I thought that the animal care was really in trouble. And when I got back and I had to listen to the excuses that were being given for the deaths of these animals, it was like, I had to go through path reports and keeper reports for I think it… Read More
What did you see as the relationship then between the animal collections department and the medical department?… Read More
I thought there was a real problem, it wasn’t so much the animal department and the medical department because there was a real click between Spelman, the vet, and the deputy director. I mean, Lucy would come through the zoo with the deputy director, talk to the keepers, give them… Read More
So you negotiated terms to come back?… Read More
Yeah. As general curator. The original title Beck had, was assistant director for animal programs. And I said, “Look I don’t want that, just give me a title of general curator, that’s fine.” So part of the reason you came back was because of these animals, the bald Eagle, the… Read More
Okay, the zebras and the pandas?… Read More
The zebras, and the pandas, and kangaroos, I mean, I can go on and on and on. Read More
And why did I come back?… Read More
Because of what happened, I mean, I read about everything that happened with the red pandas and the fact that they had allowed Beck to resign and Seidensticker was moved out and up to research again. And the Post was raising holy hell with what was going on down there. Read More
And I wanna know if you’ll come back to help me.” And I said, “Can I call you back?… Read More
‘Cause I really have to think on this.” And then I hung up, Fran said, “Well, what are you gonna to do?” And I said, “Right now, I don’t think I would accept her offer to come back. I don’t need the job and it’s gonna be a real mess.”… Read More
Well, I came back, but it was one of these situations where I’ll never forget, we were overseas and I knew Robinson had left and they were looking for a new zoo director. And I think at the time they were actually recruiting to look for a new zoo director… Read More
So she’s on the phone and she’s saying, “So who’s the new director, what, who?” And I’m saying, “Who is it, who is it?” And she says, “Lucy Spelman,” almost fell over, it was kind of Lucy, who in the hell promoted Lucy Spelman from veterinarian to director, Larry Small… Read More
He was secretary, the Smithsonian. So again, they made a selection of the zoo director for the National Zoo without any kind of competition. So, I mean, I basically just wrote off the zoo at that point. Read More
No, it hasn’t. And I think part of the reason is that when keepers and curators alike, and including directors, when they were in the profession, I mean, even after the war, the Second World War, they got into the profession because they really wanted to work with wild animals… Read More
And mean, I went into the profession because I enjoyed it. It was a challenge and it was fun. In 2007, I just looked at myself and I said, this is not what I expected to come back to. And it’s not something I’m gonna wanna stay in and I… Read More
And in fact, if I can get into, do you want me to start talking about my second or have you got some more?… Read More
Tell us about how you entered, you retired from the zoo and then came back?… Read More
Because trying to get elephants in, you’re running into not only the federal government, but you’re running into the animal rights groups as well. And I don’t see that easing up anytime. I think it’s gonna just continue to get worse. So if you’re asking me why I wouldn’t wanna… Read More
It’s kind of insanity in a sense to see what’s going on. Read More