INTERBEING by AnimalConcepts – Details, episodes & analysis

“I realised this isn’t new, this interconnection, this view of holistic understandings of who we are… back to indigenous cultures” - Sam Crowell

This podcast utilises the audio from the webinar that took place on 30 April 2021 on the Planetary wellbeing platform by AnimalConcepts.

Let us welcome Dr Sam M. Crowell Jr. He is a professor emeritus from California State University, San Bernardino. He founded the MA in Holistic and Integrative Education and is a founding member of the Network in Spirituality and Education. He serves as a faculty member of the Earth Charter Education Center for Sustainable Development and has been engaged in the Earth Charter movement for several years.
Sam informs us how his beginnings with his doctorate in the social foundations of education, influenced his career as a teacher. He enthused about how teaching, allows for collaboration and further learning. Furthermore, he highlights how his indigenous heritage has given influenced his teaching style and sense of identity. They then discuss the influence of culture, both animal and human, and how understanding them could be used to encourage a peaceful future.

“All my relations are our saving grace, it points to the truth that we are all connected. The most important word is ALL, not just those that behave like me, all, every person…” - Sam reading from Richard Wagamese’s book Embers.

The podcast concludes by explaining the prophecy of the Eagle and the Condor. The eagle represents human technological advancements, the condor represents spirit. The prophecy states that every 500 years their prevalence switches, however, currently, both birds are flying.

Read about Sam Crowell HERE
Read about the Visible and Non-Visible Nature of Collaboration in Education HERE
Find out about the book; Embers by Richard Wagamese HERE
Find out about Sam’s Science and Spirituality course HERE

“Education can change minds, if you can change minds, you can change mindsets, you change the behaviours and change the collective, so it is crucial”. - Alicia

This week’s podcast utilises the audio from the webinar interview led by Alicia Jiménez which took place on the 29th of January 2021 from the AnimalConcepts platform.

Let us welcome Alicia Jiménez, the Director of Programmes at the Earth Charter International Secretariat in Costa Rica. She has been working in the field of conservation and sustainable development since 1998.

The conversation discusses why it is essential to work together to maintain nature. However, this would require a new mindset, through cultural transformation to expand our perception and rethink our values. Education is a key player in this and can influence change. The Earth Charter can be used as a guideline to produce lessons.

The Earth Charter is a working document, containing sixteen principles within four pillars in sixty languages to promote a global impact by teaching a new way to relate to other living beings.

“Across zoos and aquariums, not many people I have spoken to have heard about the Earth Charter. So it is wonderful that we converse together to spread the word, the message and the values”. – Sabrina

Alicia, Irma and Sabrina then discuss the benefits of weaving stories into education especially in a zoo environment to create relatability and therefore teach people how valuable all life is.

“The Earth Charter has a global effect, putting together how we should live on this planet”. - Irma

Read about Alicia Jiménez HERE
Read the Earth Charter preamble HERE

“We have a mission to connect people with nature to inspire stewardship for nature through those connections!... An emotional connection with nature through spending time in nature is more important than environmental education for inculcating that sense of stewardship in children… an important part of conversation”. - Suzanne Gendron

Let us welcome Suzanne Gendron, the Director of Sage Advice Consulting and the Former Executive Director of Zoological Operations and Conservation at Ocean Park Hong Kong. 

In this episode, Suzanne shares with us the importance of educational opportunities outside of school to promote stewardship through creating a connection to nature.

Suzanne explains how Ocean Park aims to support Asian biodiversity and the strategies it has implemented to achieve this. She highlights crucially how conservation problems are not going to get better without cooperation.

Suzanne then shares some of the educational activities Ocean Park employs to inspire others to take small actions to help conservation species.

Suzanne then shares the work of Sage Advice Consulting, and how she utilises her 40 years to provide valuable insight to facilitate improved animal welfare, conservation and education, thus, positively impacting the conservation of animals.

To conclude, Suzanne shares with us her love of scuba diving and her awe-inspiring dive with Whale Sharks further inspired her love of the sea.

Read about WAZA’s Social Change for Conservation Strategy HERE

Read about Ocean Park’s implemented conservation HERE

Become a member HERE

"Everyone has 1 life. Me, you, and each animal in our care. Let's bring awareness to what seems so obvious, and embody I SEE YOU" - Sabrina Brando

Join Sabrina Brando in thinking about the 1 life we all have. On how we can make a difference, through the methods and approaches we use, patience and loving-kindness.

Sabrina discusses bringing attention to the effect of our language around other animals and nature, and how this can shape the ways we think and act.

She shares some recent insights and experiences with animals and a valuable lesson from Metallica.

Sabrina briefly discusses her perspectives around the 'I SEE YOU' concept she developed. Of bringing together our heart, mind, gut, and senses, and many other important aspects, and to stay connected 'seeing', in the broadest sense, for animals, peoples, and this beautiful planet we share.

Access 24/7 across lifespan information and resources HERE

Watch the EAZA webinar on Back-of-House with Sabrina Brando & Jon Coe HERE

Become a member HERE

“Every single individual impacts the planet in some way, big or small everyday. Every individual has a role to play”. - Jane Goodall

“If we find the right organisations to collaborate with… and to share values about the sanctity of life, whether it's animal-human, human-animal, we’re all one! And yet, we’re different, so we are responsible for the harm we are causing around the globe”. - Jane Goodall

“Every species of animal and plant has a role to play. It was all connected. It’s like a tapestry of beautiful colours, a living tapestry of life. As a species becomes locally extinct, it is like pulling a thread, from that tapestry, and enough threads are pulled, then that tapestry will hang in tatters, and that ecosystem will collapse, and we have to realise, we are apart of the natural world and not only that, we depend on it for everything”. - Jane Goodall

Let us welcome Dr Jane Goodall DBE, who has worked for nearly 60 years protecting chimpanzees. Her work has led to conservation incorporating the needs of the local people as well as the environment.

In this episode, Jane shares with us the importance of interconnection through finding common ground to improve the effectiveness of conservation strategies.

Jane explains the role of the Jane Goodall Institute and its sanctuaries in helping both the chimps, the environment, and the locals and how it can be used to promote ecotourism.

Jane then explains the importance of networking communities and connecting youth in order to promote positive change for animals and the environment through her programme ‘Roots & Shoots”.

To conclude, Jane gives us reasons for hope and informs us of its importance within the world. She explains how hope is inspiring, and how it spreads easily sparking action. Sparking change.

Learn more about the Jane Goodall Institute HERE

Learn about the Pan African Sanctuary Alliance HERE

Watch Wounda’s release HERE

Become a member HERE

In this episode, we connect with Irma Verhoeven who is a professional educator and a program and partnership development manager with Earth Charter International. Irma will share her insights and experiences on why education plays such an important role in human behaviour changes and empowerment.

Irma shares her experiences of working with Indigenous Peoples, and how this has influenced her work as an educator, including learning from, through and with others.

As a Programme & Partnership Development Manager with Earth Charter International, Irma shares how the Earth Charter can be useful for educational organisations as well as zoos and aquariums.

In concluding the podcast Irma shares her work with World of Walas, as cofounder and education advisor, specifically focussing on educational efforts in relation to more participative and sustainable cities, and how education supports a more just, sustainable, peaceful, and ethical society.

Become a member HERE

“Changes in how we react with animals… it’s not all about food. The animals are going to get their food anyway, there is so much more to the relationship” - Sabrina 2022

“It’s important that we’re doing research to help animals that are in the wild. I believe a big reason that we have these animals is not for money or entertainment, but it's for education, conservation and research…” - William Winhall

Today we welcome William (Bill) Winhall, the Manager/Principal Consultant at Marine Mammal Care Consulting LLC and who has a very long career in marine mammal care and welfare.

Bill tells us that although he has always had an interest in nature, his first ambitions lay with becoming a professional baseball player. However, due to injuries, he decided to study for a degree in Biological Sciences (Marine). Bill then told us of his career ladder, starting as a Tour Boat Operator at Marine World/Africa USA.

Bill then shares with us how marine mammal training has changed and the importance of collaboration in training with animals and colleagues. He also provided us with many examples, for example, Cocoa the Pilot Whale. Bill also explains the importance of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums inspecting and sharing the best practices to improve care.

Bill also shares with us how understanding animals in captivity is critical in helping animals in the wild to conserve and restore habitats and species.

Bill concludes by sharing stories about training a young dolphin and a young sea lion, explaining the importance of understanding the individual to alter training to fit their needs.

Read about the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks & Aquariums HERE

Read the Polar Bear Care Manual HERE

Become a member HERE

“In this endless discussion [about animal experimentation] we completely forget that animals are used now and they need our attention now.” - Augusto Vitale & Sabrina Brando

Dr Augusto Vitale joins us to share his experience in the study of non-human primate behaviour and welfare. Since 1991 Augusto has worked as a researcher at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità in Rome (Italy) dedicating his scientific activity to investigate behaviour, cognition and welfare of non-human primates, with a focus on common marmosets used in neuroscience and biomedical research.

He guides us in discovering the work of ethologists and evolutionary biologists who contributed to unveiling key aspects of animal behaviour and cognitive skills. He passionately illustrates his research on cooperation and describes how studying common marmosets’ behaviour can shed light on the evolution of altruism in humans.

Augusto also shares with us his work in the EU Expert Working Group responsible for creating guidelines on the protection of animals used in scientific procedures. He discusses the use of animals in experimentation, providing meaningful insight into the current legislation and ethical debate. Augusto concludes by telling us about his strong bond with animals and highlighting the importance of positive human-animal interactions for enhancing captive animal well-being.

“It’s really important to understand what our zoo visitors are seeing, feeling and understanding, because we want them to be a full partner in how we manage and take care of animals” – Jill Mellen

"Our interpretations of what we may think of our own animals at home versus wild animals in our care... We have lots of similar problems... We could bring visitors along in learning to assess the wellbeing of animals and how this can be used with their own animals" - Sabrina Brando

Jill Mellen joins us once again to discuss with Sabrina Brando how the public perceives the welfare of animals housed in a zoo. They explain how understanding this perception is important in the planning of management strategies.

Jill shares with us how zookeepers are the critical mediator in making a positive experience, by taking the time to interact with visitors to divulge knowledge. They remind us how some domestic species share behaviours with many species in the zoo and reminding visitors of this can potentially improve the welfare of their pets.

They discuss how media detachment can alter the narrative of work achieved in zoos, making zoos and aquariums appear that they are not doing right by the animals in their care. 

Jill and Sabrina conclude the podcast by offering several suggestions that could be implemented into zoos to increase positive public interactions.

Listen to Jill and Sabrina’s previous conversation HERE

Become a member HERE