Staten Island Zoo was well insulated from external politics and problems, and inside, there wasn’t much of political problems. I was given pretty much a freehand by Vincent Gattullo, who was, as I said, an educator and a biologist. But he eventually left, and a new one came in, who… Read More
I will choose the day I leave the zoo, so instead of him saying, I said how about December 31st this year, 2005?… Read More
What was the management style of Steve Graham?… Read More
He had a unique way of doing things. He gave you some freehand, but he wanted to do it hands-on himself, such as managing a parking lot on his day off, and so on. Unique way, but he eventually had political problems, and had to leave. Read More
Belle Isle, yeah. As I said, not an easy situation to be in. But then, well I’ll stick around for 10 years to qualify for pension. Read More
So that director of the Belle Isle Zoo was the same director as the Detroit Zoo?… Read More
Detroit Zoo. Steve Graham, yeah right. He was the one who kind of rescued me when I was unemployed. But eventually, he had to leave. And new one comes in, and so on. But by that time, I was qualified for pension, for comfortable out. Read More
Dave Zukoni. Great guy. We had differences, of course. But he had a wide range of tolerance to my idiosyncrasies. That was great. But Milwaukee was the one I had a problem, when the zoo director divorced his wife, had a new one who began to run the zoo, one… Read More
Got kicked out. So the next one was Detroit. Read More
Belle Isle?… Read More
(coughs) That’s a time I did some research, and so on. Read More
What was the next?… Read More
Can you comment on the influence each director had on the zoo, or the zoo profession?… Read More
Each zoo?… Read More
Roy Shay. Gave me freehand, pretty much. Oh, one step back. Topeka. A zookeeper. Gary Clarke was a master PR person, but also had the real firm grasp on the public and animals and animal care person, because of his experience. So he pretty much laid out how an American… Read More
How did you start thinking about that aspect?… Read More
Writing was something I did, I still do, very comfortably. Putting down your thoughts, observations, on paper. First, I began to write by observing animals directly. That was the first step. Then taking a little overview, you move onto management of animals, and management of zoos, not based on individual… Read More
It was a natural succession for me to look at yesterday from today’s viewpoint, so my writing shifted from observing animal to overall management of the animal collection now into looking into history. So three steps. That’s where I am. You have worked with many zoo directors. Read More
And how they move around is suddenly so lively after you go home. I wrote a paper on that, yeah right. Echidna, I think it was. Yeah. Read More
Now, during your time, which we’ll talk about later, but during your time at these various zoos, you are writing papers and making sure people know what you’re doing, is that correct?… Read More