learned a lot about snow leopards in the process of keeping them in the zoo. I’ve learned about their marvelous ability to disappear in an exhibit and as a result of the snow leopards and trying to keep them from being hidden from the public when people… Read More
And then your breeding program was successful?… Read More
Oh, very successful, too successful. And that’s a pet peeve of mine that they asked us not to breed them anymore because the population in captivity was lean toward are our animals more than they should. But that’s why we have species survival plan people. Because in some instances, when… Read More
And they get older every day, you know?… Read More
In the big cats, do you have any favorites?… Read More
Yes. I suppose I do have a favorite. I have seen so many and I always look for that perfect lion, perfect male lion. And I found it in the picture that I took over there. Just coming into his best. He looked so good I couldn’t help but take… Read More
But within the San Antonio Zoo, you did have a very good snow leopard– Oh yes. Snow leopards, how can you not like snow leopards?… Read More
We have blow guns that we can use to immobilize animals. It’s wonderful. If only I’d had that 20, 30 years sooner, but we didn’t. So it’s changed a lot and for the better. Read More
In the big cats– I believe its Dr. Lee Simmons, isn’t it?… Read More