From Animal Trainer to Zoo Director

Growing up in the United Kingdom, Will Elgar told his mom he was going to be either an astronaut, dolphin trainer or stunt man.  Given the lack of cetaceans in the UK, working with dolphins seemed unlikely, but Will eventually found a way. It turns out that his real passion was working with and training sea lions, which led him to new opportunities and species around the world. Recently named as the director of Zoo Miami in 2021, Will discusses how learning to train animals with positive reinforcement to develop relationships based on mutual trust has informed his skills as a manager and coach.

Animal Care Software

KONG Zoo

Zoo Logic