The question of euthanizing surplus animals that cannot be part of the breeding community is an ethical one. It’s not a welfare one. As, as a veterinarian, I don’t have any problem with putting animals down, even healthy animals if it’s done properly and humanely, yes, it’s an ethical issue. Read More
It’s wrong. And there are situations where such animals can be found homes. We’ve, we’ve done this within wild welfare where we found animals homes. But very often in situations where surplus animals are found homes, the situation for them, the surroundings, the environment that they then have is, is… Read More
Does euthanizing of endangered species, surplus genetic issues still pros a political problem for zoos and Aquarius?… Read More
Yeah, yeah, very, very much so. I think it’s, it’s posed a lot more of a problem I think here and in the UK than it does in, in much of Europe. You, you have national attitudes really to the way that handles are animals are, are dealt with. And… Read More
Nothing. Read More
Absolutely never a dull moment. I mean, that’s, you hear, you know, you hear so much from, from young folks about jobs that are boring jobs that, you know, because so many young people want to be sort of on the move subject wise, they’re always looking for something new. Read More
Would you recommend the zoo and aquarium field to a young person with a sincere interest in wildlife and conservation today? And why would you?… Read More
Tolerance I think is probably the most important message that I will have got from other, other leadership tolerance and the, and the ability to deal with people at all levels. It almost nothing to do with the animal side of it. It all has, comes down to people in… Read More
So I do believe in, in having really, really good exhibits for elephants, I certainly believe that elephants should be in zoos, but they’ve got to be kept in not, not only the, the two dimensional large spaces, but also all the other aspects that you need to, you know,… Read More
What was the most important piece of advice that you received that has stayed with you throughout your career?… Read More
Given your experience, what is your view regarding zoos, maintaining elephants and how it should be done correctly?… Read More
Well, I’m, I’m not one of those who think that elephants should never be kept in zoos. I mean, you only, you only have to listen to that eight or 10-year-old looking at a good elephant exhibit. And I think we do have a good, a good one at North… Read More
Well, the one, the ones I’d be most impressed with have actually been all little ones, small zoos and particularly specialist ones. Places like the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum for example, or Karen Susman’s operating, know those sort, those sorts of operations. Not, not certainly, yes, of course some of… Read More
And why would that be and where are they?… Read More
Are you’ve seen many zoos throughout your career, are there any zoos in the world you particularly admire?… Read More
Well, here when at North Carolina, one of the things when I first went there was the idea of having a major interpretive center, both the conservation center combined with a, a, an interpretive center showing the globe, you know, broader global issues at a time when there was still… Read More
Are there any programs or exhibits you would’ve implemented during your tenure that didn’t happen?… Read More
Well, again, going back to London, I certainly would’ve, would’ve moved if we’d had the resources to have fewer, better exhibits at London and then pushed a lot of those resources into whips. That’s one thing here in North Carolina. I would, I’m trying to think, sorry, can you, can… Read More
Are there programs or, or exhibits that you would’ve implemented that during your tenure that didn’t happen?… Read More
Not a lot. That sounds a bit sort of arrogant, you know, it sounds as if, well, you know, everything I did was fine. It was a wonderful life. I wouldn’t change anything from a personal point of view and I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t have missed a moment of it. Read More