Interview 366 – Caption Index: 501
When you were talking about training, were you able to upgrade or continue development training for your staff, the keepers, the curators?… Read More
When you were talking about training, were you able to upgrade or continue development training for your staff, the keepers, the curators?… Read More
There is an organization, a professional, not a union organization, for animal keepers in Germany. (speaking in foreign language) And we have had board members in our zoo keepers association. And I always very much supported them. They do training work, two days training. And we have had several of… Read More
We gave the volunteer a training of several weeks or months. It was under the education officer. She had to give them the news of the zoo. I think once a month or so, they were assembled and new developments and new exhibits and so on were explained so that… Read More
Were they important to the running of the zoo?… Read More
Did they help with the visitors and the image?… Read More
We have had volunteers, I can’t remember how many. We started it, so it went many, maybe 30 or so. Read More
And you involved them in some training to train them?… Read More
I asked this chief editor of this Pulvar Press, how can I convince him to positively report?… Read More
And he said, I want to know it one day earlier. And so I did. And we have had a campaign of abut two, three weeks, “wonderful Toto enjoys the Spanish sun and he enjoys the young females” and so on. It was just the opposite. But this was a… Read More
So you had volunteers at the zoo?… Read More
But there was one incident that really was a very heavy and bad time for me and my family. I mentioned the horrible ape facility. And I must say, when this ape facility was built, it was very fine for the time being. But it was outdated, it should have… Read More
And unfortunately, a retired ape keeper discovered this and went to the Pulvar Press and said poor Toto has to be caressed daily and then he’s happy. Rather, send the director to Zambia. And this Pulvar Press took it up. It was wonderful news for them. And German write a… Read More
But that was no solution for Toto, the chimpanzee. And Zambia withdrawal the offer because they were afraid that they could get involved into this campaign. And so we looked for another offer and found a solution in Spain in a rehabilitation station. And in this case, I changed my… Read More
Were there frustrating times at the zoo?… Read More
Dealing with staff or not getting the animals that you thought you’d get or they didn’t come in on time?… Read More
Well, there have been a few problems. Usually in zoos, the human problems are much bigger than the animal problems. And so it’s a very easy explanation for this. I think this was brought up by Heini Hediger as well. The German philosopher Schopenhauer once said, “Since I know humans,… Read More
Did you tell them that they could call you by your first name?… Read More
I yelled, I think, only once. But I was on the first name basis only with two persons and one was a curator whom I knew for 20 years, when I started, or 25 years. And at that time we both were curators. And the other was my assistant director. Read More
And, of course, and my office door was always open. Let’s say 90% of the time. And if I haven’t had a really difficult meeting, everybody, even keepers, could come in and curators anyhow and that meant straight if leader could come in and so on. Read More
Were you available to them?… Read More