Interview 31514 – Caption Index: 591
So what would you say is your proudest accomplishment?… Read More
So what would you say is your proudest accomplishment?… Read More
I think it was the two couple of people things. For instance, you know, we talked about quarter, but it wasn’t just the quarters for conservation, but it was, we hired the first conservation director and so we had a conservation, I think it was called conservation coordinator, a young… Read More
And then we just kept growing. So creating this quote conservation department, which was really involved in field conservation, although they do obviously in-house projects too, was great. So it was really building up the staff and, and really supporting the education and education program. When I got there, was… Read More
It could be bought more, but they’re expanding the rainforest. The rainforest is closed right now and they’re expanding the rainforest to, for, for an outdoor exhibit for rings. ’cause we didn’t have, we only had indoor for rings and eventually for a, for gorillas stew. But it’s a huge… Read More
But as any, I think any zoo director would say, there’s always like things you would’ve liked to do. And, but you know, I, I think we did a lot and, and what they, I have to say this too, I am just so happy with what they’ve done since… Read More
But as far as people and stuff, I, and we were always able to expand the staff, which was great. I think when I started we had 80 people. We probably doubled up by the time I left. So not a whole lot of things I would’ve done a lot… Read More
Well I mentioned Penguin. We, we had some things that I would’ve liked to do, but on a big scale I would, we have an area almost in the center of the zoo, unfortunately it’s in a floodplain. But right now, as you walk towards what we call wilderness trek… Read More
Are there programs or exhibits that you would’ve implemented during your tenure that you did not, did not have?… Read More
If you could go back in time, what would you have done differently?… Read More
Hmm. Well we mentioned the reptile cages. You know, I, I know obviously there were exhibits I wish we could have built, but, you know, we went, I I only built four, maybe five big exhibits. We got a lot of, I said I I, I built five new restrooms… Read More
But no, so I’m still involved. I still go to try to go to some a ZA meetings. I missed a few, but I do go, because I’m a past chair, they let me go to the director’s policy conference. I do like that. And I know the, of the… Read More
We use that money to bring an af, a young African scientist curator over the United States for training. They come to ours. They’re usually going to some specialty conferences in the United States. So that’s fun. And I get to meet ’em every year and shake hands. We have… Read More
Take my wife along and stuff. So it’s, it is fun. So I’m, I think I’m pretty well involved. It’s a passion of mine. It’s still what I like to do. It’s a hobby. Still go to zoos, try to get different new zoos all the time. So I’m still… Read More
I don’t know why they still let me, I guess. ’cause I, I volunteer and do it. And last year they gave me a plaque. It’s not in the zoo anyway, a ZA gave me a plaque. I’m one of three people that have done over 50 accreditation inspections. So… Read More
One, it’s easy, it’s the most well financed zoo in the country. I mean, they do very well. They have their own property tax revenue. They, they, when, when I came here in 89, pat Simmons and would always joke and I agreed it was a zoo with a duck… Read More
Well, I’m, I’m pretty active. I, as I said, I’m a, I’m an animal ambassador in Cleveland. I’ve been for six years. It’s just, I started just before COVID and I didn’t do much. So I do about a hundred hours. I walk around, people don’t know who I am. Read More
To what extent do you continue to be active?… Read More
What I didn’t know, I mean, I could do a two hour lecture on orangutans, but I didn’t know, I said I gave candy bars to the workers. So I knew the worker. I didn’t know the animal names. So in my phone right here, I have all the names… Read More
You know, we have these codes, we have this very extensive accreditation program and you gotta go through that. And we have a very extensive ethic code. So if, if anybody that wants to abide by those three can be a member, and it’s a little, you know, so I… Read More
I mean, what would, what would a lesser organization as part of a ZA be?… Read More