Interview 20517 – Caption Index: 157
Mm-hmm. Read More
Mm-hmm. Read More
Good question. Basically, a zoo job is eight to five, 40 hour week job. And you really, really don’t know what your animal does, animal is. Also, there are so many variations in individual zoo situations and individual animal. For some people, bongo is like a cow. Very easy to… Read More
If you go to some other zoo, bongo is, oh it’s a nervous wreck. It bumps into a concrete wall, and injured the lip. It’s so different. It’s a puzzle. If you really want to know the animal, just stay up for 24 hours, and watch the animals for 24… Read More
What did you mean when you said each species is a surprise?… Read More
They’re a puzzle, and you don’t have all the pieces. After so many years, they continue to throw me off altogether. Read More
What did you mean?… Read More
Let’s see. 34 years or so. Wait, I have to look at my paper. Anyway, 34 years or so. 31 years of which being a curator in several zoos. I didn’t want to get up to the zoo directorship. Too far away from the animal collection, too much politics. That’s… Read More
And that’s where I stayed. Read More
I wanted to end the zoo career with an up note instead of down note. It worked. Read More
And when you retired from Staten Island, how many years had you been in the zoo profession?… Read More
So you mentioned you felt that this would be your last zoo position?… Read More
Mm-hmm. Read More
And why would you think that?… Read More
A small collection, one building zoo, which was unique at that time. One wing, quote unquote. With mammals, the birds, and herbs. And well-known for the very large rattlesnake collection, built by Kyle Coffield. You must have heard the name many times indeed. Read More
Did they have, they still continue to have his rattlesnake collection, or a portion?… Read More
By that time, it was much smaller. About one third of what they used to have. But yes, there still were quite a few species. Dozen, 15. And the reptile wing was a very nice place. Read More
Now what kind of zoo was the Staten Island zoo?… Read More
What was its makeup, and how did it fit in to the zoos in New York?… Read More
So I wanted to have a very nice place to finish off my zoo years, and after 10 years, I was looking. I was very fortunate to find a home the next zoo, final zoo. Read More
And that zoo is, how did it come about that you went to the Staten Island Zoo?… Read More