Zoo Logic

At nearly 150 years old, the American Humane Society is the world's oldest animal welfare organization. Its Associate Vice President of Conservation, Jill Nizan joins Zoo Logic to discuss its many programs designed to support improved welfare anywhere and everywhere through science-backed and evidence-based tools. Using independent experts across farm, zoological, entertainment, domestic, and working animal sectors, American Humane...

After five years and nearly 300 weekly episodes on animals, training, human behavior and much more, Natural Encounters' TEC podcast is hitting the long pause. Show hosts Ari Bailey and Chris Jenkins have decided now may be the right time to sunset the long-running, keeper-trainer favorite, now that Chris has accepted an executive director role at another zoo. The hosts discuss their mutual long history at NEI training animals and p...

Dr. Tony Monahan is an artist, writer and professional educator at City University of New York. His fascination with turtles from an artistic and conservation perspective led him on a nearly four-year journey to write: The Turtle Lovers' Guidebook.  With more than 500 photographs, the book features 164 public facilities across the U.S. where one can see these amazing creatures. In addition to celebrating the zoos and aquariums that...

Before even graduating high school, a young Randy Wells worked as an intern at Mote Marine Lab training dolphins as part of shark-dolphin interaction study. He would eventually become part of the world's longest running study of a population of wild dolphins known as the Sarasota Dolphin Research Program (SDRP).  For decades, Dr. Wells has led the collaborative effort of veterinarians, researchers, students and volunteers to monito...

Dr. Paul Ling is a professor in the Department of Microbiology and Virology at Baylor College of Medicine. He also serves as an advisor to Colossal Biosciences. Following the death in 2010 of a 2-year-old elephant at the Houston zoo due to elephant endotheliotropic herpes virus (EEHV), Dr. Ling formed a cooperative effort with the zoo and others within the community to address this highly lethal disease. Thanks to this partnership ...

After a long career as a wildlife manager and educator, David Kleven turned his zoological expertise and attention to improving animal welfare through better electronic recordkeeping. As President of Animal Care Software, he works with a range of animal facilities to use the power of smart phones to track animal behavior and health in the field and in real time. Recently, the cloud-based platform has been enhanced to include more t...

What began as one man's dream to rewild the eastern Cape of South Africa with the Big Five a quarter century ago has grown into the Mantis Collection of eclectic eco-lodges, waterways, and curated eco-scapes throughout Africa and the Middle East. The name Mantis stands for Man and Nature Together Is Sustainable. Its CEO, Craig Erasmus, describes the unique brand and the company's goal of not just being concerned with sustainability...

After years working for Merlin Entertainments building and renovating major aquariums, architect Benedikt Schikora founded  BSK Projects which handles project management in the hospitality, entertainment and tourism space. He's also a partner in the zoo and aquarium consulting firm, IZACS. We discuss the trends in zoological design, particularly those back of house aspects of animal care that have historically lagged behind today's...

Sooner or later most zoological professionals will meet a local or national celebrity as part of their work. Some, like our guest Lanie Angeles, have met dozens or possibly hundreds of popular actors, musicians, politicians and other influencers as part of her long career in educational and media outreach. Sharing some of her most memorable encounters, both positive and not so positive, Lanie is quick to remind us that most celebri...

Christine Devane is a former elementary school teacher with a new children's book entitled, Elephant Beach. The story revolves around a shy girl who just wants to read her book while at the beach and a nearby playful group of elephants with other ideas. Devane hopes that introverted kids can learn to try new experiences and that extraverted children can be patient with those who may need a little more encouragement to participate i...

Pernilla Mosesson is a long time trainer from Sweden having started her career working with marine mammals.  We sat with her at the Johannesburg airport to hear her thoughts on the state of marine and terrestrial animal training across the zoological space.  While there are many similarities between European and North American facilities, particularly with regard to the current politics surrounding zoos and aquariums, there were a ...

Much has changed since Zoo Logic first examined six years ago the North American pangolin consortium formed by several zoological parks despite some pushback from the industry. Providing an update on the status of the species, the handful of animals living in human care, and the consortium is Mark Wanner is Associate Vice President, Animal Care & Conservation for Brookfield Zoo Chicago and the Chair of the North American Pangolin C...

Dr. Jason Bruck returns to discuss the seemingly increasing erosion of the peer review process by some authors looking to expand their legitimacy through overuse of self-citations and passing opinion articles off as science. The most egregious offenders of the process produce commentaries devoid of data or that refuse to address credible criticisms or contrasting data sets raised by other scientists through peer-reviewed rebuttals....

Susan Kleven is the long time director of the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville, TX.  She returns to Zoo Logic to discuss her upcoming children's book telling the true story of Nzuri, a premature giraffe whose first time mother was unable to nurse or otherwise care for him.  Nzuri Grows Up: A Preemie Giraffe's Story coauthored by Jennifer Keats Curtis is due out in wide release this fall through Arbordale Publishing. Now more than six ...

Behaviorist Tim Sullivan has been with the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago for 47 years, nearly half the history of that leading institution. After two decades as a marine mammal trainer and leader, Tim moved to an internal consultant role at the zoo by guiding the change from free to protected contact with their elephant team. Needless to say those were challenging times early on, which led Tim to examine his teaching methods, not so mu...

John M. Kinder is director of American Studies, professor of history at Oklahoma State University and author of the new book, World War Zoos: Humans and Other Animals in the Deadliest Conflict of the Modern Age. He chronicles the horrific effects of war on zoos throughout Europe, the US and the South Pacific and the sometimes heroic efforts by keepers and the public to preserve their animal charges even in times of scarcity and per...

Tom LaRock is a long time zoo administrator turned wildlife safari travel operator.  He founded Rewild Safaris to connect his travel organization with conservation organizations around the globe working on the ground to solve problems and preserve species and habitats. For him, the meaning behind rewild extends beyond the effort to return species to recovered habitats but also to connect travelers with the wild and wildlife.

Animal...

The Philadelphia Zoo is America's oldest zoological institution that takes pride in its history of firsts.  Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman, President and CEO, exemplifies more firsts for the organization including serving as the first woman and first African American woman to hold the top leadership role. She describes how this urban Chicago introvert grew to love nature on her parents' front porch. She is candid about her personal interests...

A few weeks ago, Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences grabbed the world's attention when it announced the de-extinction of the Dire Wolf which last roamed the earth more than 12 thousand years ago, with the successful birth of three animals. Matt James, a long time zoo professional now serving as the company's Chief Animal Officer, discusses the science and technology behind the momentous announcement and the methodology's potenti...