You know, it came from San Diego, deep pockets, not the best at paying bills. I had a zoo director in a European zoo, remain nameless, call up and say, you know, I’ve got the following species. We know you’ve been wanting these when they become available and we’re ready,… Read More
What was the most important piece of advice you received that stayed with you throughout your career?… Read More
You gotta have the door open then I’m sure it’d be fine. So I just think that is such a sea change. And when you talk to the novice who haven’t seen that, while they get a little goofy about the probe and everything, but that’s all part of it,… Read More
Relationships?… Read More
But they worked with this animal and that’s the tenacity that they have to say, okay, we can take this and make it better. And I just think, I was able to see the sea change in that species management from the days of an angus and forceful management to… Read More
Not saying it’s a hundred percent, but it’s certainly much better than it was. And you talk about care and passion. You talk about working with their animals to accomplish things. The best example I can give of doing the right thing for an elephant is we have the oldest… Read More
They’re just getting, you know, her ready for all that and it’s going great. And I looked down and the chute door is open so she could walk out into the rest of the habitat. I said the chute door is open and she’s still standing there. And they said… Read More
Yeah, I think we’re in a much better spot than we were 10 years ago. I think the days of one and two elephants in a zoo are gone. And they should be, we should not be exhibiting or housing elephants like that anymore. It needs to be in a… Read More
Some will say, well, what’s big enough?… Read More
Well, okay, we can use the standards as a baseline, but you know, you’re never gonna be big enough. Tampa’s not big enough for the elephants that we’ve got in there, but they do fine in the exhibit. Zoos still need to be part of elephant management, whether it be… Read More
Yeah, I think the Berlin Zoo in Tierpark Berlin. I think I’ve always admired them. They, again, strong, strong science collection related, collections of animals. And still today, are working on some great stuff. But I always admired them as far as the width and breadth of their collection and… Read More
Given your experience, you’ve kind of alluded to it, what’s your view regarding zoos maintaining elephants and how it should be done correctly?… Read More
But yeah, I always admired them. Every time I was in Germany, I always made sure I stopped by to see, not necessarily visit with people, but see the collection and what was going on. Read More
Are there any zoos in the world that you particularly admire?… Read More
And why would that be?… Read More
I was the department head, but other individuals did all the heavy lifting. But it was nice to be, you know, a footnote on that one. But I think elephants, the Arabian oryx, California Condor, and I think that the implementation of that training program made me feel good that… Read More
And there are people around now that don’t even know that happened. But when it did, it was a pretty volatile situation. And we personally took heat for it. The institution took heat for it. But after you have a keeper die on your watch, if that doesn’t sober you… Read More
The rest of it was up to us to do all the heavy lifting. So yeah. Yeah, those are the things I’m most proud of. Read More
Yeah, I do. Not in any particular order, but the importation of the elephants from Swaziland. Ah, that was a huge thing. Participating in the Arabian Oryx release when I was in San Diego into Omani, was another, I think I said at the time to Jim, if I die… Read More
Do you have a proudest accomplishment?… Read More