Interview 26791 – Caption Index: 231
You’ve used the word relevant, in what way?… Read More
You’ve used the word relevant, in what way?… Read More
You wish you could just wave a wand and everything gets done at one time and it all looks perfect, but that’s not reality. So I think those are probably the most frustrating times. Those times are easing now. ZooTampa, for instance, is a successful requester for grants that they… Read More
Yeah, I think, you know, the lean financial years were terribly frustrating because you know what you want to get done, you know what has to get done, and there’s never enough money. I could say safely now, ZooTampa’s in a much better position. I mean, the problems still are… Read More
It’d be like, well, why are we even doing this?… Read More
So I think that’s the most frustrating thing is that you know, intrinsically, what you wanna get done. You know, I’ve got lists on top of lists and some of those things are still on the list. Now, the master plan will take care of some of the exhibit issues,… Read More
Just to see. Now, you got a handful of people you could go back and check. So yeah, I mean, all zoos have an educational program. ZooTampa’s just taking it a couple steps up now with that school being in there. Read More
And before I left, I don’t know if they’ve done it, I asked you should go out and survey those adults now and see how beneficial was Zoo School in your educational career?… Read More
Can you talk about some of your most frustrating or challenging times as director?… Read More
So, you know, we’re just like Hillsborough County, except you come to the zoo. And prior to COVID, we used to have what’s called wraparound care. So you could drop your child off at seven o’clock in the morning and pick ’em up by 6:00 PM. We just wanted you… Read More
You know, they take their kid to work with ’em and pick ’em up when they go home. And we work with the employees on, I mean, some days the employee has to work late or whatever it may be. That’s a rare occasion but we’ll work with those employees… Read More
And they came in with those degrees. They achieved those before they were hired. I never considered us a degree snob. We would never turn anybody away who had great animal skills just because they didn’t have a degree. We didn’t have the wherewithal to give ’em funding to get… Read More
It’s part of Hillsborough County school system, kindergarten and first grade, had it for years. Have a list of families waiting to get their kids signed up. Now, I’ve been told I haven’t been able to verify this, that once a family has sent a child through our school, if… Read More
And I thought, wow, I’m pretty proud of that. You know, I’ll take my staff and put ’em up against the San Diego staff anytime or any other zoo. So I’m an advocate of that, but I don’t want it to detract from a person who wants to explore wildlife… Read More
No, that’s just not us. And to be perfectly honest with you, very expensive and a maintenance nightmare. So, you know, it’s like you gotta balance that out, you know, with your revenues. Like you’re spending a lot of money keeping these rides going, and they break down, and so… Read More
Education, how important was it to you?… Read More
Personally?… Read More
Yeah. And professionally. I’m a strong advocate of education. Again, I took a different path in my educational career, but in the animal care business it’s essential that our staff be well-educated. When I took a survey of the keepers in Tampa, which was probably five or six years after… Read More
But, you know, there’s always the temptation, hey, what about a new ride here?… Read More
What?… Read More
Right. Philosophy was to, a large part of our weekly attendance in the off-season are parents and grandparents with their kids and strollers, stroller moms, and grandpa, and grandma with strollers. To give those kids an opportunity to get wet, and cool down, and enjoy a ride. We’re not gonna… Read More