Compared to when I started? Well. Many zoo directors do not have a good training in the arts, and sciences, and even in zoology. Somehow, at least the ones I’ve spoken to don’t demonstrate that to me. And I, maybe they just, maybe I’m missing it. Maybe I’ve talked to… Read More
Any recommendations or words of advice for the next generation of herpetologists?… Read More
So they don’t have to say, “Oh god, now we have to listen to this lecture.” You don’t want that, and zoos can do that. People love zoos, they really, they even love bad zoos. They’ve loved bad zoos for years, and there’s a lot of them still out there. Read More
What skillset qualities does a zoo director need today as compared to when you started?… Read More
I’ve worked hard. I really worked hard at school. I worked hard in the field doing the field work I did in herpetology. I haven’t told you about my red wolf. I think I caught the last red wolf in Texas, the last survivor. And it died from something, dog,… Read More
What made me, well, assuming that you’re right, that I was a good zoo director. I think I was willing to take risks. I was willing to do things differently, not be caught in the rut. I think I did have some good ideas. I think I still have some,… Read More
What made you a good zoo director?… Read More
Have you ever seen it?… Read More
Yeah, it’s a common thing in an aquarium. Electric eels, we had a exhibit of electric fishes, eels, ghost fish, catfish. And we would demonstrate that, tickle them, and had them hooked up to the loud speakers and all of that. And we had enough so we could rest them… Read More
And what zoos offer is the real thing. If they can touch it, that’s good. I think we need to have as many touchies and feelies, and as many educational things, where the animal does something on its own that it’s specific or significant to its behavior. I really like… Read More
And those archer fish would just spend 20, 30 minutes shooting it down. People were spellbound. I was the first time I saw it. Read More
We’re gonna be preserving them. We’re gonna be preserving a small population of them, scattered around the world, and that’s gonna be there. And people will enjoy it. I think there is, you know, one thing that’s happened in the last 20 years, this amount of natural history photography, it’s… Read More
I think the biggest problem facing US zoos today is we’re running out of wild animals. I mean, today we’ve got, you’ve got a coyote over there, our coydog. But the the wild creature, the space is just, they’re just doomed, they’re doomed. Maybe it’ll take 100 years. Tigers are… Read More
And what can we do to correct the problem in your opinion?… Read More
So when you finally left, they gave you your passport back?… Read More
Oh, yes, yes they did. I couldn’t have left without it. Okay. What is the large, this is more of your opinion. Read More
What is the largest professional problem facing US zoos today?… Read More
Yeah, I wanted, this was in ’97. And I decided I really wanted to do my thing in the States now. And I’d done the museum, and I’d done the zoo. During the Desert Storm, I went up and helped with the evacuation in Kuwait city of the British Embassy. Read More
That’s the source of… The Indian trade minister at the Indian Embassy was the king of the bootleggers. And when I was at the zoo, it was like Christmas, he would drive into my, I had this big high wall around my villa and my bosses would be there. And… Read More
Oh, and Lawrence, you like wine, don’t you?” And Black label. And I mean, it was, I don’t know what it cost, but a lot. Read More