Most people don’t even know who the AZA is. I mean, I think more do now. In certain communities it’s well known, but I’m hopeful that things like this show at the zoo that was done by the Conservation Society, that Discovery Channel said it was the highest rated new… Read More
Now we’re saying get out to your zoo. It’s an outdoor experience. And we all did that when we got home from school when we were kids. Now they’re in front of their computers. You know, things continue to evolve. And I am very confident zoos will make the changes. Read More
And most of ’em are only gonna be able to do it as zoos. Read More
I think it’s this whole governance issue is dealing with the age old question, which has been asked for 30 years. Read More
Are we an institutional membership or are we a membership organization?… Read More
How does AZA compare with the AAZPA of 30 years ago?… Read More
Oh, it was lightning difference in that you know, originally, I think it was originally conceived. They have a voice in Washington actually to a certain agree. I know pre ’71, my father did a tremendous amount of lobbying in Congress. AZA is a nonprofit and has to be very… Read More
They’re selected for us by a nominating committee. We used to be a lot more open about what was going on and that’s all been changed and you know, I mean, nothing gets better without change, but I’m just not sure we’re at the final evolution yet. Read More
What issues would you like the AZA to be addressing now?… Read More
Well, I can tell you at the time that the first one that I do think it was a mistake. I understand the thinking for that ‘cos I was on the board during that time and a lot of discussions. The single most important vote I think we took, and… Read More
There’s no question we live in such a mixture. In fact, our association is undefined. You know, I’m starting to have pretty strong feelings about what I think it should be, but you know, the purest will say well, there’s no guarantee that the zoo will be there tomorrow if… Read More
And there’s been some changes in the governance. And I don’t think it’s resolved. I personally think to be successful, I think it has to be more institutional oriented. And it’s a combination right now of membership and institution. And it’s hard to blend those together because the deeds are… Read More
And then in 2010, the AZA decided the banning private participation was a mistake. Read More
What’s your opinion?… Read More
Can you build a zoo with an airtight insulation against interference, external, political, or otherwise?… Read More
If you have your own money to do it. And a private individual can come pretty close to having a lot of those things done. The only thing I can tell you, whether you’re a zoological society, even those that are almost pure like San Diego, I mean, they still… Read More
In 2000, non AZA, it’s kind of a two part thing. In 2000, non AZA zoos and private breeders were essentially banned from participating in SSP plans. Read More
Did that hurt or help zoos?… Read More
What issues would you like to see zoos address in the future?… Read More
I think the biggest one, I mean, without animals, we don’t have zoos. That’s plain and simple. We can talk all sorts of things about various SSPs and TAGs and now safe in dealing with outside entities and commercial and private. But there’s no question to me from the biology… Read More