Well, I mean, the good thing is, you know, I’ve managed to live for 40 some odd years in an environment that was pretty well free of politics and bureaucracy and all of that. And so in that respect, you know, I’ve had the best job in the whole country. Read More
You know, if you, if you’re fundraising, if you can get to the halfway mark, getting the second half is a lot easier than getting the first half, because you can use the first half as matching money. And that, you know, I don’t see, I don’t see zoos and… Read More
What issue would you tell them that zoos should be addressing in the future?… Read More
Did you have any specific instances when you were director at Omaha where you had to take on this posture?… Read More
Sure. Can you give us– The good thing, the good thing is is that in, in Nebraska and Iowa, right across the river, you know, a bunch of people who, you know, come dressed in carrot suits and talk about not eating meat and things like that, and not raising,… Read More
What issues caused you the most concern during your career, and how do you see the future regarding the same concerns, if any?… Read More
And did you have experience with this?… Read More
We’ve had some experience. I guess I’m, you know, I flunked diplomacy and tact. I think you hit them head on and you hit them right straight head on. Absolutely no, none of this being a nice guy or appeasement. You hit them head on and you tell the story… Read More
They travel well. They live well. Those guys generally don’t fly first class. Early on from a guy that I knew that went to work for one of these groups, and I was a lot younger and a bit naive then. And he asked me if I do some consulting. Read More
And that’s the story you want to tell your press right up front. And I think trying to, I think trying to be nice and accommodate and sit down and invite these guys into the table and negotiate and all is a waste of time because, you know, they will,… Read More
I think I’m fairly convinced that you can’t just say, alright, you, you know, you’ve got a college degree I want you to do this. Cause it probably, unless that individual already has an interest and a fire in their belly to do it, it’s not going to work. It’s… Read More
Could you give us your thoughts on how best to deal with these type of groups?… Read More
What kind of recommendations would you make to small and medium sized zoos if they’re thinking about future exhibits or conservation projects?… Read More
What would you be recommending to them?… Read More
Well, from an exhibit standpoint, I think, you know, one of the mistakes is, you know, is, is necessarily, is one size doesn’t fit all, you know, you shouldn’t have the same collection everybody else does. You need, you would like to have collections that, that fit in so that… Read More
And so poaching lemurs kinda, you know, became something that was happening. And by going into the schools and, you know, we’d been shipping school supplies to Madagascar for the schools and the areas where we’re working in container, you know, a big 20 foot container lots. And, you know,… Read More
You know, explained to everybody that we’re not going to come in here as a bunch of gringos and tell you that you cannot or should not, or that’s a sin to eat a tree kangaroo for some ceremonial occasion, but that if you don’t manage them, there’s not going… Read More
But what would you say, how does a smaller or medium size municipal zoo today, how can they be involved with wildlife conservation, either on a national or international level?… Read More
Well, I think if, you know, in a smaller zoo, can’t, you know, as, as we couldn’t in the early days, we couldn’t afford a, you know, a big research staff and a big field staff, you know, in those early days, you know, only got only guy, you know,… Read More
The same thing holds true for dolphins and killer whales and aquariums a whole lot of things. I mean, you know, if, if it wasn’t for dolphins in captivity and killer whales and Shamu, I don’t, I really don’t believe people would show the same concern and support. And so… Read More