That’s just not possible, mostly due to space constraints. But through some very clever engineering and architecture, it’s amazing what you can do to an exhibit to make it compatible for multiple species. So it is very possible now. I think it’s a great, great philosophy to have. And even… Read More
We’re gonna start more mixed species because it’s all very doable. It’s all very possible. We wanna talk about some people. Read More
Can you talk about your philosophy of mixed exhibits?… Read More
Yeah, that’s kind of how I was born into the industry was mixed exhibits. I think they’re great. A lot, a lot was learned in the early days at the wild animal park about what you can mix, and what you can’t mix, and how many of everything you can… Read More
The European zoos have needs, zoos in Asia have needs. China, whether you, you know, wanna send animals there or not, they have needs. So there’s outlets for all these animals. And people I think, basically, get lazy about it, and then get worried, and frightened. So nothing happens as… Read More
They move ’em amongst themselves, you know, including private ranches and things like that. Or they just stop breeding, which I think is a crime. You know, these are not cows and horses, okay, you need to keep them breeding. You need to keep them, you know, mentally and physically… Read More
But you know, that gets back to the question of export. Read More
Why aren’t these animals, the surplus being exported to Europe?… Read More
I said absolutely, nothing happens. So again, I’m not certain it’s the money thing. I mean, not everybody’s gonna be bringing in elephants and rhinos, that’s not realistic. But even some of the more common stuff, not cheap, but not crazy expensive either. So you’ve got the lack of brokers… Read More
Well, how does zoos deal then with surplus animals?… Read More
I’ve talked to a few zoo directors years ago who said, don’t you think we need to get started again?… Read More
Those were the heydays I called it where imports occurred. I think we had the hoofstock quarantine station in New York full every month for a couple years running. We had that much stuff coming in. Also pre-quarantine in Europe, you know, we had to pre-quarantine ’em in Europe and… Read More
But what’s changed, its attitude and knowledge. As I said earlier, we have a whole cadre of curators that don’t even know step one. If you said bring in a white rhino from X country, they wouldn’t know where to begin. So that’s certainly dampened it. And then you have… Read More
It just all dissolved. I don’t know why, didn’t know anything about it. So, you know, it’s not the high-profile animal thing as much as it is awareness and nobody’s pushing this issue. Read More
And you know, like I say, they’ve done a great job in helping that population now tick up in a positive direction, which was the whole goal. So we call it a success, in the end. I think only one bull hasn’t reproduced in all those years. I don’t know… Read More
What do you see as the cause of this change and how has the role of individual dealers and companies changed with respect to the development of zoos?… Read More
Well, I don’t think there are many dealers left anymore. They’ve either retired, passed away, and nobody’s filled their shoes. Which is a shame. Now, it’s really a unique niche and you’ve gotta have the financial backing to, you know, you gotta put out money and you gotta wait a… Read More
And they went even beyond that up and to the point where, since this was overtime at the airport, we never got a bill from the airport for the unloading and all that. And finally, called the airport and said, just send us a bill. And they said on us,… Read More
So highly stressful. Our families, we had undercover cops outside our homes, at least for about a week or so afterwards, just to make sure they didn’t do anything silly because they’re capable of all that stuff. And I think more so in Southern California than in Tampa. So a… Read More
And now, there’s been a subsequent import that Kansas City, and Omaha, and Dallas did, you know, so kind of set the stage for that. By the way, they were sued as well, but not the same things, ’cause you can’t sue again once the case has been settled. So… Read More