I think that zoos have to become primarily conservation organizations and I think they have to become more thoroughly committed to sustaining viable wildlife populations, both in their zoos and outside of the zoos. Read More
What (indistinct) responsibility does this bring to zoos?… Read More
Today, as was not the case, perhaps when I was born, zoos have become man’s primary contact with biological diversity. The vast majority of people will never see any great number of wild animals except in the zoo. That gives the zoo an enormous educational opportunity, an enormous window of… Read More
Are you concerned about zoos and aquariums staying viable, well you are, and pertinent and the next 25 years and what direction will help them stay relevant?… Read More
It’s still true today?… Read More
Do we need, or do we have any charismatic and committed heroes to help shift public opinion for conservation, Jacques Cousteau, Jane Goodall come to mind, do we need those type of people and are they around?… Read More
Well, do we need more charismatic heroes like Jacques Cousteau, still with us, fortunately Jane Goodall. And I think we do and I think we have a good many. I think of Iain Douglas-Hamilton the wonderful elephant conservationist whom I know well. I think of George Schaller, my colleague for… Read More
You had alluded about euthanasia of animals, sometimes smaller ones easier to do than larger ones, does this potential of euthanization of endangered species because of the things you’ve talked about, surplus genetic issues, et cetera, does it still pose a political problem for zoos and aquariums?… Read More
When we manage animal populations, whether they be cockroaches or elephants, we deal with the rigidities of demography of sex, there only two. And, we can have enormous problems with the birth of too many males or too many females of a species. If this is a cockroach, the answer… Read More
And beyond the simple specialization, I feel very strongly that the only way many animal populations are going to persist is if they are interactive. In other words, if we have a park that is, has reticulated giraffes, Samburu, it may get to a point, it will get to a… Read More
If the field biologists knows his or her stuff and the zoo biologists manager knows the same, there should be no problem. There should be full understanding. Full understanding is very uncommon in the human species so it may take a while. Case in point might be the black-footed ferret… Read More
There are so many aesthetic details though that are overlooked in zoos and the people who commit them should have some additional training. You’ve said one of your papers that the next stage of wildlife conservation will be one of care hence a personal responsibility. Read More
Care by home, governments, zoos, aquariums, non-governmental organizations, can they all agree?… Read More
I’m certain they can’t and I’m certain they’ll have to. I think all of the, all of those who have the privilege of being responsible for an animal population are going to have to find ways to work together, taking advantage of their particular skills. There is no way for… Read More
Why do you do that and where are they?… Read More
Yes, there are but I think there are major zoo opportunities, opportunities to see great zoos that I haven’t had a chance to do recently because I haven’t traveled much to zoos in the last few years. A collection that I think very, very highly of is the WildLife trust… Read More
Well, they’re four or five actually. The thing I did that I suppose I am proudest of, though pride is a very dangerous emotion, is the creation of the International Conservation Program at the Wildlife Conservation Society, which took some years to get underway and we formally got it going… Read More
Now you’d mentioned a couple of zoo exhibits in Europe, are there zoos in the world that you particularly admire?… Read More
I think there were too many other challenges to the society at that time, we were doing too much else. And that was just one too many. Read More
What’s your proudest accomplishments?… Read More