I still think that all zoos should have a broad mix of species. Now there’s a lot of emphasis today on keeping endangered species, and that’s certainly part of the portfolio, if you like, of any zoo that should have a focus on some species that need extra protection, let’s… Read More
Now you had mentioned financial, considering that financial resources to many small or medium zoos are limited, what would you think should be the focus of the collection of those types of zoos?… Read More
Can you give us your thoughts on how best to deal with these groups?… Read More
A, a lot. A lot. And I think a lot of, a lot of these smaller zoos don’t realize often what they can do. I think there’s a sense of sense, well, you know, we are far too small, we haven’t got the money, but there’s several ways that they… Read More
So even, even if their resources are relatively meager. And the other, of course the other thing is that smaller zoos are some of the best institutions that dealing with local conservation issues. A lot of people when they talk about zoo conservation mean gorillas in Africa or wild dogs… Read More
Yeah, what Can they Do?… Read More
Whether it’s national or international?… Read More
What can a small or a medium-sized municipal zoo do today to be involved in wildlife conservation?… Read More
So when you started and a new zoo director today, those are the things or other things that you would say you need in your skillset young man to be a zoo director today?… Read More
Absolutely, yeah. And, and there are additional ones as well. I think you, you know, most of us are dealing with boards, they’re dealing with some form of governance. And so it’s really critical that you understand that if whether you are, you know, city owned or in the case… Read More
Well, first of all, a good background in one of the two main knowledge bases that you really need to be a zoo director. You either, you either need to have a good biological background and, and the reason for that is, of course, that you can participate sensibly in,… Read More
So a broad background, a personality which is tolerant of people and understanding of the way people tick and knowledge these days. Very much of fundraising, of marketing didn’t have to worry about that too much going back, you know, 50 years, 40, 50 years. But all of those skills… Read More
But in, in your opinion, what qualities did you have that you feel made you a good director?… Read More
What made you a good director?… Read More
Well, I grew up in a very rural area north of London. And in one of those sort of Georgian rectory, my father was a, an an andan priest with lots and lots of land woodland time when of course one could roam freely as a child. And my, all… Read More
We’re already big. And so accepting the idea that actually having more acreage gave you more opportunity and it certainly protected the rather unique atmosphere of, of, of that particular zoo. So I think, I mean, those are the two things that I most would like to be remembered for. Read More
I think my work in welfare particularly, and especially the last, well 20 years, but certainly the last 10 or 15 with the founding of, of wild welfare, still the only organization in the world with, with zoo background, people working to help zoos that are substandard. I’m pleased that… Read More
So I’m glad that we, that I took that step and it wasn’t, it wasn’t actually a very easy step because I had the likely funders of that, both the state and of, and it wasn’t mostly the state, it was mainly private individuals were quite cynical about, you know,… Read More
You’ve just, you’ve got to start managing them as a single population. And, and what’s happened now 50 years later is that that community is, is much, it’s much more transparent. It’s, it’s, it’s not competitive in the way that it used to be. I’m not saying there aren’t one… Read More
How would you like to be remembered your legacy?… Read More