Zoo Logic

On this our 400th episode of Zoo Logic, we are joined by Chris Dold, DVM, chief zoological officer for SeaWorld and Busch Gardens.  While many are familiar with his veterinary career with the US Navy marine mammal program and later SeaWorld of Florida, Chris began his career as a trainer for Dolphin Quest. He discusses his role moving up the ranks to eventually lead the zoological program for one of the largest collections in the w...

Taryn Gillson, Global Humane Society's regional director for Africa returns to discuss conservation efforts supported by their relatively new conservation fund of Africa. In one effort, students in Uganda are trained to become wildlife rangers in order to combat rampant poaching through snares and to provide sustainable occupations and incomes. Taryn also describes the extraordinary journey of one re-wild cheetah at Nyosi wildlife ...

Children's author Christine Devane returns with her latest book, Lola and Sophie's ABC Adventure. She discusses the importance of reading to young children daily to instill the habit of reading early in their lives.  Christine also discusses the importance of pet adoption like the real life characters in her book and gives potential authors some helpful advice on how to get started on the path to becoming a published author.

Animal...

Previous Zoo Logic podcast guests, Drs. Bruck, Jaakkola, and Hill conduct original research with cetaceans and each has an extensive scientific publication record. They also have significant experience as journal reviewers. A recent "review" paper was published despite our panel of experts best attempts to adhere to sound scientific norms and the peer review process. After many many hours of analysis of the manuscript and its citat...

Dr. Jonny Hanson's recent book, Living with Lynx: Sharing Landscapes with Big Cats, Wolves, and Bears, examines the contentious topic of reintroducing large carnivores to the islands of Britain and Ireland. Dr. Hanson's work explores conservation of apex predators and our relationship with these animals through the lens of social science, psychology, and history. In addition, he draws upon his experiences working with snow leopard...

Author Leokadia George has released her 4th children's book published by Briley and Baxter based on the real life endangered Mexican Gray Wolf named Trumpet. This special wolf lives at the Wolf Conservation Center in New York where George has volunteered for nearly a decade helping to care for this subspecies as well as red wolves. The WCC raises endangered pups that are often cross-fostered with wild wolves as part of the species ...

Longtime zoo professional Alan Toyne has a new book describing his many years working with lowland gorillas at Bristol zoo, including two experiences hand-rearing baby gorillas.  Gorillas in Our Midst: A zookeeper's tale of hand-rearing baby gorillas published by Summersdale centers on the lives of extraordinary characters like a female gorilla named Kera, a lone hand-reared female that never knew how to be an adult gorilla herself...

Dr. Dave Miller, DVM, PhD has a new chapter on euthanasia in zoological settings in the forthcoming second edition of Veterinary Euthanasia Techniques, edited by Kathleen A. Cooney, DVM. In the chapter he and his co-author, yours truly, try to describe the additional pressures and considerations on euthanasia in public display situations. It is no longer enough to simply be aware of the latest methods of humane euthanasia across ex...

Few names are as widely recognizable in the global conservation arena than Dr. Jane Goodall. Her passing last week has prompted praise from around the world. Dr Samantha Russak, Curator of Research and Welfare at Tanganyika Wildlife Park returns to discuss the complicated legacy of her childhood hero. We discuss Dr. Goodall's transition from a first of her kind chimpanzee field researcher at her beloved Gombe Stream National Park t...

Dr. Kathleen Dudzinski is the founder and driving force behind the Dolphin Communication Project. Its purpose is to engage students, collaborators, and members of the public in research, education, and conservation for the purpose of promoting the scientific study of dolphins and inspire their conservation. In her spare time, Kathleen also manages the peer-review journal, Aquatic Mammals. Recently, her decades of work was acknowled...

Over four decades ago, little did writer and artist Kevin Eastman or his co-creator Peter Laird think their stand alone, self-published comic about 4 mutant turtles well-trained in martial arts would become the global, multibillion dollar franchise it is today.  Kevin describes his appreciation of meeting original and new generations of fans at various conventions around the world. Plus he shares insights for aspiring creators on w...

Kyle Kittleson is a former marine mammal trainer and the author of  Wear a Wetsuit at Work, a guide book to help aspiring trainers how to land their first job. These days, Kyle has left the zoological field in favor of serving as a mental health advocate. Diagnosed with depression since he was nine, Kyle now combines his past training and media work with his own mental health journey interviewing renown therapists and physicians fo...

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...