I think so. Heaven knows what we would have without them, but I think zoos may limit their dealings to animals that are very well known. You cannot have a zoo that is composed solely of your neighborhood wildlife. That has very little interest to most people. Having this, the… Read More
You indicated in the last question, you said, “Well, I hope they’re in the future.” Why do we need zoos, in your opinion?… Read More
We need zoos in order to protect the wildlife we have in the world now. Without zoos, that wildlife is gonna disappear. In your career, you’ve received, I’m sure, a lot of advice. Read More
Do you think this diversity of seeing so many things is a positive thing for new zoo directors coming in, to get this kind of breadth of experience that you were fortunate to have?… Read More
No, I think that anybody, especially if you have had enough training to be in line for a zoo director’s job, but be honest, be truthful, and you’re not gonna go wrong if you have the knowledge you should have in the beginning. Read More
What do you think zoos of the future will evolve into, both from animal care and maybe meeting the needs of the public?… Read More
If you could look into the future a little, will they still be here?… Read More
Be truthful. Be truthful with handling your staff. Be truthful with handling customers. Be truthful when you report what you’re doing. If you depend on the truth, you can’t go wrong too far. Now you’ve had such a diverse experience: animal dealing, work at the private Lindemann Catskill Game Farm,… Read More
Do you think that these kind of experiences that you’ve had provided an important lesson for an aspiring zoo director today that could benefit them?… Read More
It’s not that much different. I don’t think it’s that much different. Now I’ve been out of the zoo directing business for a long time, and it may have changed, but I don’t think that it has changed that much. Read More
Well, what skillset would you say you need then?… Read More
If it hasn’t changed, what are those basics that haven’t changed that someone should have?… Read More
What do you think made you a good zoo director?… Read More
I don’t know that I was. I try my best, and that’s all you can do. I knew how a good zoo is run, and I tried to run my own that way. Read More
Well, now what kind of skills do you think a new director today needs as compared to when you were director?… Read More
Yes. Read More
And when you got to Jacksonville, did you continue the volunteer program because of your experience or did they already have one?… Read More
No, not because of the experience. We already had one and I continued it. It didn’t work out as successfully as the one in Evansville. Read More
Yes. Read More
Did you start the volunteer program at the zoo there?… Read More