Rapid ecological destruction has been underway on the southern border of Arizona along some of the most pristine and inaccessible regions of the Sonoran desert. It isn't being done by poachers, crime syndicates, or undocumented immigrants. It's being done without serious public input, oversight, environmental impact studies, or objection by elected state and federal officials. Over the past 2 years, photographer, John Kurc, has been documenting the work of the Trump administration to build a wal...
Nov 26, 2020•31 min•Season 3Ep. 137
The term pioneer is overused but how else to describe the person contributing to our basic understanding of cetacean health and husbandry, anatomy and physiology, and behavior for the past 60 years? In the early 1960's, Dr. Sam Ridgway became one of the architects of the US Navy's Marine Mammal Program. Trained first as an Air Force veterinarian, Dr Ridgway went on to earn his doctorate and has for decades collaborated with some of the world's most renown marine mammal researchers in the areas o...
Nov 19, 2020•49 min•Season 3Ep. 136
It's part two of our discussion about modern behavioral training applications to improve animal husbandry and wildlife conservation with friends of Zoo Logic , large animal managers Erin Ivory, Chuck Tompkins and Ted Turner. Using examples from their work with animals in human care and in the wild, the trio downplay the role of rewards like food while stressing the importance of establishing strong relationships with large predatory and prey animals through creative, fun, and unpredictable conse...
Nov 12, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 135
Friends of Zoo Logic , large animal managers Erin Ivory, Chuck Tompkins and Ted Turner return to discuss success stories from 3 decades or more of positive reinforcement-based training principles utilized with zoological and domestic species. The trio downplay the role of rewards like food while stressing the importance of establishing strong relationships with large predatory and prey animals through creative, fun, and unpredictable consequences. That Sounds Wild: Beaver pup. Animal Care Softwa...
Nov 05, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 134
The Fort Worth Zoo has been focused on preserving threatened and endangered iguana species in their native ranges for many years. Recently, they announced the successful hatching of 2 endangered Grand Cayman iguanas as part of a multi-institutional cooperative effort to boost healthy and genetically diverse populations of these animals, both in human care and in restored habitats. Remarkably, fewer than 10 of these individuals remained in the wild 20 years ago. Today, thanks to the work of zoolo...
Oct 29, 2020•32 min•Season 3Ep. 133
According to their press release, a new report published in recent weeks by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) calls for a broader, more integrated approach to the conservation of small cetaceans, particularly dolphins and porpoises. Many species and populations that are only found close to human activities are quickly declining due to known but unsolved problems – primarily accidental drowning in fishing gillnets. The report recommends urgent actions for several species a...
Oct 22, 2020•38 min•Season 3Ep. 132
American Humane’s new groundbreaking documentary, Escape from Extinction , narrated by Academy Award winner Helen Mirren, showcases the critical efforts certified zoos and aquariums are undertaking to preserve millions of species on the verge of disappearing forever. As the first pro-zoo-and-aquarium documentary of its kind, the film takes viewers on a dramatic trip around the world and through time to explore the roots of the wholesale disappearance of species in our forests and oceans, describ...
Oct 15, 2020•37 min•Season 3Ep. 131
The San Diego Zoo Global's Institute for Conservation Research maintains what is called the frozen zoo. For decades, carefully collected and prepared cell samples from over 1000 species, many of them listed as threatened or endangered and nearing extinction, have been stored almost indefinitely in ultra cold freezers. Recently, the frozen zoo played an instrumental role in the successful cloning of an endangered Przewalski's Horse by providing the genetic material from a long deceased yet underr...
Oct 08, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 130
Recently, historic news of the successful birth of an endangered Przewalski's Horse foal conceived through cloning technology was announced. Remarkably, the nuclear material used for the purpose of expanding the genetic diversity of this managed species was from a genetically underrepresented stallion that has been deceased for many years. The stallion's DNA had been preserved at what is colloquially called the Frozen Zoo located at the San Diego Zoo Global's Institute for Conservation Research ...
Oct 01, 2020•38 min•Season 3Ep. 129
Long time journalist for the popular environmental news website Mongabay.com , Jeremy Hance has a new book entitled, Baggage: Confessions of a Globe Trotting Hypochondriac . In it, he openly and sometimes humorously describes his own struggles with mental illness including anxiety and depression as a child and how his later in life diagnosis of OCD affected and informed his work as a world traveling environmental journalist. Despite the challenges and opportunities his condition presents, Jeremy...
Sep 24, 2020•42 min•Season 3Ep. 128
Dr. Isabella Clegg is an ethologist researching animal welfare, particularly in cetaceans, and developing species assessments in zoological settings. David Kleven is a zoo animal professional and founder of Animal Care Software. Together, they developed a new animal welfare assessment software module that caregivers can use other mobile devices in the field and in real time. The goal is to have customized data collection and analysis to better understand the welfare needs of animals at the speci...
Sep 17, 2020•42 min•Season 3Ep. 127
Researchers at UC Davis published a paper recently describing through computational methods the relative risk of COVID-19 infection to over 400 species examined. Nearly half of the species studied are listed as threatened or endangered. Some of the animals found to be most at risk were not too surprising, such as endangered Old World apes. Still others, particularly reptiles and birds, represent a lower risk. Our guests, Dr. Yvonne Nadler from the USDA funded ZAHP Fusion Center and Dr. Dominic T...
Sep 10, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 126
It's part two of our conversation about the future with zoo and aquarium thought leaders from the Denver Zoo, Indianapolis Zoo, Dolphin Discovery, and Karen Pryor Clicker Training. Coinciding with the news that at least 1 major aquarium has decided to close public operations temporarily to reassess its business model in a COVID-19 reality, our panel looks at revenue streams and the need for greater creativity going forward. They also stress the need for organizations to put trade association dif...
Sep 03, 2020•40 min•Season 3Ep. 125
Following our conversation with futurist Bob Johansen last week, we assembled a panel of zoo and aquarium thought leaders with diverse backgrounds, interests and organizations, to get their views on what the future may hold for zoological facilities and professionals. Topics include: sharing how they adapted their guest experience, infrastructure, and staffing roles to address the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic upon reopening; the re-focus on smaller, personal interactions among a...
Aug 27, 2020•35 min•Season 3Ep. 124
Given the globally disruptive challenges presented by COVID-19, zoos, aquariums, and the conservation and research organizations they support are in serious financial jeopardy. So to help sort out a robust pathway forward, we sought the assistance of renowned futurist, Dr. Bob Johansen from the Institute for the Future . In his latest book, he describes the importance of a Full-Spectrum Thinking mindset to avoid the brain's tendency towards rigid categorical thinking. With the next decade expect...
Aug 20, 2020•57 min•Season 3Ep. 123
More than a year after his arrival in the waters of Norway, Hvaldimir, a trained beluga whale is surviving on his own while still seeking the company of his human family. Whether it's sleeping under maintenance boats at fish farms or engaging with people in crowded waterways, Hvaldimir may be living free in the open ocean but he's anything but wild. Marine mammal expert Lindsay Rubincam shares how a social media network tracking his whereabouts is helping a team of volunteers insure his future w...
Aug 13, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 3Ep. 122
Animal training experts Chuck Tompkins and Ted Turner return for a third installment on behavioral principles to discuss how operant conditioning using positive reinforcement in managed care can prevent and at minimum reduce the frequency and intensity of aggressive behaviors directed at other animals, caregivers, or the immediate environment. The goal is not to react to or try to suppress aggressive responses after they have happened as traditional punishment-based training often calls for, but...
Aug 06, 2020•1 hr 35 min•Season 3Ep. 121
Renowned veterinary pathologist and researcher, Dr. Judy St. Leger is the president of Rising Tide Conservation. According to its website, Rising Tide Conservation is dedicated to developing and promoting aquaculture of marine ornamental fish species through the collaborative efforts of researchers, public aquaria, hobbyists, pet industry professionals, and conservation groups. Rising Tide Conservation facilitates sustainability in the aquarium industry by supporting marine ornamental fish aquac...
Jul 30, 2020•34 min•Season 3Ep. 120
This special episode features a series of panel presentations based on recently published peer-reviewed papers about dolphin life expectancy, orca longevity, cetacean dive physiology, and two rebuttals of Marino et al 2019. Panelists Kelly Jaakkola, Kevin Willis, Andreas Fahlman, Heather Hill, Kathleen Dudzinski, & Jason Bruck present data, as well as, commentary on a case study example of a published paper on orca welfare that never should have cleared the peer-review process. Our panel of ...
Jul 23, 2020•1 hr 24 min•Season 3Ep. 119
Friend of the podcast, Dr. Hendrik Nollens describes his new role as VP of Conservation Medicine and Science at the Pacific Marine Mammal Center . In addition to responding to marine mammal stranding events along the entire coastline of Orange County, the PMMC has an ongoing role in public education, original wildlife research, as well as, assisting wild animals, particularly large cetaceans, entangled by ropes and other fishing debris. Dr. Nollens sees advancements in veterinary medicine and an...
Jul 16, 2020•36 min•Season 3Ep. 118
Modern zoos and aquariums are agents for positive change. Through conservation, public education, in situ and e x situ research, and the display of amazing animals, zoological facilities inspire people of all ages to care about the well-being of wildlife and wild places. Still, it doesn't take one long to realize that these organizations so dedicated to preserving biodiversity are, in fact, not all that diverse in terms of their workforce, especially across animal-related departments and occupat...
Jul 09, 2020•47 min•Season 3Ep. 117
Our recent episode on the Least Reinforcing Scenario (#113) set download records and elicited so much feedback from listeners that we invited long time animal training experts Chuck Tompkins and Ted Turner back to discuss other controversial operant conditioning terms and topics. The Intermediate Bridge and End of Session signal are two such concepts about which few behavior training professionals are ambivalent. Chuck and Ted reflect on the validity of these concepts and warn trainers against l...
Jul 02, 2020•1 hr 6 min•Season 3Ep. 116
Dr. Barbara Baker the president and CEO of the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium for thirty years spoke at the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums annual meeting in February (just as the COVID-19 pandemic was arriving in the United States) as part of a panel discussion made up of leaders of major zoological organizations from around the world. She also serves as the Board Chair for the trade association known as the Zoological Association of America. Dr. Baker shares her insights on Expe...
Jun 25, 2020•25 min•Season 3Ep. 115
Recently, the Georgia Aquarium site of the Animal Planet show, The Aquarium , announced the birth of a large female beluga whale calf. Long time marine mammal husbandry and training professionals, Eric Gaglione and Dennis Christen describe the extensive planning and staff preparation that occurs in advance of any cetacean birth. Most important to the process is the extensive desensitization training based upon operant conditioning and positive reinforcement that the expectant mother receives fro...
Jun 18, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 114
Few behavioral terms or concepts have engendered as much discussion, confusion, and heated debate among zoo professionals, behaviorists, and animal trainers over the past thirty years as the Least Reinforcing Scenario, known simply as LRS. Two of the original LRS architects, Chuck Tompkins and Ted Turner, describe the concept and the fundamental shift in behavioral psychology it represented by rejecting the status quo of traditional animal training that urged trainers to say "no" to animals when...
Jun 11, 2020•1 hr 5 min•Season 3Ep. 113
Dr. Andreas Fahlman returns with doctoral candidate Alicia Espinosa to describe their research using tools and knowledge of human spirometry to better understand dolphin pulmonary function. Their goal is to establish a baseline of small cetacean pulmonary physiology measures for use in assessing wild and stranded dolphin respiratory health. Global Diving Research That Sounds Wild: Bottlenose Dolphin whistle Animal Care Software Peppermint Narwhal Zoo Logic...
Jun 04, 2020•34 min•Season 3Ep. 112
With science proving to be an easy target these days for those looking to politicize it, what lasting harm is done to the public discourse and society's faith in anything the research community at large has to report on any subject, in those rare instances when unsubstantiated, misleading, or unethically crafted papers clear a respected journal's peer review process? Dr. Heather Hill, principle author of the recent rebuttal letter to one such concerning peer-reviewed paper joins researcher Jason...
May 28, 2020•1 hr 15 min•Season 3Ep. 111
When the plea for help went out across the US for medical professionals to lend their talents to the city hit hardest by the COVID-19 pandemic, like nearly 100 thousand of his colleagues, Ohio surgeon Dr. Ray Gagliardi answered the call. Dr. Ray shares his insights into the myriad of ways the deadly disease attacks the human body making it much more than just a respiratory illness. That Sounds Wild: Great Horned Owls. Frank Buck Zoo Animal care Software Peppermint Narwhal Zoo Logic...
May 21, 2020•47 min•Season 3Ep. 110
John Lukas is president of the Okapi Conservation Project which works in the Democratic Republic of Congo to study, protect and preserve the elusive large mammal known as okapi, nicknamed the ghost of the forest. Despite its large size for a forest-dwelling species, the okapi, a relative of the giraffe, was only recently described by western civilization in the early 1900's. Its great mass enables it to easily plow through dense jungle forests which serve to camouflage the species from predators...
May 14, 2020•53 min•Season 3Ep. 109
The Director of Research for the Dolphin Research Center, Dr. Kelly Jaakkola is back describing a recent Connecticut bill intended to ban all relevant activities surrounding cetaceans living in human care. The bill's timing coincides with a federal import permit application by the state's only marine mammal facility, the Mystic Aquarium, seeking to add a handful of beluga whales born at a crowded facility in Canada. Mystic Aquarium has a well regarded rescue and research program for animals in h...
May 07, 2020•36 min•Season 3Ep. 108
