Zoo Logic – Details, episodes & analysis

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 conservationists in Nepal and around the globe. His new documentary, Snow Leopard Trail, is available at film festivals now.

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Key figures behind the Whale Sanctuary Project and other Canadian anti-zoo groups held an online meeting with about 500 attendees including our guest, Dr. Jason Bruck, to discuss the situation concerning 30 beluga whales living in limbo at the troubled Marineland of Canada facility. We discuss the group's plans to build in Nova Scotia and the gaps in their science, funding, and other arguments.

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Tom Otten and Glenn Young have been working in key leadership roles with marine mammals such as orcas and terrestrial animals like elephants for decades. They share their insights into where zoos and aquariums have been and where they  might want to go while we still have time to preserve what's left of Nature.

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Recently, Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park welcomed the birth of a female white rhino. This was no ordinary or overnight conservation success story according to its president, Kristy Hayden. The process began nearly 10-years ago with a significant financial commitment of hundreds of thousands of dollars by the forty-year-old, for-profit organization to acquire and import 3 unrelated females from South Africa. After the animals were identified and their protection and care secured while awaiting permitting and transport, the project was met with extended delays by USFWS. These necessitated finding 3 younger animals suitable in size for transport, the need to build a new expansive rhino habitat and barn, and eventually, once they arrived, time to reach reproductive maturity. The goal by the late owner and director, Mickey Ollson, was to help improve the genetics of the North American population as part of ensuring survival of the species, even as poaching and habitat loss issues are hopefully resolved throughout the African continent in the future. 

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A recent peer-reviewed paper discussed the concept and procedure known as errorless learning and compares its efficacy training dogs to that of the more typical trial-and-error approach to learning. One of the authors of the paper: Comparing Trial-and-Error to Errorless Learning Procedures in Training Pet Dogs a Visual Discrimination, Dr. Eduardo "Eddie" Fernandez discusses the process and its favorable impact on the subjects' frustration, behavior acquisition rate, and failure compared to trial and error learning.  The goal is to uncover ways to minimize any harmful effects on animal welfare during the learning process.

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Several years ago, a few zoo professionals recognized the growing need for better access to mental health resources for their peers.  Together they formed Growing Resiliency for Aquarium and Zoo Employees or GRAZE for the purpose of "bringing mental health support to those in the zoo and aquarium industry by raising awareness, sharing ideas, resources, and tools." The GRAZE team of Erin McNally, LVT; Shannon McKinney & Hannah Fullmer discuss the nature of grief and how their company helps zoo professionals at all levels by providing Proactive Programing, Support Services, and Critical Incident Response. According to the GRAZE team, the key to coping with grief that comes with loss is a willingness to make oneself vulnerable--an animal caretaker trait that has historically been discouraged.

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Lisa Niver was a successful teacher, traveler, and dive master turned award-winning travel writer, but privately things were not as they seemed. At the lowest point in her life and staring at starting over, she found the strength to free herself from an abusive marriage and set upon a path towards personal growth and healing. One strategy was to complete 50 challenges before her 50th birthday as described in her new book, Brave-ish: one breakup, six continents and feeling fearless after fifty.  She shares her experiences in eco-tourism, as well as, other adventures around the world and the importance of facing one's fears.

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Long time zoo expert and media personality, Jarod Miller and his business partner Bob Manley have launched phase one of their pet services concept Hounds and Hops in his hometown of Buffalo, NY. In a city known for deep snowfalls and cold winters, their master plan includes the development of a covered outdoor dog-friendly green space, as well as, a spacious indoor dog park.  As part of the downtown area's revitalization, which includes redevelopment, jobs, and housing, Hounds and Hops will tap into the popularity of craft beers and wines to create a unique human and animal friendly space.

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The oldest animal welfare organization in America, American Humane, has launched a new third party certification program consistent with its longstanding programs covering zoos, farming, and even the film and television industry. Announced a month ago, "Humane Tourism" is designed to certify "wildlife reserves, lodges, and tour operators for their humane responsibility toward the animal life that the operations may encounter and have the potential to impact."  As wildlife viewing vacations become increasingly popular, one goal of this new program is to provide well-meaning consumers the information needed to make conscientious choices about where to spend their wildlife tourism dollars. New SR VP & COO, Dr. Kashyap Choksi and Jill Nizan, Director, Conservation Operations discuss how the program was created and the potential global impact on ensuring wild animal welfare.

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Co-founder of Mission K9 Rescue, Bob Bryant returns to discuss the organization's recent success and ongoing mission to return military and contract working dogs from their deployments around the world as the animal's tour of duty ends due to illness, age, or loss of work drive. In many instances MWD are reunited with their longtime human handlers but without any financial support from the US military. The situation with CWD isn't as simple as these animals typically have no dedicated handler, which is why rehabilitation and adoption funding by groups like MK9R is critical for this group of service dogs. With the recent drawn down in Afghanistan, MK9R worked with the Taliban through a third party rescue on the ground to evacuate several of nearly 50 Canadian dogs under US military control that remained after the US departure.

The circumstances around the laws and absent funding over the long term transport and post service care of these animals is complex and demands public intervention to ensure these canine service members receive the medical and behavioral care and best possible lives during their years of service and throughout their post service lives. While things have improved somewhat for those dogs classified as MWD, leaving any behind with no care or in the hands of our enemies (historically in Vietnam, MWD were euthanized or set to roam the jungles rather than returned to the US) as is the usual case with CWD is unacceptable.

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