It’s a whole new world in their ability to do that. But one of the important things that I think that she said was, “We’ve got to make it fun.” Now, I think we’ve always known that, that you learn better when you make it fun. Don’t throw all that… Read More
There’s some tremendous liability issues related there but somehow they’re trying to find methodologies so to give them a more intimate experience with the keeper or with the animal or with the lifestyle that the animal lives. Making it one step further into their education of what goes on in… Read More
That’s interesting. I had a conversation with a colleague recently and we talked about… This particularly individual is director of education at the zoo. And I said, “What with all this technology that’s coming on, how’s all this working in?” And it’s really very fascinating that the methods in which… Read More
What can be done, we’ve talked about visitors, what can be done to make the visitor connection more meaningful at a zoo?… Read More
What programming or what would you want to have happened?… Read More
I still live in the community. I still don’t see animal rights as being a big high level, high focus area in the community. Read More
Do you believe that this education in general helped to boost the zoo’s image in the face of you had mentioned anti-zoo imaging from different groups?… Read More
Well, I think it’s happened in other communities. Oklahoma City community is a little unique. There isn’t a large anti-animal rights community. This is a community of people who understand, who hunt, who fish, who understand the out of doors. They are not animal rights activists per se. There are… Read More
Highly utilized by the community for their programs as well as by their families. Read More
Did you develop any tricks of the trade to promote community support for the zoo you ran?… Read More
We certainly did through our education programs. Oklahoma has a very high number of homeschooled students and part of their requirement, their state requirement was a certain amount of science credits. Well, these students would come to the zoo for their science credits and I was always amazed at how… Read More
If it’s a private entity, that might be a different matter but if it’s a public entity, it can’t. It’s the reality of cost versus expenses. Of revenues versus expenses, if the revenues aren’t there then the expenses aren’t gonna get satisfied and the whole thing folds as the business… Read More
I don’t think a zoo can survive without community support. I just don’t see any way it can happen. Read More
If people don’t support the institution, they don’t visit the institution, they don’t help the institution through public referendums, how’s the institution going to survive?… Read More
Now, you mentioned community, how important is that community and support and do you think a zoo can survive without it?… Read More
Well, obviously conservation is a big issue. But I also think just being able to make sure you stay a viable entity in your community, make sure you remain a cultural asset to your community and that you’re going to have a financial base that will guarantee the fact that… Read More
If I could make you in charge of all the zoos in the United States or even the world today, what issues would you want those zoos to address in the future?… Read More
What would you direct them to do?… Read More
You need to know this too, at some point in time in your future, you’ll have to be responsible for this. Read More
Were there issues that caused you concern during your career and how do you see the future regarding these same concerns?… Read More