And I don’t think anybody has the exact same situation that you can go oh, that worked for them, I’m gonna do that. Because everybody is so different. But you can pick up some little pieces that you can try to use. So yeah, I started out trying my best. Read More
How would you describe yourself as director?… Read More
Did it change over the years?… Read More
Oh I’m sure it did. Well it was a learning process for me. I started out quite honestly because I just… I used the knowledge of people I knew. Again, Lincoln Park Zoo and St. Louis Zoo. People I had met at conferences. Read More
And did you feel it was important to have amenities?… Read More
I think it’s very important to have amenities because it’s the visitor service part. If you don’t make people happy when they’re there, and give them that experience, that’s anywhere from having the bathrooms, nice and clean in bathrooms, and, you know, making them fun where you paint things on… Read More
But they were important. Oh yeah, absolutely. Because I guess the whole if mama ain’t happy ain’t nobody happy applies for visitor services too. Because the mom bringing the kids in, there are certain things they need. Baby changing stations, you know, a place to put the kids, little seating… Read More
Nope. I was able to do that, so we brought in people. You know, we… Through the park district and the human resources, they were in charge of sending out the notices. And then they would be involved and sitting in to make sure that we did the interviewing process… Read More
At the time were there amenities for visitors at the zoo?… Read More
Was there concessions and those kind of things for visitors?… Read More
Were you able to hire your own curator?… Read More
‘Cause you had left that position, or did they hire someone?… Read More
Were you able to move forward?… Read More
And how difficult was it getting more staff?… Read More
Well by the time I was director we did get up to three or four, eventually five full-time, but we supplemented with a lot of part-time or seasonal keepers. And yes, it was more difficult to get staff because it’s always hard to expand your budget and probably 40 to… Read More
We did eventually get, we built a sea lion pool. And we would do “sea lion shows,” but we always tried to put the conservation bent to it of why we’re training them and making them do certain things was in order to help with their health. And show natural… Read More
You had still – you talk about keeper talks, you still had only two keepers?… Read More
Mmmhm. Read More
So they understood a little bit better instead of just rushing through the zoo for a good time before the kids start crying. Let’s get some information into them. That’s all. You mentioned the Zoomobile. Read More
How important do you think, or did you do anything with ambassador animals in your education program?… Read More