Dr. George Rabb & Okapi

Photo courtesy of Chicago Zoological Society/Brookfield Zoo.

The Interviews

Each interview of a zoo and aquarium director, curator, animal keeper or other individual, captures their life experiences as a professional dealing with the management of animals in captivity. They share their wisdom and knowledge in the hopes of better educating and conserving the worlds animal populations.

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Interview Categories

Interview | General Curator

Jim Doherty

Jim was the General Curator of the world-famous Bronx Zoo, he designed over 21 major exhibits and advises governments and zoos around the world on captivity management. Watch the full Interview

Interview | Curator

Mark Rosenthal

Marks zoo career started at Lincoln Park Children’s Zoo in 1967, continuing as an animal keeper then zoologist. In 1975 he became Curator of Mammals. In 2003 he retired as Curator of Large Mammals. He is also the author of "Ark in the Park", the History of Lincoln Park Zoo.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

Mark Reed

Mark Reed served as General Curator of the San Antonio Zoo in 1974, then moving to the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas as Assistant Director. In 1991 he assumed the directorship of the Sedgwick County Zoo retiring after 25 years at the helm. Watch the full Interview

Interview | General Curator

Brad Andrews

Brad Andrews an animal keeper at Marineland of the Pacific as well as the Chief Zoological Officer responsible for all animal programs in SeaWorld and Busch Gardens Parks. Watch the full Interview

Interview | Assistant Director

Dennis Meritt

With a background in research Dennis’s first zoo position was as zoologist at Chicago’s Lincoln Park Zoo in 1967.Watch the full Interview

In Memoriam

Nov 7, 1936 - Dec 4, 2022

Interview | Director

Walter “Pat” Quinn

Founder of the Gulf Breeze Zoo and the Zoological Association of America, the second largest trade association for zoos in the United States.Watch the full Interview

Interview | General Curator

Mike Sulak

Mike Sulak began his career in zoos working in the Farm-In-The-Zoo at Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. He soon fell in love with the profession and would go on to be a zoologist at the Mesker Park Zoo in Evansville, Indiana, where he would serve as interim director for a time. In 1979, Sulak was recruited by director Saul Kitchener to be a curator at the San Francisco Zoo and would spend most of his career there.Watch the full Interview

Interview | General Curator

William Xanten

Bill’s roots with the National Zoo run deep. As a young boy interested in reptiles he would visit with National Zoo director William Mann. His dream of working at the zoo came to pass when in 1956 he was hired as an animal keeper.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

Charles H. Hoessle

Charlie’s first experience with exotic animals was not at a zoo but in the pet shop industry. His passion was with the reptiles and in 1963 joined the Saint Louis Zoo as a reptile keeper.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

Don Farst

Dr. Farst started his career as a private practitioner but in 1969 took a position as veterinarian at the Columbus Zoo. Dr. Farst was named Managing Director of the Gladys Porter Zoo in Brownsville Texas four years after his arrival.Watch the full Interview

In Memoriam

Nov 15, 1943 - Mar 11, 2021

Interview | Director

Stephen Wylie

Steve was passionate about his zoo career, conservation, international travels, birding, hunting and fishing. He was Director of the Oklahoma City Zoo from 1985 until his retirement in 2000. During his 15 year tenure at the Oklahoma City Zoo, Steve was a builder. He dramatically increased community support and created numerous major renovations, upgrades and new exhibits.Watch the full Interview

Interview | President

Karen Sausman

Although Karen’s degree is in computer science, she started her animal career working with horses in the Chicago area. She was able to land a volunteer job at the Lincoln Park Zoo working in the zoo nursery, which eventually lead to part-time keeper work.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

John “Jack” Frederick Hanna

Jack Hanna served as director of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium from 1978 to 1992 and is viewed as largely responsible for elevating the zoo’s quality and reputation. He currently serves as director emeritus.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

Christian R. Schmidt

Dr. Christian Schmidt obtained his Ph.D. on Behavior of a Zoo Group of Collared Peccaries at University of Zurich. He worked under the supervision of the famous Prof. Dr. Heini Hediger, animal psychologist and founder of scientific zoo biology.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

Gordon Hubbell

When Dr. Hubble graduated in 1959, there were only six full-time veterinarians in the country in zoo work. He began communicating with other zoo veterinarians around the country, and starting the Zoo Veterinary Association. He moved to Miami and began working for the Crandon Park Zoo as a full-time veterinarian and then director.Watch the full Interview

In Memoriam

Jan 1, 1928 - May 18, 2014

Interview | Veterinarian

Murray E. Fowler

The first patient that Dr. Murray Fowler treated as a veterinarian was a camel, and that was on the set of a movie called The Ten Commandments which was directed by the famous C.B. DeMille.Watch the full Interview

In Memoriam

Oct 16, 1922 - Oct 18, 2018

Interview | Director

Paul Breese

Paul's WWII experiences fostered his confidence and strengthened his passion to pursue his career of the displaying, conserving, and protecting animals. In 1947, Paul was appointed the first Director of the Honolulu Zoo. He developed the zoo's first master plan which defined the zoo's boundaries in Waikiki with fences and a single entrance, designed and constructed the many animal enclosures.Watch the full Interview

In Memoriam

Jan 1, 1938 - Feb 7, 2015

Interview | Director

Saul Kitchener

Saul started his zoo career in 1963 as the Curator of Primates at the Oklahoma City Zoo. Positions followed in 1966 as General Curator, at the Henry Doorly Zoo and in 1968 as General Curator at Lincoln Park Zoo later becoming the Assistant Director. He retired as the director of the San Francisco Zoo in 1988. Watch the full Interview

In Memoriam

Apr 9, 1930 - May 8, 2019

Interview | Zoologist

Jim Fowler

Jim started his career with animals at John Hamlet’s Birds of Prey in Florida as a trainer and lecturer. Stints in Africa and South America studying the Harpy eagle gave him invaluable field experience.Watch the full Interview

Interview | Director

Louis DiSabato

Louis DiSabato starting working at the Columbus Zoo at the age of 15 cleaning bathrooms and parking cars. After serving in the Korean War, he returned to Ohio and was immediately offered a job as mammal curator for the Columbus Zoo.Watch the full Interview