Susan Kleven is the long time director of the Frank Buck Zoo in Gainesville, TX.  She returns to Zoo Logic to discuss her upcoming children's book telling the true story of Nzuri, a premature giraffe whose first time mother was unable to nurse or otherwise care for him.  Nzuri Grows Up: A Preemie Giraffe's Story coauthored by Jennifer Keats Curtis is due out in wide release this fall through Arbordale Publishing. Now more than six years old, Nzuri is thriving with the zoological team that beat the odds and gave this underdeveloped calf a chance at life.

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Behaviorist Tim Sullivan has been with the Brookfield Zoo in Chicago for 47 years, nearly half the history of that leading institution. After two decades as a marine mammal trainer and leader, Tim moved to an internal consultant role at the zoo by guiding the change from free to protected contact with their elephant team. Needless to say those were challenging times early on, which led Tim to examine his teaching methods, not so much with animals, but with humans!  Since then he has temporarily (often for years at a time) led 4 other areas and departments.  These days he is happy to settle back into his role as behavioral coach for the entire collection and its animal care teams. He shares his insights on where we've been as an industry and where he thinks animal husbandry is headed in terms of an increasingly wholistic approach combining behavior, exhibit design, veterinary and nutrition.

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John M. Kinder is director of American Studies, professor of history at Oklahoma State University and author of the new book, World War Zoos: Humans and Other Animals in the Deadliest Conflict of the Modern Age. He chronicles the horrific effects of war on zoos throughout Europe, the US and the South Pacific and the sometimes heroic efforts by keepers and the public to preserve their animal charges even in times of scarcity and personal starvation. Zoos that were spared bombing still had to wrestle with difficult questions such as which animals should be euthanized when food supplies were low? Or which should be killed to prevent the escape of dangerous animals? Kinder examines the era from the Great Depression through the Cold War and its cumulative effects resulting in the zoological institutions and some of the policies we see today.

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Tom LaRock is a long time zoo administrator turned wildlife safari travel operator.  He founded Rewild Safaris to connect his travel organization with conservation organizations around the globe working on the ground to solve problems and preserve species and habitats. For him, the meaning behind rewild extends beyond the effort to return species to recovered habitats but also to connect travelers with the wild and wildlife.

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The Philadelphia Zoo is America's oldest zoological institution that takes pride in its history of firsts.  Dr. Jo-Elle Mogerman, President and CEO, exemplifies more firsts for the organization including serving as the first woman and first African American woman to hold the top leadership role. She describes how this urban Chicago introvert grew to love nature on her parents' front porch. She is candid about her personal interests which she realized in school did not include remote camping or field work, and the early and long hours of zookeeping.  Rather, her work has largely focused on the people side of the preservation equation, by connecting with diverse audiences through conservation and education.  

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A few weeks ago, Colossal Laboratories and Biosciences grabbed the world's attention when it announced the de-extinction of the Dire Wolf which last roamed the earth more than 12 thousand years ago, with the successful birth of three animals. Matt James, a long time zoo professional now serving as the company's Chief Animal Officer, discusses the science and technology behind the momentous announcement and the methodology's potential to help conserve extant but endangered species like red wolves. He also addresses some of the misinformation and misunderstanding about what this outcome has and has not achieved and where it   may lead in the future.

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According to its founder, Rebecca Rosenberg who was born with low vision, the name ReBokeh is derived from a photography term "Bokeh," a technique in which all light sources are out of focus and blurred. Re-Bokeh then represents her organization's efforts to re-clarifying of what is out of focus. When this eventual bioengineer was 17 and looking forward to college, she looked at the technology options for the vast majority of visually impaired peopled and discovered that most were geared towards the nearly or completely blind or resorted to auditory-based solutions, bypassing any visual input altogether.  The problem was these alternatives didn't serve the lives of millions of people with signifiant residual vision.  Joining Rebecca is Dr. De'Andrea Matthews, VP of Diversity and Community Engagement for the Detroit Zoological Society to discuss the recent rollout of ReBokeh's app designed to help visitors, staff and docents with low vision maximize their zoo-going experiences.

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We begin season 8 of Zoo Logic with a frank conversation with Dr. Jason Bruck and Billy Hurley about the proper role of accreditation organizations, as well as, their limitations.  When an accredited institution stumbles or allegations of poor animal well-being are made, what is the responsibility of accrediting bodies to investigate, act, and inform its members and the public as to its findings and remedies? Where is the dividing line between a professional trade organization's responsibilities to ensure adherence to its standards and guidelines and the government's legal authority to act to address animal well-being concerns?  In an age when news, information, and especially, opinions are instantly expressed on social and traditional media, how should professionals or members of the public effectively respond to animal welfare concerns so as to not make matters worse for the animals or the front line staff doing their best to care for them?

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First time author Christine Mott has a forthcoming children's book entitled, Free Bird: Flaco the Owl's Dreams Take Flight by Lantern Publishing. The story for kids ages 4 to 8 is based on upon actual events surrounding the Eurasian Eagle Owl that escaped from the Central Park Zoo. The story enthralled people from around the globe as Flaco was recorded across Central Park for over a year before his untimely death. As an attorney Christine also describes her advocacy work on behalf of animals.

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While most North American zoological parks are still weeks away from the start of their summer high season, a few desert southwest facilities are already deep into their peak season. Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park president Kristy Hayden returns to discuss the latest additions to their collection including a baby giraffe and an all new tiger habitat. As important as these megafauna are, Kristy insists it is important to look at animal welfare for all their species, especially as the zoo addresses some of the older original portions of the facility. Standards are different from the zoo's earliest days more than 40 years ago and it is important to keep up with those changes with improved construction materials and better designs, especially in a desert climate. Plus, we discuss the looming veterinary crisis with declining numbers of large animal clinicians entering the field with Dr. Dani Revers.

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