Rossifari Podcast - Zoos, Aquariums, and Animal Conservation

Today, the Safari heads to Denver, CO, to talk to Brooke Mitchell-Norman, conservation biologist and host of Rewildology, an incredible new conservation-focused podcast! Brooke and I decided to collaborate on our episodes this week, meaning you can also find me as the guest on her podcast!  On this episode, we talk all about Brooke's time as a zookeeper, and her transition into the conservation travel industry.  We also take time to talk about her podcast, and just so much more!  

SHOW LINKS: 
rewildology.com 
@rewildology on Instagram 
Make sure you subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast!

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
rossifari.com 
patreon.com/rossifari 
rossifari.redbubble.com for merch 
@rossifari on Instagram and Facebook 

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Today, the Safari heads to New England to meet with Robin Sullivan, enrichment consultant and President of The Leather Elves, which is a company that sells animal enrichment items!  Robin has been at the forefront of animal enrichment as the practice has developed, and since 2000 has consulted at zoos all around the world, helping them to improve their enrichment practices! This episode has a lot of great information not only on how zoos use enrichment to get their animals to participate in naturalistic behaviors, but also has some tips that any pet owners can use to think about how to make their pet's lives better!  

SHOW LINKS: 
www.theleatherelves.ecwid.com 
@theleatherelves on Facebook and Instagram 

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
www.rossifari.com for the website 
patreon.com/rossifar to support the pod 
rossifari.redbubble.com for merch 
@rossifari on Instagram and Facebook 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, the Safari heads to Los Angeles, CA, to speak with Shira Scott Astrof.  Shira is the president and founder of the Animal Rescue Mission, an LA based shelter saving dogs in her area and all around the world.  This episode really helped me to understand the amazing work being done to save domestic animals such as dogs, and how much wildlife conservation and domestic rescue have in common.  Oh, by the way, Shira was also a guest star on an episode of The Office, and we definitely spend some time talking about that, including hearing what it was like to work with Ed Helms and John Krasinski! 

SHOW LINKS: 
@theanimalrescuemission on Insta and Facebook 
@shirascottastrof on Insta 
theanimalrescuemission.org 

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
rossifari.com 
patreon.com/rossifari 
rossifari.redbubble.com 
@rossifari on Instagram and Facebook 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, the Safari heads to Moorpark, California to check out America's Teaching Zoo at Moorpark Community College!  That's right, there is an actual zoo at an actual college where students get to work as zookeepers while learning the field firsthand, graduating with a degree in Exotic Animal Training and Management! I speak to second year student Holly Schmidt, who is an amazing ambassador for this program!  We discuss what the school looks like, the animals at the zoo, the incredible faculty there, and her plans for life post-graduation!  

SHOW LINKS: 
@americasteachingzoo 
www.moorparkcollege.edu 
@hollykerstin on Instagram to see Holly being awesome!

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod 
rossifari.com 
@rossifari on Instagram and Facebook 
rossifari.redbubble.com for merch 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, the Safari escapes the winter weather back home for a trip to Jacksonville, Florida, to interview one person working at two great conservation organizations!  Lucas Meers is the conservation program officer at BOTH the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens AND the Okapi Conservation Project!  This is such a great look at how in situ and ex situ conservation work hand in hand, and how the conservation work being done at zoos and in the wild are incredibly connected!  

SHOW LINKS: 
@lucastmeers on Instagram 
@okapiconservation on Instagram and Facebook 
@jacksonvillezoo on Instagram and Facebook 
okapiconservation.org 
jacksonvillezoo.org 

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
rossifari.com 
@rossifari on Instagram and Facebook 
patreon.com/rossifari 
rossifar.redbubble.com for merch! 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today's Safari is going to a couple different places, as I bring you short interviews with Dani Poirier Larson of Southwick's Zoo, and Melissa Peterson of the Memphis Zoo, as well as a short love story by former guest Kara McSweeney!  The second sexy episode of Rossifari After Dark features discussions about flirty birds, bonobos sex, and a sweet story about a tapir! This episode is fun, irreverent, and full of good information.  It may not, however, be for all ears.  

SHOW NOTES: 
DANI: 
@danipoirier on Instagram 
@shinestagram24 on Instagram to follow her adorable dog
@Southwickszoo on Instagram for her zoo 
www.southwickszoo.com for the official zoo page! 
MELISSA: 
@memphiszoo on Instagram 
www.memphiszoo.org 
KARA: 
@karamc3 on Instagram 
kairoscreaturecollective.com for the awesome clothing line mentioned in the episode! 

ROSSIFARI NOTES: 
www.rossifari.com 
@rossifari on Insta and Facebook 
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod 
rossifari.redbubble.com for merch

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Safari heads back to our home zoo, Elmwood Park Zoo, but with a sexy twist! I've decided to turn Valentine's Day into Valentine's Week and bring you Rossifari After Dark. Mating is a huge part of life at the zoo, and this episode does a deep dive into what that looks like in the animal kingdom.  This episode is fun, irreverent, and full of good information.  It may not, however, be suitable for all ears.  

SHOW NOTES: 
@elmwoodparkzoo on Insta and Facebook 
www.elmwoodparkzoo.org 

ROSSIFARI NOTES: 
www.rossifari.com 
patreon.com/rossifari 
rossifari.redbubble.com 
@rossifari on Facebook and Insta

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, the Safari continues it's world tour in India! I bring you my interview with Gunjan Menon, an incredible conservation filmmaker and the director of The Firefox Guardian! Gunjan has an incredible story, and also shares incredible conservation stories with others.  We have a lot of fun sharing our love of red pandas, discussing what filmmaking in the wild is like, and talking about ecofeminism.  Gunjan also tells stories about the incredible work she's done filming conservation efforts for king cobras, sea turtles, and more. 

Remember: There will be TWO lives screenings of The Firefox Guardian on the Rossifari Facebook page (@rossifari) at 7 PM and 10 PM Eastern time the day this episode is released (2/11/21).  These totally free events are going to be incredible, don't miss your chance to see this short film!

SHOW LINKS: 
@gunjunglebook on Instagram 
gunjan.myportfolio.com 
redpandanetwork.com 

ROSSIFARI LINKS 
@rossifari on Insta and Facebook 
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod 
rossifari.redbubble.com for merch 
rossifari.com 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Today, the Safari heads to El Valle, Panama, for a chat with Heidi Ross and Edgardo Griffith of the El Valle Amphibian Conservation Center Foundation.  When I booked this interview, I had no idea how crazy the tale I was about to hear was going to be.  This is a story about the challenges of conservation taking place on the ground during a global pandemic, where the challenges of travel restrictions, funding issues, and human ego can all conspire to create unexpected challenges for species that are already struggling, and for those people trying to save them.  I'm really excited to bring this story to y'all.  

SHOW LINKS: 
www.proyectoranadorada.org 
www.evaccfoundation.org 
@evaccfoundation on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
rossifar.com - website 
patreon.com/rossifar - fund the pod; get cool stuff 
rossifari.redbubble.com - merch 
@rossifari on Facebook and Instagram 

And make sure you're following along on Facebook and Instagram.  I will be hosting two showings of The Firefox Guardian on Thursday, 2/11/21, at 7 and 10 PM Eastern Time.  Details can be found in my Instagram and Facebook stories and feeds.  You won't want to miss it!

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Today, the Safari heads to England, to speak with Becky Whitelegg, a zookeeper at Flamingoland.  Come for the animal facts, stay for the fun accent!  Becky talks about some incredible mongooses, the weight loss plan of a warty pig, and so much more.  We also discuss some of the differences of zookeeping in the UK and the US, what accreditation looks like across the pond, and so much more.  I admit it...I just really wanted to write "across the pond" in these show notes!  

SHOW LINKS: 
@rawrebecca to find Becky on Insta 
@flamingolandresort for Flamingoland on Insta 
flamingoland.co.uk for the official zoo website 

ROSSIFARI LINKS: 
rossifari.com 
rossifari.redbubble.com for merch 
patreon.com/rossifari to support the pod 
@rossifari on Insta and Facebook 

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.