I visited the local zoos, obviously the Kansas City Zoo. I went to high school in Omaha. My father was transferred into Omaha. And so, we went to the Omaha Zoo that time, which was a Park and Rec Zoo which was pretty bad at that time. If we went… Read More
So, what got your interest in wanting to work with animals then?… Read More
Now, when you’re growing up, did you have the opportunity then to see or visit zoos?… Read More
Well, my family is very small. Basically, our Thanksgiving dinners, you could put around one table and that’s the entire family. So, it was a small family and it was at a time right after the War. My father was employed but things were tough and so our form of… Read More
But I had an appreciation of nature and I’m sure the fact that we did that as a family instilled an interest in me in the natural world and it just went on from there. Read More
What kind of outside activities did you do?… Read More
Steve Wiley. Actually, it’s Stephen R Wiley, that’s the professional name. Born on November 15th, 1943, Kansas City, Missouri. And tell us a little something about your childhood. Read More
I hope, just as I’ve remembered now, that, of course you wonder exactly, A, who remembers you, and B, how, if they did?… Read More
As a good dad, that’s one, as a good husband. And then the other, as the person that was in a very special situation at a point in time when the zoo in Waikiki could have continued as simply a bird park. It could still be a bird park right… Read More
How would you like to be remembered?… Read More
It’s a hugely rewarding profession. The biggest new opportunities I see is to follow the fact that, in many ways, it’s more difficult, and in other ways, it’s far simpler. The simpler way is that knowledge is hugely available now on the internet by Googling both the availability of that… Read More
As Peter Scott told me, he said the big thing I think, Paul, is that what zoos can provide in conservation is way more than just raising a few to be released in the wild, and restock depleted populations. That’s important, but depleted populations are depleted usually for a reason,… Read More
Absolutely, it is. One of the finest things that has happened in Hawaii is that since the nene was established, which we helped to do in 1957 by the legislature, two years before Hawaii was a state, it’s become that endangered endemic bird. Our Hawaiian geese have become the symbol… Read More
What do you know about the profession that you devoted so many years of your life to?… Read More
Is there a significance to that?… Read More
Why?… Read More
Zoos are necessary for the same reason that music is a necessity and art is a necessity. It’s just no man lives by bread alone. And the whole, the role of zoos, as I see it, is to further an understanding of the entire world of nature, appreciation of nature,… Read More
Well, in terms of elephants, our climate alone is an enormous benefit, where the minimum temperature is 58, so that you don’t have the severe problems of both heating and cooling. In terms of providing a stimulating and adequate environment for them, our zoo is doing that now. They built… Read More
Are zoos necessary?… Read More
I think the major advice I would offer for marketing, as well as it’s related, dealing with public relations and the media, is get to know the people you’re dealing with as individuals, invite them and their families on their time off, which maybe it’s inconvenient for you, but invite… Read More